Bridgestone V02 SuperBike Slick

Bridgestone says:

OFF the SCALE PERFORMANCE.

• Faster lap times… You asked for it, Bridgestone delivers. Chalk it up with the next-generation racing tyre for riders of Superbikes and GP3 everywhere.

LIGHTNING FAST RESPONSE.

• This is what tyre technology straight from the race tracks really feels like. The Bridgestone VO2 will Brush aside the competition with new levels of grip, stability and control.

SUPERB CORNERING STABILITY.

• Genuine contact feel throughout the turn means you know exactly when to push the limits, even at high camber angles.

SUPERIOR WARM-UP POTENTIAL

• If this tyre represents the pinnacle of construction technology, wait till you see how it works in tandem with the new compound. True, sticky performance throughout the full temperature range.

LONGER TYRE LIFE

• And as an added bonus, you can keep on booking the fastest lap times for longer, thanks to the Battlax Racing V02’s softer, more wear-resistant compound.

COMPOUND CHART 

The Bridgestone V02s are available in the following compounds:

• Extra Soft
• Soft
• Medium

NOT FOR ROAD USE

Bridgestone V02 tyre pressures

We have a guide to motorcycle trackday tyre pressures and in there you can see Bridgestone’s recommended tyres pressures for their V02 tyres.

Bridgestone Says

Our flag ship model RACING BATTLAX V02 with gripping strength and a long wear life has been raised to a higher dimension

A spec combining a soft compound for cornering grip and a medium compound for resistance to abrasion. This is Bridgestone’s first multi-compound racing slick for the aftermarket, and further extends its range.

GP-Belt technology was developed to limit tyre deformation, and allows engineers to design a tyre which offers an optimal contact pressure area on track. In simple terms the technology generates extra grip coming out of corners, while the area of slip is reduced. This has allowed Bridgestone to work on employing a new, softer compound.

The Mono-Spiral Belt which sits underneath uses a single, continuous spiral wrapped around the circumference of the tyre. Whereas a standard multi-cross belt construction has many belt overlaps, seams and joints, the Bridgestone Mono-Spiral Belt does not. This therefore reduces the heat generated in the tyre, giving greater on track stability.

The graphic below shows how the introduction of this technology improved grip levels across the temperature range when compared with the original V01.

During internal, on track testing the data gathered by Bridgestone’s team showed that the improved grip levels and consistency of performance had equated to a 1.5% improvement in lap times, which equated to 0.6s improvement per minute – something that really adds up in an environment where milliseconds really count!

Dual Compound Technology

Bridgestone have been using their 3LC (dual compound) technology for quite some time, and the know-how and technology transfer from racing at the highest level is now fully on-going.

The Battlax V02 range now includes a Soft / Medium rear, and brand new for 2020 an Extra-Soft / Soft option is planned – although they haven’t landed just yet!

This new addition for 2020 uses the strengths of V02 Soft rear tyre in terms of its consistency and feedback, and combines them with a special high grip extra soft compound on the shoulder area for additional edge grip and traction capabilities leading to increased cornering speeds.

Various improvements in both technology and the manufacturing process have made it possible to use this new compound approach on mass production racing tyres. The proven efficiency of this approach has been directly related into excellent performance on the racing scene.

During the development of the new Extra-Soft / Soft rear, a new lap record was set at the Autodrom of Most circuit in the Czech Republic.

Bridgestone V02 Review

“In previous tests with the V01 slicks I’ve managed to get about 150 miles on average out of the medium compound rear. with solid A pace track riding and some fast lap times. With the V02, I’ve doubled that distance. How’s that for an ROI? The drive grip lasts and lasts……

There are still depth holes there for all to see on the left side of the rear tire, so I could go even further but with perhaps .4mm left, I can feel that the grip level is starting to go especially on high speed hard acceleration corners.

The V02 is a stunning tire in many ways over the V01 for a 1000cc superbike (only as  a 200 series) and the drive grip takes some getting used to especially in regards to recalibrating throttle to eye to speed. Once that calibration is set, your lap times will decrease BUT as with any race tire you MUST keep an eye on carcass temps and make sure you have the right hot pressures.” – Dave Moss Tuning

Press Reviews

“The V02 is Bridgestone’s full-fat racing tyre, developed after years of MotoGP experience and used in World Endurance racing – the only open tyre class in motorcycling. The V02 is also now being recognised as the best all-round slick by real-world punters in the club racing scene.

After an hour in the warmers, playtime commenced. It was like riding completely different bikes. Grip everywhere, the ability to load the front with staunch commitment, unwavering stability mid-corner and throttles were opened sooner and harder. We usually expect around a second trimmed from lap times over the R10s, and 2017 was no different. But we weren’t reaching the limits of the tyres – we were now challenging the stock limitations of the bikes. You can however expect another second off your lap time in race-trim.”-Fast Bikes Magazine

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“As fast rubber goes, the Bridgestone doesn’t mess around, and when it comes to durability, the V02s looked embarrassingly fresh, despite my harshest efforts to render them worthy of the scrap pile. Must try harder!”- Fast Bikes

User Reviews

“I was intimidated” admitted Zack, talking to Fast Bikes. “Just like the street bike, though, it was incredibly easy to ride. The throttle response is quick, fueling is perfect, the dry clutch is light and accurate, and the transmission is the new gold standard. In kitted trim the RCV-S is 10 kilos lighter (half of that is the race exhaust with the catalyzers removed) but it felt more like double that in standard form. Part of that was probably due to the Bridgestone Battlax V02 slick rubber mounted to the kitted bike, a definite upgrade in traction from the Bridgestone RS10 street tyres.

With slicks, more aggressive brake pads, and around 215 horsepower at the ready i have to say I have never felt less adequate on a racetrack. In the pres briefing the night before, lead test rider and ex-MotoGP racer Shinichi Itoh said, ‘Machines that win races are machines that respond to the rider’s will’. And that is exactly what it feels like. No matter how quickly I flicked from side to side, or how early I felt like I got on the gas, the machine was two steps ahead. Once up to speed I tried to engage traction control, coming out of a first-gear corner and pouring on the gas heavily just after my knee lifted off the ground. The rear slick dug in and carried the front wheel out to the kerb, wheelie control blinking calmly and accelerating like a demonic carnival ride.” Zack- Motorcycle Rider

Tyre Sizes

Front

• 90/580 R17 TL NHS – V02 Soft (GP3 & GP125)
• 90/580 R17 TL NHS – V02 Medium (GP3 & GP125)
• 120/605 R17 TL NHS – V02 Soft (New Shape)
• 120/605 R17 TL NHS – V02 Medium (New Shape)

Rear

• 120/600 R17 TL NHS – V02 Soft (Moto3 & GP125)
• 120/600 R17 TL NHS – V02 Medium (Moto3 & GP125)
• 165/630 R17 TL NHS – R02Z YCX Medium
• 180/655 R17 TL NHS – V02 Extra-Soft / Soft
• 180/655 R17 TL NHS – V02 Soft ’21
• 200/660 R17 TL NHS – V02 Extra-Soft / Soft (New Shape)
• 200/660 R17 TL NHS – V02 Soft (New Shape)
• 200/660 R17 TL NHS – V02 Medium (New Shape)