News - 2020

TOKYO (January 28, 2020) -- Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) announced the launch of the BATTLAX CLASSIC RACING CR11 motorcycle tires for classic bike races. BATTLAX CLASSIC RACING CR11 tires will be available in one front tire size and one rear tire size when released in each market starting in February 2020. These tires use racing specifications and are designated NHS (Not for Highway Service)^*1 and therefore cannot be used on public roads.

A form of motorcycle racing popular largely in Europe, classic bike races use older vehicles from the 1980s. BATTLAX CLASSIC RACING CR11 tires are a direct line of RACING BATTLAX tires that utilize the technologies Bridgestone has cultivated over years of developing tires for motorcycle races. These tires feature an optimized pattern design and compound based on BATTLAX RACING R11 circuit racing motorcycle tires to realize both the high grip and the superior stability required in classic bike races.

BATTLAX CLASSIC RACING CR11

Technological Highlights

1. Pattern Design

BATTLAX CLASSIC RACING CR11 tires use a pattern design based on BATTLAX RACING R11 tires to realize improvements in cornering grip and water drainage when turning.

2. Compound

Both front and rear tires use a racing-purpose compound that emphasizes grip.

3. Innovative V-MS・BELT Construction

The innovative V-MS・BELT (Variable pitch-Mono Spiral Belt) construction features a circumferential-direction distribution of steel cords that differs based on the tread position. Employing this construction greatly improves the contact properties of the tire and contributes to a more even contact pressure distribution. This structure allows for more efficient contact between the tire and the road surface for increased grip. In addition, Bridgestone's ULTIMAT EYE™ technology^*2 was utilized in the optimization of the V-MS・BELT construction.

1. Tires with this designation employ specifications purely for racing purposes and therefore cannot be used on public roads.
2. ULTIMAT EYE™ is Bridgestone's proprietary tire development technology for measuring and visualizing the behavior of tire contact patches. Conventional tire development consists of running simulations, building prototypes, and using laboratory measurements as well as actual vehicle tests to verify performance. ULTIMAT EYE™, meanwhile, makes it possible to reproduce high-speed riding conditions that are equivalent to those of an actual vehicle in the laboratory, enabling tire contact patch behavior to be visualized. Together with conventional vehicle tests, this technology can contribute to improved tire performance through high-precision analyses and performance verifications with a solid scientific basis.