Review: Bridgestone BT-003 RS Racing Street

Bridgestone BT003 ... only a 9 out of 10 says Moss

BRIDGESTONE has a new sports tyre, the BT-003 RS Racing Street. Designed for fast road riding and track days it’s a replacement for the BT-002 with claims of better grip, stability and feel.

To test those claims we did more than a few laps of Almeria race track in southern Spain, and came away impressed if not totally convinced by the new rubber.

There’s no doubt the BT’s are great tyres and do their job very impressively. They performed well on the CBR600RR, R6 and R1 I rode them on, and witnessing the speedy exploits of former GP pilot Jezza McWilliams proved they’re capable of fast laps too.

But they’re also sensitive, as all tyres are, to being at just the right pressures to give their absolute best. And as we didn’t have enough time to get this perfected I don’t think I got the chance to try them at their very best. Don’t get me wrong they worked superbly, but seemed to lack a bit of that all-important solid and fully planted feel mid-corner.

I’m sure more time, and a chance to put them up directly against the competition would answer those final questions on absolute grip. Until then I’ll only give them 9/10.

The BT-003 RS Racing Street fits all 17” wheeled sportsbikes over 250cc and should cost slightly more than BT-002RSs; around £220-250 a pair.

Jeremy McWilliams ... sideways