BRIDGESTONE V02 SLICK TYRES

TESTED BY: Pretty Boy MILES: 200 TIME: 4 days PRICE: RRP £295 WEB: www.bridgestone.co.uk Tyres are a pretty important part of keeping you upright, which is why I’m incredibly picky when it comes to kitting out my 200bhp GSX-R1000R Superstock-spec rocketship. Having used Pirelli Supercorsas as a control tyre for as long as I can remember I was a bit cautious jumping on the Bridgestones as I really didn’t know what to expect – but I couldn’t have been happier with the V02’s performance.

They do take a genuine lap or two to get bedded in (as is to be expected with a slick) but once they do the feel is sublime; I’ve used them at both Cadwell Park and Oulton Park, and both the stability and grip even on the very edge of the tyre allows for some serious liberties to be taken – especially driving hard out of the first gear sections. As I sit the bike upright the control gets even better, and even though they feel slightly stiffer under power than I’m used to, it works really well for burying the tyre and firing out of corners for the ultimate corner exit. The V02s are so sticky off the warmers you feel like it would stick to a wall, but the best bit is how long these hoops last.

With a ton of endurance experience under their belt, Bridgestone have crammed in a load of tech such as a Mono Spiral Belt construction which gives better life throughout the tyre, and having used these for five sessions on a trackday and a whole race weekend with No Limits I can confirm they work wonders… I even did my fastest lap in the last race of the weekend. They give a great feeling, offer a shed load of grip and come in incredibly reasonable for a set of slicks. Good effort Bridgestone, I’ll have a few more sets please!