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Bridgestone RS10s vs S20s

23K views 87 replies 21 participants last post by  Sanctuary 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey yall. For you guys that don't know, both bridgestone ($40) and dunlop ($50) are having mail in rebates for some of their street tires this month. I was originally a q3 guy until I came to team Kawi where I felt the stock S20s offered just as much grip with more "feel" for the road.

Anyway, I was wondering what people are thinking of the new RS10s. I don't think I'm gunna run them as track tires since I'm running slicks at the track, so they will be my primary street tire. Just wondering what people think as far as tires for canyon carving. I heard they wear out quick. Appreciate any input from peeps that have run both tires.

I guess what I'm most confused is the RS10s are supposed to be the replacement for the BT003s, but I thought those were inferior tires to the S20s. Yet everybody is talking about them like they are track potential tires. Am I misinformed??? Haha
 
#3 ·
The BT003 was inferior since it was still older technology. The R10 was always better than the BT003. The RS10 is now replacing the BT003RS. Basically, you have an R10 and a BT003 and then the street versions of RS10 and BT003RS respectively. From the looks of it though, they are most likely discontinuing the BT003's and the gap between the R10, RS10 and the S20 series has probably shrunk. Then they started using EVO...Dunlops lineup seems so much simpler.

I will be checking out the S20's on the track in April but I already purchased a Q3 due to the rebate so I can't wait to compare later this year. Apparently, MotoUSA still likes the street Dunlops better. Different bike of course.

2015 Sport Motorcycle Tire Shootout - Motorcycle USA
 
#4 · (Edited)
Darn all these rebates coming out after March 1 lol
Literally just bought a set a week ago....I may have to get a set of S20 cause I love them!

Anyone have experience with the S20 Evo edition? Is it just the new S20 model?

Edit: Sorry if this is noob to ask....Anyone know if they made the Rs10 in a 180 size? I only seem to see 190/200 :O
 
#11 ·
If only Pirelli would come out with a rebate form....
 
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#13 ·
I guess what I'm most confused is the RS10s are supposed to be the replacement for the BT003s, but I thought those were inferior tires to the S20s. Yet everybody is talking about them like they are track potential tires. Am I misinformed??? Haha
BT003 were a DOT race tire. Then they came out with BT003 RS as a hyper street tire. Same construction and tread pattern but street compound. The RS10 is basically the same idea. Take the R10 DOT race tire construction and tread pattern but give it a street compound. The S20's were not derived from a DOT race tire. They were intended as a hypersport street tire from the begining.

The RS10 would be fine for beginer or intermediate track day riders.
 
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#19 ·
I picked up a set 120/180 for $220.00 from Moto Mummy delivered to the door. A bit better price than the Q3 right now. I can get the Q3 installed/balanced on the wheels for $245.00 at Wheels in Motion( Chatsworth/Canoga Park Area), for any of the peeps in Southern California. Great place to buy rubber.
 
#21 ·
My friend has run the RS10s on both street and track we have conversations on all the important parts of a tire. This is what we concluded about the tires.

The RS10 is much more grippy because it's an intermediate B group to slow A group tire. Rear lasted two track days and about 1,000 street miles, the front lasted a lot more street miles around 2,000-2,500 miles. Great feel and feed back from them. Also at a great price point from many websites.
 
#25 ·
The Q3's will run a middle A group pace. I've used them on the street a ton and at the track several times. Q3's work quite well. I'm going to run the Rs 10 and I'll let you know what I think . Alex can be the witness to the mayhem. I like the look of the Rs10 rear tire because the rain Sipes don't go all the way to the edge. The Q threes have Sipes pretty close to the edge. The RS tens have a different profile. They look to be more Peaky.The rear has the shape of the top of an egg and the Q3 has the shape of the bottom of the egg. Interesting. We'll see how it plays out.
 
#26 ·
I have run the R10 many times at the track and they are an excellent DOT race tire.

I have run both the S20 Bridgestone and the Dunlop Q3 on my street bikes and the Q3 is a far better performance street tire.

May try a set of the RS10.
 
#27 ·
I won't have local lap comparisons for another week but I did have RS10's at COTA. Since it was a new to me track on a cold day and I was only there for a day, I can't really make a definite comparison. I can say that other than one slip in the morning, they felt good the rest of the day.

On Q3's, I have no problem running in A group locally. On the S20's, I was only a couple of seconds slower but I was also new to the bike. Since the RS10's are supposedly better than S20's, I see no reason I can't run similar laps to the Q3's. It will then just come down to which ones I feel more comfortable on.

This is the day after COTA. They also had ~100 street miles on them.

 
#33 ·
I did it.

I caved in. Haha. I wore out my Q3's already and instead of going to another set. I wanted to see what these tires are all about <the RS10's>. I'll take it for a canyon ride and post a small video of how I think they feel. I am excited.
 
#34 ·
I caved in. Haha. I wore out my Q3's already and instead of going to another set. I wanted to see what these tires are all about <the RS10's>. I'll take it for a canyon ride and post a small video of how I think they feel. I am excited.
Are they on the bike now? Hit me up and let's ride the snake. Don't be scared. JK. What about that clapped out suspension? You still running that used up rear shock? I have a stock 2013 rear shock for ZX6R with a thousand miles on it. Give me yours and you can have this one. Sounds like you need it more than I do.
 
#40 ·
If the spring is stock (my stock shock has the stock spring) , a fresh shock will work better than one that has been rode hard and put away wet. Refreshing a shock is easy. I don't do the nitrogen needle thing. I rerofit a shader valve for the nitrogen bladder. Pretty easy. Then charging the shock is simple.
 
#41 · (Edited)
So I have only been through Ortega at a reduced pace on my way home from San Diego today. The freeway, tires seem nice and smooth. The canyons. OMG! I have not even begun to push, however I immediately noticed how much these feel to me like SuperCorsa's. I got used to some feedback today and it felt good. I am going to go tomorrow and try em out. Already though, this may be my NEW goto tire. I can see why they would come stock on a lot of Sportbikes. I think Bridgestone did a great job in the engineering of this tire line. I am really picky with tires though, the stock tires kept giving me "twitchiness", or "strange feedback". Reality. I just suck as a rider and need all the help I can get haha. The element of surprise is so fun. :) Sure if I had the S20's today I would destroy them pretty fast. I went through my Q3's in about 2k miles with life left on them.The softer compound tires really help.
 
#42 ·
I have ridden my RS10'S about 130 canyon miles so far. Initial feeling is they are a more peaky profile than Q3's which means they turn in quite a bit quicker. This is good and bad. They transition quicker but once on edge they have a nice big contact patch to ride on, this mainly felt on the rear when in a long, drawn out corner. The front has more feel to it than the Q3 front. You just feel the road better like it is a thinner rubber (less dead feel). The overall traction seems close to the same as they both are very sticky rubber. I have not pushed the tire super hard on the street in the canyons. The rubber wears away differently than the Q3's. It wears like an eraser rather than balling up like at the track when you get a tire super hot. I have gotten all the way over to the edge on the front and rear. Always confident and never washing out. Maybe a little slide but not much. More to come.
 
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