Bridgestone Battlax Hypersport S23 Tire Review

[Hugh Janus]

Bridgestone describes its Battlax Hypersport S23 as being “engineered for increased wet and dry grip, plus cornering stability without compromising wear for more time carving up the road.” Basically, more of everything you want as a sportbike rider. (Bridgestone/)

The technical document for Bridgestone’s Battlax Hypersport S23 tire reads like Bridgestone asked riders if they wanted better traction, improved wet-weather performance, or increased mileage and they answered, “D: all of the above.” An increasingly difficult thing to do, engineers returned with a tire that uses the (already very good) S22 as a base, but that’s been reworked to offer more performance to a wider range of riders.

More specifically, Bridgestone claims that the S23 drains water faster for better wet-weather performance; has an optimized tread pattern for better traction and stability on dry roads; and that rear tire wear performance is up 8 percent.

That’s the short story.

The Battlax Hypersport S23 (right) is a finely tuned upgrade over the popular S22 (left), which will still be available. (Bridgestone/)

Battlax Hypersport S23 Tire Updates

The long story is a more technical one that starts with Bridgestone’s lightweight, Mono Spiral (MS) Belt design, which suggests that a single strand of cord is wrapped around the circumference of the tire, eliminating seams and joints. This isn’t a new technology for Bridgestone, nor has the S23′s shape been adjusted, but that’s the point; an identical construction means the tire will work in the same way as the S22 from a handling perspective. No surprises here.

As with the S22, the S23 front benefits from a 3 Layer Compound (3LC) and the S23 rear from Bridgestone’s 5 Layer Compound (5LC) technology. This means the front tire has different rubber compounds on the center and shoulders, whereas the rear has different compounds on the center, shoulders, and edges. For the S23, Bridgestone has reworked the front tire’s shoulder compound and the rear tire’s edge compound with grip improvers and modified polymers that help the tire conform to the road better and maintain grip.

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Closer look at the areas where Bridgestone has refined the S23. (Bridgestone/)

More changes come in the form of a new tread pattern across front and rear tires, the latter featuring Bridgestone’s Pulse Groove technology: reshaped grooves with center deflectors that help accelerate water through the footprint so that the rubber compound can get to work on the wet pavement. Grooves have been moved for an improved land-sea ratio, which results in what Bridgestone refers to as a “stiffer” pattern. This is to keep the tire from flexing as much and offers more stability, especially when driving off corners.

While not a new technology, it’s worth mentioning that many of the S23′s tweaks come from liberal use of Bridgestone’s Ultimate Eye, an advanced piece of computer-driven equipment with hundreds of microsensors that enable engineers to measure and visualize the behavior of the tire contact patches, then adjust the formula and pattern accordingly. Think of it like a tool that allows Bridgestone to put its work under a microscope and see every last area where it can make changes.

The S23 is a culmination of many small changes.

As with the S22, the S23 front has three zones and the rear five zones. The front tire’s shoulder compound is updated, as is the rear tire’s edge compound, for better road holding. (Bridgestone/)

Battlax Hypersport S23 On-road Performance

To put the S23′s changes to the test, Bridgestone invited us on a group ride from the coastal towns north of San Diego to the scenic hills of Julian, California, and back on a mix of roads ranging from local neighborhoods to tight canyons and flowing backroads. Our bikes of choice throughout the day? An S23-wrapped BMW S 1000 RR, Suzuki GSX-8S, and Indian FTR—a wide enough selection to understand how the tire works on completely different machinery.

Starting off on the 180-plus horsepower S 1000 RR might not have made the most sense, but an empty BMW seat is a hard one to pass on, so there we were, in the saddle of a superbike as the ride kicked off, trying to get a feel for the S23′s warm-up capabilities. Fortunately, the tire is predictable and sure-footed as it comes up to temperature, without any squirm or uneasiness as you tip into the first few corners.

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BMW’s wickedly potent S 1000 RR offers a proper test of tires. The S23 delivers with a combination of excellent grip, stability, and neutral handling. (Bridgestone/)

That planted, confidence-inspiring sensation doesn’t go away as the pace picks up; this is a well-balanced tire that gives you a good idea of what’s happening at the contact patch, but it’s stiff enough to not squirm when you start to get more aggressive with the throttle or brake. It’s easy to make corrections and add load midcorner (as can happen on unfamiliar roads), and overall handling is very linear. Again, no surprises.

While the S 1000 RR’s suspension is absolutely dreamy, the GSX-8S and FTR don’t roll on such premium bits and are known for being a little less planted midcorner. Good tires have a way of calming these movements down and giving you a better idea of what’s happening at the contact patch, and that’s the case with the S23. Having recently ridden a GSX-8S on stock, Dunlop Sportmax Roadsmart II tires, we can attest to the added composure that the S23s offer. Most surprising is that the tire is moderately stiff, but not in a way that causes it to deflect off sharp-edged bumps or feel harsh. It’s firm enough to stay composed, but still with some compliance to it and an abundance of traction. There’s great holdup when hard on the front brakes too.

Bridgestone claims that rear tire wear has been improved by 8 percent. (Bridgestone/)

Downsides are limited, though we did notice that on the S 1000 RR especially, steering seemed to be on the slow side, both as you tip into a corner and transition from one side to the other on a tighter section of canyon road. It’s clear Bridgestone doesn’t want to sacrifice the neutral, confidence-inspiring handling that will benefit more riders on more bikes. Lightning-quick handling is great, but you can easily push the design too far if you’re not careful. Bridgestone has avoided that.

Wet-weather performance is improved thanks to the addition of Bridgestone’s Pulse Groove technology on the rear tire. The reshaped groove with center deflector (circled) accelerates water through the footprint better compared to a traditional groove. (Bridgestone/)

Final Thoughts

Bridgestone admits that it’s not trying to reinvent the tire with the S23, so much as it’s applying its wealth of knowledge to create a more finely tuned product that meets customer’s continually evolving needs. Those customers were already quite happy with the S22, and given that the S23 simply adds a layer of performance on top, it’s hard to say that this is anything but a step in the right direction.

No, we weren’t able to test the claims of increased mileage for the rear, nor the added wet-weather performance, but in spending a full day chasing apexes on a wide variety of machinery, we can say that the tire is a nice complement to a wide range of sporty bikes. It’s predictable, confidence inspiring, and most importantly, provides a sense of stability that allows you to enjoy the ride. It’s a well-rounded tire that should keep riders satisfied for some time.

As for sizing options, one front (120/70) and five rears (160/60, 180/55, 190/50, 190/55, and 200/55) are available.

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The S23 offers a composed, sure-footed sensation midcorner, with plenty of grip at corner exit. (Bridgestone/)

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