BRIDGESTONE BATTLECROSS X40 TIRE: PRODUCT REVIEW

PRODUCT: The Bridgestone Battlecross X40 is engineered as both a motocross and off-road tire. It’s unique with an innovative tread pattern that targets grip and maneuverability using a compound designed for medium-to-hard-pack terrain. The tread’s block construction and profile lend themselves to enhanced stability in braking and cornering. This Castle Block technology extends all the way across the tire. Essentially, secondary raised lugs sit atop the primary lug, and gives more surface area and more bite for enhanced traction in hard-packed environments, both under braking and acceleration.

OUR TAKE: We have reached the point in our testing grounds where we’re at the pinnacle of 0-percent moisture in the ground. The dirt is ultra-loose with marbles on top of hard-packed earth, which mate to sand zones that will swallow the bike whole. We fit the Bridgestone X40 up to our Husqvarna FE510, a machine which gets constant attention from the staff.

The carcass and tread are an intermediate-to-hard compound, but installation was easy with a roomy side wall to install the tube without much profanity. There is great coverage with the tread from side to side and down the middle of the tire as it’s ultra-aggressive. We ran the tire off-road only, and the X40’s ability to grab traction in horrible conditions is very impressive. In these settings, where most rear meats spin and light up under the 501’s muscle, the X40 claws smartly for purchase and keeps forward momentum going.

Cornering is a strong suit, as we were able to lean the bike without fear of it walking out from under you. Steep downhills and coming into corners are complemented with excellent braking traction. The wear has been quite good, and no chunking has developed, even in the nasty rocks. With low pressures, the X40 works superb in the rocks and slow-going. If you’re looking for an all-around great tire that has a penchant for hard-pack and has excellent wear characteristics, we highly recommend giving the Bridgestone X40 a look.
CONTACT: www.bridgestonemotorcycletires.com