Behind the scenes at the Yamaha R7 press launch
Bridgestone already showcased its new RS12 track-focused tyre last year during the international press launch at Thailand’s Chang MotoGP circuit in Buriram. But that was only the start of the story. Recently, Bridgestone also sent a truckload of tyres to the international press presentation of the equally new Yamaha R7 at Circuito do Sol in Portugal.
That gave a new and larger group of journalists the chance to get acquainted with both the RS12 and the S23. Alongside the track sessions, a sporty road ride on the new Yamaha was also part of the programme. And there is no better sports tyre for the road than the Bridgestone S23, right?
The RS12, meanwhile, is also road legal. It is a sporty street tyre with clear circuit DNA. The tyre features, among other things, a new race compound front and rear, a new HE-MS Belt construction at the front, and technology designed to support grip, stability and consistency when loads rise.
That is exactly why a circuit presentation makes so much sense. You can explain a lot on paper. But only when a tyre has to deal with braking zones, lean angles and acceleration phases lap after lap does it become clear what it is really worth.
A unique test location
Circuito do Sol is more than just a good backdrop for action shots. The venue was designed as a test and event facility for car, motorcycle and motorsport brands, among others. The track can operate up to 360 days a year, and up to 24 hours a day.
This track did not make life easy for the RS12. The Full Track layout of the brand-new Circuito do Sol is 3.5 kilometres long and features 18 corners: 5 right-handers and 13 left-handers. That works out at an average of 6.6 corners per kilometre, with a disproportionate load on the left side of the tyre.
Fun fact: for the layout, the circuit designers drew inspiration from legendary tracks around the world: Laguna Seca’s Corkscrew, Spa’s Eau Rouge and the Porsche Curves at Le Mans. The result is a rollercoaster unlike anything else.
There is barely any time to recover between hard braking, turn-in, maximum lean angle and getting back on the throttle. Lap after lap, the tyres have to keep heat, pressure, grip and stability in balance. On a layout like this, the shoulders in particular take a serious beating. With every corner, the load shifts to the side of the tyre. That is where the RS12 not only has to deliver peak grip, but above all confidence. One fast lap is interesting. But for a sports tyre, what really counts is what happens after multiple sessions, multiple riders and multiple riding styles.
Not just for racers
For its Battlax RS12, Bridgestone uses, among other things, 3LC technology, combining different compound zones. The principle is simple: stability in the centre, extra grip on the shoulders. Exactly what you need when you want to ride both road miles and track laps on the same tyre.
The RS12 also uses technologies such as HTSPC, Cap & Base, RC Polymer, NanoPro-Tech™ and HE-MS Belt. The latter in particular plays an important role in front-end feel. A stable front tyre is crucial when you brake late, guide the bike towards the apex and want to know exactly how much confidence you still have left.
84 tyres
It goes without saying that a standard tyre set consists of one front and one rear. With 42 sets used, exactly 84 individual tyres went into action during the Yamaha R7 presentation. That number says a lot about the context in which the Battlax RS12 was introduced. This is not a tyre that only has to look good on a paddock stand. This is rubber for riders who brake hard, turn in with precision and want the confidence to get on the gas early.
Small team, big logistics
Perhaps the most striking number is not the number of tyres, but the number of people keeping the operation running on site. The Bridgestone crew consisted of just two people: one tyre fitter and the experienced Product Manager.
Two specialists, then, to handle the practical tyre work, the technical follow-up and the product explanation. The tyre fitter took care of the hands-on work in the pit lane: mounting, checking, changing, preparing. The Product Manager managed the bigger picture: what does the rider feel, what feedback comes back, how does the tyre perform and how does that fit within the positioning of the RS12?
Numbers that stick
The Bridgestone Battlax RS12 was given a serious job straight away during this presentation. 50 sets brought along, 42 sets used, 84 individual tyres in action, a 3.5-kilometre circuit with 18 corners, and a Bridgestone team of just two people on site. Those are numbers that stick.
Not because they are meant to sound spectacular, but because they show how seriously this tyre was approached. The RS12 was not merely presented. It was used. Heavily used, in fact. And that is exactly where a sports tyre belongs: not in a display case, but up to temperature, leaned over, with enough laps behind it to prove that grip is more than just a promise.
Needless to say, during the road ride, the S23 tyres did not need replacing. In fact, thanks to the excellent durability of that tyre, the 250 kilometres covered represented only a very small percentage of the potential lifespan of the tyres. That did not stop every rider from praising the grip and feedback of the S23. And in doing so, they also gained a greater appreciation for the new Yamaha R7. Conclusion: a perfect match between two top brands.
