Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire Introduces the Bridgestone Battlax BT-021 Sport-Touring Radial: a New Technologically Advanced Hybrid

Nashville, Tenn. (Feb. 20, 2007) – Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire is proud to introduce the Bridgestone Battlax BT-021, a unique, technologically advanced hybrid that combines all the benefits of a sport tire with the luxury of the finest touring tire. This revolutionary new tire performs masterfully for sport and sport-touring riders alike. Developed to provide the best of both worlds under average high speeds, the BT-021 provides solid feedback, road contact, linear handling and stability in all road conditions. Add to this the bonus of reduced rider fatigue with improved shock absorption and long mileage, and the BT-021 becomes the tire of choice for both highways and winding roads.

The front tires feature a unique layer of High Tensile Super Penetrated Cord (HTSPC) for an appropriate level of stiffness for shock absorption, linear handling and stability. HTSPC allows flexibility, reduces heat generation and provides stability without reducing shock absorption for overall performance under various road conditions.

The rear tires feature a newly developed Outside Bead Filler (OBF) in a proportion that provides just the right amount of stiffness for high shock absorption and stability for either high speed cruising or sport riding on winding roads. The rear tires also feature Dual Tread Compound (DTC) for improved center mileage and shoulder grip, while the underlying layer, cap & base technology, enhances tread stiffness for better grip, shock absorption and all-weather performance.

Bob Graham, Manager of Motorcycle and Kart Products, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, says, “There’s a growing trend for riders to own both a sport bike and a sport-touring bike, or to use their bike in multiple roles. This tire fits the bill for anyone who wants the flexibility to be aggressive or simply enjoy a long cruise.”

The Battlax BT-021, now available at dealers nationwide, is available in a wide range of popular sizes including:

Front:
120/60ZR17M/C TL
120/70ZR17M/C TL
110/80ZR18M/C TL
120/70ZR18M/C TL

Rear:
150/70ZR17M/C TL
160/60ZR17M/C TL
160/60ZR18M/C TL
170/60ZR17M/C TL
160/70ZR17M/C TL
180/55ZR17M/C TL
190/50ZR17M/C TL

For more information about the Battlax BT-021 Sport Touring tire, visit www.motorcycle-karttires.com.

About Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC:
Nashville-based Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BFNT develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The company is focused on wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off-road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in North America.