Bridgestone Battlax Scooter SC2 and SC2 Rain: the level shoe for the maxi scooter [ROAD TEST]

To find out how the new ones behave on the road Bridgestone Battlax Scooter SC2 and SC2 Rain of the Japanese house, we flew to Portugal, more precisely to the fascinating Lisbon. Testing a motorbike before buying it is normal, but unfortunately testing the right tires is not always possible. Luckily, we at Motorionline, thanks to Bridgestone, a leading company in the production of tires and rubber products, had the pleasure of trying a tire with a sporty soul, the Battlax Scooter SC2 and SC2 Rain. It is a touring product, suitable for daily use in the city, as well as for weekend trips, which satisfies even the most demanding customers.

The first, that is the Battlax SC2, is a tire developed with the same technology as Battlax Hypersport S21, which offers the best performance on dry surfaces and has a sporty soul, offering excellent driving ease, thanks to a tread design that offers greater efficiency and a excellent grip, both at cold and hot temperatures, as in our test a Lisbon (26 °).

First, in the new SC2 Scooter the "triple layer" compound has been revised, adopting a new one with a high silica content: a 3LC configuration has been adopted on the rear, in this case increasing the durability of the tire and, for the rider, confidence when descending into leans. Then the footprint was optimised, guaranteeing ideal performance even in difficult contexts that can be encountered on the road, such as bumpy surfaces or surfaces with little grip due to a road surface that is not exactly ideal for us motorcyclists.
In the new SC2 the tread design has also been revised, which gives reduced noise especially at high speeds, but also offers excellent traction and stability on a straight line. The key features of the SC2 Rain, dedicated, as the name indicates, to use in conditions of heavy rain, they are appreciated by braking, accelerating and bending in complete safety even on asphalt abundantly sprayed with water. In short, exactly what you want from a tire that can be used in all weather conditions. Bridgestone has developed the Battlax Scooter SC2 Rain, specifically to offer performance and handling in wet conditions. Also in this case it uses the same characteristics of a high-end product for motorcycles, in this specific case the new Battlax Sport Touring T31, for safe and reliable riding in any weather condition. Performance on wet surfaces and at low temperatures has improved thanks to the increase in the empty/full ratio, offering exceptional water drainage, thanks to the new technologies developed by the Japanese company.

The triple-layer compound of the rear is optimized to provide high grip and exceptional cornering, thanks to the soft part on the shoulder. It offers linear handling and high mileage (promises to maintain the same exceptional levels as its predecessor, the infamous SC1) on the central part of the tread, ensuring superior grip, for a real feeling of confidence and security in the vehicle you are driving. In this case however, the temperatures in Portugal limited our test and forced us to postpone our judgment until the first occasion when it will be possible to ride with the SC2 Rain in more wintry conditions.

Both tires have been evolved with MSB technology (Mono Spiral Belt). It is a zero-degree "mono-spiral" structure, which absorbs vibrations during travel, offering excellent robustness and grip.

SC2 or SC2 Rain?

In our opinion and if we were to recommend the purchase of one of the two tyres, we would certainly opt for the Rain model, as even in the dry it conveys a feeling of safety, excellent grip and ease of driving in any context, both for city use that in tortuous and salt-rich contexts – you go down. Obviously, for those who only use the scooter in the summer, the "standard" SC2 will offer something more on dry asphalt, making the "all-rounder" qualities of the Rain almost superfluous.

Ready to permanently change your tires?

The new Bridgestone Battlax SC2 Scooter and SC2 Rain Scooter are available since last February, currently in the following measurements.

Bridgestone Battlax SC2 Scooter:
Front 120/70 R 14 M/C 55H TL and 120/70 R 15 M/C 56H TL.
Rear 160/60 R 14 M/C 65H TL and 160/60 R 15 M/C 67H TL.

Bridgestone Battlax SC2 Rain Scooter:
Front 120/70 R 15 M/C 56H TL.
Rear 160/60 R 14 M/C 65H TL, 160/60 R 15 M/C 67H TL and 130/70 R 16 M/C 61S TL.

Our test

To put the tires to the test, scooters that were up to this test were chosen. We are talking about the BMW C650 Sport, the legendary Yamaha TMAX and the Suzuki Burgman 650. The test was important to understand how these tires behaved on different types of scooters, with characteristics and weights distributed in different ways from each other . The support when cornering, one of the points on which the Japanese have concentrated, offers a very high feeling of safety and confidence. A tire that guaranteed an immediate feeling when cornering, which can be translated into one term: reliability. When entering corners, both the SC2 and SC2 Rain models help a smooth and uniform descent into the bend, allowing linear and precise guidance, thanks to an exclusive "triple layer" rear compound developed by the Japanese company, which offers maxi scooter enthusiasts will enjoy exceptional stability and a perception of excellent contact with the asphalt in all road conditions during sportier driving. Thanks also to the sophisticated technologies used for the carcass, which create an excellent mix of rigidity and comfort, you can enjoy some nice entry into corners in "racing style". Excellent lean angles therefore, which allow you to always control what you have in your hands!

But it is above all on winding routes that we appreciated these new tires from Bridgestone, where the SC2s showed they could handle themselves, even when driving cheerfully and at the limit. By daring and reaching the limit when braking between curves, the ABS of the scooters almost never came into play. All this thanks to the very good "grip sensation" and a rear that is pleasantly glued to the ground.

In our test we also covered a stretch of ring road, which allowed us to test the behavior in fast sections and with irregular and ruined asphalt. Here the SC2 was able to absorb the bumps, reducing the effect of vibrations. In conclusion, it is an excellent tire for all-round use: from home to the office to long journeys, right up to weekend fun. A successful product, a tire that is also suitable for covering kilometres, in complete safety. We are still curious to try the SC360 Rain in more extreme conditions.

Tester clothing: 

Jacket, trousers, gloves and shoes: Alpinestars
Helmet: Nolan N40-5 GT