Bridgestone Firestone teams with Mario Andretti -- again

March 21, 2008

The partnership between Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC and racing legend Mario Andretti keeps getting stronger. Bridgetone agreed to supply a range of Bridgestone brand motorcycle and motorbike tires for Power Sports Factory Inc.'s Andretti/Benelli premium motorbikes.

Benelli is the only brand of motorbike that Andretti, the longtime spokesman for the Bridgestone and Firestone brands, endorses.

"In testing, the performance of our motorbikes dramatically improved when we replaced the original equipment tires with Bridgestone tires," says Steve Kempenich, CEO of Power Sports Factory.

The Bridgestone Battlax BT45 Sport Touring tire offers a silica-enriched compound for tremendous wet and dry grip, while its edges offer performance while cornering. A larger crown radius contributes to great stability for touring at speed.

The Battlax BT45 will be available on the Andretti/Benelli M Series, which combines classic European styling with powerful performance.

The Bridgestone Molas ML50 is the Bridgestone brand's core scooter line for quality-conscious end users. The ML50 provides fine dry grip, solid wet performance, riding comfort and long life. It will be available for the Andretti/Benelli X Series.

Customers of the top-of-the-line Andretti/Benelli XT Series motorbike, with its modern styling and power for high performance on the open road, can choose the Bridgestone Molas ML50 for the front tire and the Bridgestone Hoop B02 for the rear. The Hoop B02 is specially designed for more powerful high performance scooters, and it provides tremendous dry grip and handling.