Bridgestone Dueler M/T

Having always had all-rounder, all-terrain tyres on my trucks, I’ve often weighed up the pros and cons of changing to a more aggressive mud-terrain tyre.

Sure, mud-terrains are great for playing off road in muddy, rocky high-country trails, but how will they serve me on my daily drive. Will the road noise be too much? Will they handle Melbourne’s wet roads?

It wasn’t until recently when my all-terrains struggled in the mud at Mount Matlock that I started seriously thinking about a tyre change. Given that I spend most of my time up bush in the Victorian High Country, I decided it was time to consider something more aggressive.

Now, after a month with the Bridgestone Dueler M/T 674, I’m happy to say they have been a pleasant surprise.

On the black top, grip’s been a real improvement on the old boots. The Duelers feel safe and secure, and the road noise is nothing like I had feared. Sure, you can hear it, but it’s in no way as intrusive as I had feared, and it’s nothing a tweak of the stereo can’t cure.

Fuel economy? Not sure about that just yet. I’ll need to do a highway test on my next weekend away. Speaking of which, with the long and cold Melbourne winter inching to its end, and my under-nines footy coaching duties just about over, I can’t wait for some free weekends to give the tyres a run.

First I’ll take them for a weekend up the Avon-Mount Hedrick Scenic Reserve, where the scaly tracks and river crossings will give them a once over.

Then I’ll take them on a boys’ trip to Hattah-Kulkyne National Park to test them in the sand.

They won’t be exactly perfect for the terrain, but I’m confident they’ll go alright after a pressure adjustment. We’ll see how I go.

Rated
We say: Not as loud as we thought. Grips surprisingly well on the black-top
Info: www.bridgestonetyres.com.au

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