OK, there are a zillion tire threads but I wanted to give a little input rather than ask for advice.
I've run Bridgestone BT016's for the last two years. I put about 8K miles on the front and rear but I put them on about a half riding season apart. I really liked the side grip these tires gave. I could be banked way over in a corner and roll on the gas halfway through without the slightest drama. It reminded me of taking Da Kid's F3 on race comp. Dunlops around the "Keyhole" at Mid-Ohio during a riding school. The down side to the '016's is that I think they suck in the rain. BS has a new '016 in europe that addresses wet handling but it's not here in the States yet. I don't tour anymore. My old riding budddies are dead, dying or deem themselves too old to ride. I still comute 88 miles per day to work but I take the car if the weather is threatening.
So, I put a new front '016 last April when the wear bars on the sides of the tire were at the top of the tread and now the rear is worn flat in the center.
After hearing so many shout outs on this board about the BT-021/22/23 I've got a new '023 ready to mount tomorrow. The combo should work. We always used a soft front and med. rear racing when the track was cool, switching to med. front / hard rear in the heat.
I'll let you guys know in a few weeks how the tire combo works.

 

Bassman, look forward to your opinion of the 023..... very good
I wonder if they intend to bring in the new Euro version of the 016 ?

 

I'm taking the tire in to be mounted and balanced at noon today. The local Honda dealer, from whom I bought the bike new, wants a $20 surcharge to do the work because I didn't buy the tire from him. The local KTM/Duc dealer will do it for $30. Guess where I'm going at lunch time.