Ive used a lot of differnt tires in racing in the rocks. Found the pirrelli MT 16 one of the best So far. Looking at Michelins M12 was ok but chunked out toward the end of the day. Most do chunk but it went really bad not even good for trail riding.
Yeah, I have one but the races run thur grass tracks and they offer no side grip ,also they clog when you have clay mud. If really dry might try it then.
I have to agree with the MT16 Pirelli, our trails are all rocky around here and the MT16 is our #1 best selling for the trail and Hare Scramble riders. For a front tire they like the Bridgestone M59 with the MT16 rear.
Dunno about that. Depends on what brand and model FIM. I have FIM DOT Michelin tires on my WR300, and they are definitely not my favorite for rocks.
More than likily will go back to the MT16. I run bibs so flats not concern. But we have races that have endless rock gardens then go into clay and mud. The Michlin AT10 looks like it might be good and fits the bibs. MT16 swallows up the bib and rolls on the rim after it gets hot. The reason looking at other brands. Anyone ever use AT10 before?
The MT16 front is also a good tire in rocks and hard pack. Not bad in intermediate also. I use MT16 fronts on all my vintage bikes because the look vintage but work modern. I know I use the Scorpion Pro more on my modern bikes but many times in the dry of summer I will use MT16 fronts. I also use the MT16 when it is wet and the terrain has a hard clay base. A soft terrain tire in those conditions actually skates more. Like cleats on a waxed lanolium floor ! The MT16 with 10-11psi works great in those conditions. Better than ANY tire I have tried.
MT 16 rear and Bridge M 59 is New England rock standard but I admit the Pirelli XC line is nice too even though billed as a s and tire . I have been running the Motoz Enduro ST's and very little wear and they grip like a trials tire on even granite slabs with moss on them going up a 45 degree soooo. No risk of flats and weak sidewall like a trials tire. tried thet route and never again
m59 up front and mt16 rear is the combo i am running here in rocky north jersey. most guys around here are running the m59 up front and the dunlop d803 trials tire in the rear. i am will probably need new tires by seasons end and was wondering how the motoz tires compare to a trials or the mt16.
M 59 front and Maxxis EN in the rear. 11 lbs front and 6 lbs rear with a quality tube. My WR250 corners like it is on rails and the shock absorbtion from the rear is fantastic as it is a soft compound but has a stiff sidewall. MT16 rear also great for the northern jersey rocks and roots, it got me and my racing partner a class championship in the old man's classes in 05 up in NETRA.
Already run the M59 up front, haven't found anything I like better, definitely want to try the Maxxis EN rear sometime, sounds like it could be a great combo!
M59 only comes in one compound and it is a softer compound which is why it works in the rocks altho it looks like a mud/sand tire. They work great are very popular here in rock/root country.
How does the M59 do in sand - it looks like it should do well and we have a weird combo of rock, hard pack, and sand here in Az.
Ah, the rolling question? Since I also live in Arizona I have found that any tire that is not flat works pretty darn good. Tires are always a compromise, hard tires last but chunck, soft tires wear out faster, but work better in the rocks. Try this, if you are not running a mouse or tire balls use a HD tube filled with Nitogen not air. Runs cooler, so the the tire reacts much better during your ride. As for tires, take a look at how the Endurocross teams cut or groove their tires. I have used a "take off" from one of the riders and it worked great. The basics are to cut a slot or groove across each knob, which gives you twice as many edges for the tire to grip the rocks and logs. The side knobs are "grooved" at an angle, so that the tire works better when it is leaned over in a turn. If you want to make a tire "softer" use the compounds that the race car guys use. You can buy it at speed shops or check the web for some "home brew" mixtures. All tires must flex, so PSI is the key along with the design of the carcus. The age of the tire matters, the newer it is the softer it is, just like me, I was more "flexable" at 25 than I am now at 60. I see tires that sit in a shop for years that are hard as a rock, but the dealer will make you a "great deal." One other trick I use is to take a spring loaded center punch with me to compare the same brand/type of tire. Push it into a center knob and compare the "depth" of the mark with the other tire(s) I am looking at. Going riding on Tuesday at the "mile markers." It is going to cool off with a Hi of only 104 degrees, but it is a "dry heat", so they say.
I tried the Kendra Equalizer. $85+25 to mount dollar mistake. I ride the North Jersey rocks and I am picking up an MT 16 on Tuesday. The Kendra seamed to be a cool choice but it had NO traction on the rocks or over wood logs, even 4" ones! Wednesday I will be some ware in the North Jersey woods, gripping it up once again dudeson a MT 16 baby! (Just don't anybody tell my wife another $200 on bike parts this week).
I have found that a Golden tyre ROCKY 523 works perfect in the rocks. I have race all 7 rounds of the AMA National Hare & Hounds here in 4 western states so far this year Yes we have rocks. More rocks then all of the east coast We also have something called the ROCKY MOUNTAINS which go from sea level to 14,000 plus. This tire flat works. But we also have miles of sand washes with soft decomposed granit rocks in it that most tires dig and have a hard time getting up on top. Then in some places we have endless big sands dunes. You would think you are in North Africa with the sand dunes. All those places we have raced this year with the National H&H had a little of everything. At all rounds I ran a 523 Rocky and loved it. For even a better set up put on a Golden 216AA Fatty 110/100 on the front Must be a Fatty I also ran this set up at King of the moto Rd1 Then won Last dog Standing with this set up Also both tires are DOT legal Zip Ty Racing has them in stock 760 244 7028 Check around just about every European Enduro rider is running Goldens As for ware I can get 3 full races in the rocks with a rear tyre that is 300 miles Then I put the tyre on the practice bike. I could get more but for racing you need every edge you can get The tyre is call a Rocky for a reason Try it and find out why Here is a Rocky tyre after Both round 6 in Snowville Utha and round 7 in Panaca Nevada Then a few trail rides I will now put it on the practice bike
this is a just "sayen" note: Graham Jarvis uses GT216 rears sometimes the gummy (super soft) as well as standard compound and he rides a few rocks for most of his events. These are industry standard FIM enduro pattern rears (DOT legal per FIM regs) 140/80-18 size, the same size and pattern as Metzeler six days, Pirelli scorp pro fim, Michelin enduro comp. I call them my balloon tires they wrap around stuff like a trials tire with flexy sidewalls, along with low knobs that don't bend but even the std compound is a little fast wearing (soft). Technically/engineered designed to last for one day in the widest possible conditions...........of a FIM pro enduro event. But they will hang in for while if you ride them like a Euro (read not blowing up berms and spinning your rear like a wild man). My 2 cents (yes Im still the freak that still always uses 140/80-18 FIM DOT tires (or the smaller size in the E1 125/144 2T, 250-310 4t size bikes), I use Pirelli scorp version because they are cheapest)--PS even in sand they work because the balloon like carcass keeps the things up on top and not digging trenches....Ryan Sipes just OA the ISDE on these things.....oh everyone out there used these. PPS I don't really care what anyone uses because we are all a bunch of hardheads about this choice sort of thing. PPPPSSS rode with a guy with one of those "hybrid trials" tire thing IMHO a POS tire, crappy traction everywhere......including solid granite.... compound sucks.
Jonathan (Jonny) Walker's KTM300XC...... just sayen (the most annoying -just sayen thing again) hahahaa (FIM standard 140/80-18 pattern) Tyres Metzeler 6 Days Extreme rear tyre and mousse are always used – at all events and in all conditions. Generally for indoor use a harder front tyre is the preferred option, but a two choice of two front tyres is available. Holes are drilled into the mousses to make them even softer, so they work better in rock sections and on logs. In general the demands placed upon tyres are the same for both Hard Enduro and Endurocross.
