Motoz X-Circuit tires... a short update

[Creeper]

Put some Motoz X-Circuit tires on the Sherco a month or so ago. Here's the particulars:

'07 Sherco 510. 250 lbs wet, 200 lb geezer rider. An 'A' 20 years ago... barely get out of my own way now.

Air pressure is typically 18-20 psi.
Rimlocks removed. Tires balanced with DynaBeads. (work great!)
Easy tires to install and they bead right up without a lot of swearing.

Typical ride is 60 miles round trip on asphalt at 40 to 70 mph... then anywhere from 60 to 120 miles on dirt.

Dirt is mostly FS roads... (usually) dry hard pack with a gravel top layer. Slippery as shit... particularly in the off-camber downhill turns. Some easy single track, some creek beds, some switchback climbs... almost all rocky.

The frontski looks like newski.

Not quite 500 miles on these tires so far... hardly any wear after the first few hundred miles. About 1/8" off the center knobs and then they more or less stopped wearing. Pretty cool. I'm sure they'll wear down eventually... but it may take awhile.

What fascinates me is that this is not their hardest compound tire, but more a do-all intermediate tire.

Good grip and predictable in most situations. I don't run real low air pressure, so I'm sure dropping down 5 psi would improve grip on hard pack. Low air pressure on the road however might accelerate tire wear.

The rear has a little "up the middle" wear... unavoidable I'm afraid.

You can see in the photo that the left side knobs rub a bit against the splash guard... the axle is pretty close to the front of it's slots, so it should stop after another chain adjustment.

This isn't a DOT tire. None of the Motoz tires are yet, although I understand they are applying for DOT certification on some of their tires. I don't care so I ain't bothered.

I have a set of softer compound "Traculas" sitting on the shelf... in the eventuality that the X-Circuits grind down to useless nubbins.

Good tires... I recommend them as a long-wearing dirt tire that doesn't mind asphalt.
I'm not going to come out and say a good DS tire 'cause some dillweed might sue me... so you're on your own there.

Ciao,
C

 

[Motosportz]

thanks for taking the time to share that with us. I had not heard from you on these so i did not know if you were riding or not.

I have been really impressed with the wear on the Enduro IT. I have 650 miles on a set on my 09 WR125 and there still half there****************************************! I almost always am changing tires out at the 300-400 mile mark and they are destroyed. The front one looks like it could easily do another 1000 miles cuz at 650 it barely has the edges worn off. And i have been HARD on these tires in gravel and everything. I have some traculas sitting here i want to spoon on and try but these keep hooking up. I might just bight the bullet and slap them on for the weekend cuz i want to try them so bad.

BTW, the very first set of Tractionators i tried on my TXC450 are still on it with the new owner and have a bazillion miles. the front did start to loose some side knobs. I was shocked when i rode with him a while back and still had the same tires i put on last October and have been ridden almost every weekend since****************************************!

at 650 miles on a set of Enduro IT's...

 

[Creeper]

Oh man... that photo of the dirt you have to ride in makes me sooooo jealous!
I don't see hardly any rocks in it, and it looks kinda loose and deep... almost like real dirt!

I got no idea how long these tires are 'gona last and the only thing I have to compare them to in the same bike weight class are the original Michelin Enduro Comp IIIs... which were OK, but being DOT - FIM ecco tires, they had pretty short-ass knobs.

The X-Circuits remind me (a little bit) of the Dunlop D908 RR "Rallye Raid" tires... but with more flexible sidewalls and better hook-up on hard pack.
The Enduro ITs might be an even closer comparison to the D908 maybe.
I had close to 2500 miles on a set of D908s when I sold my 640A, and they were about 1/2 gone.

I know what you mean about the Traculas. If these X-Circuits last as long as I think they will... which is longer than any tire like it has a right to, it makes me wonder how well the Traculas hook up and how long they might last.

Traction for miles... miles for traction. The trade off is pretty much up to the individual, but imagine if you could get like 1000 miles out of a set of Traculas. Man... that'd be one hell of a fair trade off-road tire.

C

 

[Motosportz]

Oh man... that photo of the dirt you have to ride in makes me sooooo jealous!
I don't see hardly any rocks in it, and it looks kinda loose and deep... almost like real dirt!

That area is right between us. Your as close to it as I am (Gifford). I invited you. Your welcome to come along any time. Would be great to meet you in person. Let me know if you ever get the itch.

Should be good and tacky tomorrow.

 

[Creeper]

That area is right between us. Your as close to it as I am (Gifford). I invited you. Your welcome to come along any time. Would be great to meet you in person. Let me know if you ever get the itch.

Should be good and tacky tomorrow.

I've been up there (down there?) 3-4 times on the 640A, but I hate wasting engine life on the Sherco riding around on the highway. Street riding doesn't blow my skirt up at all.

You don't want to ride with me... I'm slow.

Maybe I'll break out the trailer.

C

 

[glangston]

Glad to see someone else thinks those FS roads with gravel on them are a little slippery.

 

[skid]

anyone riding these things in mud ...
I've heard they are scary in the mud

 

[LRPct]

Glad to see someone else thinks those FS roads with gravel on them are a little slippery.

+1 one on that, I thought it was just all the weight of the 610..

especially like Creeper talked about, downhill off cambers.
thanks for the report Creeper and Kelly.. I'm VERY interested. the riding you do sounds exactly what I do here in the NE Creeper, and the same pressures too. The same mix of asphalt and dirt and I've been trying to find something with decent grip that I don't seem to be going through every few weeks. I'm on my 2nd dunlop 606 in with a lot less miles than I thought I'd get from them. Actually already have a Pirelli MT43 on the way. Figured I'd give something alot different then what I'm used to since I've heard such good things about it.
Thanks again guys..

 

[Colo moto]

FWIW my Motoz enduro IT's from motosportz are also holding up very well. Probably a little under 300 miles on them, and plenty left. Very good tires.

 

[Motosportz]

anyone riding these things in mud ...
I've heard they are scary in the mud

Reports are the trapactor S/T (a new tire) is supposed to be very good in mud. I'll let you know if a few months.

 

[Motosportz]

FWIW my Motoz enduro IT's from motosportz are also holding up very well. Probably a little under 300 miles on them, and plenty left. Very good tires.

Are you liking the rear one better now?

 

[Colo moto]

Are you liking the rear one better now?

Yeah, I am. Not sure if it has gotten better with age, or if I have just gotten used to it, but yeah, I like it much better now than at first. Good tire.

 

[Motosportz]

Yeah, I am. Not sure if it has gotten better with age, or if I have just gotten used to it, but yeah, I like it much better now than at first. Good tire.

He he me too. Seems to work better with a few miles on it. Odd.

 

[Xcuvator]

Would the X Circuits be the longest wearing tire? My 610 gets road miles and I would like to have a tire that at least looks like a traction tire.
I have tried MT21 and D606 and I'm hoping for a tire that will last longer. I really don't use my 610 for much single track, so all out traction really isn't a issue.
If the X Circuit is like a 908, it might live a little longer. I can't remember how long the 908 lasted on my 950, but it seemed to hang in there awhile.

 

[Creeper]

Would the X Circuits be the longest wearing tire? My 610 gets road miles and I would like to have a tire that at least looks like a traction tire.
I have tried MT21 and D606 and I'm hoping for a tire that will last longer. I really don't use my 610 for much single track, so all out traction really isn't a issue.
If the X Circuit is like a 908, it might live a little longer. I can't remember how long the 908 lasted on my 950, but it seemed to hang in there awhile.

I don't believe so. The Tractionator X-Circuits are, to my knowledge, not the hardest compound tire Motoz makes.
Here's a link to the Motoz line... I think the Tractionator HT (Hard Terrain?) and the Tractionator Enduro IT (Intermediate Terrain?) are most likely to be the longest lasting tires they make.

Again, nothing is DOT at this time.

C

 

[miketv]

Hello folks,

thought I'd chime in here regarding the X-circuits now that I have around 400mi on them. The riding has been about 50/50 and they have proved to be a very good D/S tire all around.

Mounting: a breeze after you let them warm up in the sun, spooned on no problem

Asphalt: At 26psi they vibrate like any other knobby on the road, required alot of weight to semi-balance them (rim lock on rear). Corners well, slides a bit when pushed but nothing surprising.

Gravel Road: Front feels like it's surfing on marbles, tried shifting weight fore and aft, light/tight hold on the grips, ect, nothing helped, not terribly confidence inspiring but it goes where pointed. The rear feels very stable and hooks up well. I'm having the suspension tweaked this fall so the jury is still out, maybe that will help.

Trail: At 14psi rear & 16psi front, they go really well after I reversed the rear (thanks Kelly!) at least a 20% improvement in the corners, the rear hooks more solidly instead of slide-n-bite as before. The front tracks very good, particularly when you push it, seemed the faster I went the better it tracked, me likey very much (I have the direction turned for soft terrain) They worked well everywhere and never let me down, through water, mud, shale, dry, hills, ect, the X-circuits did their job. I even had a couple of brief moments last weekend where I was flat "haulin the mail" back and forth through a shallow creek bed, over roots and small rocks, crisscrossing for a mile or so.
It was one of those moments where everything came together and worked almost effortlessly. Riding on the X-circuits was the first time I had experienced that "zen" feeling on the 610, pretty cool.... Overall the wear is amazing considering they are under a 300lb rig+rider and get thrashed, the 606's that I had previously were smoked on the rear within the first 3 rides. Very impressed so far and like Creeper mentioned, the cost vs. wear is really a great deal!
I'll post a couple of pics of the tire wear tomorrow.

cheers,

Mike

P.S. Hey Kelly, please stop posting pics of that lovely un-funked single track, yer killin me, my heart can't take it!... The only time we get to ride anything like that is if someone opens up private land. The quad riders and 4x4's have turned most of what we run in to a deeply rutted bummer.

 

[miketv]

err, double tap..

 

[jerbear610]

I'm definitely sold on the MZ's. So far I've used the IT Enduro, which I ran all last winter
and it was awesome in muddy or softer dirt terrain. A little squirrly on pavement but I
don't mind because I generally do very little street riding during the winter. Come summer
time I put on the Desert HT (purchased from Motosportz, of course) and I will say without
a doubt this is the best tire that I've owned to date in terms of wear and longevity. I've
put over 500 mi. on it so far, approx. 25% of it on pavement and it hardly looks worn at
all. I will also say that the Desert HT is also a better road tire than the IT Enduro although neither give me the confidence to go Sumo racing on my 610. The IT Enduro, imo, hooks up a little better on mountain trails, where I do the majority of my riding and is simply the best in mud and soft loamy stuff. Maybe next I'll try the X Circuit. Does
it come in a 140/80/18 ? Jerry

 

[Motosportz]

I'm definitely sold on the MZ's. So far I've used the IT Enduro, which I ran all last winter
and it was awesome in muddy or softer dirt terrain. A little squirrly on pavement but I
don't mind because I generally do very little street riding during the winter. Come summer
time I put on the Desert HT (purchased from Motosportz, of course) and I will say without
a doubt this is the best tire that I've owned to date in terms of wear and longevity. I've
put over 500 mi. on it so far, approx. 25% of it on pavement and it hardly looks worn at
all. I will also say that the Desert HT is also a better road tire than the IT Enduro although neither give me the confidence to go Sumo racing on my 610. The IT Enduro, imo, hooks up a little better on mountain trails, where I do the majority of my riding and is simply the best in mud and soft loamy stuff. Maybe next I'll try the X Circuit. Does
it come in a 140/80/18 ? Jerry

the X-cir is more of a all around tire with good DS habits. The Enduro IT is much better off road and in loose stuff but would not be great on the road with the wide block spacing. The Dez HT is a great DS tire for big heavy bikes that do a nice mix of stuff.

enduro IT...

Dez HT left and Tracula right (rears)

 

[Nick Mac.]

I ran the Tractionator HT on my 610. It didnt last as long as Id hoped but it sure did hook up well. I ran it at 6.5 psi for one ride..i thought id have rim damage after i saw WHAT we were riding over but suffered no ills. Im runnning a D606 now as i've been on road more than off lately.