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Name that tire!!

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kirbykajin said:
I've gone through the gamut of dual sport tires. 606, mt21, Ac-10, tw301 etc. they are all a compromise. I now run Maxxis maxxcross IT. Easily last 1500+ miles in Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma terrain and is superior in traction and wear in every way. No they are not dot but who cares, they flat out work.
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DOT tires are not required by Texas safety inspection. The requirement is tires cannot be marked "Not for highway use". The Maxxcross IT does not have this marking so it is 100% compliant and a street legal tire in Texas. If your inspector tries to tell you otherwise and fail you, tell them to go check their inspection criteria while you wait for them to bring your passing certificate.

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SilverBullet said:
DOT tires are not required by Texas safety inspection. The requirement is tires cannot be marked "Not for highway use". The Maxxcross IT does not have this marking so it is 100% compliant and a street legal tire in Texas. If your inspector tries to tell you otherwise and fail you, tell them to go check their inspection criteria while you wait for them to bring your passing certificate.

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Kinda // DOT tires ARE required.. but there is no inspection requirement for them to be marked as such.
As you noted, IF they are marked “Not for Highway Use,” OR
"Any tire that is marked “Not for Highway Use,” “Farm Use Only,” “For Racing Purposes Only,” or with other use restrictions that would indicate the tire is not meant for highway use."
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Then that would be a fail as well.

The catch, a tire NOT DOT approved will be marked “Not for Highway Use,” “Farm Use Only,” “For Racing Purposes Only,” Might some manufactur decide to not appropriately mark thier tires? Well of course, that is a company decision or omission. and entirely possible.

bottom line a DOT tire is NOT marked “Not for Highway Use,” “Farm Use Only,” “For Racing Purposes Only,” and the inverse is true as well.
 
I like geeking out on tires too. It's fun to look at the charts.and read the adverts (superior traction, double ply, advanced engineering, factory rider tested, etc.)

But my experience so far is that tire performance is so heavily dependent on the rider, and I know of one very good rider who only cares that it holds air.

Really the only way to know a tire is to take your chances with it so far as I can tell
 
The place I get my inspections done pretty much walks a half circle around the bike with it running (or not), then asks to see your insurance.

I really am not worried what markings it has, neither are they.

It needs to be- (for me)
A true 140. Not a "Michelin 140" (or a 5.10)
Have gnarly knobs
Be a harder tread compound.

D606 isn't enough tire for my off-road destinations around here. It's deep sand, deep loan, mud, packed dirt.
 
thrill-billy85 said:
The place I get my inspections done pretty much walks a half circle around the bike with it running (or not), then asks to see your insurance.

I really am not worried what markings it has, neither are they.

It needs to be- (for me)
A true 140. Not a "Michelin 140" (or a 5.10)
Have gnarly knobs
Be a harder tread compound.

D606 isn't enough tire for my off-road destinations around here. It's deep sand, deep loan, mud, packed dirt.
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Desert maxxas

Really like that tire for the terrain your looking at.

Worked well on the back of a 60hp 300lb Drz 485
 
The biggest they make is a 120 though. The maxxcross EN comes in a 140/80-18, which is what I'm looking for. Looks like a similar tread pattern.
 
thrill-billy85 said:
The biggest they make is a 120 though. The maxxcross EN comes in a 140/80-18, which is what I'm looking for. Looks like a similar tread pattern.
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Don't buy a Maxxis EN. NOT a sand/mud tire, and way different than a maxxis desert. Instead, it is a Euro-spec knobby. Europe has a maximum knob height of 13mm. All of the legal Euro knobbies with the 13mm knob heights come in the 140 size, and most are DOT rated. Unless you are racing a round of the World Enduro Championship, you won't want this tire, I promise. Also, you will find that the Maxxis Desert (120 size) and the EN (140 size) are the exact same physical size (width). Again it has to do with Euro sizing standards.

If you want a really big (but not ridiculous big/heavy like the TF) tire, then look at the IRC M5B. They have the biggest deepest knobs of any tire I know of. It will shine in the deep sand and mud, and because the knobs are so big, last a long time. It is a TRUE 140 width too. Only for big bore dirt bikes in this size. Too much tire for anything else.

324000-tr-irc-m5b-soft-muddy-terrain-rear-tire.jpg
 
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John, that's another one I had my eye on. So that's a "soft terrain" tire, ie, harder rubber compound?
 
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thrill-billy85 said:
John, that's another one I had my eye on. So that's a "soft terrain" tire, ie, harder rubber compound?
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Well, I am not a big enough geek to know the rubber durometer number off the top of my head :lol2:, but yes, it is a harder rubber compound. It will last simply because the knobs are so deep. You just have to see one in person. Yes, it is a mud/sand tire with cross over to intermediate terrain.
 
My issue with oversize tires on the rear is that they ruin handling and can be very hard on a clutch. For my XR4 I stick with standard sizes no matter the brand. Thrill Billy, where did you take that pic you posted? Sure looks like where I have been lately.
 
River run ATV park. It's a really really cool ride to get there, almost all dirt, then the park itself is the kinda if place to make anyone a better rider. I plan on going every chance I get until this summer. Around april I'll switch to a k270 or mt21 for the rocky hard stuff. Until then I need a gnarly tire thatll get me through the loose soft stuff, and survive light hiway use. I care not about road ride quality until its time for the mt21.

This tire will be for my weekend jaunts to the park, and a trip or Arkansas. After that it's hill country rocks, and big bend on a "hard terrain" tire
 
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Cagiva 549 said:
I gave up trying to wear out the terrorflex on my 950 Adventure , sold it and the spare rim set . Most of its off road miles were in Big Bend . Best guess is around 3000 miles and it wasn't slick between the center knobs yet . A whole lot shorter but not slick . I have a brand new one mounted and ready to go for my 950 SE right now , I thought I would finish off the motard tire at Big Bend this winter and get to try it out but a still have a couple hundred miles left in the motard so not yet . I ran the old terrorflex flat on the highway for 30 or 40 miles at 60 plus speeds on my 950 adventure and could barely feel it , had to check it when I got home to see it was flat . It is the dirt tire for me on the big bikes . Still running other stuff on the little bikes . SEYA
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Well I just saw this. Thanks for the input. :thumb:
 
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Johnf3 said:
Cagiva 549 is using that tire on a 500 pound adventure bike, for perspective.
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Yeah. I saw. I haven't changed my mind, I think the m5b will work well. I appreciate his review though.

I AM on a 346lb xrl, weighing 220lbs myself.
Unsprung weight does make a noticeable difference though.
 
Johnf3 said:
...Also, you will find that the Maxxis Desert (120 size) and the EN (140 size) are the exact same physical size (width). Again it has to do with Euro sizing standards...
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I was hoping that the sizing can of worms didn't get opened but you are entirely correct. Also sizing between various manufacturers varies greatly.

TB I remember you tried a Michelin T63. I've used plenty of those in 130/80-18 size and plenty wide enough IMO especially if you like to rail on pavement also. But the Maxxis 110/100-18 on my KTM measures wider than the T63 mounted on same 2.15" wide rim. So a Maxxis 120/100-18 will definitely be as wide or wider than a 140/80-18 as John stated.

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Yeah that's what I meant by a "Michelin 140" Lol. ;-)

It's going on an xr650l, and I'd really like a legit 140+
 
Aren't the maxxis desert it, and the maxxis maxcross EN, both maxxis tires and same measuring standards?
 
thrill-billy85 said:
Aren't the maxxis desert it, and the maxxis maxcross EN, both maxxis tires and same measuring standards?
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No because the EN is a Euro sized tire with the short 13mm knobs. Tried to explain it in my last post and probably did not do that so good. Some of this stuff you end up memorizing after 100 tires or so.
 
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Johnf3 said:
No because the EN is a Euro sized tire with the short 13mm knobs. Tried to explain it in my last post and probably did not do that so good. Some of this stuff you end up memorizing after 100 tires or so.
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Muchas gracias.

I guess the EN denotes that. Figured it was for ENduro. My bad, bro. ;-)

The Artrax super Enduro I've got currently had baby knobs too. After 200 miles, they're over halfway gone. About 8mm tall in the center. The corner knobs are about 12-14.

Worst. Tire. Ever.
 
IRC M5B has been ordered, and will be on its way tomorrow, from Austin.

If y'all need parts real quick like, check out powersports parts. They're stuff ships from Pflugerville
 
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