Tires need help big time

[SADude]

Hi

I am looking for a good set of tires, well mainly a good back tire. I need one that will be good in the dry for winter riding and a couple of rocks and good in the wet during summer.

I do 95% of my riding on tight trails in the bush or mountain here in south africa where there is a large variety of different surfaces to contend with, so I want a tire with good traction all over and good durability.

What recommendation would you give? Kenda, Bridgestone, maxxis, dunlop, michelin, etc. soft, medium or hard?

Thanks

Paul

 

[Patman]

Depending what it's like when you say "wet" a trials tire might be a really good option. If you are dealing with deep mud then it's going to come up short but for most everything this side of a loamy MX track they work REALLY well.

 

[SADude]

There isn't really deep mud to deal with, it is more slippery hills where the ground isn't very soft but more hard packed earth that has become slipery due to the rain or soft sandy hills in forrest plantations where you have to ride up between the trees, there is also a fair number of wet grassy hills to climb, this however is only really during the summer as it is our rainy season then. Winter on the other hand is dry and fairly hard.

I guess I am looking for a tire that would handle both of these situations well or suggestions of different setups for these two conditions.

Thanks

 

[Patman]

Given that I'd say a trials tire (a real one) might actually be very good for your application. They afford crazy traction in those types of conditions unless the sand get's deep.

 

[SADude]

Can you recommend a couple makes of tires?

 

[TeamLeykis]

I've been running Dunlop tires since 1992, never used anything else. When I made the switch last year to 4-strokes, I started destroying rear tires. I bought a set of Maxxis tires, IT front and ST rear, and I really like them. I was skeptical at first about the ST's crossover ability on hardpack, but it's better than I expected. This combo in deep loam and mud is impressive.

 

[Lonewolf]

I think the 756 Dunlop is the best all around tire I have ever used in the woods, it seem to get good traction in most conditions. I have been using the Maxxis IT's on the rear because I ride mostly on hardpack mx tracks now and they last much longer than the 756.

 

[TeamLeykis]

I agree Lonewolf, the 756 is a good tire. My favorite was the 752. If you like the Maxxis IT, try the ST next time. The compound is harder and it's really holding up well to the abuse of my 450. Most of the tracks I ride go from one extreme to the other, hard to soft. This combo (IT front,ST rear) works surprisingly well. On a groomed soft track they are even better.

 

[mxer829]

Go with the CHENG SHIN C183A. For $30 you can’t go wrong. I race mx about 3 times a week at all different types of tracks and I have not been disappointed by this tire. Plus I can afford to change it 3 times as often as a Dunlop. Check out gopartsdirect. Just my two cents!

 

[gottamoto]

Kenda's are junk. I tried one on the rear of my CR 250 and after 4 rides 75% of the knobs were fractured