Lets talk about tires

spimx
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spimx
Edited Date/Time 8/11/2022 1:49pm
Has anyone tried the tusk tires? I still love Hoosier IMX 25/30 but they are getting hard to get and all I can find is the Hoosier C100s which I never tried.

Can anyone say what the deal is with Maxxis since working with the king?
What brands have updated their tires? Maxxis or Pirelli?
I am looking for lightweight tires. My favorite setup is Hoosier IMX25 front 30 rear, second place is Pirelli and then Starcross is third. I haven't tried Dunlop in a while, do they still chunk the knobs off? Pirelli's also chunk the knobs off but they feel a lot lighter on the bike. Hoosiers don't chunk the knobs at all so far and I had a lot of them, they do wear really fast but I always flip the rear and It's like a new tire again.

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Dirt.Squirt
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Dirt.Squirt 2/25/2022 11:56am
2/25/2022 11:56am
Im a MX3S guy currently but maxxis has been catching my eye a bit lately since my hero runs them
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TheGetFresh
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TheGetFresh 2/25/2022 12:01pm
2/25/2022 12:01pm
Dunlop MX3S are decent, the MX33s are trash. Dunlop has a much stiffer carcass and are heavier than the three brands you ranked. If you like the feeling of those 3 brands, you probably won’t like the dunlops. On the other hand, your location and profile pic suggested you encounter some occasional hard pack and the dunlops will keep their shape better when the ground turns to concrete. The MX3S is close to the MX32 (Pirelli) in terms of longevity, but the pirellis perform a little better.

Can’t speak to tusk or Maxis, but I’m curious about them too.
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garagedog
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garagedog 2/25/2022 12:06pm
2/25/2022 12:06pm
Tusk = Heavy, longer lasting but lacking a little grip.
spimx
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spimx 2/25/2022 12:09pm
2/25/2022 12:09pm
There hasn't been a tire shootout in like 5 years and tires are really the one part that affects the performance of the bike the most, maybe suspension
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chump6784
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chump6784 2/25/2022 12:12pm
2/25/2022 12:12pm
On a 450 the Maxxis MX ST lose knobs real quick, the pirelli last longer than the Maxxis. The grip I find is similar but the Maxxis don't last as long.
greg570
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greg570 2/25/2022 12:26pm
2/25/2022 12:26pm
Just mounted starcross soft front....3.4kg....maxxis st...4.2kg....thats huge...
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Motodave15
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Motodave15 2/25/2022 12:40pm
2/25/2022 12:40pm
I have hoosiers and running the MX25s on the front and IMX25 on the rear...... I feel the front end specifically at perris and state fair ca.. it pushes a little bit. I would like more front end bite..but im also not fast at all either lol.

My Dunlop up front did better at those two tracks... I might've gone the wrong direction but also i dunno lol.

I do love the rear end though has traction across all the tracks out here. Glen Helen its amazing, along with LACR and perris and statefair and even hard ass elsinore.

(I have not gone to cahuilla or fox raceway or barona oaks yet)

I wish there were tire shootouts, that would be awesome.
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Bradshaw Fan
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Bradshaw Fan 2/25/2022 1:23pm
2/25/2022 1:23pm
Bridgestone X20 and X30 are great tires and last. I have liked the Dunlop the MX 33 for the front. If you haven’t tried a mouse bib tube I think it’s worth trying. It allows the tire to flex more giving you more traction, and you don’t get flats. Just really hard to get on
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Deadric
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Deadric 2/25/2022 1:39pm
2/25/2022 1:39pm
I tried Hoosier last year and for the price I was not impressed with the durability at all. After two hours you could already see they were breaking down and by five hours there was nothing left of them, went through 3 sets in a little over a month which is absurd here with how soft our tracks are. They are a great tire when fresh but they simply dont last that long. Went to Pirelli after that (I normally run Dunlop but couldnt find any last year) and was much happier with those. Plan on sticking with them for this year, I felt they held up really good and the grip was good also.
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Grovesy98
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Grovesy98 2/25/2022 1:47pm
2/25/2022 1:47pm
Been using the Maxxis ST+ for the past few months and I'm impressed. The initial ST compound was terrible and the knobs broke off very easily. I broke about half the knobs off the rear in 2 hours on them. The new + compound is much better and holds up well. The grip is very good from soft, mud, and also hard pack. Not sure on the weight though
b8res
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b8res 2/25/2022 1:54pm
2/25/2022 1:54pm
Bridgestone X20 /X30 or 40 combo works fine. Looking forward to trying the new intermediate tire.
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Zeke27G
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Zeke27G 2/25/2022 2:40pm
2/25/2022 2:40pm
Bridgestone X30 front and X40 rear on my KX450, get lots of life out of the X40 rear, probably giving up a little grip, but I prefer the longevity.
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quadzrulebro 2/25/2022 3:18pm
2/25/2022 3:18pm
Bridgestone X40 rears literally last forever with acceptable traction on a really wide range of surfaces.
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bvm111
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bvm111 2/25/2022 3:20pm
2/25/2022 3:20pm
I have been running a Bridgestone M59 front and X20 rear lately on my 450 and interested to try the new X31 rear. The M59 front is the best front tire i’ve ever tried, the X20 rear is really good when new but the center lugs do wear quicker than any other Bridgestone I’ve tried.

I also have been running the MX3S front on my new 350 and I am not sure what all the hype is on that tire, i find it very vague on initial turn in where i don’t trust the grip on the side knobs.
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BAD10
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BAD10 2/25/2022 3:24pm
2/25/2022 3:24pm
The best tire is a brand new one! lol. I love my Dunlop MX3S' on the front, but Barona is murder on them as far as the side knobs chunking. Its a trade off I accept for the performance before that happens. I like the MX53 on the rear, which lasts much longer than the 33 with comparable performance, IMO. Never met a Bridgestone I've cared much for. With that said, I'm very picky with front tires but not so much the rear, so I'm curious about the other brands mentioned for the back.
davidgrip
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davidgrip 2/25/2022 3:28pm
2/25/2022 3:28pm
spimx wrote:
There hasn't been a tire shootout in like 5 years and tires are really the one part that affects the performance of the bike the most...
There hasn't been a tire shootout in like 5 years and tires are really the one part that affects the performance of the bike the most, maybe suspension
I agree tires are your point if contact. Tires can change the performance/ feel of the bike. Dunlop has always given me performance and durability. Confidence. MX33 is my current setup. Adjusting the correct tire pressure to the track conditions.

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Munson'd
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Munson'd 2/25/2022 3:30pm
2/25/2022 3:30pm
I ride an xr400 strictly off-road. I’ve been running a Dunlop Mx3s on the rear for probably 8 hour and a Kenda Washougal III on the front. I know it’s sacrilegious to mix brands, but I don’t care. I have no complaints on either tire, and really really like the Washougal III on the front.
LungButter
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LungButter 2/25/2022 3:33pm
2/25/2022 3:33pm
If you are concerned about the weight of your tires then steer clear of Tusk.
soggy
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soggy 2/25/2022 4:16pm
2/25/2022 4:16pm
I’ve been running mx53 front 33 rear (the ping) for two years I like it a lot unless the tracks really muddy. The 53 isn’t great then
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yamahaha131
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yamahaha131 2/25/2022 4:17pm
2/25/2022 4:17pm
I love Starcross 5. Soft front, medium rear. Consistent feel when they wear and they’ve lasted pretty well for me.
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mx317
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mx317 2/25/2022 4:53pm
2/25/2022 4:53pm
soggy wrote:
I’ve been running mx53 front 33 rear (the ping) for two years I like it a lot unless the tracks really muddy. The 53 isn’t great...
I’ve been running mx53 front 33 rear (the ping) for two years I like it a lot unless the tracks really muddy. The 53 isn’t great then
My current set up also. I never cared for the MX3S tire or the Pirelli MX32 mid soft. I liked the mid hard Pirelli front though.
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Hi Side
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Hi Side 2/25/2022 5:20pm
2/25/2022 5:20pm
I really want to give the Hoosier's a try but I don't quite understand the compound and 25/30 differences.
Pirate421
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Pirate421 2/25/2022 5:22pm
2/25/2022 5:22pm
I’ll do another vote for Michelin starcross 5’s. Soft front and medium rear. Really light tires and easy to mount, last a good while too. I also think they are a good looking tire which matters to me too haha
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cwel11
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cwel11 2/25/2022 5:29pm
2/25/2022 5:29pm
Starcross 5 for us but looking to try the pivotrax. Heard good things
Zoom
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Zoom 2/25/2022 5:30pm
2/25/2022 5:30pm
When I lived in Brownsville back in the day, I did some training at SPI. Would have loved to have the Pirelli sand tire back then. I know you can't ride in the dunes anymore.

We have tried them all, specially in my days at a Parts Unlimited District Manager. Had access to just about every tire companies rider support.

More recently we had a Hoosier support deal and loved the way they hooked up. They just didn't last very long, but they performed amazing for a few rides. We have a Pirelli deal not and there is not a better sand tire on the market. For intermediate is just as good or better than anything else on the market.
T-Fish
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T-Fish 2/25/2022 5:40pm
2/25/2022 5:40pm
Deadric wrote:
I tried Hoosier last year and for the price I was not impressed with the durability at all. After two hours you could already see they...
I tried Hoosier last year and for the price I was not impressed with the durability at all. After two hours you could already see they were breaking down and by five hours there was nothing left of them, went through 3 sets in a little over a month which is absurd here with how soft our tracks are. They are a great tire when fresh but they simply dont last that long. Went to Pirelli after that (I normally run Dunlop but couldnt find any last year) and was much happier with those. Plan on sticking with them for this year, I felt they held up really good and the grip was good also.
They aren’t built to last, they’re built to perform.

Sounds like they’re working as designed for you.
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hawk101
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hawk101 2/25/2022 6:17pm
2/25/2022 6:17pm
soggy wrote:
I’ve been running mx53 front 33 rear (the ping) for two years I like it a lot unless the tracks really muddy. The 53 isn’t great...
I’ve been running mx53 front 33 rear (the ping) for two years I like it a lot unless the tracks really muddy. The 53 isn’t great then
mx317 wrote:
My current set up also. I never cared for the MX3S tire or the Pirelli MX32 mid soft. I liked the mid hard Pirelli front though.
Can you expand on why you didn't care for the MX3S/MX32?

I'm researching my next set of tires. I've gone with Starcross 5 soft front/med rear the last couple years since they are light and have good durability for mx.

My new bike has Maxxis MX ST front and rear. I'm actually happy with the tires.....but for some reason they are $140 per tire. Pirelli, Dunlop and Starcross are ~$100. I thought Maxxis MX ST were supposed to be less expensive?????
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crusher773
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crusher773 2/25/2022 6:53pm
2/25/2022 6:53pm
yamahaha131 wrote:
I love Starcross 5. Soft front, medium rear. Consistent feel when they wear and they’ve lasted pretty well for me.
I've always run the medium but the shop gave me a soft front when I bought them and didn't notice. I'm going to give it a shot see if it helps front end traction.
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