Michelin S12 XC Soft – Intermediate Tire
Let’s say I’m into the soft stuff – mud, grass, sand or well-tilled MX courses. In that case, I’m gonna reach for something like the Michelin S12 XC Soft – Intermediate Tire. The tread knobs are tall and skinny, so they sink into and scoop whatever terrain I’m riding on. And since the knobs are few and far between, any mud that gets stuck in here will be flicked out as the tire rotates.
Now the problems arise when this tire can’t sink in. Like if you’re riding a hard-packed fire road or something like that. Then the knobs only contact the ground at the very top. And that’s a mighty small surface area considering how few knobs we have.
In the real world, that means the S12’s tread will wear away fast on a hard surface, and you won’t even get decent grip in the meantime. Michelin did increase the rubber durability by 25%, so the S12 doesn’t chunk as much as its competitors. Even still though, I would avoid hard terrain as much as possible on this guy.
Now you might be thinking, isn’t the S12 XC a bit outdated? And it’s true – the S12 was a go-to tire in 2012 and that was four years ago. But in my opinion, nobody has made anything better since then. Dunlop has the MX32, which is a much faster competition tire but for average Joes like me, it doesn’t last long enough. We’ve also seen the new Starcross 5 series from Michelin, but none of them are as versatile as the S12 XC.
My only hesitation with this tire is the shoulder knobs. They’re a little too vertical in my opinion. It makes the tire amazing for side-hilling, but when I lay my bike down in a corner, I do wish this thing had a little more grip on the edges. Now I grew up riding in the BC interior. It never rained, the trails were sun-baked and there was slate and shale rock everywhere. In other words – the perfect definition of hard terrain.
Maxxis M7305D Maxxcross Desert IT
The Okanagan will always be my favorite place to ride. And my favorite tire for it, is the Maxxis M7305D Maxxcross Desert IT.
This is the longest-lasting tire on my list. The rubber is durable but also flexible, so it bends rather than breaks. That keeps chipping and cutting to a minimal, even if you’re riding on rocks that are as hard and sharp as glass.
I’m impressed by this tire’s mileage as well. You can see how the tread knobs are so numerous, and the profile is fairly flat on top as well. That maximizes contact area, so your weight will be distributed across more of the tire. The M7305D rolls smoother and lasts longer in that sense.
One of my favourite things about the M7305 is its capability in the sand. When the terrain is hard, it’s normally hot and dry. And when it’s hot and dry, you’re bound to come across pockets of sand. At that point, a lot of manufacturers just say, “well, too bad. You chose a hard terrain tire so you’re just gonna have to sink in the sand.” But Maxxis actually spent the extra money to deal with the problem. They give us a super high tread pattern here, so while we have the horizontal surface area for the hard pack, we also get the vertical surface area for scooping the soft stuff.
One last thing I’ll say is that this tire has a hidden purpose. If I’m riding motocross, the M7305D makes an excellent practice tire. I can afford softer knobbies for race day, but it saves me a lot of money to use more durable tires in the practice sessions. With the M7305D, I can take laps all week without having to worry about burning through the rubber.
Dunlop MX32 Geomax
Now, what if I don’t know what kind of terrain I’ll be riding? Around here in Montreal, any given weekend could be sloppy and wet, rock hard, or somewhere in between. If you think about it, the dirt bike manufacturers have the same problem. They don’t know who’s going to be buying their motorcycles, or where they’ll be riding. So, many new dirt bikes come stocked with an exceptional general-purpose tire: Dunlop’s Geomax MX52.
We have two bits of technology to decode with this tire. First is PCBT: Progressive Cornering Block Technology. PCBT means that this tire has a block within each block to provide more feedback as the tire slides. For each knob, you feel the tread grip here, then slide out, then grip again here, then slide out. Double the blocks, double the feedback. Don’t get confused though: PCBT doesn’t give the MX52 any more traction. It just makes it easier to feel and control that traction.
The second bit of tech in this tire is the CTCS: Carcass Tension Control System. Basically, Dunlop poked holes in the carcass to add flexibility. If the tire is more flexible, then it absorbs bumps better, then it spends more time on the ground. In the real world, that means the MX52 hooks up easily. Especially on MX whoops or washboard gravel roads.
One last thing that I’ll mention is the staggered centre blocks. See how they’re misaligned? These will still scoop soft terrain, but staggering the blocks along the tire’s circumference also spreads the load for hard-terrain mileage.
The MX52 isn’t the best at anything. But it’s reasonably good on all surfaces and it lasts a long time – perfect for general dirt biking use.
STI’s Sand Wedge MX Paddle Tire
Now, let’s go from extreme multipurpose to extreme single-purpose: STI’s Sand Wedge MX Paddle Tire.
I Can only assume that this company was named before STI became the acronym for Sexually Transmitted Infection.
Anyway, if there are sand dunes anywhere near your house, you need to give this a try – it’s pure paddle tire frivolity. Scoops on the front, slants on the back (show). We have eight wedges on this wheel, which is perfect for 125 – 250cc dirt bikes. Then there’s a 10-paddle option as well, which is better for the monstrous 450 4-strokes and 500 2-strokes.
The only bit of “technology” worth mentioning are these centre ribs. But they’re not exactly rocket science. If you need to cover some trail on the way to the dunes, these bars make the tire vaguely circular. It’ll still be bumpy as hell, but at least your paddles won’t be worn flat by the time you reach the sand. And once you get into the dunes, these bars will dig in like a blade and make it easier to carve from side to side.
What else can I say!? It’s a paddle tire. You can’t have any more fun for 100 bucks. And yes – Canada – it works reasonably well on the snow.