Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original

New tires that are 6 years old ain't new...

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teamgreen500:
I wanted to touch on something here.

Tires dry out and "go bad".

I broke in a new motor today and decided to run a set of wheels/tires that have been sitting since November '98. Actually, the rear had been run a little in '99-'00.

Man, the stock 695/490 combo ain't all that bad....well, at-least when they're still new enough to work.

The tires I rode on today were scary! Especially when it started to rain...that's when I realized how bad they were. You see, I knew they'd be stiff and non-responsive (Tires/Knobbies "Flexing" is one VERY Important feature in the "Hard-Packed" environment that these tires are designed for) on hard-packed; But, I was gonna be on damp trails and Fresh "Loam"...no problem...right?

NOT!

They were fine in the loam...but, on the afore-mentioned "Damp" trails...Ice-Racing without Studs! :oops:

I'm taking the time to type all this to remind you that these are Really Demanding Powerful bikes...and I was breaking-in a really GOOD Motor...they REQUIRE good rubber.

Don't skimp. Get your money's worth by not trying to make your money go TOO FAR!

Tires, and most other rubber products (Don't worry, your KX intake boot is polymerized like vinyl...) dry out. Think of a thin petroleum type solvent/oil evaporating. That's what happens to tires that sit around. Ever seen grips that have been sitting for a few years?

The only thing I got to practice today was "Throttle Control" :lol:

Learn from my Stupidity...please,

Manny

mikesmith:
On my last set of tires I thought Id make my wife happy by getting the Maxxis IT's(cheap),the rears decent for the money but the front tire is definitly what you pay for!OK for trail putting,but not for going fast!Any one try a Dunlop 742?

Paul:
I still love, and pay for, a fresh S12 up front but that I/T on the rear is pretty d**n good :wink:

mikesmith:
Do you only run a s12 on the front(not a m12)?I just wonder how it is in mud/sand to hard pack/rocks?Never ran one,but need a do it all tire and wonder how well it works?

Paul:
The S12 doesn't last as long as the M12 in the Sonoran Desert - not much mud though :lol:. I can tell you it's a good tire in sand, hardpack and rocks. For the gription this tire has I pay the extra to pop one on more often.

I am lined up to try a set of Kenda Millville's and will report back on thier performance.

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