Dunlop MX12 Rear Tire (120/80-19)

Dunlop offers a wide variety of tires for us moto/off-road guys but you don’t see too many reviews of the MX12 scoop tire out there. I recently had the chance to try a 120/80-19 rear MX12 at a few different tracks that range from sand to intermediate terrain with the occasional hard pack afternoons at Glen Helen. The Dunlop Geomax MX12 rear tire is a soft-terrain tire designed specifically for sand and mud conditions. The Geomax MX12 is the replacement for the MX11 that was out a few years ago. The Geomax MX12 rear tire was made to try and improve performance in mud, sand and soft dirt while expanding the range of conditions it can be used compared to the older MX11 design. Dunlop designed the MX12 to have increased rear wheel acceleration traction, lean angle grip, improved control in ruts and enhanced bump absorption when coming into corners. 

Fresh Dunlop MX12

With Dunlop’s V-block tread pattern and over 1.5 inches between each row of knobs, the MX12 is can scoop dirt and help move the motorcycle forward in places where a standard MX33 tire would need more help. Additionally, the V-block pattern helps fling mud off of the tire and cleans it off in wet conditions. Dunlop’s block-in-a-block progressive cornering knob technology, used on the MX33 and MX53 tires, has been implemented on the MX12 as well to help cornering traction and slide control. Ribs have been added to the backside of the knobs to improve stability in braking and choppy rutted out corners. No matter how much traction you get out of a tire, it will never be good without consistency. Without these ribs, the steep knobs could bend and fold over, which you don’t want when trying to get on the throttle hard (while leaning) out of a corner. In the testing world, we call this “cornering stability”.

I have ridden with a Dunlop MX12 on 250 and 350’s before but this was the first time I have experienced it on a 450. It’s seriously like cheating when coming out of softer corners. Getting on the throttle harder is made easier as the motorcycle accelerates harder with less throttle. This also makes abusing the clutch much less and allows the rider to use less energy around the track. Another notable positive for me was being able to use alternate softer lines that were too deep for previously used soft to intermediate tires. Instead of sinking into soft soil, the MX12 tire stayed on top of the dirt much better than other soft-intermediate tires. When compared to the Dunlop MX11, the MX12 is easier to lean into a corner and maintain that lean in a choppy rut. Cornering stability has improved on the MX12 (compared to the MX11) and it’s also easier to keep that lean in a rut that is choppy and hacked up.

Dunlop MX12 With 6 Engine Hours Of Soft To Intermediate Terrain Time

The portion of the test where I was most impressed though was how the MX12 reacted to harder conditions. On intermediate to hard terrain, the MX12 dug into the dirt and hooked up surprisingly well. With the added stability from the reinforcing ribs and the staggered knob pattern, the MX12 felt better than some other intermediate to hard terrain tires I have ran lately. The downside to the MX12 was that on hard pack flat corners it doesn’t have the best lean angle grip. It will slide around more than I would like, but that is to be expected on hard pack with a scoop. However, if there was only a couple parts of the track that had hard pack corners (and the rest of the track was softer), I would gladly take this MX12 because that is how good it works on the other parts of the track. The durability of the MX12 is great if used on strictly soft terrain, but if used on intermediate terrain it can break down the carcass of the tire much quicker. The knobs will not chunk as quick as the carcass will break down. The ribs in-between the knobs will break down over time faster on hard pack. A starting point that I liked for air pressure was anywhere between 12-12.5 PSI.

Dunlop MX12 With 8.6 Engine Hours Of Soft To Intermediate Terrain Time

If you are looking to get great starts on softer conditions and hook up out of corners like you never have before, look at the MX12 scoop tire. This tire has changed my way of thinking when it comes to what I am going to be running on race day. I wouldn’t even mind running it on late afternoon motos at Glen Helen. Just because of the scoop design, don’t disregard this tire when the conditions go from soft to intermediate. This MX12 rear tire still hooks up well! You can find the MX12 over on rockymountainatvmc.com for $93.00.

Pirelli MX32 Mid-Soft Re-Visit

Pirelli may not be the most popular tire in the AMA Supercross/Motocross paddock, but one look around the MXGP circuit and you will see more Pirelli tires than any other brand. I tested the Pirelli MX32 MId-Soft back in early 2018, but since then, the MX32 Mid-Soft tires are said to have an improved spec, so I grabbed a couple to test for a few weeks. While I don’t have much information on what was improved or why, I did get confirmation that all of the old MX32 Mid-Soft spec tires have been out of circulation for a while. This was a concern to me as I thought some may still be floating around, but I was reassured that if a consumer purchases any Pirelli MX32 Mid-Soft tires, you will in fact be getting the updated versions. Pirelli also noted that they have dropped their pricing down on all their motocross tires $5.00-$15.00. They even have a “MX Extra” tire that has a price reduction of $50.00 a set.

Once out on the track I quickly found out that one of the first things that impressed me the most was that the Pirelli Scorpion MX32 Mid Soft’s carcass gives the rider a blend of comfort and control on choppy/square edge terrain. I am usually on Dunlops around these Southern California test track, so I am very familiar on what these test bikes feel like when they get rough. When the track does get rougher, the Pirelli MX 32 Mid-Soft rear tire (120/80-19) gives more cushion than the Dunlop I have been riding on lately. The Pirelli carcass acts like another piece of your bike’s suspension and can really help a rigid feeling chassis become slightly better on choppy terrain. It impressed me so much that I tried it on a 2020 Honda CRF450R and it gave me less of a harsh feel. To me that was impressive on this machine, because the Honda needs more comfort and the MX32’s carcass did just that.

Pirelli also offers a 120/90-19 size rear tire as well that was even better on square edge cushion feel, but the 120/90-19 also puts more weight on the front end of the machine, which increases front-end steering, but negatively affects the ride height. If you do decide to go with the 120/90-19 and feel like your rear end is too high after installation, I do recommend dropping your sag 1-2mm to prevent a high feeling rear end on de-cel (stink bug). 

The Pirelli MX32 Mid-Soft rear tire offers great traction on soft/intermediate terrain through ruts and coming out of soft corners. The MX32 works well under lean angle and that lean angle traction is one of Pirelli’s rear tire strong suits, as the rider is able to get on the throttle sooner (while leaning) without washing out. The contact patch that I get with a Pirelli at Glen Helen is unmatched. I feel like my lean angle is more controlled and that sudden line changes are easier with the Pirelli. When riding you want the largest “feeling” contact patchiest you can find from a tire and Pirelli has done this well with the MX 32 Mid-Soft.

Not only do you have a more controlled lean angle, but you are also able to start your lean sooner (compared to a MX33). Braking predictability gives the rider confidence to pivot and throttle out of flat corners without much hesitation. If you’re a predominately front end steering rider the Scorpion MX32 rear tire will provide you with less sliding ability and let you steer with the front tire more than the rear. If you're a rear end steering rider that likes to drift the back end around, this tire may not suit you as much as a Dunlop MX33/53. The only complaint I had is when the track surface was on the harder side, I could feel the side of the tire carcass roll when accelerating from flat corners. This gives me a pushing or loose feeling rear end that caused me to be more less aggressive with my throttle hand. To combat some of this it’s very important to run the correct air pressure (between 13.5-14.5 psi) for the Pirelli’s softer style carcass. I noticed that when the Pirelli tire gets half worn, the performance isn't as good if you don't pay attention to the tire pressure. When the tire gets worn, going to 14.5-15 psi helps the structure of the carcass stay firmer on its sidewall when under lean angle. I ran 13.5 on a half worn rear Pirelli and it felt very “washy” or vague so going up to 14 psi helped this roll sensation. Chunking wasn't an issue with the set of Pirelli’s I had, as I got well over 10 hours on a rear tire. You will also have to understand that Southern California conditions are much harder than east coast conditions, so lifespan would dramatically be better in softer east coast based dirt.  

Attention! I am a picky son of a bitch when it comes to front tires! The Pirelli MX32 front tire is great for front-end feel and lean angle traction especially in heavy dirt. The softer the dirt the more responsive this front tire is. I prefer a tire that really digs into the dirt and lets you carve underneath blown out berms or ruts (happens a lot here in Southern California). The Scorpion MX32 Mid-Soft front tire actually makes the steering feel heavy at times because the tire is at maximum grip under initial lean in corners. Like I mentioned above, the MX32 is tailor made for a front wheel steering rider and can be leaned into corners earlier than you would come to expect. It took me a couple rides to fully trust this tire, but it has treated me well once I began trust it more. The only other front tire that has as much front end lean angle traction is a Hoosier MX25. This Pirelli front tire does suffer from predictability when the track is freshly watered while broken in/slick on top (think 1PM at your local track). The MX32 would give the front end a vague/push feel as the bike would have a tendency to slide unexpectedly through flat corners. Again, adjusting the air pressure can remedy some of this, so going up to 14 psi helps the tire not to roll so much. 

To me this is a pure soft natured front tire and if the conditions are soft to loamy this tire works great, but if the track gets hard pack, you will get some uncertainty when pushing the front tire’s limits with 13.5 psi. The wear of the MX32 front tire is superb and unlike most soft terrain tires, the Pirelli will NOT chunk. I typically get 10-12 hours on a MX32 front tire before I start to see some of the performance life start to dissipate. This is a performance based tire and should be purchased knowing this. 14 psi is a good baseline for this tire, but be sure to check the pressure after a couple motos. Tire pressure will rise with heat so make sure to have a good tire pressure gauge handy in the tool box. 

The updated Pirelli Scorpion MX32 Mid Soft is one of my favorite sets of tires to put on for Southern California tracks. The Pirelli tires will require more attention during the course of the day with your tire pressure gauge, but if you stay on top of the air pressure, you will be rewarded with a tire that rivals spec tire cushion feel. Look for a small tire shootout soon as we will take the top MX tires and put them to the test under a 10 hour evaluation soon!

If you have any questions about these tires please feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com.

Michelin Starcross 5 Soft First Impression

By Joe Oehlhof

Editors Note: I wanted to stay away from this impression as I had some help with the development process of these tires. Michelin sent Joe a set of Starcross 5 Soft tires for our 2019 Suzuki RM-Z450 and this is what he had to say after several hours on a set. I thought it would be cool to hear Joe’s thoughts since he used to race with Michelins back in the day (when they were involved with AMA Pro Racing).

I tested these tires on three different tracks with varying soil types and track designs to come up with a wide range of conditions. Sunrise MX park in Adleanto CA offers a track design on relatively flat ground with differing soil types ranging from hard pack to sandy loam. Milestone is flat as well with a bit tighter layout filled with fun jumps and soil types from hard pack to sticky rutted clay. LACR utilizes a sand quarry and has a layout with good elevation changes, high speeds and a soil type of hard base with loose sandy soil on top. So three different tracks with a broad spectrum of layouts and soils and the Starcross 5 performance was excellent on this wide variety. I also stuck with a tire pressure of 13.5 in both front/rear tires.

The front is now my favorite front tire, the stability on hard braking coupled with the grip and plush feel on initial turn in as well as the continued grip throughout flat or rutted corners is superb. The Starcross has decent durability (slightly better than a MX3S), great bump absorption, and consistent grip even with a little wear are just a few highlights of this excellent tire. I am a front end steering rider so these fit my riding style well for the conditions that I ride. I ran Michelin tires when I was racing professionally and when I look back at the tire I raced on back then, these Starcross tires are much better on initial lean and carcass feel.

The rear Starcross 5 is an excellent tire as well as offering great straight line traction along with excellent bump absorption and unbelievable side knob traction (when leaning into a rut or pushing those side knobs into a hard pack flat corner). Once the tire got a little wear the side knob traction was still pretty dang good, however the straight line traction decreased a little, but the bump absorption was still great. The tough choice for a tire manufacturer is finding the balance between traction, performance and durability. The ability to produce a tire that has great grip is there, just ask anyone who has been fortunate enough to ride a spec tire (like I did), but they only lasted literally one race. Michelin has done an excellent job of providing a lightweight, durable tire with excellent grip. This rear tire is so sticky on lean that it sometimes is tough to swing the rear end around on bowl type corners. It took me sometime to get used to that, but once I figured it out my confidence went up. The rear tire side knobs will chunk if you ride hardpack too much so be forewarned. Michelin makes a Starcross medium if you’re in need for some hard base dirt type of riding.

Well done fellas, stay tuned in upcoming weeks for an impression of the Michelin Starcross 5 medium compound as we get into warmer weather out here in California which means harder track surfaces. Yippee! UGH!

Hoosier MX Tire Test

The name Hoosier has been around four wheel racing for quite sometime, but only recently have we become to know Hoosier in the two-wheel motocross market. Hoosier was purchased by Continental Tire in 2016, but since has continued its racing heritage by manufacturing racing tires for many types of racing platforms. Since I have spent tons of time testing tires over my years, I was very intrigued by the tire and the brand’s willingness to enter into the motocross market. Hoosier has no problem claiming that their motocross tires are “racing” tires and should be looked at in that way. I got my hands on a couple sets of Hoosier tires to try, with different compounds, to see if in fact they were good enough for me to purchase some for myself. 

 Hoosier has three different compounds set up for the consumer (MX20, MX25, MX30). They also offer an 18 inch version for you off-roaders, but not a 100/90-19 version yet for you 125 two-stroke guys. Each compound has a different carcass stiffness/feel and is there for the consumer to customize their own set up for what type of conditions or feel he or she rides/wants. I tested the MX25 front/MX20 rear and a MX30 front/MX25 rear compound on a Husqvarna FC450 and Honda CRF450R. If you want to know more about these tires go check out the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Keefer Tested Podcast right here on keeferinctesting.com or Pulpmx.com to get even further analysis.

Tracks Tested At And Conditions: 

Sunrise Cycle Park = Soft to intermediate terrain.

Private Test Tracks = Hard to intermediate terrain.

Local Riverbed Sand Track = Sandy to soft. 

Mounting: There wasn't anything abnormal that stood out to us when mounting the Hoosier’s on several sets of rims. The Michelin and Pirelli tires go on a little easier, but for how hard the tire feels to your fingers (when pushing on the knobbies/side wall) it goes on relatively well.

Weight: The Hoosier tires are extremely lightweight coming in at 8.02 pounds for the 80/100-21 front tire and 10.1 pounds for the 120/90-19 rear tire. Compared to a Dunlop MX33 front tire at 9.01 pounds and 12.04 pounds for the MX33 rear tire. 

MX25/MX30 Front Tire Performance:   

I am super picky when it comes to front tires and to be completely honest I haven't had a front tire that I am completely happy with since the Dunlop 756RR. I do like a Michelin StarCross 5 Soft tire, but to me since the Dunlop MX3S is discontinued that’s all I have to choose from. That is until now… The Hoosier MX25 front tire has a carcass feel unlike any other tire on the market. It's soft playable nature is reminiscent of a factory spec tire that I have only had the pleasure to ride on a handful of times. It soaks up a lot of square edge and bumps on different types of soil and acts like a second set of suspension. The MX25 front tire adds front end chassis comfort to a Honda CRF450R, which is huge on this type of a more rigid feeling machine. The MX25 front tire has more lean angle bite (off-throttle) when starting your lean for corners than any other tire I have tested the past few years. As soon as you get off the throttle to enter a rut or berm, you will notice the tire pulls down the front end more while biting the ground (very grabby). This may take some time for some riders to get used to, but I like the fact that it doesn’t have that initial vague feel of a Dunlop MX33. Once the Hoosier MX25 gets into the corners its side knobs work well in a wide variety of terrain (from mild hard pack to soft terrain). I do notice that all Hoosier front tires look/feel wider and taller than other 80/100-21 tires, but in the world of tire sizing, I am told there is a spec range for each size tire to vary from (and the Hoosier MX25 is within spec of the 80/100-21 range). I do notice however once installed the MX25 front tire makes your front end ride a little taller (compared to other manufacturers front tires), which can lead you to adjusting your fork height. I ended up dropping my fork height 2mm’s on the Husqvarna to compensate for the taller front end feel and that helped with balancing the bike out coming into corners. However on the Honda, it actually helped the low front end/stinkbug feeling rear end somewhat. 

To me if you're an aggressive type of rider that pushes the boundaries of the side wall of the front tire you will like the Hoosier’s MX30 front tire’s compound a little more. I found when going to harder clay base types of tracks this tire didn't roll as much on lean angle and provided me with almost as much carcass comfort on square edge/braking bumps. I also liked cornering stability a little more with the MX30 front tire versus the MX25 due to its more predictable/less rolling nature. The MX30’s braking is not as grabby as the MX25, but I am highly sensitive to this (some of you less sensitive riders may not notice). I let my other novice test rider ride both front tires back to back and he couldn't tell any difference on straight/lean angle braking performance. 

MX20/MX25 Rear Performance:

The MX20 rear tire has incredible straight line traction (on-throttle) and gives the Husqvarna and Honda an amazing amount of traction coming out of corners. Lean angle traction was superb when the conditions were soft, but when the track hardened up this carcass felt like it rolled on the rim too much and had a tendency to wash out. Just like the front tire, the MX20 rear tire’s carcass feel has so much comfort, it really makes the suspension on the Husqvarna and Honda have an increased damping feeling that I haven't felt from a production tire. Inside shallow ruts the rear tire’s ability to drift is not as apparent and if you want to brake slide around corners this tire makes it tough to do so. For me I love that feeling because I steer with my front tire, but some of you rear end steering riders may not like this feel. To me this is a pure soft/sand type of rear tire that doesn't like too much sidewall pressure (on intermediate to hard terrain) for aggressive riders. 

The MX25’s tire cushion was just as friendly as the MX20, but also could be pushed harder on the sidewall under throttle. When hard on the gas (on fast sweeping corners) the MX25’s ability to not drift was a welcomed feeling. I could leave the throttle on under lean and not get a rear end wash feel like the MX20 had. Slap down landings on the rear tire was one of the first positives I noticed from the MX25, once I entered the track. Over jumping certain singles to flat didn't give me as much of a harsh feel as other production tires and that gave me less fatigue during a longer moto. Maneuverability or the ability to change directions of the MX25’a knobbies let you make quick line choice decisions without any rear end push. The MX25 just has a comfort level that most tires do not have when the track gets imperfections late in the day. 

How Does The Lack Of Weight Affect The Handling Of The Bike?:

The Hoosier tires are lightweight… Although Hoosier wouldn't indulge too much on how they achieved such a lightweight tire, I will give you some insight on what I feel when I slap a set of these Hoosier’s on (compared to a Dunlop MX33). The Hoosier tires feel unlike any other tire on the market. For how stiff they feel off the bike, they feel extremely soft and supple when riding with them. You really have to pay attention to the tire pressure (of the Hoosier’s) and forget about what pressures you’re running on other tires as well. When pushing into corners I can feel the initial part of the sidewall flex fairly easy, but then get progressively stiffer as more pressure is applied (front and rear). This is a unique feeling and took me a few added laps to get used to, but adjusting tire pressure helps dial in the firmness the initial part of the sidewall has.  

Positives Of The Hoosier Tires:

• Lean angle traction (MX25 front/rear)

• Rear tire straight line traction  

• Carcass feeling

• Lightweight 

Negatives Of The Hoosier Tires:

• Knob chunking on MX20 rear tire

• If worn down somewhat the excellent lean angle traction isn’t as apparent 

• Tire pressure is critical with these compounds (must check air pressure during the course of the day more)

Durability Of The Hoosier Tires: 

So if you're slapping down $125.00 per tire, I am sure you want to know about durability right? The Hoosier MX20 rear tire will chunk if using it on harder terrain (around the 4 hour mark). I put around almost 10 engine hours on the other compounds (MX 25 and MX30) and although worn, they didn't chunk. The downside to the Hoosier’s is that when the tire gets half worn, the performance drops a considerable amount (compared to a Dunlop MX33). To me the Hoosier is a pure racing tire and should be taken as such.  

Tire Pressures:   

MX20 Rear: 14-15 PSI

MX25 Rear: 13.5-14 PSI

MX25 Front: 13.5-14.5 PSI

MX30 Front: 13-13.5 PSI 

You can check out the Hoosier’s over at hoosierracing.com. 

Pro Taper Clamp-On Grips

There are certain things on motorcycles that are easy to improve on (seats, handlebars, foot pegs etc). Then there are grips, which for the most part are just rubber pieces on the ends of your handlebars that help keep you connect to the machine. However, for being just "rubber pieces" most riders are particular about which ones they use. Most riders have their favorite sets of grips and usually stick to those as long as they're riding. As of late there are a few companies out there who have decided that the grip needed a revamp and could be made better. Pro Taper is probably the largest handlebar company to jump into the clamp-on grip market and I was happy to get my hands on a set (pun intended). I wanted to see for myself if the days of safety wire and glue were a thing of the past. Instead of just molding rubber over plastic like some other companies have done, Pro Taper took a deeper look at the clamp-on grip to see how they could be made better. They windowed the clutch side plastic housing so there’s more cushion for the rider’s palm and fingertips. In addition to the windows in the housing they also made the overall diameter of the left side grip slightly smaller. 

 I got the PT grips (I got ½ waffle, but they offer 3 grip patterns) for the 2019 YZ 250F test bike and figured the neon blue/black (they have a magnitude of colorways) would look decent so I started the install process. The clutch side is as easy as it sounds, cut off the old grip, make sure the bar is clean, slide the new clamp-on grip on and tighten the pinch bolt once the waffle is oriented the desired way. For the throttle side Pro Taper gives you a selection of throttle cams that lock onto the throttle tube. In the instructions they give you a list of the cams they provide and what bike they go to. You just have to match the number with your bike, index the gears on the cam and throttle in the orientation you want the waffle. Next you need to remove the stock throttle tube and replace it with the new Pro Taper Clamp-On Grip/Tube combo. This is where it can be slightly annoying because once I got the throttle side reassembled, I realized the teeth were off by one so I had to take the whole throttle assembly back apart to re-index it (I’m anal with how my grips and levers are oriented). Once back together the grips are 100% locked on and they haven’t moved on me since the install.

 The first thing I noticed when I rode the bike was the smaller clutch side grip. I was personally not a fan of the smaller diameter because of my large hands (I wear an XL glove), but some other testers with smaller hands have mentioned they like the smaller size. I’ve ridden with other brands of clamp-on grips and noticed a definite increase in vibration to my hands over traditional style grips, but this wasn’t totally the case with the Pro Taper Clamp-On Grips. Although the vibration is much less than other “Clamp-On” brands, I still notice a slight increase in vibration over the stock Yamaha grips on both sides. They never twisted after riding in mud or after being washed, nor did the clamp ever come loose. All that being said let’s get to the point; although a good idea, I don’t think clamp-on grips are for me for the following reasons. I don’t like the slight vibration felt through the grips. I don’t like the smaller clutch side grip (could just be my large hands). I don’t like having to take the throttle assembly apart to change grips. Lastly, are “we” that lazy that “we” can’t put on some glue and slap on a grip? If the reasons I just listed don’t apply to you then these grips just may be for you. Maybe you don’t like safety wiring on grips? Maybe you hate grip glue or maybe you just don’t like having to slide on new grips and would rather clamp them on. For me however, I think I’ll just stick to the old school rubber things on the ends of my handlebars. -Michael Allen

Second Opinion: I also have put some time on the Pro Taper Clamp-On Grips…I am much like Michael where I prefer glue on/old school grips. I get what companies like Pro Taper are trying to do here though, I am not oblivious. They are making it easier for the customer to install new grips and giving them more choices. I believe this is a great business model for the weekend warrior and to me there is no real negative to the Pro Taper Clamp-On Grips…Except getting a slightly firmer feel than my glue on style 1/2 waffle soft grips. The Pro Taper Clamp-On Grips are not as rigid feeling as the ones that come on the KTM’s so that's a plus. Just like Michael said, if you’re a “Clamp-On” type of rider then you will be impressed by these grips. I prefer a glue feel, but I am super annoying and picky. -Kris Keefer

Dunlop Geomax MX3S Tires

The Dunlop Geomax MX3S tires have been around for a while now, but I still seem to get quite a few questions about these tires in my email inbox. The MX3S tire is the most popular off-road tire Dunlop offers, so I wanted to break down what I thought of the soft to intermediate terrain offering. There will be a new Dunlop MX33 tire that is coming later this summer, which means be on the look out for a full review right here on keeferinctesting.com in May.  

The Dunlop Geomax MX3S Tires. 

 I found that the first thing that impressed me was that the Dunlop Geomax MX3S rear tire offers great forward bite (traction) in intermediate/soft terrain through ruts and coming out of corners. The “block within a block” side knob design works well under lean angle and traction is one of the MX3S rear tire strong suits, as the rider is able to get on the throttle sooner (while leaning) without washing out. You are also able to start your lean sooner (than most other brands of tires) coming into a corner and the MX3S remains planted to the ground. Braking predictability gives the rider confidence to pivot and throttle out of flat corners without much hesitation. Sometimes other rear tires can step out (or wash out) on you once you completed your braking and back on the throttle, but the MX3S lets you pivot/lean under throttle through flat corners nicely. The only complaint I had is that when the track surface was blue grooved, I could feel the side of the tire carcass roll when accelerating from flat corners. This gives the rider a pushing or loose feeling rear end. The key here is to run the correct air pressure at 13.5 psi for the Dunlop's soft carcass. The soft nature of the MX3S carcass flexes and absorbs bigger type bumps and square edge (similar to suspension), which actually gives added comfort when the track turns rough. When you get a hard carcass feeling tire you will notice your machine will deflect and feel harsh on braking bumps and acceleration chop. Lowering your air pressure will sometimes help this sensation, but with the casing that Dunlop provides with their MX3S line, the bump absorption is superb. I do notice that when the tire gets half worn the performance goes away sooner than a Michelin Starcross 5 Medium or Bridgestone 404. The MX3S rear tire loses its “predictability” when worn on lean angle (coming into corners), which causes the rear end to wash out or slip under load. It is not uncommon for the side knobs to chunk off when worn down as well. I can usually get close to 10 engine hours on a MX3S rear tire on intermediate terrain. If you are using the MX3S rear tire on pure sand, the lifespan of the tire goes up exponentially. The Dunlop MX3S is a pure performance tire and is one of the best available for maximum traction when fresh.  

Dunlop's Block Within A Block Technology. 

The MX3S directional front tire is great for front-end feel and lean angle traction, especially over the older MX31 and MX51 versions in all conditions. The MX3S front tire actually makes the steering feel “heavy” at times because the tire is at maximum grip under initial lean in corners. It can be somewhat grabby if you're not used to it and can cause some oversteer, but once used to the lean angle feel the MX3S becomes magical in soft to loamy conditions. The MX3S is tailor made for a front wheel steering rider and can be leaned into corners earlier than most other tires very easily. The only other front tire that has as much, if not more front end lean angle traction is a Michelin Starcross 5 Soft. I did have a problem with the MX3S when the track had just been freshly watered and was slick on top (think of the second moto at a Glen Helen-type track). This would give the front end a vague feel (un-predictable) as the bike would have a tendency to push the front-end through flat corners (the MX52 is better in these types of conditions). The wear of the MX3S front tire is not as friendly in hard pack terrain as you can feel the side knobs roll on the hard pack surfaces. The vague/pushing sensation is common once on hard pack so you may want to stick with more of an intermediate to hard terrain tire if your local track has a hard base. Again, like the rear tire, the side knobs can chunk off rather quickly if you’re riding on intermediate terrain often. I typically get 10-12 hours on a MX3S front tire before I start to see chunking of the side knobs. This is a performance based tire and should be looked at accordingly.

Watch for chunking on the side knobs of the MX3S front tire. 

“Hey Kris of course you’ll take the performance based tire because you don’t have to pay for them”. That is a statement I hear very often. My rebuttal is "No, I don’t always get tires for free so I spend my money on tires just like you". Yes, tires are expensive, but I am more performance based than a durability based kind of tire guy. That means I accept the fact that I may get 10-12 engine hours on these tires before I have to go purchase another set. I understand that some of you reading this can't do that. However, you have to consider riding conditions, how hard you ride and how often you ride. My 12 hour lifespan could mean 3-4 months of riding for you. Maybe longer? 

Are you looking for performance or durability/lifespan from your motocross tires? You will have to decide for yourself on that because it is tough for a tire manufacturer to give you both at a very high level. I ride hard and often, so I am constantly pushing the knobbies of a tire. Dunlop has created a great tire, but saying it is the most durable tire on the market would be comical. However, I know what I am getting when I purchase a Dunlop MX3S and I like that it is a predictable tire for the conditions we have in Southern California. Will a Bridgestone 403/404 last longer? Yes, and it is a pretty damn good tire, but I get more lean angle traction with a Dunlop, so I choose to run a tire that I am able to push on. Look for a Keefer Tested podcast on tires very soon as we will break down performance and durability.    

Notes:

Again.... Running 13.5 psi in the MX3S front and rear tires is crucial. As the soft carcass of the tire breaks down it tends to lead to pinch flats with 11-12 psi (even with heavy duty tubes). Not to mention the tires will roll on your rims more with 11-12 psi. 

I tested and installed both of these types of tires on a 250F (80/100-21 and 100/90-19) and a 450F (80/100-21 front and 120/80-19). Installation of both sets of tires didn’t feel any different as any other older style Dunlop's, but I will have to say that the Michelin Starcross 5 Soft tires are easier to put on. 

The Geomax MX3S front tire is available in the aforementioned 80/100-21 size for $127.51. For 19-inch rear wheels, MSRP ranges from $134.04-$149.25.