Maxxis has announced details of its new Maxxcross MX-ST, the new motocross tyre designed solely to deliver championship-winning performance, thanks to an extensive development and testing programme carried out by seven-time AMA Supercross champion Jeremy McGrath.
Maxxis – sponsor of both MXGP 2019 and this year’s British Motocross Championship – worked with the ‘King of Supercross’ to develop a tyre that boasts a new, lightweight, pliable carcass design yet strong construction and a uniquely-spaced tread block pattern that delivers superior stability, drive, and comfort, plus prolonged tyre life.
The high levels of performance come thanks to a new ply material, which exhibits lower elongation and stronger resistance to external forces and resistance to deformation, resulting in greater cornering stability, braking, and jumping performance. The new sidewall provides stronger vertical stiffness with a longer apex and a harder compound to better absorb energy when landing.
To further optimise stiffness, and in turn promote better grip, especially on starts, the new compound uses reinforced carbon nanoparticles in the manufacturing process. As a result, grip is up 19% over the previous generation Maxxcross IT, with stiffness increased by 33% and hardness by 4%.
On the front, a new tread block design features functional polygon half-blocks, which reduce chunking and increase braking grip and stability, with forces equally and smoothly distributed. The periodic arrangement of half-blocks and shoulder blocks also lend themselves to predictable turning and help reduce oversteer.
Superior drive and traction comes from a new tread pattern design on the rear, which uses 33 central blocks – reduced from the conventional 36. The tyre retains 36 middle blocks – with sharp angles to help them bite in soft terrain – and 36 shoulder blocks, all of which combine to bring about better turning performance and increased grip and acceleration.
Derek McMartin, Maxxis International UK managing director, explains, “The new MX-ST has been designed and developed with one goal in mind, and that is to provide higher levels of performance, across the board, than our rivals, and with input and expertise of Jeremy we have been able to achieve that. The focus was on every area and every aspect, from braking stability and turning performance to traction and corner exit performance, as well as energy absorption when landing and even the rate of wear. It’s a big step forward not only for Maxxis, but a step forward that will be felt and enjoyed by riders.”
The new Maxxis Maxxcross MX-ST is currently available in 80/100-21 and 110/90-19, with an RRP of £133 a pair.
