The new Maxxis Maxxcross MX-ST motocross tire was designed in close collaboration with AMA Supercross champion Jeremy McGrath.
It features a new, lightweight, pliable carcass design, a strong construction and a uniquely spaced tread block pattern that is said to deliver high stability, comfort and durability.
The new ply material applied in the Maxxcross MX-ST has a lower elongation and stronger resistance to external forces and resistance to deformation, resulting in greater cornering stability, braking, and jumping performance.
The sidewall provides stronger vertical stiffness with a longer apex and a harder compound to better absorb energy when landing.
To further optimize stiffness, and in turn improve grip, especially on starts, the new compound uses reinforced carbon nanoparticles in the manufacturing process. As a result, grip is improved by 19% over the previous generation Maxxcross IT, and 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 lends them to predictable turning and help reduce oversteer.
A new tread pattern design on the rear, which uses 33 central blocks – reduced from the conventional 36 – is said to give good grip and drive characteristics. The front tread retains 36 middle blocks – with sharp angles to help them bite in soft terrain – and 36 shoulder blocks, all of which combine to provide better turning performance and increased grip and acceleration.
McGrath said, “I’ve been working on the new MX-ST with Maxxis for the last few years and honestly a lot of effort has gone into it. What we’ve come up with is a compound that is pretty amazing. It took us a while, but the team at Maxxis did a great job, and we’ve struck gold really. The compound and the compliance of the tire is great.
“Obviously there are a lot of factors that go into a great motocross tire, like the strength of the sidewall and the softness of the carcass. You don’t want any roll when you’re braking, plus you want the traction and durability on the rear, and honestly we’ve struck gold with this tire,” he concluded.
