MT43 vs ????

I absolutely love the mt43 so far, my only problem has been that its about shot and I only have about 2-2200 miles on it (1300 in one trip).

is there anything out there close to tread design and grip level, that last longer?( im sure there is, but what have you used?)

also i'm running an MT21 up front and have had no problem with it on gravel,dirt, singletrack, pavement, mud and wet pavement. great tire

I too have been running a MT43/MT21 combo and have been very pleased.

My one knock on the MT43 has been the "flat" tread profile with no side knobs.  Fast cornering (on the street or the trail) is not this tires strong suit.

I just (yesterday) spooned on a MotoZ Mountain Hybrid.  Picked one up for < $100 shipped.  It is touted as a cross between a trials and knobby tire that has been getting rave reviews since it's introduction in 2014.  I, arbitrarily, threw 20 psi in it and went for a asphalt/gravel/dirt road ride and was impressed with the cornering ability.  From what I have read, the tire is fantastic off road with 8-10 psi.  This should be no problem with my dual rimlocks.  



I will be airing it down and doing some NASTY single track later this week and will update.

Is it DOT approved for road.

Nice! please keep me in the loop about this, sounds almost perfect to me

Fiftygrit wrote:

Is it DOT approved for road.

Yup.

Yesterday, I rode over 100 miles on asphalt/tar and chip/gravel/hard pack roads with the tire aired up to 25 pounds and made a couple of observations:

The tire "sings" more on pavement.  Not terribly loud, but there is a noticeable difference from the MT43.

The rear end is more "squirmy" than the MT43.  Nothing disconcerting . . . the rear just moves more on those 16 mm tall tread blocks.  

The whole bike turns easier.  Think turn and it turns.  Combination of rounded profile and tire height raising the rear a bit, I believe.

This is one tall tire.  Speedo is now off 1.5 mph according to GPS from my worn out MT43.  I had to tweak my up and down adjustment on my auxiliary lights.

Lots 'O Lean angle available . . . heads and shoulders above the MT43.  Love those side blocks!

Rear end locks up easier under aggressive braking (makes sense with that big open block pattern).

Balanced out perfectly with dual rim locks.  No shake all the way to top end.

Overall, I am very pleased with the "road" performance.

Next week, airing down and heading off road for hill climbs, creek crossings, roots, rocks and mud.

Hit the woods with the new tire.

First up, I kept the road air pressure of 25 psi and gave her a go.  It behaved as I expected . . . kinda like a knobby that you could spin up and roost at will.  The inline block pattern offered less grip than say a 606, but still did better than I thought it would.  For non-technical terrain there is no real need to air down, if you don't feel like it.  Just have to deal with the limitations of a harsher ride and less traction.

Next, I sat in the driveway and, progressively dropped the pressure with me sitting on the bike.  For my weight (200 pounds nekid) the sweet spot (tread flattening out to the point that all the tread blocks were in contact with the ground) was 8 psi (If you are lighter you will reach a flat footprint at a higher pressure).  The footprint was H-U-M-O-N-G-U-S.

So, aired back up with my little compressor that runs off my bike's battery and headed one of my favorite play grounds.

On the trail, I aired back down to 8 psi and went right to "Heartbreak Hill" . . . a climb where many an ego was crushed and tractored right up that sucker.  It was like cheating!  Had to be a fluke; had to be.  Two more attempts; two more times I made it.  Hmmm.  NEVER made it that easy with a MT-43 aired down, never.

Rocks were engulfed by the tire, held in place and just rolled over.

Wet roots, logs and steep hillside traverses all went insanely well.

Mud was next:  Much better than the MT-43, but not quite on par with a fresh 606.

Only real downside to 8 psi was on fast corners the tire felt "squirmy" like the sidewall was rolling over a bit.  Maybe 9 psi?

Pros:  Unreal grip/traction
        Smooth riding (felt like a suspension upgrade, lol)
        Best tire to date for me

Cons: Big, heavy tire
        Not quite up to a 606 in the mud
       
Personally, I have found my new favorite, do it all, rear tire.  

Thanks TKO, I appreciate the detailed review.

I see the mountain hybrid is available in smaller sizes now, so its no so huge and heavy, it would be a lot better on the wrr in the 110/100 size.
Theres also an xtreme hybrid which is more aggressive, both the xtreme and smaller hybrid are so new theres not much if any info on them, I seen them in the parts catalog while ordering a tire.

The kenda equilibrium is also DOT now, it doesn't last like the motoz but works better, if your after a tire that's almost a trials tire.