So if you are new to the dirt biking world, there are a few things you need to know before you get riding. One of the most important things you need to learn about are your tires. Without good tires and regular maintenance, you could find yourself putting way too much strain on your bike and even possibly wrecking. Where most dirt bikes start out at a couple thousand dollars to replace, it is definitely cheaper to just learn the dos and donts of dirt bike tires.
First, you need to understand that a good set of tires make all the difference in your ride. Nicer tires can give you better grip anywhere you go, which will improve your traction. Better traction means you can be riding faster and still have dependable brakes, sharper turns, better acceleration, and more shock absorption. When you have more rubber to grab the ground, you spend less time spinning out while you are trying to accelerate, slow down, corner, or even just stop. Dirt bikes should be able to ride on almost any terrain, so having a grip that can handle whatever comes your way can make you a more confident rider. All of these factors together can improve your overall ride experience and give you added safety.
There are seriously tons of options when it comes to dirt bike tires. Factors like size,tread patterns, and rubber compounds come in to play for every type of tire. Generally speaking, there are four main terrain type tires you will be looking at and choosing from: hard terrain, soft terrain, intermediate terrain, and paddle tires. There are tons of modifications you can make for each type to make it fit whatever terrain you will be on, but those are the four basics.
Hard terrain tires are actually softer tires made for rougher terrain. Having a little bit more of a relaxed rubber compound allows the tire to have more contact area with the ground and thus grip more efficiently. Hard terrain usually interprets to drier ground, and so digging in isnt really necessary. Keep in mind that although the blocks are softer and stickier that the inside compound is still very hard to help absorb the shock of jumps onto the hard terrain.Soft terrain tires are made for softer and more of a wet terrain. The tread blocks on soft terrain tires are taller and have more spacing to help dig into the terrain to grip better. Having larger spaces also helps prevent clogging which is prevalent in wetter terrains. The outside of the tire is hard to help really dig into the soft ground.
Intermediate terrain, as you can probably guess, is the tire that is made of the in between of soft and hard terrain. These tires have a combination of the hard and soft terrain features which can be extremely helpful when you are riding somewhere that has a variety of terrain. If you use an intermediate terrain tire, you wont have to change your tires out as much. Paddle tires are made for deep sand riding. Rather than tread, these tires have large scoops spaced really far apart to give you the best possible traction in sand dunes.
Now that you know your options, decide what you need and get it. If you dont have a local motorsports store, you can always go online and visit KolbyOffroad and take advantage of their free shipping.
