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 ith
a trophy case full of world and national championships, Michelin has
long been at the forefront of off-road tire technology. In 2003 alone,
Michelin won the AMA East Region 125cc Supercross title, both the 125cc
and 650cc Motocross GP World Championships, and the AMA National Enduro
Championship. Bringing that expertise to everyday consumers is the objective
of all of Michelin’s racing activities. The 2004 season will see
the introduction of two new Michelin tires for minibikes and dual sport
riding.
Michelin’s brand-new StarCross Mini MH3 is perfect for hard-packed
tracks.
StarCross Mini MH3
Adult racers aren’t the only ones who benefit from the race winning
know-how of Michelin. The StarCross Mini range brings
world-class Michelin performance to minibike riders as well. In 2004,
the StarCross Mini MH3 expands the lineup to offer
riders an option for hard-packed tracks. The MH3 complements the successful
StarCross Mini MS2, which is intended for soft to intermediate
conditions.
As the official knobbies of the KTM Junior
Supercross Challenge, run in conjunction with the THQ AMA Supercross
Championship, Michelin StarCross Mini tires have proven both fast and
extremely durable on the bikes used by some of America’s best
mini riders.
The “junior” StarCross tires
use the same knob patterns as full-size StarCross tires, adapted to
the smaller casing sizes that minis require. The StarCross Mini MH3
is available in the 70/100-17 front and 90/100-14 rear combination for
85cc bikes, as well as the 70/100-19 front and 90/100-16 pairing for
bikes up to 100cc. The StarCross Mini MS2, meanwhile, comes in sizes
to fit bikes all the way down to 50cc, including a 2.75-10 size for
riders who prefer a wider rear tire on their 50s.
2003 MXGP 650cc World Champion Joel Smets
AC10
The new-for-2004 AC10
is the first Michelin tire designed for the dual sport rider who rides
primarily off-road. Though DOT-approved for street use, the AC10’s
aggressive bi-directional tread provides excellent traction in a wide
range of conditions.
The AC10 sports a reversible tread pattern,
with a treadwear indicator that clearly shows when to reverse the tire
on the rim. The AC10 offers excellent traction on virtually any terrain
thanks to its optimized knob alignment.
If you’re riding to the trails,
the AC10 offers good grip on asphalt, with an ‘M’ speed
rating that means the tires can be used at any legal highway speed.
A specially formulated rubber mix promotes impressive durability, and
the knobs are shaped to resist tearing and chunking even under hard
use.
StarCross MS2 and MH2
Championship-winning StarCross motocross
tires have been proven in competition on the toughest outdoor and Supercross
tracks around the world. The StarCross lineup comprises
two tires: the StarCross MS2 for soft to intermediate
terrain, and the StarCross MH2 for intermediate to
hard conditions. Both feature the innovative M-Block knob design, which
maximizes the number of biting edges, for aggressive penetration of
the track surface and tenacious forward drive. On top of each knob,
a small “M” is molded into the rubber, to act as a treadwear
indicator. When the “M” disappears, the rider can reverse
the tire on the rim, providing a fresh set of gripping edges. Each center
knob is a mirror image of the adjacent knob, so performance is identical
in either rotating direction.
StarCross tires employ what Michelin calls
a differential rigidity casing: The sidewalls are super-stiff for high-impact
shock absorption, while a flexible tread area minimizes rebound on rough
tracks, keeping the tire in contact with the ground for better steering,
braking and acceleration.
If your customers
are looking for durability and high performance, they’re looking
for Michelin’s S12.
Cross 12 Series
Longtime Michelin users will be relieved to know that the Michelin Cross
12 series hasn’t changed for 2004. The S12 and M12 have
long been favorites for their combination of durability and high performance.
In Dirt Bike magazine’s August 2003 intermediate tire shootout,
the S12 came away the clear winner. Editors said “its aggressive
knob pattern held up well in the deep soil, it proved adept at transitional
traction, and its light weight didn’t hamper the [KTM] 450’s
power.”
What’s more, KTM factory Mike Lafferty
has won the past four AMA National Enduro Championships using the same
12 Series tires that you can buy. The S12 is for soft
to intermediate terrain, the M12 is for intermediate
to hardpack conditions.
2003 MXGP 125cc World
Champion Steve Ramon
Airstop tubes
Tubes should be replaced whenever you
mount new tires, so Michelin Airstop heavy-duty off-road tubes are a
natural complement to Michelin tires, or any other brand for that matter.
Airstop tubes are manufactured to the highest standards in the industry,
formed and cured in circular molds, unlike bargain-brand tubes, which
are made from straight sections of rubber tube formed into a circle.
Circular molding reduces tension on the tube when inflated, and diminishes
the likelihood of pinch flats. Michelin Airstop tubes are available
in a wide array of sizes. Each size is designed for only a few specific
applications, so that tube and tire match perfectly to minimize stress
on the tube.
For more information on the complete line
of Michelin motocross and off-road tires, visit http://motous.webmichelin.com.
The brand-new AC10 is the first tire that Michelin has created for the
dual sport rider who primarily rides off-road.
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