Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128172
Maxxis Supermaxx M-6029 Sport Tires By BLAKE CONNER t takes a lot of guts to unveil a new at a racetrack like Road Atlanta, especially if the tire was never intended for the track, like Maxxis' new Supermaxx performance sport tire. It takes even more guts to do it in the middle of August in the searing heat, but that's the sort of confidence that Maxxis has in their first-ever high-performance street tire. If you haven't heard of Maxxis tires, it's probably because you've been spending too much time on the pavement and not enough time in the dirt. Maxxis has become a major player in the motocross and off-road segments recently, but the company has been around for over 35 years. Do you recognize the name Cheng Shin Rubber Co.? Same thing. Cheng Shin started making bicycle tires and tubes back in 1967 and over the course of the past three and a half decades has grown into a company producing tires for automotive, light truck, motorcycle, ATV, lawn and garden and industrial applications, under the Maxxis name. Jtire We rolled into Road Atlanta on what was to be a hot and humid day, not the type of day you want to spend in leather. All lined up were a bunch of Aprilia RSV Mille and SL 1000 Falco bikes waiting to be flogged. I took my first laps aboard the Falco in order to get up to speed, and to get reac- RIDING IMPRESSION I'll have to admit that, at first, I was a little apprehensive about riding on Cheng Shins at Road Atlanta in the middle of August, with the smoldering conditions. My trepidation, as it turns out, was not only unnecessary but was also quite unfair. The Maxxis brand has worked very hard over the past five years to develop a tire capable of not only competing in the motorcycle tire market in terms of competitive pricing, but also with its performance. It may seem like the Supermaxx just popped out of the blue, but the company's experience and technology go far deeper than I realized. 38 SEPTEMBER 18, 2002' c: U c: • _ quainted with the track. I really had no idea what to expect from the tires, so I took it very easy at first, taking really smooth, clean lines, and trying not to do anything that would compromise traction. The very first thing that I noticed was that the tires heated up quickly, which is very important on a street tire. You don't want the street rider to have to worry about warming up the tires in the morning. After lap one was complete, I realized that the bike wasn't squirming around or doing anything funny, so I started to ride a bit harder. My next few laps consisted of feeling things out and building trust in the tires. I don't care who the tire manufacturer is, street tires require a lot of caution on the racetrack . they generally just aren't designed to deal with the heat that the track creates. In addition, the compounds are designed to be a compromise between traction and wear-resistance, something that isn't a concern with a race tire. It's a bird, It's a plane, no, It's Supennaxx. n __ 55 In my second session, I hopped on a Mille - I had started to develop a bit of trust with the tires and stepped up to the sportier bike. I've been to Road Atlanta quite a few times before, so I know the track pretty well, but it never ceases to amaze me how long it takes to find a reference point as