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/128599
hen I was a kid I had nightmares of the Michelin Tire Man. Part of my fear, I think, stemmed from the fact that he was an odd-looking specimen that roamed the world of television commercials. Still, in my adolescent opinion, he resembled the abominable snowman or big foot. Any of the three could have ended my4-foot existence with their mythical stature. Of course, I also had bad dreams about the tooth fairy and was not totally comfortable with anyone but my mom or dad entering m.y room at night. As I got older my fear of Michelin was supported mostly by high motorcycle tire prices and less by the company spokes-thing. However, over the past few years Michelin has made an effort to become competitive in the motocross/off-road market again, by introducing the Cross 12 Series line of tires. According to Steven Voorhies, Account Manager for Michelin Two Wheel USA, the Cross 12 Series is a line of serious competition tires that retail at an affordable and competitive price. To find out, I tried a set on a 2000 Yamaha YZ426; an ultimate tire chunker. Michelin's Cross 12 Series is a lineup of three different treads and compounds including the S12 for soft terrain, M12 for mixed (intermediate) and H12 for hard. Because I conducted our testing primarily at Glen Helen Raceway Park and Sunrise Cycle Park in Southern California, I opted for the S12, due to both track's sandy conditions. What I found was that, not only did the front and rear S12 perform well on sand and other soft terrain, they also held their own on the portion of both tracks that dries out fast and gets hard and rough. Normally those conditions require an intermediate tire, but S 12 did just fine. The front tire' allowed me to carve through turns and make hard stops without sliding or losing front traction. The rear tire hooked up and got me out of tums and over W jumps without a glitch, I never lost traction in the rear either. Even the occasional mud was no problem for either S12. An even better test of the S 12s came when I entered two 45-minute grand prix races at Glen Helen. The tires already had a good two hours on them, and after both events they still looked good with the exception of the left side knobs, which had been torn up pretty well, onviously the victim of a rocky left-hand turn. Out of curiosity and apathy I took our Michelin-clad YZ426 to Competition Park the weekend after. Competition Park is a track that gets hard and slippery, especially when watered improperly. I knew the S12 would not be the ideal tire for the hard circuit, but I wanted to ride very badly and didn't feel like making a tire change. Few tires in the world offer support on such slime and while the S 12 isn't the best of them, it's a nice trade-off for some of the other portions of the track that were watered properly and do stay a little softer. I wouldn't go back to Competition Park with S12s on purpose, but then again I wouldn't let it prevent me from riding if I didn't have time for a tire change either. Basically, the S12 is a great choice for sandy, grassy or loamy mud conditions. Matt Freeman Michelin Nor1:h America, Inc. P.O. Bax 19001, One Perkw8y Baul:h Greenville, Be 29802 800/422-1882 Factory fluid Pro Cucwt's PC-Ol Works Cartridge Fluid and PC-02 Gas Shock Fluid are the same DUlds used by most factory teams to withstand the ngorous demands of today's motocross and off-road racing. Both Duids are formulated with a blgh VI ratmg to prevent fade and maintain consistent damping while keepmg superior lubricity for smooth action. PC-OI and PC-02 are the most advanced fork and shock Duids available. Factory R&D 55 Cloudcrest Aliso VieJO, CA 92656 949/425-8952 PC-01 Works Cartridge Fluid $14,25 PC-02 Gas Shock Fluid $15,95 Pro CirCUit 2771 WardloVII Rd, Corone. CA S 1 720 44 FEBRUARY 9, 2000' cue I • neVIl'S Pump it up Factory R&D's P-38 Lighting is an advancement m carburetor performance that will work wonders for your Yamaha YZ400F and YZ426F and your KTM SX400 and SX520. The P-38, which enhances the accelerator-pump fueling system on an Keihin FCR carburetors bolts on in seconds and changes the timing and Dow of gas being delivered to the combustion chamber. Factory R&D claims that the P-38 improves combustion for more power, making your" bike accelerate faster, rev quicker and hit harder, enabling you to pull a taner gear out of corners. They say it aiso aids in starting your bike while hot or cold.