Michelin’s previous Sand 4 rear motocross was introduced way back in 2003.
A very popular option with riders offering excellent performance in the sane, it was still often criticised for not being a full paddle style sand tyre. The reason for this was that Michelin intended for it to be more versatile than a dedicated sand tyre, resisting chunking and offering vital extra grip when the sand wore thin to reveal a more solid base underneath.
Michelin’s new Starcross 5 range sees them introduce tyres with a much wider operating range to address this, which has then freed them up to create a dedicated paddle style sand tyre.
The new Starcross 5 Soft strays into the territory of the old Sand 4 rear, offering that extra resistance to chunking when surfaces get a little harder underneath a fine layer of sand.
For pure sand track riding, the new Starcross 5 Sand is your dedicated tyre of choice and takes performance on this difficult terrain to a whole new level.
Featuring a new, lighter carcass and tightly wound PET plies, users of the old Sand 4 should feel an immediate difference in both turn in and overall feel from the new tyre. It also offers increased grip levels thanks to the larger contact patch. Michelin have employed strengthening fins to make the large scoop shaped tread blocks as robust as possible too.
The tyre has already proved to be very popular, and many riders combine it with a Starcross 5 Soft front depending on the make-up of the track they’re riding.
To back up claims of popularity, Michelin report that they have already sold more Starcross 5 Sand tyres to date in 2016 than they sold Sand 4 tyres in the whole of 2015.
You can view Michelin’s entire motocross tyre range here.
