best dirt bike tires reviews

A Roll Through The Best Dirt Bike Tires Reviews

Quick Comparison: Top Dirt Bike Tires

Tire Model

Image

Type

Construction

Quality

Price

My Rating

Michelin Starcross MH3

Off-road

Bias-ply

A

$

Kenda K785 Millville II

Off-road

Radial

A

$

Shinko 804/805 Series Dual Sport

Dual sport

Bias-ply

A

$$

Michelin Anakee III Dual Sports/Enduro

Dual sport

Radial

A+

$$$

Below, you'll find my more detailed reviews about the best dirt bike tires, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.

From tracking through the wilderness to cutting across muddy fields, you can always find places where you can go all-out. But various terrain must be overcome with different equipment, especially tires that can extract the most out of different situations for your bike.

Check out this list of the best dirt bike tire reviews to find a pair that’s worthy of adventures where asphalt is scarce and hauling through is your goal.

Let’s Find Out How To Match Tires To Terrain

best-dirt-bike-tires-reviews

The richest off-road potentials are met with motorcycle tires that offer the most traction and cornering ability. They must also have the capacity to shed dirt, sand, and mud off their treads in the wild.

Terrain is classed according to loose/soft, intermediate, or hard features. Every tire model has tread type, carcas design, and compound properties that optimize it for a particular range. Figuring out which best meets your needs can take time, which we’ve already put into this guide for your benefit.

Hard Ground

best-dirt-bike-tires-reviews

Dirt bike tires for firm or rocky surfaces normally feature thicker tread patterns that allow for greater traction. The knobs will be both lower and packed more tightly than on dual sport or intermediate designs, providing superior grip on hard-packed soil.

The tire’s casing is usually made less firm and with greater flexibility. Most will have a more rounded cross-section for better contact with unyielding earth. These features all work to help your bike get an edgier grip on hard earth or stone.

Intermediate Ground

best-dirt-bike-tires-reviews

Tires for intermediate terrain are meant for crossing fields that are not as challenging as rocky ground nor as loosely formed as gravel or sand. The knobs will be both taller and more densely packed than those of tires designed for soft earth, but not to the extent of those for hard terrain. If you’re not yet sure of what you’ll be encountering out there, you’d be wise to mount intermediate tires.

Loose or Soft Ground

best-dirt-bike-tires-reviews

Off-road tires for soft or loose terrain are more complex to design as these are frequently purchased with particular models of rear and front tires. These feature knobs that are spread out to let mud and loose dirt or sand channel though and fall off faster between their treads.

Such designs normally feature knob ridges on their shoulders, enabling additional contact on dirt trails as the bike turns. These feature stiffer carcases and compounds that let them hold their profiles and track better across loose dirt or muddy earth. The rear tire typically has a paddle-type profile to help it thrust through looser earth. The front tire usually has knobs all over to grab at their corners for more steering control.

Now, Look At Dual Sport

best-dirt-bike-tires-reviews

Dual sport designs can also be complex as these tires must achieve a good balance between off-road as well as street riding. Their firm casings and sidewalls help with negotiating road corners with control. Most feature stable middle treads that are good for fast rolls down highways while retaining spikier shoulders for more off-road ground contact.

These street-certified tires combine an even mix of comfort and stability on pavement with good off-road performance on intermediate to hard terrain. You’ll have to figure out how much time you'll be on roads against what you’ll be doing off-road, though. Dual Sports models might emphasize one characteristic or another, but all are designed for all-around duty.

Off-road and dual sport tire video:

The Best Dirt Bike Tire Reviews

Here are four of the most highly rated off-road and dual sports models, with details of their advantages and features in the reviews.

Via Amazon

Pros

Wear indicators show when tires can be turned around
Mirrored tread pattern grips well in either direction
Durable bias-ply design resists chunking
Inexpensive

Cons

Reduced control on wet roads

This model is optimized for hard/intermediate terrain, featuring big knobs that fight chunking and shoulder ridges for a stronger grip in turns. The tread features a reversible pattern, with tread wear indicators to show when it’s time for reversing the tires. The mirrored pattern allows for good traction either way, reducing rebounds and helping to keep contact on a variety of surfaces.

The robust bias-ply construction staggers the side ridges for excellent cornering ability. This model displays the benefits of its off-road focus in that you can navigate looser and rockier trails with agility. The stiffer sidewalls absorb shocks and help to protect the rim from chance pinch flats due to hard-edged blows from the sides.

As with many motocross tires, wet conditions will see it reaching its limits faster. But the overall performance on hard-packed trails and rocky ledges makes the Starcross MH3 a good pick for dirt bikers in need of inexpensive yet decent tires.

Via Amazon

Pros

Paddle-shaped pattern enables good braking
Knobbier edges improve cornering ability
Dual rotating tread
Inexpensive

Cons

Less traction on wet pavement

The pair is purpose-designed to be at their best on soft to intermediate terrain and are less compromised than most dirt models in their hardcore off-road abilities. These have great traction on loosely packed or soft earth, shedding mud and sand easily with spiky treads.

With a softer compound and more aggressive tread, the front tire hooks up well with shifting surfaces and tracks readily through mud. The rear paddle-patterned design enables good braking along with push action. Both front and rear treads self-clean efficiently, but these are still knobby tires that you have to be careful with on hard wet ground and slippery roads.

Like the Starcross MH3s, Kenda’s K785s are great off-road tires that can also handle looser and softer ground more consistently.

Via Amazon

Pros

Aggressive self-cleaning tread pattern
Blockier side treads for off-road grip
Corners stably on pavement
Relatively affordable

Cons

Fender clearance can be small on some bikes

The tread pattern has protruding knobs that achieve better traction off-road. The tire profiles aren’t too tall for road use, either. With firm bias-ply sidewalls, these are good at taking sharp corners as the tread will not readily scrunch and risk you a tumble.

If your goal is to plow through a sandy or muddy field as fast as you would on your downhill runs, then these are your tires, as the paddle-patterned rear pushes well and the front turns stably. If you prefer to get to where there are rocks and dirt by riding through regular roads then these won’t disappoint, even on wet pavement.

Big-bodied models like these tend to be capable of higher speeds and heavier loads. A Shinko 804/805 pair makes sense on big dirt bikes and are good budget dual sport tires as they offer lots of all-around performance for the price.

Via Amazon

Pros

Alternating tread pattern for traction
Tread efficiently self-cleans
Shoulder ridges for better cornering
Durable radial construction

Cons

Reduced low-speed traction on roads

Expensive

This model’s alternating pattern lessens irregular tread wear and readily sheds mud, sand, and road spray. The rigid body will afford you good agility and handling on roads and firmer trails, while the durable silica compound provides superior traction in wet conditions.

These can run dirt trails as their aggressive patterns get good traction on shifting surfaces, but also corner streets as well as most road tires. With their robust radial construction and flexible offset tread pattern, they roll regularly and yet will let you hit dirt with confidence. Although the tires’ design is focused on off-road performance, a pair can make for a relatively decent road combo.

The Anakee III has a good reputation among adventure bikers and is our pick for the best dual sports tire, able to hold its own in the rough against most intermediate terrain tires.

Dirt Bike Tires For Different Riders

Off-road bikers know that the changing terrain they encounter really tests their tires. Tires for dirt bikes must be able to handle a variety of rough surfaces and see some use on pavement. Dual sports models can give you the best of both if you pick wisely.

Your choice will depend as much on your own preferences as on the routes you are anticipating. Knobbier models normally provide more traction on softer trails than tires with denser treads. The latter offer better control on firm tracks or rocky passes and perform better on pavement.

best-dirt-bike-tires-reviews

The Kenda K785 is a great off-road tire combo for soft to intermediate terrain. It’s best for dirt bikers who face a less predictable variety of surfaces in the rough. The Anakee III is the best dual sports tire for dirt bikers as it’s able to hold its own with intermediate-class tires in many situations.

With the variety of good tires available, you’ll be able to find a pair that can handle the kinds of terrain you’re expecting to hurdle.

If you liked this guide, please leave a comment. Let us know what you think of this listing of the best dirt bike tire reviews.

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