Just $40 Bucks!!!

[TheGDog]

I'm soo stoked!!!  I'm going riding in Gorman again this Saturday coming up, and I wanted to get a soft-terrain tire at the very least put on the back of the bike.

Did a search on Google (NO... I don't think it should be a verb, and I'm a techie)  and it hit on a link inside the Orange County Crasig's listings.

Some guy was selling a used 140/80-18 IRC M5B ...AND... a new 3.25/21 Metzeler Front tire for $35 OBO.

The tires looked great, and I was with my infant son... so I just gave him two $20's and split with'em

Here what they looked like after I got'em home and rinsed 'em with water.

[AwfulSmokey]

I had that same Metzeler tire on my KDX200. It doesn't do well in sand.  I saw an ad on CL. The ad said dirtbike tires $10 each and listed a bunch of sizes. I went to look at them and was shocked at what i found in my sizes. The 2 front are new and the 2 rears are hardly used and great sand tires.

[The Flyin Hawaiian]

Last summer I got rid of over 50 tires from about 2 seasons of racing. 2 bikes, 2 riders. Most of them were in about the same shape as the above pictured tires. Id give them away if someone wanted them! The used tire pile is rapidly growing again. Its time for another clean out!

[TheGDog]

Yeah... I kinda figured that front Mettz is probably a Hard terrain tire judging by how close together the knobs are.

I was mostly interested in gettin g my hands on an IRC M5B in time so that I could mount it before this weekends ride in Gorman.

New ones looks like there in the $60-$70 rang in that size.... so I figure this is a much cheaper way to try-before-you-buy.

I'm lovin' the height of the knobs on this thing though... can't wait to see the difference it will make.

I'm gonna leave the Maxxis Desert IT front on the K5... and mount this IRC M5B on the rear.  If I really like this rear I'll probably pop for the M1A front as well.

[SMPKX500]

The best thing I have found is the dunlop 773 for soft terrain. I couldn't believe the difference.

http://dirtbike.off-road.com/dirtbike/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=331650

[KXer]

I'm soo stoked!!!  I'm going riding in Gorman again this Saturday coming up,

How was your trip to Gorman?  I was just there on Saturday, now that my "Sand Season" is over, time to hit up the desert again.  Weather was perfect, nice and cool, and not too crowded.  I didn't get a chance to head over to S22 on the single track trail is that pass/ trail open yet?

[TheGDog]

I went on Saturday too!  It was a little cool when you got back to the truck and stopped riding, but a good temperature for once you're riding and amp'd up.

I stayed in the valley floor.  I went there with my younger bro who's more into 4x4's these days... even though I GAVE his stupid a$$ a 1990 KDX200 in good condition which only needed some minor things which I already gave him the parts for. (Sigh...)

So anyhoo... I was testing out that IRC M5B.  It was kick ass in the sand-wash/river-beds and on the normal long sandy whoop sections found all over... but man... a significant hinderance in the stuff with a harder-packed base and very little soft on top.  You had to be soo Ginger to keep that rear from squirting out.

The 1st test run the PSI was way too high and Holy Shnikeys it was dangerous on any kinda whoops.  She felt pretty good at 11 Lbs. PSI.

Do I think the IRC M5B is a good tire?  Heck yeah (in it's element)! 

Do I think the M5B is better than the Maxxis IT Desert tire for Gorman?  I'd probably have to say No.  And that's only because of the variation of terrain types.  If you tend to stay on the flat lands of the valley floor and bomb along in the softer stuff... you'll think it's amazing in sand-washes and sand-whoop sections and better than the Maxxis IT Desert.

I think for Jawbone Canyon... the IRC M5B would kick some major bootay!  the canyon floor is even softer out there compared to most of Gorman. 

The IRC M5B definitely does wear a noticeable bit faster than the Maxxis IT Desert though.

I guess it's just down to a personal preference kinda thing.  If you don't mind having to be extra cautious and gingerly when on the more hard-packed parts of the trails and such in order to get the added boost and confidence in the soft stuff... then you might like the traits of the M5B.

I just know there are some berm loops near "South Wall" that I only bothered to try once because the terrain on them was more hard-like clay stuff and it was hairy with the big power hit you have on a KX500.

But when you're letting it all hang out on those fast trails on the desert floor... oh man... you feel unstoppable.  Whenever I'd noticed any other bikes in the vicinity... I'd have a blast chasing 'em down and passing 'em with extreme prejudice!

NOTE: The Maxxis IT Desert rear tire I had on the bike before when I first purchased it was a 110/100-18.  I am now thinking that if I had a 120 or wider I'd have perhaps liked it better.

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P.S. I got a lot of good HelmetCam footage with the camera this time at a much more proper heads-up angle for filming.  As time allows I'll be editing it down to a highlights reel.