Dunlop has launched its latest range of motocross tyres, with development from the MXGP World Championship.
Romain Febvre came within five points of winning the MXGP World Championship in 2021. Beaten by Jeffrey Herlings in the final moto of the season, it was Febvre’s best showing in the World Championship since he won the premier class title with Yamaha in 2015.
A move to Kawasaki in 2020 saw a somewhat rejuvenated Febvre, and despite missing over half-a-year of bike time this past winter following an ankle injury sustained at the Paris Supercross last November, the Frenchman has come back to Grand Prix racing as an immediate top five and podium contender.
Part of the package that has seen Febvre become once again one of the standout names in MXGP has been the Dunlop tyre that Kawasaki fits to its factory KX450. While in motocross the tyres are not as fundamental to performance as in road racing - where tyre management is arguably the most critical element to being competitive - they remain the contact point between the bike and the dirt, and therefore the feedback they offer is crucial.
On the flip side, the feedback the riders give is critical for tyre manufacturers to develop their product, and it is hard to argue with the credentials of the likes of Romain Febvre - a double motocross World Champion - when it comes developing tyres.
Indeed, Febvre was a part of the development process of the new Geomax MX14 motocross tyre, Dunlop’s latest version of its scoop tyre. The MX14 replaces the MX12 as Dunlop’s primary sand and mud tyre, and was justified in this last year when the aforementioned Febvre went 2-1 to win the MXGP of Flanders in Lommel - the toughest of all the sand tracks (with the possible exception of Riola Sardo).
Compared to the MX12, the MX14 reduces the scoop block spacing, and the tread blocks are 18% taller. The compound is altered, too, to increase stiffness and support, and reduce flex. Despite this increased stiffness, “flexible fin technology [...] maximises the tyre’s contact patch when under load, giving the rider enhanced control and predictability,” Dunlop says.
“We wanted to design a tyre that was a step forward in every aspect not only compared to its predecessor, but also against its competitors, as proven in MXGP,” said Dunlop Motorcycle Europe’s Marketing Manager, Luca Davide Andreoni. “With Geomax MX14, riders of all abilities and styles will feel improvements on sand and mud tracks.
“Acceleration and braking traction have been improved, as well as the level of precision the tyre offers when sliding. Each of these improvements added together lead to a revolution in tyre capability. Unique to our motocross customers, we are proud to offer this tyre, which is used in the pinnacle of motorsport, to any rider to experience as an off-the-shelf product.”
