Maxxis Trial Maxx Hybrid Review: The perfect trail riding tyre?

January 2, 2019 Motorcycle Product Reviews No Comments

Choosing the correct tyre for your motorcycle can be a difficult process. Whether you’ve got a sleek sportsbike or a monster adventure machine, there’s no shortage of options out there, and just about everyone has a different opinion on what’s best. But when it comes to trail riding, we’re big fans of the Maxxis Trial Maxx as the perfect option for green laning and hobby riding.

HYBRID THEORY

OK so we’re not talking the seminal album from Linkin Park, we’re talking hybrid tyres. Hybrids are a mix between two types of tyre, combining the good points of both to make a new hoop that performs better than either of the original two. If these tyres were dogs, they’d be Labradoodles!

The Maxxis Trial Maxx fills the gap between a full on trials tyre and a proper enduro tyre, but in reality looks far more like the trials version. The essential difference in the hybrid is that the knobbies are wider set than a trials tyre, allowing the tread to clear more effectively and also allow grip on muddy terrain too.

Other firms such as Motoz also produce hybrid tyres, and we have heard good reports of their extreme hybrid hoop.

Aside from the grip, hybrid tyres are also significantly kinder to the trails, cutting up surfaces far less than more the aggressive tread patterns of enduro tyres.

FREQUENT FLYER

So this is the fifth Trial Maxx we’ve fitted to the trusty KTM EXC 250. The tyre excels on rocky trails and climbs, finding grip where it’s tricky to even stand. It’s helped us up everything from algae covered stream beds in the Isle of Man to rock steps in the Pyrenees all with little fuss or frantic spinning that would have happened on enduro hoops.

The other noticeable advantage over more enduro based tyres is the length of time you can use the hybrid tyres. Yes being relatively soft rubber they do wear quite fast, but they maintain grip way beyond the point you would have thrown away other tyres.

For maximum flexibilty, we combine the hybrid tyre with an enduro front also from Maxxis.

PRICE POINT

Compared to the cost of conventional trail tyres or enduro hoops, the Maxxis is on the high side. Current price is around £60 if you are going to fit it yourself, but we tend to get our supplier Classic Enduro to supply and fit to a loose wheel as we use mousses and it’s a pain to fit tyres with mousses unless you have a proper tyre changing frame.

PRESSURE DROP

Although we use mousses with our tyres for a fit and forget option, many of our fellow riders combine the Maxxis Trial Maxx hybrid tyre with a Tu-Bliss system with great effect. The Tu-Bliss set up allows riders to run really low pressures as you might on a trials machine, but without the risk of the tyre moving on the rim, and hence gives the already grippy tyre even more purchase on slippery and rocky surfaces.

Of course, the Tu-Bliss system is expensive to start with and heavy duty tubes with a rim lock will allow the same flexibility on pressure, but with slightly more risk of punctures. You can check out all the pros and cons of tubes, mousses and tubeless systems in our blog here.

RIDE EXPEDITIONS RATING: MAXXIS TRIAL MAXX HYBRID TYRE

OK so our overall rating for the Maxxis tyre does not get the full five stars, largely due to two factors. Firstly, the initial cost is a tad higher than conventional enduro tyres and secondly, being a soft rubber compound the Trial Maxx wears relatively quickly.

However, these are small compromises compared to the great grip they offer on rocky trails, soft shale. gravel and even tarmac. Yes if you are riding a lot of mud then an enduro hoop may be better, but these will be significantly less stable on the road compared to the hybrid option and are far less reliable and grippy on rocks.

We love them!