Dunlop Tyres They're round, rubbery, and highly researched!

Dunlop is a huge name in the tyre industry over the years. Perhaps the biggest?

We've seen their logo on every race track and a trip down the M6 isn't complete without seeing the old Fort Dunlop building and lamenting 'it's a Travel Lodge now!'

It's an iconic name with a rich history.

While there is much good to say about them, my favourite thing about Dunlop is ....... innovation.

Important fun fact:
The first practical pneumatic tyre was invented in 1888 by John Boyd Dunlop of Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1888.
He is the true daddy of modern tyres.

And now.. my favourite Dunlop fact before we look at some of their wares.
Dunlop also developed the disc brake! Firstly for aircraft, then for cars.
Working in conjuction with Jaguar, they made opposing piston hyrdraulic disk brakes which helped the Jaguar D-Type get Le Mans race wins in 1955, 1956 and 1957... and then gave us all brilliant brakes on our cars and bikes. Thanks Dunlop! 

So Dunlop tyres aren't just round rubber hoops, they are research, development, tested and proven. 

Lets see some of the range:

I'm going to unashamedly start with my favourite Dunlop tyre, it's my blog, I can do what I want! 

Dunlop Trailmax Raid.
It's classed as a 50/50  tyre, meaning it's designed for 50% road use, and 50% off road use... which is the muddy, jaggy, rocky end of off roading.
A full on aggressive off road tyre. A proper naughty boy! 
I previously wrote a blog about them where I made the mad claim they should be called a 60/50 tyre ... the maths doesn't add up but it's to stress just how happy this aggressive tyre is on the road. 

Do note: These 50/50, 70/30 ratings can always be subjective, what one company call a 50/50, another company might call a 70/30 .. so take it as a guide only.

Rivals to the Raid:
Bridgestone AX41 - super aggressive but despite the price being approx £20 less per pair.. people buy the Raids, lots of people buy the Raids.
Mitas Enduro Trail XT+ - another very popular ADV tyre, known for being great off road, perhaps not as good on the road as the Raid, available in standard version and a tougher carcass Dakar version, these sell well .... too well.... which means stock can be sporadic.
Continental TKC80 Twinduro (Gen2) - The original TKC80 tyre has been around for yonks, released in 1985 they were not updated for 40 years! Not because Conti are lazy, but because they got them right! The Gen 2 version has some minor tweaks, but it's hard to improve on near-perfection. Pricewise, they are slightly cheaper than the Raids, making it a tough choice between them.

Trailmax Meridian
A 90/10 ADV tyre, so aimed at spending most of their time on the road. The Meridian as an under-the-radar  tyre for us. We sell them, they go out of the door but not in large enough numbers for us to say 'wow we sell a lot of those' like we do with the Raid, but they do sell, and they do sell more than we think.

These are a highly developed tyre, which means  they have a lot of marketing buzz words. I ride a Kawasaki so I'm used to this! 
‘ice-ax’ tread pattern 
Rayon Ply tyre casing
State of the art compounds and resin blends
Multi-Tread (MT) technology

All in all, fast warm up time, better grip across a broader range of weathers, and longer tyre life. It's a win win win! 

The reason these are an under-the-radar-tyre for us, is because they face tough competition:
Conti Trail Attack 3 - sell in good numbers, a premium tyre at a premium price but well trusted and respected. Similar price to Meridian.
Bridgestone A41 -  also sell well, known for excellent grip with the deserved Bridgestone reputation. Similar price to Meridian.
Pirelli Scorpion Trail 3 - are the most expensive premium option, excellent tyre, razor sharp handling, too expensive?

I've done very little MX riding, very very little. I did jump my MX bike once... 1 inch high, 8 inches distanced... IT STILL COUNTS!
What I'm saying is ... my knowledge on MX tyres is not based on experience, but I deal with them on a daily basis and I know what I like.

And I do like the Dunlop MX range:

Geomax MX34 - Soft to Medium terrain
Geomax MX53 and the successor Geomax MX54 - Medium to Hard Terrain
Geomax MX14 - is the mud and sand rear tyre, use an MX34 front tyre with it.


Rival ranges are also excellent of course, but if the Dunlop range is where I'll put my money ... if / when my MX ever works again.

Bridgestone have a similar range of tyres for different surfaces, and are also going out of sync on product names.
it used to be easy .. X10, X20, X30, X40, but time doesnt stand still and neither does Bridgestone>

Battlecross X10 - Sand and mud
Battlecross X20 - Soft to medium terrain
Battlecross X31 - Medium to hard terrain

Kenda are proven race winners, but with tyres named after American MX tracks, it's not simple to know which tyre you'd need.
Washougal 3 - Intermediate terrain
Millville 2 - Soft terrain
Southwick 2 - Sand tyre
Decent tyres, excellent price, hard to ignore! 

While we're in an off road kind of mood, a quick mention to Dunlop's new enduro tyre: Geomax EN92
Replacing the highly successful Geomax EN91 improvements and tweaks 

Just look at the improvements and acronyms! And remember, more acronyms = more better!

Increased performance across a broader range of conditions
2 front compounds & 3 rear options
Optimised block layout 
Reduced land ratio in the centre and middle zones improves grip on hard or rocky surfaces
Progressive Cornering Block Technology (PCBT) increases penetration into dirt and cornering grip
Additional cavities in the central blocks aiding shock absorption over rocks and other obstacles

Rear tyre pattern V-Block Technology (V-BT) gives exceptional traction and control sliding
Reinforced Scoop Technology (RST) allows the tyre to dig into soft ground
PCBT is also applied to the rear, increasing flexibility and edge effect for improved grip at lean angles
All in all, you get improved dry and wet grip and traction, better predictability and increased compliance front and back 

Oh yes it's SPORT RADIAL time! 

Sport radial tyres make up a big chunk of the tyre market, and being a sport rider, this is usually where I start, but the Trailmax Raid really does go to the top of my Dunlop list, but hey we're here now! Whats on offer?

Sportsmart 4 
The latest update of the proven Sportsmart series of sport tyres. Priced at the premium end of the market against some very tough competition means that when people ask what we recommend, well..... I'll be honest.... while these are top of the tree, there are equally good tyres out there which cost a bit less, it makes it hard to ask people to pay the extra for the Dunlop. They are loaded with features and really are a top notch product.

Our tyre fitter Matt, tested some Sportsmart 4 on track. 
Matt reported back saying the tyres gave him no concerns all day, and gave him increased confidence throughout the day, allowing him to brake later, run deeper, turn harder and drive out of corners with no worry that the tyre will give up and slide him into the kitty litter. Top testing there Matt! 

The rivals ...
Pirelli Rosso 4 - Metzeler Sportec 01 - Michelin Power 6 (and many many others!)

The Sportsmart has a natural enemy, the Dunlop Qualifier Core ... are Dunlop doing themselves out of sales?
The Qualifier Core is a budget hypersport tyre, but they have a problem... they are TOO GOOD!

They are so good that they suggest that you don't need to spend more money on the superior tyre... now, I've said this before. I didn't enjoy saying it last time, and I don't enjoy it this time either...... but the truth is.... we... are not capable of outrunning most tyres on the market.

We love to think we are, but in reality, most  tyres are better than most of you.... did I say 'you'? I meant ... 'us'.
The Qualifier Core are approx 2/3 the price of the Sportsmart 4 ... thats a big saving... and the tyre will do what most of us needs us to.
We can ride it and not feel that we need more. We sell lots and lots of the Cores, and it's easy to see why.

Roadsmart 4
Are Dunlops flagship Sport  Touring tyre, and what more can I say  than once again, they are highly developed, full of technology and features and result in a stunning tyre... and thankfully are priced on par with rival premium products.

I don't have much to say about these, but luckily we had someone road test a pair for us..... find out what Gareth thinks about his pair.

Some rivals, all excellent, all similar prices:
Michelin Road 6 - Bridgestone T33 - Continental Road Attack 4 ... and many, MANY, more. Seriously, so many more! 

And now.... the main event... a tyre that has no equivalent.... The Dunlop Mutant

What can we say about this unique and magnficent pneu? 
On a shallow level... LOOK AT IT! It's funky looking and that alone is awesome.

Oh OK let's go beyond the shallow, what else is good about it?
Surprising levels of grip in wet on cold conditions.
Fast warm up, another benefit of the high silica content
Dry weather riding is stable and predictable
Mud + Snow rated, also classed as a 90/10 tyre, so good for some light trail and gravelly tracks.
Dual compounds mean you get decent mileage, but still sporty when leant over in the bends.

In the interest of balance and honesty, we do need to point out some feedback which is ... not bad... but something you may need to be aware of if considering a purchase.
Some riders find the front tyre too stable, which is not condusive to sporty riding and fast turn in.
If you're a road going Rossi then this may not be the tyre for you.