Story by Damien O’Carroll Photo by Mark Baker
Mud tyres have traditionally been all about their off-road ability at the general expense of unnecessary things like on road refinement, noise and handling, particularly in the wet.
But apparently it doesn’t have to be that way, at least according to highly-regarded off-road tyre manufacturer Maxxis.
Maxxis is very well respected in both off-road vehicle and mountain bike tyre circles, as well as being THE tyre to have in a number of very serious off-road racing categories, so you would expect they know what they are talking about.
Best of both
The Taiwanese company’s latest offering, the Maxxis MT772 RAZR, is something that the company claims combines all the superior off-road ability of a traditional mud tyre, but brings a whole new level of on-road quietness, refinement and handling.
Which is a pretty bold claim, but Maxxis seems to have the technology to back it up, so we decided to check out the MT772 RAZR both on and off the road to see if its performance matches the company’s claims.
Available in a number of sizes to suit a wide range of 4x4s - be they utes or SUVs - the MT772 RAZR boasts deeply sculpted tread blocks with a two-stepped design that Maxxis says provides maximum off-road traction, but also a quiet ride.
And driving the Ford Ranger we fitted with the tyres on the road for the first time, I have to say was very impressive.
Proof of the pudding
The MT772s were only fractionally noisier than the Ranger’s standard A/T tyres and even quieter than some A/Ts we have experienced before, while grip levels and handling were easily as good as well.
Maxxis say this remarkable refinement is due to a combination of the aforementioned two-stepped tread design and the tread block arrangement of the MT772. Whatever the clever design and science behind it - it really does work well.
Impressive alright!
Heading off the tarmac onto a number of other varied surfaces (gravel, sand, rutted hard dirt and, of course, mud) the MT772s proved to be equally impressive, with an eerily quiet ride on gravel (thanks to the mud and stone ejectors on the shoulders of the tyres throwing the gravel away from the wheel arches) and some seriously capable performance in the sand.
And, as you would expect of a mud tyre, the MT772s performed exceptionally well in the mud as well.
The combination of a big, chunky and seriously capable mud tyre and refined on road performance is not something most people would have experienced before and the fact that Maxxis can back up its bold claims for the MT772 is deeply impressive.
And even if you never actually intend to head into the mud, the Maxxis MT772 is a tyre that brings the tough, chunky looks of a mud tyre without ruining the ride, refinement or handling of your vehicle.
To read every story in the June 2018 issue of NZ4WD go to Zinio.com (May 18) or purchase your own hard copy at the Adrenalin store.
