Michelin TRIAL
120/100 R18 (68M) Michelin TRIAL X LIGHT Comp

  June 22, 2009 - Jon Pearson -  Unlike road bike-based competition tyres the Michelin X-Light, or Trial Light, is exactly the same as you'll find World Champ Toni Bou riding. Developed during the 2008 world championship by the likes of Bou, Raga and Lampkin the 'Light' is a long overdue upgrade for trials tyres.

It's been a while since this SuperBike tester (JP) has fired up any rock steps but with Sherco 250 loaned from Malcolm Rathmell Sport and some new X-Lights fitted, care of the factory Sherco race team, he gave the tyre a sharp test at the recent British world round venue near Penrith. Here's what he found.

“A couple of hours riding on the official practice ground at the venue showed that a) I wasn't as fit as I used to be and b) the X-Light certainly felt grippier to me. Like-for-like comparisons are hard off-road where conditions vary from inch to inch, never mind any geological or geographical differences. But there's more feel for the rear grip, letting me rely on it, even when the 'section' was otherwise defeating my ambitions (which is another way of saying I was on the verge of falling on my ear). Essentially the tyre has more grip without any increase to the likelihood of a puncture, Michelin claims.

The job of making the tyre more flexible without increasing punctures and, equally as importantly, without causing the tread to 'close-up' can't have been easy. But then the Clermont Ferrand-based technicians aren't a bunch of half-wits operating out of garden sheds. The solution was to increase sidewall stiffness slightly which works with the softer centre section to increase the contact patch.

At around 500 grams or 6 per cent lighter than the standard tyre there an unsprung weight saving to be had too. I'm not sure I'd be confident using it at long road events, like the Scottish Six Days or Scott trials, but the X-Light isn't really designed for that sort of use. But with the Trial Light joining the existing Trial Competition tyre you have more options depending on the event or terrain.

There are people on forums barking on like “we fear change” merchants but I'd say a new trials tyre is long overdue and the slow rate of change in this area of motorcycle sport is at times a sad affair.

New tyre, more grip, less weight. In this sport that has to be good.”

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