PRODUCT: Moto Race Tire 32x10R15 Race Tire

WHAT IT IS:
The MRT Race tire is a high performance, UTV-specific run-flat tire. The DOT-legal Race model is designed to be both lightweight and extremely puncture-resistant. The 32x10R15 is a brand-new size geared towards the hard-core desert enthusiast or racer.

FEATURES:
The MRT Race tire uses both the Kevlar armor belt and the triple-belted sidewall design. The Race tire offers extreme puncture resistance and runflat ability. MRT’s triple Kevlar sidewall belt design is incredibly resistant to punctures, and the run-flat feature is designed so you can continue on your outing, or finish that race without de-beading, destroying your wheel or having to baby it to the finish line or pit area. The Race tire is comprised of four belts at the tread area and the bead and three belts in the sidewall.

The 32-inch, eight-ply run-flat model is listed at an extremely light 39 pounds. The eight-ply Race tire is also available in 30x9R15, 30x10R15 and 28x10R14 sizes that weigh 32 pounds. The eight-ply 32x10R15 and 30x9R15 options offer the perfect size for desert racing, and the narrower 9–10-inch width is appreciated across the board. The 32-inch Race tire is also ready to work with an impressive 1390-pound load rating. MRT uses a special Duro compound with a uniform tread pattern for a long-lasting and incredibly smooth ride.

INSTALLATION:
Installation is as straightforward as mounting a tire. The 32x10R15 tire that we chose is quite a bit bigger than the stock 29-inch Bighorns on our RZR XP 1000. We opted for a 15×7 DWT Sector wheel and had no problems with fender or frame clearance. The 15-inchdiameter wheel is a little harder to find than the more common 14-inch wheels, but we’ve noticed more and more companies adding 15-inch options to their offerings. The 10-inch-wide tire can be used for both front and rear applications, and we recommend a 7- or 8-inch-wide wheel be used all the way around as well. The run-flat tire offers the driver extra insurance without the hassle of installing TireBlocks or TireBalls. The run-flat installs exactly like a normal tire, whereas mounting a run-flat system like Balls or Blocks can be a pretty intense undertaking.

WHO’S IT FOR?
The 32-inch Moto Race tire is built for the desert. It’s specifically for the high-performance, big-bore SxS crowd and especially for those who want premium performance in the mixed terrain that we like to call the desert. The tread pattern and compound provide ideal traction for hardpack and slip-face, but the tires also perform in sand and gravel. The 32-inch run-flat tire is the ultimate tire for the desert offroad racing crowd, but will also appeal to adventure types and anyone else who doesn’t want the extra weight or nuisance of carrying a spare, jack and tools on their extended trips.

With 28-, 30- and 32-inch sizes, the Race tire should cover just about every discipline of big-bore UTV racing—from the West Coast’s desert-like terrain to the rocky, muddy, root-filled cross country courses on the East Coast. This is a race-ready tire, but it will also impress most any hard-core enthusiast.

HOW DO THEY HANDLE:
The 32-inch Race tire gives you an incredible increase in ground clearance and improves top speed on hard pack. Our XP Turbo was a little slower out of the hole but gained a noticeable amount of top-end speed. By design, the larger tire raises the center of gravity in the turns, but it really makes up for it in the rough. The larger diameter tire rolls across bumps, rocks, ruts, etc. with ease all while providing a smoother overall ride quality. The second thing you really notice is the ground clearance. Three extra inches of tire translates to 1 1/2 inches of extra ground clearance. An inch and a half might not seem like a big deal, but it is very noticeable and can be the difference between tagging that rock with an A-arm or driving past it completely unscathed.

The tread design and Duro compound rubber provide really good traction on hardpack and in the rocks. Sand and softer terrain performance are predictable and precise as well. We noticed that the Race tire doesn’t really wander or track all over the place in riverbeds and sand washes like some of the other tires we’ve tested. At higher speeds, the Race tire provides a smooth ride that is comfortable and predictable.

A run-flat tire is stiffer than most standard UTV tires, but the additional sidewall of a 32-incher really helps with overall ride comfort. Moto Race suggests Polaris’ recommended operating pressure, but we think the ride comfort is better down around 14–15 pounds. This could even be dropped closer to 12 with beadlocks for softer terrain and more flotation. THE

VERDICT:
This is the first 32-inch off-road UTV tire we’ve tried, and we’re more than impressed. The MRT Race tire offers great traction, a comfortable ride, and now the additional ground clearance and rollout we’ve been looking for in a desert tire. In the past, our biggest complaint with run-flat UTV tires has been the weight and reduced feel because of the overly stiff carcass. The 32-inch Race tire is claimed to weigh 39 pounds and, to our surprise, all five of ours tipped the scale at just under 37 pounds each. A 37-pound, 32-inch tire is hard to find, even without factoring in the MRT’s run-flat technology. The 28- and 30-inch run-flat Race tires claim to weigh 32 pounds each. When we weighed it, the 28-inch tire weighed closer to 31 pounds, but we didn’t have a 30-inch model to check for ourselves.

The Kevlar sidewalls are proving to be incredibly puncture-resistant, but we did pick up a screw in the tread of one. With very low pressure in the Race tire, it held its shape, and we could keep a pretty good pace. The one thing we did notice about the run-flat was that it eventually sacked out like a normal flat tire when left uninflated in the garage with the weight of a RZR sitting on it.

This is definitely one of the best performing tires we’ve tried for the desert. With SCORE’s new 32-inch tire rule in place, we will definitely be giving this thing another real-world shakedown in November’s Baja 1000.

CONTACT: www.motoracetire.com or (844) 884-9759
RATING: ★★★★
PRICE: $275–$355 per tire