Tire Trouble

No, we aren't having issues with the latest sticky-as-glue tires mounted up to the hottest 180-hp superbike we're testing, and no, we're not shedding knobbies from our MX rim skins either. But Off-Road Editor Ryan Dudek, Associate Editor Mark Cernicky and I did lose out on a great day of motocross testing at Zaca Station north of Santa Barbara, California, because our Cycle World box truck decided to eat one of its tires for an early breakfast at 5 a.m. as we headed up L.A.'s infamous 405 freeway.

If you follow Formula 1 car racing, you are definitely familiar with the frequent tire delaminations that rip zillion-dollar carbon-fiber aerodynamic pieces to shreds, while slapping the wafer-thin suspension pieces to bits as drivers try to circulate back to the pits for a swap.

Our morning experience was much the same… well, okay, maybe not. But it did end our “race” for the day and in the end, like so many motorcycle and car racers tend to do, we clearly knew what to blame: the tires! After a long three-hour wait in an apparent cell-free dead zone, a service vehicle arrived and performed an amazingly efficient and quick pit stop, swapping our blown-out rubber on the side of the road in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, by the time repairs were made and we were back on the road, it was too late to make our way to Zaca. So I guess next week has another 3 a.m. wake-up call waiting for us, all so we can shred Zaca’s scenic, hilly terrain. We can’t wait!