These days your average stock tyre combination will be a solid setup straight from the factory, but there will always be room for improvement in the traction department – without a doubt.

With out stock units looking a little worse for wear, Link International were kind enough to send us a fresh set of Pirelli Scorpion MX 32 Mid Soft tyres for our Project Moto 2013 Suzuki RM-Z250 and we couldn’t wait to test them out.

Read on to see what we thought about the Pirelli package, which includes their all-new and very popular 250 four-stroke specific rear.

Technical Information

The Pirelli Scorpion MX 32 Mid Soft features a front tyre with directional arrow layout blocks which optimise contact with the ground at all times and offer maximum traction and precision in cornering.

To compliment the front tyre, the rear also features a “V” layout of blocks to provide maximum power to the ground in all situations, along with improved stability in traction and on braking.

Using a double-layer compound construction, the Pirelli Scorpion MX 32 Mid Soft features maximum resistance to heat and dynamic stresses. This improved the reliability of performance lap after lap during long motos throughout the day.

The unique MX 32 Mid Soft tread pattern and compound were developed with the contribution of the most prestigious players in the Motocross industry throughout the world.

Positives

First impressions from the Scorpion MX 32 Mid Soft combination were quite impressive. Mounted to our MotoOnline Project Moto 2013 Suzuki RM-Z250, I set out for the first ride at Appin’s Macarthur Motorcycle Club – luckily the track was ripped and wet, perfect conditions to put this Mid Soft package to the test.

Right off the bat I felt a very confidence-inspiring feel underneath me. If I could explain the feeling in one word it would be “sticky” – these tyres really do take a firm hold to the track. The most obvious thing that I noticed was the amount of grip they offered through flat and off-camber turns, it was quite impressive.

The front tyre with its directional arrow block layout was definitely the highlight for me. I’m a rider who loves nothing more than a bunch of front-end feel, and the 80/100-21 Scorpion MX 32 Mid Soft provides plenty of it. Now in saying that, this does not mean in any way that the rear is lacking – 250 four-stroke specific 110/85-19 size transfers all of the Suzuki power to the ground with ease.

I was able to ride various surfaces with the Pirelli package, hard-pack with a soft layer on top, tacky ripped-up clay (where I felt this tyre really did excel) and nice soft sand. As I mentioned, the tyres really came into their own on the ripped clay, which had quite a bit of moisture through it. I could put the bike wherever I wanted and it absolutely launched out of the tight ruts on hand.

I must add that as well as working exceptionally well in the traction department, the unique tread pattern also works wonders when releasing unwanted muck from the tyre. I never had the tyre pack itself with mud and turn into a rolling circle of slime – I feel that this is vital when riding in softer conditions.

We were also supplied with the super cool Pirelli tyre decals for that gave our Suzuki RM-Z250 that factory look. Image: Alex Gobert.

Negatives

Being based in Sydney, New South Wales, really the only negative thing I have to say about my experience with the Pirelli Scorpion MX 32 Mid Soft package is that I have had to search high and low for the correct surfaces to really make these tyres shine!

Sydney is definitely not known for having an abundance of loamy soil to dig the Mid Soft compound into. But I was able to snag a couple rides on some more forgiving soil and they never ceased to impress me. I can only imagine how great the Mid Hard compound would perform on the majority of our public tracks in the area.

Verdict

The Pirelli Scorpion MX 32 Mid Soft tyre is a great product with impressive features and even better performance on track. Now you can sit here and wonder if this guy sitting behind his keyboard knows what he is on about – but the recent season opening Monster Energy MX Nationals results speak for themselves.

Pirelli Scorpion MX 32 Mid Soft mounted riders Todd Waters and Luke Styke both took out their respective classes at the opening round of the Monster Energy MX Nationals in Raymond Terrace. These tyres are bringing in impressive results and Pirelli’s philosophy is to race what they sell – so if you’re after winning tread, this is the setup for you.

The Pirelli Scorpion MX 32 Mid Soft tyres come in at a recommended retail price of $99.00 for the 80/100-21 front and $119.00 for the 250 four-stroke specific 110/90-19. Head to www.linkint.com.au for more information and stockist listings in your local area.