GotGas Posted December 9 Report Share Posted December 9 Time for a new rear tyre. I got to see side by side the Michelin X11, IRC, and kenda Ibex and the ibex was definitely a nice gummy compound, softer than the other two. I assumed the downside of them must be the wear rate but talking with the vendor and googling it doesn't appear to be the case (weirdly the opposite in fact). There is a suggestion the ibex side wall may be slightly stiffer than a x-light but that's all. I can't really seem to find a negative thing about them. So why would I buy a £140 tyre when an ibex is half that? Looking for input from anyone with firsthand experience with them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tr1AL Posted December 9 Report Share Posted December 9 Michelin , Dunlop D803 GP , IRC Rear . Anything else is not a serious tire/tyre for the sport at this present time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faussy Posted December 10 Report Share Posted December 10 (edited) 10 hours ago, Tr1AL said: Michelin , Dunlop D803 GP , IRC Rear . Anything else is not a serious tire/tyre for the sport at this present time Disagree. Not everyone is wanting to go win their local trial, and I guarantee if I put the Kenda on I would still beat 90% of the riders using michelins. FYI, I haven't even tried one yet, but I know just by looking at it, its a decent tire Edited December 10 by faussy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konrad Posted December 10 Report Share Posted December 10 I did not know anything about the Ibex, but it's a great name for an off-road tire. A quick search revealed the Ibex endurocross tire. I would not ride that in a trial! How could faussy be so wrong? Turns out, there is a trials-specific Ibex, the K7104F and K7105. https://powersports.kendatire.com/en-eu/find-a-tire/motorcyclescooter/mxoff-road/ibex-trials/ Yup, that looks like a trials tire. But the durometer of the rubber would still be a big consideration for me. See: https://www.electricmotiontech.com/home/trials-tires 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tr1AL Posted December 10 Report Share Posted December 10 5 hours ago, faussy said: Disagree. Not everyone is wanting to go win their local trial, and I guarantee if I put the Kenda on I would still beat 90% of the riders using michelins. FYI, I haven't even tried one yet, but I know just by looking at it, its a decent tire Yes faussy I agree .He could also try the MITAS PRO and the PIRELLI MT43 , I have not tried them but they look like Trials tyres. At club level I do not think tyres make much difference. That is also true of the bikes that people use , regular competitors know that a old Fantic 125 twinshock will beat a 300 Vertigo with the right rider on board. It makes one wonder why people bother at club level with all the expense. There is a review on instagram by an competent Australian rider and the Kenda IBEX gets a good review all round , the only exception being that the tyre folds when pushed hard. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemur Posted December 10 Report Share Posted December 10 It's a radial rear and it's stamped for 'trials competition use only' right on the sidewall, I'm guessing it's a trials tire worth a try. It's not like a rear tire lasts any longer than one season anyway. + If they are any good you can bet the price will increase. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonH Posted December 11 Report Share Posted December 11 On 12/9/2025 at 8:39 AM, GotGas said: Time for a new rear tyre. I got to see side by side the Michelin X11, IRC, and kenda Ibex and the ibex was definitely a nice gummy compound, softer than the other two. I assumed the downside of them must be the wear rate but talking with the vendor and googling it doesn't appear to be the case (weirdly the opposite in fact). There is a suggestion the ibex side wall may be slightly stiffer than a x-light but that's all. I can't really seem to find a negative thing about them. So why would I buy a £140 tyre when an ibex is half that? Looking for input from anyone with firsthand experience with them... Gotgas, I would try the Kenda IBEX trials specific tires in a heartbeat. I’ve read several reviews stating people love the tires. Kenda also has an exceptional reputation in the tire industry. The only problem I have with them is they aren’t available locally for me. Go for it and don’t worry about it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndoey Posted Thursday at 01:38 PM Report Share Posted Thursday at 01:38 PM had one when they first came out, slightly harder side wall than an x-light (I've split 2 of those so wont buy again), plenty of grip, and no downsides for me, I ride on rocks/streams, and lots of mud and very pleased with it. look up splat shop in the uk for a review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GotGas Posted Thursday at 01:55 PM Author Report Share Posted Thursday at 01:55 PM 11 minutes ago, ndoey said: had one when they first came out, slightly harder side wall than an x-light (I've split 2 of those so wont buy again), plenty of grip, and no downsides for me, I ride on rocks/streams, and lots of mud and very pleased with it. look up splat shop in the uk for a review. Thanks. Yes, I saw the spaltshop review but was just treating it with healthy skepticism given they're flogging them so it's good to hear your take. I think I've come to the conclusion the tyre might be good but possibly too new to the market (6 months ish?) to have any long-term feedback. I think we'll quite possibly give it a try in the new year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacticalTrials Posted 7 hours ago Report Share Posted 7 hours ago I was given the opportunity to get the first set in AUS from Kenda Australia to test, I'm about 50 hrs in and have just rotated the tyre to give it a sharp edge. I didn't have high expectations of this tyre due to its price point BUT im extremely impressed with these tyres. The only downside is they do have a softer sidewall than the other 2 major brands. To combat this i would run them 1 PSI higher than usual. Performance is top notch! it grips just as well as a Michelin has good response and feedback. We tried a set of TL01 dunlops and found they where absolute rubbish. miles apart from the D803GP!! The only down fall is the front tyre does get a bit of understeer. Nothing a bit of body positioning can't fix. Would i use them again??? 110% YES!! the price these days for Michelins are going up and the Kenda fills the gap perfect for 99% of riders. www.tacticaltrias.com.au * Trialsolutions * M4 racing products * Rock oil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffsgasgas Posted 1 hour ago Report Share Posted 1 hour ago If you ride in mud or slick conditions stick with Dunlop or Michelin. If never touching mud then ride a clapped out used one of the above. Using an ibex or Shinto is cool only if you need some rubber between the rim and you. Riding in Australia once was great but traction was every where. Riding in mid west us, Central Europe and north east us has me loving tire engineering from the pros. I use irc on only tubed rears because the bead wants to roam and not stay where it's told. --Biff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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