TUESDAY TREAD: STI CHICANE RX

On Jan 3, 2017

A NEW TIRE FOR PERFORMANCE UTVS

The UTV tire market is hot. Most high-performance UTV owners are choosing to increase their machine’s tire size when switching to aftermarket meats. The most popular size is 30 inches tall on either a 14- or 15-inch wheel. So, this month we spent some time with a new STI tire. STI has been in the ATV game for years and recently developed stronger UTV-specific tires as well. STI’s latest product is the Chicane RX. The eight-ply tire is available in a handful of sizes that include 28/10-14, 30/10-14, 30/10-15 and 32/10-15, and they are all non-directional DOT rated.

**The Chicane RX is currently available in four sizes: 28/10-14, 30/10-14, 30/10-15 and 32/10-15, and start aat $165 each. STI has a huge selection of cool wheels as well.**

STI CHICANE

We tried 30×10-14s mounted on all four corners on our Desert Edition Polaris RZR. It’s a typical trail machine with a few add-ons, like shocks, doors and a cargo box. We drive most UTVs in 4WD, and that’s what we did for this test, and all the tires were inflated to 20 psi. The Chicanes were mounted on STI’s HD5 beadlock wheels.

On our test loop we found the Chicanes were very predictable on the loose dirt-covered hardpack. Front turn-in traction was good, while the rear tires would slide predictably. At high speed, straight-line tracking was perfect, and there was no wandering or any unbalanced feeling.

The STIs work very well in all types of terrain. They roll smoothly and track very predictably in the sand. Bump absorption is great, and so is puncture resistance.

We were very impressed at how well the Chicanes took the ruts and rocks when the terrain got rough. Bump absorption was very close to stock and ultra smooth. Any rock under 6 inches tall that we ran over you could barely feel. The bigger ones deflected smoothly without offering feedback through the steering wheel. In the sand it was more of the same. In our desert terrain the tires are much better than the general-purpose stock tires at holding a straight line. They help the RZR follow in the ruts better and rarely tried to climb out of them.

The larger-than-stock STI Chicane RX tires still allow for a smooth and comfortable ride. They are much more predictable than the stockers and have proven to have superior puncture resistance. For a stock or mildly modified car, the STI Chicane RXs are a perfect choice. Price as tested is $215. Contact STI at
www.stitireandwheel.com.