Designed for what Michelin calls “mixed and soft terrain,” the Michelin Starcross MS3 does its best work when there is plentiful dirt to dig into. The heaviest tire in MXA’s test, the extra mass seemed to help the tire hook up in low-speed/high-rev situations. The tradeoff is that once the Starcross MS3 started to spin, it took a very talented right wrist to regain control of the traction. This is especially noticeable in choppy whoops, where the extra unsprung weight creates a spin-bounce-spin scenario. The best attribute of the Starcross MS3 was straight-line acceleration. It offered terrific hookup, and the tire’s stiff sidewalls allowed us to get away with slightly lower air pressure settings (which helped mitigate the spin tendency). On the downside, the MS3 skated under hard braking and wore quickly.

If your track is loamy and there are more big bumps than little ones, the MS3 Starcross is an acceptable choice.

 

FOR MIXED/SOFT GROUND
• The preferred choice of Ken Roczen (2010 MX2 World Champion runner-up) for soft terrain
• Superior traction on soft ground
• The front MICHELIN Starcross MS3 stands out as the cross range’s benchmark tire in terms of cornering performance and turn-in precision under braking

Developed for intermediate to soft tracks, Starcross^® MS3 tires helped win six MX world championships. Starcross^® MS3 tires deliver the best traction of all Michelin^® motocross tires on loose dirt, thanks to their widely spaced knobs. The front Starcross^®MS3 tire excels in steering precision and braking performance.

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