Dirt Bikes – Active At The Beach

If you have a dirt bike and want to try sand dune riding, what is the best dirt bike tire pressure for sand? Optimal air pressure is 12 psi in the front and 10 psi in the rear. Paddle tires are the best dirt bike tires for sand. Consider changing the back tire from a standard off-road model to a paddle type. To secure your tires, use rim or bead locks to prevent low-pressure flats. There are some other tunings you can do for running through sand, but tires and pressure are where you start. I'll share a few options you can choose from in this article. Related Topics Beach Camping Guide For Your Next TripWhat Is A Fishing Kayak And Its Best Features?How Do You Keep Valuables Safe At The Beach7 Essential Beach Camping TipsIs It Healthy To Run Barefoot On The BeachHow Fast Can A Kite Board Go What Is The Best Dirt Bike Tire air Pressure For Sand? When riding in dunes, lower the tire pressure to around 10 psi in the rear or lower if using a rim lock. For the front tire, 11-12 psi is optimal. This allows more surface area of the tires to contact the dunes and a better grip. This makes it the best dirt bike tire pressure for the dunes. Rocky Mountain ATV MC's "Top 5 Motorcycle Sand Dune Riding Tips" is the best video I found on choosing dirt bike tires. It has terrific dune riding tips. https://youtu.be/NjRekimRMcs What Is The Best Dirt Bike Tire For Sand? The generally accepted sand modification uses a knobby or blade tire in the front and a paddle model in the rear. The knobby tire in the front grabs for turns but has a slight pull for the rear power. Front Wheels Knobby Off-Road. This type is the standard issue for dirt bikes. Although it provides versatility for most rides, it is not effective in riding up dunes and through loose tracks. For sand, you want a softer, intermediate type. Sand Type. You will want a front tire that floats on the sand but still tracks well. Blade. These are also called rib style for the front. This is primarily smooth and round with a straight line ridge. This is better for tracking and steering in the loose dirt and sand. Rear Wheels Paddle Off-Road. They come in a 10-paddle, 8-paddle, and 6-paddle configuration. The 6-paddle is much lighter and spins faster and fewer paddles digging into the ground. This tire spools up faster and is better for racing. For larger bikes, you will want to use the 8-paddle or the 10-paddle. It has a tremendous pull up the dune with balance and control. Front knobby sand tires Sand wedge rear paddle tire Why Is The Paddle Tire The Most Effective In Sand? The paddle model has several scoops spaced wide apart that quickly pull the wheel through the sand. This is the ideal one for the rear where the power is. They all have a 'straight' paddle, whereas ATV and truck tires have an optional offset paddle and a hybrid paddle. It is not good for turning or steering, so this is not good for the front. This is why it is the best dirt bike tire for sand (in the rear only). The paddles are so efficient at moving across the sand, that you will see about a 30% lower gas consumption than when using the soft knobby in the rear. I have seen guys try to go up large dune hills using both knobby and paddle rear tires and the difference is noticeable. The scoops ride straight up the hill while still in 3rd gear. The knobby rear-wheel stalls halfway up and buries itself to the rim. What Does A Bead-Lock Do? When you lower the air pressure to run flatter on the dunes, like in turn, you run the risk of a bead, or sidewall, popping off the wheel rim, which would cause slipping of the tire inside the rim. It is critical to secure it on the rim during low psi dune riding. A bead lock rim is the best option for this problem. It is a style of wheel that allows the bead of the tire to be sandwiched between this ring and the actual rim itself. This ring lies outside the rim and prevents the bead from popping out and causing a flat. How Does A Bead-Lock Work? The traditional bead lock has 18 to 32 screws that hold the bead lock to the wheel. The tire will then sit on top of the rim. The rim lock will sit on top of the tire and then fasten on. The lock will pinch against the tire and hold it in place, even in the lowest pressure situations. You can actually run as little as 2-3 psi. This allows for a much lower dirt bike tire pressure for sand dunes with a better grip. You will want to apply bead locks to your rims, even at higher psi. Most dirt bikes use one bead lock per wheel but some require two on the rear wheel. What Does A Rim Lock Do? An alternative solution is to use a rim lock. Fix Your Dirt Bike's "How The Rim Lock Works On Your Dirt Bike" is a terrific video that demonstrates the rim lock and how you can use it for your bike. https://youtu.be/ABruQcmLBXE Conclusion: What Is The Best Dirt Bike Tire Pressure For Sand? So, the best tire pressure for sand is 12 psi front and 10 psi in the rear. The best dirt bike tire for sand is a paddle tire in the rear and a sand tire in the front. You should use a bead lock rim or rim locks to secure your tires to the wheel when running very low tire pressure.