Taiwanese tyre maker MAXXIS has been stepping up its game on the MX GP scene in recent years with new products and considerable track success . IDN spoke with Netherlands based Sjoerd Fokkens , Off-Road Motorcycle Product Manager , about the launch of its MaxxCross range and its plans for the future …
Sjoerd Fokkens , Product Manager - Motorcycle Off-Road
Based at the MAXXIS European headquarters in the Netherlands , it was Sjoerd Fokkens who collaborated with the Taiwanese HQ on the 2019 launch of the new MaxxCross range , with the company immediately going racing with them with its entry into MXGP in 2020 .
" MAXXIS has been well known on the motocross landscape for many years , but we judged that there remained even greater potential for us - with a huge additional number of people who could be riding , racing and winning on MAXXIS tyres ," says Sjoerd . " After our maiden season , we went home with European Champion and World Champion wins in 125 cc and a 3rd place in EMX250 . Working with riders at this level enabled us to get professional feedback to develop the best tyres for the best riders ." Asked whether if immediately in the first year of the World Championship you had placements in the top ten of MX2 , Sjoerd replied : " we saw the first year as a learning year in terms both of championship race strategy and for the newly developed products . The final 9th position of Iker Larranaga in MX2 was the perfect justification of our decision to enter the series and of the approach we took - and it pleasantly exceeded our expectations ." Asked if its MX tyres are developed in the Far East or in Europe , Sjoerd says " both ".
" The tyres are both developed in the Far East and together with our European Tech Center near Eindhoven . The team in the Tech Center collects and collates all the information we get from testing and racing , and the close , daily working relationship with our colleagues in Taiwan gives us seamless development support for all of our products . " Our MX tyres have been developed for off-road training , hobby riding and competition use , which is not an easy job . Many different aspects have an effect on each of the differing performance requirements , and MAXXIS is working with several consultants who are experienced in the MX market , including in racing , and have experience in developing off-road tyres . It is this expertise that has helped us to design the tyres to perform well in the right circumstances ." MAXXIS is also heavily committed to its Enduro tyre and racing programme , and Sjoerd says that whilst the two disciplines are very different to each other , the different characteristics and requirements of the two both add to the tyre construction , compound
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