Dunlop Trailmax Raid

Adventure motorcycles are becoming increasingly capable, and the tires that support them must follow suit. The Dunlop Trailmax Raid enters the segment as an actual 50/50 tire, engineered to perform confidently on pavement while delivering the grip, durability, and stability required for serious off-road exploration. With advanced rubber compounds, specialized carcass construction, and a tread pattern inspired by Dunlop’s legendary rally heritage, the Trailmax Raid aims to be the reliable all-conditions partner for adventure riders who push beyond the usual routes.

Balanced Road Manners with Excellent Wet Grip

One of the primary engineering goals of the Trailmax Raid was to ensure secure, predictable road behavior, even in wet or variable conditions. Dunlop achieves this through a high silica content, which improves compound flexibility at lower temperatures and dramatically enhances wet-surface traction. The result is a tire that inspires confidence when cornering in the rain, braking on damp pavement, or transitioning between dry and wet patches that would unsettle other aggressive adventure tires.

The tread profile is shaped using Dunlop’s Dynamic Front Formula (DFF), a design methodology that optimizes the front tire’s geometry for balanced steering effort, stability, and responsiveness.

Field Use: From Highway Slabs to Sierra Trails

Choosing the Dunlop Trailmax Raid for our California North BDR trip turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. We mounted them on two KTM 1290 Super Adventure bikes, an S and an R, and rolled out from Murrieta heading north. The route began with long stretches of freeway, and despite the tire’s 50/50 classification, they held up surprisingly well on asphalt. There was no annoying hum at highway cruising speeds, and stability felt solid even with fully loaded bikes.

One stretch in particular stood out: Highway 49 between Downieville and Sierra City. It’s a dream ride, smooth pavement, endless twisties, mountain scenery, and river views all in one go. Honestly, it’s the kind of road that begs for slicks, but the Trailmax Raids handled it beautifully. The grip stayed consistent through fast, aggressive cornering. No slips, no surprises, just pure confidence as the bikes leaned from side to side, forgetting for a moment that these were dual-purpose tires.

Of course, things got even better once we hit the dirt. Rocky mountain climbs, damp forest trails, loose gravel, the Trailmax Raids performed with confidence across all of it. The blocky tread dug in where it needed to, offering traction on technical terrain without feeling too stiff or unpredictable. In faster, open gravel sections, the rear tire offered that perfect mix of grip and drift. Controlled slides into corners, throttle out with force, and stones flying in the mirrors, these tires took everything in stride and delivered big fun along the way.

At the end of the ride, we didn’t feel the need to swap tires depending on the surface. That’s the real value here: a tire that works on the road, shines off it, and keeps the rider smiling in every scenario we threw at it.