DOT approved and no DOT tire? besides a ticket?

long over due for a front. and was wonder what really is the diff. between a dot and non dot tire?

 

It isn't the tread like alot of people think. The DOT tires are made not to come apart on long hot trips on the slab.

 

Speed is one of the biggest factors. Ratings for bike tires are like tires we use on our cars and trucks. They all have a speed rating. But then again I don't see any of us doing 100 mph on the KLX so it's probably moot.

 

Sometimes it's just the money required by the manufacturer to apply for the DOT rating....a lot like Rotella 15w-40 not having the JASO-MA rating until recently....they just never applied for the rating and paid the fee. Sometimes, it is that the tire isn't suited for higher-speed road use...probably mostly due to the heat generation. I don't usually take chances with a non-DOT tire, but, high-end off-road racing tires that are made for hard surfaces, I tend to trust. Just remember, it's your hide if the tire comes apart on you when riding fast on the road!

 

I believe all Kenda motocross fronts are DOT. The Millville sticky I have on mine is.

 

Pirelli Scorpion XCMS front is DOT now but wasn't last year?? Just decide what type of tyre you want. The Pirelli Scorpion I have is at one end of the scale (very aggressive/dirt focus) and something like a Kenda K761 is at the other end (softer/road focus.)

There are plenty of options available, all DOT if you want to keep it legal. Price is the only variable, as some DOT tyres can cost double the price of others!

Kenda K761


Pirelli Scorpion XCMS

 

It just means that the DOT tire has met a minimum standard regarding temperature rating, speed rating, etc. to get a certification from the feds for street/highway use. Probably many dirt-only tires would qualify if the manufacturer desired to pursue that market, but you never know if they haven't been tested.

 

think hes right. most off road tires would pass dot, but the companys dont do it cus it cost them so much.