The next generation of dirt bike tires has arrived in the new Michelin StarCross 6 tire offered in several compounds giving riders a range of options for the track or trails.

The StarCross 6 builds on the success of Michelin's popular StarCross 5 dirt bike tire and features an innovative adaptive design technology that allows the StarCross 6 to retain better operation than its predecessor:

  • Up to 16 percent more traction when new
  • Silica Technology helps maintain tread block integrity and up to 11 percent more durability
  • Provides up to 19% more traction compared when worn

Michelin offers the StarCross 6 in hard, medium hard, medium soft as well as tires designed for the mud and sand. All versions, except for mud, available in multiple tire sizes for the front and rear. Mud only available in the rear. The medium soft Starcross 6 front tire delivers the most versatility which works on the sand, mud, soft terrain and intermediate terrain. Michelin worked with professional riders in developing the Starcross 6 and finetuned on Motocross tracks.

Now that you've read our edited version of Michelin's marketing campaign for the StarCross 6 you probably want an actual throttle-rolled experience of how the tires perform. MotoSport employee Jeff Wilson installed the tires on a 2021 KTM 300XCW provided by Gnarly Routes and rolled around on them for two days in Post, TX on a variety of terrain including sand and rocks along with a couple of nice natural jumps but nothing rising to the level of a Motocross track. Wilson ran a medium hard StarCross 6 tire with Michelin bib mousses.

"They rode better than the StarCross 5 and I always felt the StarCross 5 rode so well it increased my confidence and that helped make me faster," Wilson said. "The StarCross 6 was the same but better."

Wilson didn't not hold back on the new Michelin tires either running over debris and other trail obstacles like cactus, big roots and loose rocks. He rode uphill and downhill, over ice and through mud. The weather was chilly, dropping into the single digits by morning. Through it all, he said the StarCross 6 delivered the traction you would expect in ideal conditions.

"I was impressed. Hands down, a big win," he said. "When we ended the day of riding we would go back to camp and I would look over the tires for any torn knobs, chunking, and wear around the tread but they stayed sharp and looked almost as they did new."

Wilson said the StarCross 6 tire has a different look and texture to it thanks to the new silica technology and admitted to being skeptical he would notice much difference in the handling and feel while riding. But after his experience, he has no doubt the StarCross 6 will live up to Michelin's claim of lasting longer than other tires and the StarCross 5.

"The added traction claim is hard to imagine but Michelin knows tires and it's crazy the amount of varying terrain you can throw at these and feel confident in the tire," he said. "I am sold on them."

Though the StarCross 5 remains available the Michelin StarCross 6 will replace that flagship model and brings a higher price point. For comparison sakes (and depending on size) a StarCross 5 medium rear tire runs between $67 and $123 while a StarCross 6 medium hard costs between $120 and $146. You will find the StarCross 6 costs more than other tire brands as well.

However, Wilson said he expects the durability and usable tire life (traction) of the StarCross 6 to make up for the hefty price tag and after having a great experience with the StarCross 6 medium hard tire he looks forward to trying the medium soft tires for riding Motocross and some trails in Oregon.

"These really do get better after the first couple rides and stay consistent a lot longer," he said.

Check out the entire line of Michelin StarCross 6 tires, StarCross 5 tires and the full series of Michelin dirt bike tires.