I’ve been doing a bunch of tire research as I’m doing another Baja trip. There are allot of new tires out there and several are really good. But what I need is a full all terrain tire. In Baja we will be on every type of surface you can think of. Graded road, dirt trails, rock, sand wash, silt, beach sand and we will even be driving down the asphalt highway. While tire wear is important, too hard of a compound or stiff tire, will not perform as well in the soft stuff. Too soft and we will wear them out in 500 miles and tear them up on the rocks. A square edge tread can have to much bite and can rut track, especially in a lighter vehicle like a UTV. This is why you see rounded tread pattern tires used on lighter buggy race cars. We also looked at a steel belted tire, but I just dont think such a stiff and heavy tire is worth the trade off. If I wanted that weight I would rather put that weight in a taller tire, then a smaller heavier tire.

So I looked at the GMZ Race Products tires. GMZ does not have the marketing or web presents that some other tire brands do. They seem to be under the radar in many ways. But after speaking directly with one owner of GMZ, I felt they had the best tire for what we were doing. Try calling some of the other popular brands and see how far you get. Ask for engineering or tech? I did and got nowhere!

GMZ is 3 partners and all three have not only a racing background, but they have all worked in the tire & wheel industry before starting GMZ. GMZ actually designs their own tires & wheels. Many of the other brands contract out to have their tires designed and manufactured by someone else. Part of GMZ is overseas and is in the factory’s that they have contracted to manufacture their tires.

GMZ has the Cutthroat tire which is a 28X10-14 inch tire. And they have the Kahuna tire which is offered in a 30X10-14 and now a 15". For our application (XP4 900’s) we felt the 30inch Kahuna was to much tire, as we have stock clutching & axles. Plus I can relate to the tread of the Cutthroat, as it is very much like the Yokohama Super Digger 3, which is the most winning #1 limited buggy tire in Baja. The Yokohama is also a nylon corded radial tire, not steel belted to keep it light & pliable.

Yokohama Super Digger 3 (Rounded tread)

GMZ Cutthroat 28×10-14
Specs: 6 ply radial, D.O.T approved, weight 31 lbs.

GMZ Kahuna 30X10-14
Specs: 8 ply radial, D.O.T approved, weight 33 lbs.

The Cutthroat measured right at 28 inches mounted with 10lbs of air in the tire.

So for this trip we bought 10 GMZ Cutthroat tires. I weighed 4 of the 10 on a digital warehouse scale and all 4 weighed between 30.7 & 31.1 lbs. (Sorry no pictures.) This Baja trip is going to be in the 500+ mile range and we will be able to see real results and not just opinion about the GMZ Cutthroat. I expect to see tire wear. If I did not I would say we are on way to hard of a tire compound. I want 50K mileage out of my truck tires, but not my recreational or race vehicle tires. We would kill a set of Yokohama race tires on the race car in 500 miles. I expect the GMZ to wear better as they seem to have a bit harder compound, and we will not be running race speed all day over all the terrain we will face.

When we get back I will share our trip and post results of the GMZ Cutthroat tire. I will either have great things to say, or I will be telling you about the wrong tire for our trip.

BTW; the most winning UTV tire in Baja & BITD right now is the ITP Ultracross R. BFG just released what is expected to be the next King of UTV tires in Baja the KR2. What do these two tires (which were produced after the GMZ Cutthroat) have in common with the GMZ Cutthroat? Both are nylon cord radials and are designed with a rounded edge tread. But neither are DOT approved like the GMZ Cutthroat.

BFG builds the most winning tires in Baja period, and all have been steel belted until they built this new KR2 30" UTV & 35" class 10 tire.Why? Because they understand a lighter tire is needed for limited power vehicles. General Tire builds the Grabbler Red Label off-road tire, which they too built with Nylon cord and not steel belts and is very popular with the truck & high HP buggy classes. Just something to think about!

http://gmzraceproducts.com

I’ve been doing a bunch of tire research as I’m doing another Baja trip. There are allot of new tires out there and several are really good. But what I need is a full all terrain tire. In Baja we will be on every type of surface you can think of. Graded road, dirt trails, rock, sand wash, silt, beach sand and we will even be driving down the asphalt highway. While tire wear is important, too hard of a compound or stiff tire, will not perform as well in the soft stuff. Too soft and we will wear them out in 500 miles and tear them up on the rocks. A square edge tread can have to much bite and can rut track, especially in a lighter vehicle like a UTV. This is why you see rounded tread pattern tires used on lighter buggy race cars. We also looked at a steel belted tire, but I just dont think such a stiff and heavy tire is worth the trade off. If I wanted that weight I would rather put that weight in a taller tire, then a smaller heavier tire.

So I looked at the GMZ Race Products tires. GMZ does not have the marketing or web presents that some other tire brands do. They seem to be under the radar in many ways. But after speaking directly with one owner of GMZ, I felt they had the best tire for what we were doing. Try calling some of the other popular brands and see how far you get. Ask for engineering or tech? I did and got nowhere!

GMZ is 3 partners and all three have not only a racing background, but they have all worked in the tire & wheel industry before starting GMZ. GMZ actually designs their own tires & wheels. Many of the other brands contract out to have their tires designed and manufactured by someone else. Part of GMZ is overseas and is in the factory’s that they have contracted to manufacture their tires.

GMZ has the Cutthroat tire which is a 28X10-14 inch tire. And they have the Kahuna tire which is offered in a 30X10-14 and now a 15". For our application (XP4 900’s) we felt the 30inch Kahuna was to much tire, as we have stock clutching & axles. Plus I can relate to the tread of the Cutthroat, as it is very much like the Yokohama Super Digger 3, which is the most winning #1 limited buggy tire in Baja. The Yokohama is also a nylon corded radial tire, not steel belted to keep it light & pliable.

Yokohama Super Digger 3 (Rounded tread)

GMZ Cutthroat 28×10-14
Specs: 6 ply radial, D.O.T approved, weight 31 lbs.

GMZ Kahuna 30X10-14
Specs: 8 ply radial, D.O.T approved, weight 33 lbs.

The Cutthroat measured right at 28 inches mounted with 10lbs of air in the tire.

So for this trip we bought 10 GMZ Cutthroat tires. I weighed 4 of the 10 on a digital warehouse scale and all 4 weighed between 30.7 & 31.1 lbs. (Sorry no pictures.) This Baja trip is going to be in the 500+ mile range and we will be able to see real results and not just opinion about the GMZ Cutthroat. I expect to see tire wear. If I did not I would say we are on way to hard of a tire compound. I want 50K mileage out of my truck tires, but not my recreational or race vehicle tires. We would kill a set of Yokohama race tires on the race car in 500 miles. I expect the GMZ to wear better as they seem to have a bit harder compound, and we will not be running race speed all day over all the terrain we will face.

When we get back I will share our trip and post results of the GMZ Cutthroat tire. I will either have great things to say, or I will be telling you about the wrong tire for our trip.

BTW; the most winning UTV tire in Baja & BITD right now is the ITP Ultracross R. BFG just released what is expected to be the next King of UTV tires in Baja the KR2. What do these two tires (which were produced after the GMZ Cutthroat) have in common with the GMZ Cutthroat? Both are nylon cord radials and are designed with a rounded edge tread. But neither are DOT approved like the GMZ Cutthroat.

BFG builds the most winning tires in Baja period, and all have been steel belted until they built this new KR2 30" UTV & 35" class 10 tire.Why? Because they understand a lighter tire is needed for limited power vehicles. General Tire builds the Grabbler Red Label off-road tire, which they too built with Nylon cord and not steel belts and is very popular with the truck & high HP buggy classes. Just something to think about!

http://gmzraceproducts.com