KDXRIDER.NET

Do any of you cheap bastages sharpen your knobbys like I do? I have a Michelin M-12 I use up in SC and N Georgia and once the edges wear down I cut new sharp edges on it. Sorta like getting a new tire but saving $60. I only do this once on a tire because after that the height of the knobby is too low.

I haven't as of yet, but my brother has with good results. Like you said its a good way to get a little more life out of a tire.

sounds like a great idea, never thought of that.
Thanks for the tip
How do you sharpen them though? with a knife?

Utility knife heated with a torch is what i've seen used.

I "did" use a butcher knife heated with a torch. I later used the same knife to keep me warm at night, in the garage, all by myself. The little wifey musta been emotionally attached to that stinkin knife. But it's mine now! She said I could just keep it along with all the Tupperware crap I used to clean and soak parts in and use at parts holders. Her favorite Tupperware thing is my spare oiled filter holder in the tool box. I aint got the nerve to tell her where it is. She thinks she lost it at church. She did get a new Rachel Ray orange handled $75 special type knife to replace her tire cuttin knife. It aint no good, it don't cut tires very well. I aint gettin nuttin fer Christmas cuz I've been a bad little boy!

so true. If I was married that'd be the exact same story

bradf wrote: I aint gettin nuttin fer Christmas cuz I've been a bad little boy!

I wouldn't go through the trouble of messing with the knobs (cutting, reshaping, etc).

I would (and do) go to the trouble of turning the rear tire around, though.

..if it's not directionally challenged that is.

M-12's are severely challenged

I've flipped a few tires and seen a couple of guys cut new edges. It is likely faster to cut the new edges if you have a method that is half quick. The M5Bs tires that I watched cut took maybe 10 minutes per tire - a little smoke and some acute rubber odor - but they looked good afterwards. Just cutting the rounded edge straight again. I'm sure some tires are much harder and would take mucho longer - i.e. trials tires for one

Couple of years ago on another site it was brought up there was a specific electric tool for performing this work. Tire groovers which run off 120V power. A number of these products are available starting around $50. Perform a search on the web and you will find a couple sites with them advertised - on is listed as an 'ATV tire groover' which should be a good search phase. (Darn computer will not let me copy the link or the page to this note - updated software the other day - hummmmmm???)

I find that slightly rounded edges helps to tame the massive hit from my torque-piped 220R !!

Tire groover:

http://www.nacsracing.com/htmlcatalog/t ... r-tool.htm

$65

I used that knife they advertize on the infomercials; cuts shoes in half and then slices a tomato paper thin. I used the same knife to trim all my roofing asphalt shingles. It does the job. I don't know how. I never thought to heat it up though. I actually under cut the knob a little bit for extra bite. On the KX, they would get torn off sometimes (M5B rear) but on the KDX, they held up fine and more traction too. You do understand what under cutting is, right?

That tool would be worth having....

Undercut: ( instead of l

You do understand what under cutting is

Sorry to butt in but I don't. I'm sure it's something really simple...

Most of the time or at least a lot, I replace my tires not because th knobs are wore down but because the rubber is just too wore out and the carcus is too soft

Got a flat on the DR this summer, and you could stick your finger all the way through the hole, the rubber was soft as butter

My next tire chunked at 189 miles

He meant this:

Under cut the knob means to set the knife blade so the knob is sharper than a 90 degree edge. The face of the knob is more surface area than the base of the knob. They REALLY grab but can get torn off
_____
.. |
. . |

Hey Jerr, member what size M5B you had on the KDX?

Tried the 130 but the 120 was better for the motor size.

cool thanks