So we are kicking off with Michelin this month (randomly selected) which is a win for Louis Enslin from  Michelin, the main reason being it is the last edition before the infamous Roof of Africa and a time when all the premium tyre brands and up and coming new contenders are doing deals, coveting pro riders and teams to ensure their brand is on the podium whether in Bronze; Silver or Gold.

This is the race that guarantees the podium winning brands high volume sales going into next year’s weekend riders and the race teams alike, and with so many brands now competing in this specialised segment of the dirt market where there is a very specific size range; with specialised carcass construction and compounds.

The competition is fierce – some have fallen by the wayside while others like Michelin have just gone from strength to strength so it was an obvious choice by Ryan Robertson GM Auto Cycle Centre a subsidiary of Motus. When I called him to let him know he had secured the November issue, straight away he selected the Michelin Enduro Medium, one of the top choices when it comes to Roof rubber.

As I am on the coal face of retail & wholesale in the M/C tyre industry I get to experience up front what sells for Roof and have done for over a decade now, bottom line you have to know the individual brands products very well and watch the market closely as any brand can literally slip a prototype into an event and take out the competition in one clean swipe, which always rocks the market.