With its advanced silica compound, the MA-Z1 Victra provides excellent traction on wet roads and minimum noise at high speeds – a fact that has now been confirmed by an Australian motoring magazine. In independent tests, Wheels has ranked Maxxis’ ultra high performance radial first in two categories. In its May 2005 issue, the magazine tested nine 235/45R17 size tires, including models from BF Goodrich, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Goodyear, Kumho, Michelin, Toyo, and Yokohama. Wheels found that the MA-Z1 performed the best of all tires tested in wet braking and noise.
The MA-Z1 Victra’s superb performance on rain-soaked roads is a critical safety feature. According to Wheels: “Everyone in the tire game can tell you that wet-stopping ability is the number-one criterion for discerning tire buyers…Emergency stopping in the wet is the worst case motoring scenario in the minds of many. Success depends on several factors, but the biggest variable you can change is the tire.” Using cars driven at 70 km/h, each model was tested three times on a controlled wet surface, with the MA-Z1 Victra stopping in the shortest average distance. In its explanation of the test results, Wheels noted that “Interestingly, Maxxis was also the softest compound tested, which correlates well with its impressive wet-stop performance.”
Designed to provide a quiet ride along with its great performance, the MA-Z1 Victra’s noise levels were also lowest of the models tested. Wheels used a sound-pressure-level (dB) meter set to the dB scale to measure noise levels in three separate readings, with the MA-Z1 Victra rated the quietest.
The magazine rated the MA-Z1 Victra third overall. Wheels also tested 215/60R16 touring tires from the same nine companies, and ranked Maxxis’ MA-P1 fifth overall. The MA-P1 ranked second in the publication’s wet cornering tests for touring tires.