We are a sucker for a well-rounded performer when it comes to tires. We are spoiled for choice these days as well; there are a ton of fantastic options when it comes to choosing the right rubber for your UTV. STI’s Chicane RX has been around for a few years now, but the company often refines a tire’s carcass design and tread pattern when gearing up to release a new size. This is exactly what it did with the new 31 x 10R-14 Chicane RX.
The differences are not immediately noticeable—in fact, placing them side by side with a 30 x 10R-14 Chicane RX, they are only very slightly taller. Some of the tread blocking has been altered slightly and the tire is a hair narrower than the 30, says STI. It weighs 0.6 pound more than the 30-inch tire, at 38.0 pounds. That’s not bad—we have weighed 28-inch tires that were heavier than these 31s.
The Chicane RX has a rounded tread profile that makes for incredibly smooth rolling and eases up the steering feel compared to some of the wider, flatter tires out there. The Chicane bites well on hardpack and loose desert floor, with incredibly predictable side bite that seems to communicate to the driver telepathically when it is about to reach its limits of adhesion. It isn’t the best in sand at higher pressures (above 15 psi), but if you’re running around the 13–14 psi mark, it has no problem slinging roost when terrain changes on the trail. The eight-ply carcass is fairly puncture resistant, but it isn’t bulletproof.
The Chicane RX is non-directional and DOT approved for on-road use where permitted. They have been proven, with multiple top-10 finishes in the BITD UTV classes and a fourth in class finish at the Baja 500 with the Rustfish Racing UTV team. The split knobs give great traction and compliance without chunking, and the long, wraparound side lugs grip extremely well in rutted or loose soil corners.
STI makes the Chicane in seven sizes from 26 inches to 32 inches, and they are available for 12, 14, and 15-inch wheels. The 31 x 10R-14 tires shown here routinely go for around $155 a piece. You can find more information and sizing at stipowersports.com.
