MRF Masseter Tyres Road Test Review

Riding on a daily basis on Mumbai streets was where the actual test was. The Masseters were sticker than any tyres used on the Apache by far; the control and feedback offered by the Masseters stood way beyond expectations. Being aware of the potholes situation in Mumbaim most of us try to dodge the potholes rather than slowing down as we are in haste but we barely make it due to the lack of grip and braking feed. However, once the Masseters had hooked on to the rims, this wasn’t the case, the tyres respond as if they were an extension of your body, putting you in charge of the bike. Due to grip offered by the soft compound, the braking was phenomenal and cutting through traffic was never this smooth. I fell in love with the tyres from day one itself.

The tyres are quick to response and adhere to throttle. Even on sudden change from tar to concrete, the tyres wouldn’t stop giving optimum performance which most tyres fail to cope up with. Being bikers, there is more to us than just dogging potholes. As we all know, bikers always tend to lane filter in traffic which often introduces us to off-roading, sidewalks and jumping on and off potholes. Well, doing so we make our getaway but sometimes with minor cost such as slips, flat tyres or most commonly eroding more rubber from the tyre. However, the Masseters showed me a different picture; being of soft compound, the tyres did grip well but surprisingly the bonding of the rubber was so good that I haven’t faced a single puncture yet. Surprised? So was I. Well, that definitely shows that those 7 years of R&D weren’t for nothing. The Masseter surely qualifies for the city.

In spite of being soft compound, the Masseters aren’t prone to punctures

The second test was the wet grip of the tyres but the question was, would they still stick the same way on wet conditions? Well, the timing was such that rains had already begun in Mumbai and like we all know, when it rains here it means business. Most tyres tend to give away during the rains but the Masseters held up to their mark, not only on wet patches but on completely wet stretches too. The grooves cut in the tyres played a vital role in jetting the water out and allowing the rubber to maintain contact with the road. When riding with these tyres, one can actually feel safe because of the stability offered in such conditions. Even on braking hard on wet patches, the bike wouldn’t wobble but instead maintain its line and slow down, allowing the brakes to do their part of the job.

By now the Masseters have done around 2500 kms and have performed well in the city. But something was still lacking. We wanted to know if it had the pure wanderer spirit. So it was time to test it beyond city limits like a true biker. I got my gear on, saddled my luggage and headed to Kanyakumari, all solo. The route taken was Mumbai – Pune – Bangalore – Kanyakumari. The initial stretch up to Pune was quick and easy as the Masseters did their job on each curve on the old Mumbai – Pune highway. Even with luggage on, the Masseters gave complete confidence without a single hitch. As I took my first halt at Pune after the Ghats, there were bare chicken strips on the rubber. I had that proud moment every biking enthusiast has after completing the Ghats and now it was time to head on the highway.

While cruising at speeds between 110 km/hr to a max of 130 km/hr, the tyres held steady throughout. However, with the long continuous stretches, there was a slight temporary deformation in the rubber but that did not stop them from offering the same performance or give away to any sort of braking issue. While braking hard on the highway, despite the luggage and weight transferring to the front, the Masseters took the entire braking load without any hassle, slowing the motorcycle in a very calm fashion. Similarly even in damp conditions, there was no fuss with braking inputs. The only downside with the Masseters was that the tyres create a whizzing sound on open highways.

On reaching Kanyakumari, to my surprise some of the local roads were made of dirt and gravel. But irrespective of the rough terrain there were no cuts, scrapes or any sort of puncture, though it wasn’t any different on my way back. Every layer of rubber in there functioned like it was built to do the same work. After riding for about 6000 odd kms, anyone would expect wear in such tyres but the Masseters never fail to surprise! With minimal wear, the tyres surely have a long way to go unlike any other soft compound tyres. Considering the price and features; introducing the Masseters has been a real game changer for MRF.