Tire choice by condition - pattern and compound before pressure

Pressure fine-tunes; the right carcass/pattern/compound is the step change. Pressure bands per category live in tire-pressure-reference-values.

MX/Enduro: terrain picks the pattern

• Soft/sand: open paddle-style pattern, tall knobs (e.g. Dunlop MX12/MX33-soft class, Pirelli MX32 Mid-Soft on loam). Scoop beats compound here.
• Intermediate: the default - MX33/MX34, Scorpion MX32 Mid Soft. Most OEMs ship this class (KTM 2025: MX34; Ducati/Stark: MX32).
• Hard pack/blue groove: harder casing, shorter knobs (MX34-hard class, Scorpion Mid Hard); add 0.1 bar for knob stability.
• Enduro: FIM-homologated soft casings (Maxxis MaxxEnduro FIM on the Beta RR) at low pressure - mousse or inserts below ~0.8 bar.

Supermoto: compound is the temperature window

Racetec SM compounds: K1/K2-style split is about TRACK TEMPERATURE, not lap time - cold days need the soft/cold compound or the tire never switches on. Pressure window 1.5-1.8 bar cold; warmers recommended on cold days rather than dropping pressure further.

Track (sbk): three tire worlds, three pressure logics

Slicks (hot-target logic, rear lower than front), treaded track tires (similar, slightly higher), rain tires (their OWN spec - NOT lower than slicks; the tread must stay open to evacuate water). Crossover mistake to avoid: running slick pressures on rain tires.

The one-sentence rule

Pick the pattern for the terrain, the compound for the temperature, then let pressure do the last 10 percent.