Originally Posted by YLLIB

Hello Chet, I am not sure what you’re talking about but I will chime in since I represent Matrix USA.
First I will not go out and say Matrix tires are better than any other company, but I will tell you by the results that are proven from Matrix Tires, they have been winning a lot of Major event around the world. So let me explain to you since you had asked and what I have read on other topic forums from your statements.
All the companies that import or manufacture tires are very good and close to equal performance. A lot of the time the wheel plays into that factor of performance. Most of the companies’ get there foam from a few companies around the world that is no secret. Most of the time if the tire and wheel combo works well, they will sale.
But this what does play a factor in the r/c business, everybody thinks that all the companies are making lots of money selling product and thinks this industry is huge, it not, it’s a small industry and everybody hears everything people are saying. In the industry you have friends, loyalist, inventory, customer service and pricing that is what comes down to purchasing tires for racing.

Friends:
1) Friends will usually run what their friends run, that will last for a while and sometimes change after a driver tries another company out, but that depends on how much the race gets involved.

Loyalist:
loyalist racers just will stay with a company because of their kindness and the help that they have given or shown a driver from the start. Yes a driver will leave a company when they have the opportunity to get sponsored from other companies to enhance their racing carrier, but all companies understand that will happen in r/c racing, just leave on a good note and do not jump ship all the time or you might not have the opportunity to come back.

Inventory:
you better have them in stock all the time to sell or you might as well close shop.

Customer Service:
Customer service, this is getting bigger and more important than ever in the r/c business. But if your customer service is terrible, then you will not last long or you will lose customers.

Pricing:
Pricing is getting so important it crazy. All the tire companies are truly not making much at all, most companies are selling so cheap to sell tires if it keeps going the way it is, we all will be buying tires from out of the country and I can tell you, it will be a lot more expensive than you guys can ever imagine.

So Chet, here is the deal about what is a good set of tires. First, if the tire companies cannot make a good rim that holds up to the end user, the tires will not sell no matter how good the foam is. At the price of tires, they have to hold up to most every style of drivers, that is why they make a standard, carbon and light weight rim, yes that is for performance, but some of those types of wheels are not for the average or beginner drivers. So let’s say there is only 6 companies in the world that make wheels and tires and 5 of the 6 companies only make LW wheels and 1 company manufactures standard wheels, I guarantee the company the makes the standard wheels would be the biggest seller, just because of the amount of abuse the wheel can take, not when the foam rips, that is another story.
The standard set of tires and wheels will sell better because of 85% percent of the drivers are not like the top 15% of the top drivers, the 85% of us crash more and in general the first thing that hits the wall is the tire and wheel. If we are putting out $25.00 for every time we get out on the track and crashed one time and the wheel cracks, we would get out of the hobby because we could not afford to race.

So I say support the company you want to support and don't worry about who says what and what is better, we all have a different driving style and some tires and wheels suit each driver differently.

All the USA tire importers work really hard and put out a ton of money to carry tires, support what company you like and do not worry about the BS.

American Touring car champs race, how good is your buddy, what are you asking?
The race was WON by Scotty Barnes on Matrix Tires, how good is he, pretty dam good, is that what your asking? MATRIX WON.

I had to go into detail because I have seen you post on other tire topics about the same questions or concerns.

Thanks Billy