Mojo D5 and D2XX Tyres: Pressures, Management and Wear on the Rotax MAX
If you race karts with a Rotax MAX engine, you almost certainly run Mojo tyres: the D5 if you are in Senior MAX, DD2 or DD2 Masters, and the D2XX if you are in Junior MAX. They are the official tyres of the Rotax MAX Challenge in their respective classes: one of the most widespread one-make championships in the world. It is worth understanding them properly to get the most out of them.
In short Cold, Mojo D5 tyres run at 0.60 bar (±0.05) and D2XX at 0.65 bar (±0.05), measured with a kart gauge. Hot, at the end of a session, D5 tyres work between 0.80 and 0.85 bar. They still perform well beyond 80 laps and can be used up to about 150.
What Mojo D5 and D2XX tyres are
Mojo D5 and D2XX are slick tyres with no drainage grooves, like all dry-weather kart tyres. They are used on both the front and rear, in different sizes.
They are designed to last: not a qualifying tyre built for a few fast laps, but a race tyre that delivers consistent performance over longer periods. The compound is relatively hard: optimal grip comes after a few warm-up laps, not from the first metre.
D5 or D2XX? The D5 is the official tyre for Senior MAX, DD2 and DD2 Masters; the D2XX for Junior MAX. The fundamental technical characteristics (slick construction, pressure management, warm-up and wear) behave very similarly in both.
Warm-up: do not push in the first laps
In the first laps the tyres are still cold and grip is noticeably below its potential. The kart can feel imprecise, lines wider and brakes less effective. How many laps it takes to reach temperature depends on conditions: cold asphalt or low ambient temperatures make the warm-up longer, a hot day makes it shorter.
In the first laps: no harsh braking, no forced lines. Warm the tyres up progressively before pushing hard. It is one of the things we most often see done badly, and it is solved with the patience of a few laps.
Pressures: the parameter that changes everything
Pressure is the quickest and most accessible control you have over performance. A kart has no suspension to correct mistakes: pressure acts directly on the shape of the tyre, the contact patch with the asphalt and the stiffness of the carcass.
Lower pressure: more contact patch, more heat in the tyre, more mechanical grip. But if it is too low, the carcass deforms too much and performance gets worse.
Higher pressure: less contact patch, a cooler tyre, less mechanical grip. But more response and driving precision.
The correct cold pressure is 0.60 (±0.05) bar for the D5 (Senior MAX, DD2 and DD2 Masters) and 0.65 (±0.05) bar for the D2XX (Junior MAX). The hot pressure will be slightly higher: that is normal and expected.
Tyre | For | Cold pressure |
|---|---|---|
D5 | Senior, DD2, DD2 Masters | 0.60 bar (±0.05) |
D2XX | Junior | 0.65 bar (±0.05) |
C2 | Micro, Mini | 0.85 bar (±0.05) |
W5 | Wet, Junior, Senior, DD2 | 1.00 bar (±0.10) |
CW | Wet, Micro, Mini | 0.85 bar (±0.15) |
How to measure pressures correctly
Always measure cold, before going on track: that is your starting value for adjustment. When you come back in after the session, the tyres are hot and the pressure has risen: that is the moment to check it is in the optimal window.
Use a kart-specific gauge with fine graduations (0.01 bar), such as the Alfano TJR2 available in our shop: for the D5, hot at the end of a session, the optimal pressure is between 0.80 and 0.85 bar, and even a 0.05 bar difference can already be felt on track. Car tyre gauges are not precise enough.
Check all four tyres: small differences between the left and right side can affect the kart's balance in corners.
How many laps they last
Mojo D5 and D2XX tyres are built to last. How long they last depends a lot on the driver:
Beyond 80 laps: still good performance.
Up to about 150 laps: the surface compound wears and grip drops, but the tyre can still be used.
Wear depends on driving style (harsh braking and wheelspin wear tyres faster) and on running the right pressures.
How to read wear: a tyre that still performs has a slightly shiny, even surface. A worn tyre looks dull and uneven, with small balls of detached rubber (graining) in the most stressed areas.
Slick tyres and the wet
Mojo D5 and D2XX are slick tyres: not suitable for the wet. If the track is damp or raining, you use tyres with specific wet-weather grooves. Never run slicks on a wet track. For the wet, Rotax races use Mojo W5 tyres for Junior, Senior and DD2 (cold pressure 1.00 ±0.10 bar) and Mojo CW for Micro and Mini (0.85 ±0.15 bar).
Storage
Always store your tyres in dedicated tyre bags or, if you do not have them, in black bags: they must never be exposed to light. Keep them away from heat and ozone (not near electric motors or fluorescent lamps). In the right environment, both models (D5 and D2XX) keep well for the whole season.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct pressure for Mojo D5 and D2XX tyres?
Cold: 0.60 (±0.05) bar for the D5 and 0.65 (±0.05) bar for the D2XX, measured before going on track. Use a kart-specific gauge with 0.01 bar resolution, such as the Alfano TJR2: basic car gauges are not precise enough to detect meaningful differences. TKS RaceLab checks tyre pressures before every Arrive & Drive session.
How many laps do Mojo D5 tyres last?
It depends a lot on the driver: Mojo D5 tyres usually still perform well beyond 80 laps, then the surface compound wears and grip drops, but they can be used up to about 150 laps. Driving style has a big effect: harsh braking and wheelspin wear the tyre significantly faster. You will find Mojo D5 tyres in our shop.
How do you warm up Mojo D5 tyres correctly?
In the first laps the tyres are cold and grip is below its potential. Avoid harsh braking and forced lines until the compound is up to temperature. TKS RaceLab teaches this consistently: patience in the first laps means better performance for the whole session.
How should Mojo D5 tyres be stored between sessions?
Always in dedicated tyre bags or, alternatively, in black bags: they must never be exposed to light. Keep them away from heat and sources of ozone (electric motors, fluorescent lamps). In the right environment they keep well for the whole season. Yellowed tyres or tyres with a hardened surface have lost the original properties of the compound.
Want to manage your tyres properly at the track with the support of the TKS RaceLab team? With our Arrive & Drive programme you get the kart, the track and technical support from the TKS RaceLab team at Lonato, Franciacorta, Cremona and Ala. → Discover Arrive & Drive →
👉 To manage your Mojo pressures you will find the Alfano Tyrecontrol AIR gauge in our shop.
Conclusion
Tyres are the only point of contact between the kart and the asphalt. Managing them well (correct pressures, progressive warm-up, reading wear) makes the difference in both practice and racing.
Technical data checked against official Mojo specification sheets and the 2026 Rotax MAX Challenge technical regulations.
Questions about this topic?
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TKS RaceLab | Performance Engineering Karting | tksracelab.com
Read also: Kart maintenance: brakes, tyres and pre-race checks → · Rotax MAX EVO: classes and how to choose → · Kart geometry: caster, camber, toe and Ackermann →
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Author: Sergio, TKS RaceLab | Published: 11 June 2026 | Updated: 4 October 2026
TKS RaceLab is the Italian online store dedicated to karting: spare parts, accessories and everything you need to get on track. With Arrive & Drive you arrive at South Garda Karting (Lonato), Franciacorta, Cremona or Ala and find your kart ready to go. No hassle, just driving.
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