Vague front-end feel, crappy handling, the dreaded sound of hissing air, or just the “flop-flop-flop” of a tire desperately trying to find its way off the rim. A flat tire isn’t the end of the world, but it’s a significant obstacle if you don’t have an easy means to remove a wheel in order to patch or swap an inner tube. For experienced woods riders, a solution is merely a stick or a log away… but for the dual-sport and adventure crowd, sometimes finding a feasible solution to prop up the bike in a gas station parking lot is a challenge; at least not without offending the proprietor. Fortunately, Tirox has been working on a solution to this problem for several years, and the new Snapjack X-trail motorcycle trail stand is now available.

In the interest of transparency, I’ve had a standing relationship with Tirox for many years now. When the owner of Tirox was working on this new stand, we had several conversations regarding the design, so to some degree I may have had a (very) minor influence on the final product. All this to say, I have received a free X-trail stand to test. Albeit, I’ve been testing and helping to develop this product for a couple years now, I believe in the product, but I also recognize I have a bias. That said, I think the results speak for themselves.

How does a trail stand work?

In the absence of a lift, “paddock” or “pit” stand, the Xtrail works like a secondary kickstand as a way to lift a wheel off the ground to clean a chain or remove a wheel. If removing the rear wheel, a strap is used to lock the front brake, with the kickstand down, the rider pushes the bike over slightly on the kickstand, lifting the right side of the motorcycle, and placing the trail stand under the bike in a secure location. Ultimately, a trail stand makes use of a single wheel and the kick-stand to form a stable “tri-pod”.  

Why do I need a trail stand?

Per the comments above, tossing your bike over a log and finding a hardy stick is a feasible solution for removing a wheel on the trail. However, it’s more convenient to pull off a wheel and change a tire, wherever you want to. The X-trail packs easily in a pannier or a tool tube that can be fitted to your bike, behind your pannier rack, or even on your gear. The X-trail also includes a reliable means of locking the front wheel and even a reusable zip tie to hold the stand to the bike if needed. Unlike a “stick” the intent of the X-trail is to hold the bike stable so you can do the work to the bike with less fear of it toppling over.

What makes the X-Trail special

Trail stands aren’t exactly new. There are threads on ADV Rider where folks have disassembled a crutch and packed the telescopic part in the pannier bag. At this point, there are multiple aftermarket trail stands available for dual-sport bikes. That said, the X-trail is specifically designed to focus on strength, stability, and flexibility. A stick or a crutch will pivot and rotate if the bike moves. If the front tire isn’t planted, if the soil shifts, or if you rock the bike too much when wiggling the wheel out, the “third leg” of the tripod pivots, and if you’re lucky, the bike just gets “lower” and you’re not wearing it. The X-Trail’s foot is a serrated fixed platform, intended to keep the bike in a fixed position, despite standing in sand or mud. The X-Trail’s “hook” is also designed to be used in multiple positions, offering solutions for removing either the front or the back wheel, and also being useful on a wider range of motorcycles.

What’s my experience with the X-trail?

I easily spend 50% of my time riding solo, including dual-sport and even strict dirt riding. Self-reliance and redundancy tend to be priorities when riding solo. The X-trail is small enough that it could feasibly be attached directly to the bike to save space, but in my case, a tool tube is the preferred solution for transportation. Along with the X-trail, I also pack a patch kit, zip-ties, spare wire, and some fuses in the tool tube, then leave them on the bike all the time. In 2021 I spent a week living off the back of my CRF250L; during that week I realized I needed to make a tire change. I stopped at Rocky Mountain ATV one afternoon and changed both tires in the parking lot using the X-trail. It’s also been invaluable on a handful trail rides, making a trailside flat repair a minor event. There are other solutions available, including “free ones” in nature, but it’s a cheap insurance policy that works about anywhere.

Where can I get an Xtrail?

The Tirox X-Trail is available from a number of online retailers, comes with a lifetime warranty, and will set you back around $60. You can also find out more at TiroxProducts.com.