[bc]

Picked up my new Griz a week ago and I'm having a blast getting used to it. Plan to add some wheels and new tires eventually. I see there are lots of options.

Can someone help me out with some tire basics info. I see alot of you have switched to a 27" mudlight tire. What's the pros and cons of different tire size/tread type. 90% of my riding will be in rocky trails/dry dirt around the Phoenix area. What would be some good tires for this type of riding?

Thanks much.
BC

 

[blue_grizzly_04]

BC,

Welcome to the site and congrats on your new machine. I would suggest a good radial tire for the type of terrain you will be riding there. Rocky trails/dry dirt would not require an agressive tread tire. Where I am from, there is a wide variety of combinations of trails,ie. rocks, mud, deep ruts, snow, ice, etc. So I have the 26" Mudlites and before that I had the 26" Titan 589's which are good tires for the trails here. Have you checked out the ITP Holeshot ATR's? Or even the Bighorn's would be a great tire also for that type of trails.

I would check out the Holeshot ATR's and the Bighorn Radials. I don't know if they come in 27", but a 26" tire is sufficient enough as far as I am concerned.

 

[marine]

I agree ith blue_grizzly in that the bighorn radials would be my first choice. They now offer a 26" and even 27" tire size. I would get the 26" tire just to have a little more ground clerance but I am not used to riding anything but muddy, rocky, technical stuff and not much trail/sand stuff. So, you need to decide if you want more GC. The radial idea is deffinitly something to consider for your type of riding though..

 

[doolin64]

I haven't read much on them, but I'd personally reccomend the stock 26" tires that come on the artic cats. They are Goodyear MTR tires. I run the same on my full size truck for rockcrawling. They are great for gripping rocks in both dry and slick applications. They're great in the dirt and are an adquate mud tire. For around here where I ride, I'll most likely go with the Mudlights, but if I lived and road where you do, I'd use the Goodyears. They're proven in the competition rockcrawling circuit.


Koko

 

[doolin64]

The weird thing is that I just checked the Goodyear webiste and do not see them listed under their ATV tires. But if you click this link and scroll around on the bike you will see the tires I'm talking about.

http://www.arcticcat.com/atvs/lineups/thecore.asp?y=41&c=utility&m=642

 

[xtremegrizz]

BC,

Me and my wife both have the 25" ITP ATR's. We ride in about the same counditions as you, rocky, hard pack, gravel, and sometimes we see the mud. So far I love the ATR's in trail conditions they track real good and give a nice smooth ride. For the rocks the provide excelent traction and could not ask for more.

As for the size I chose the 25" because I am not much of a mudder(on a trip to WI in sept they performed great in the mud I was in) so I was not real interested in ground clearence. Do like to do alot of rock crawling and such but that is why I have full alum. skid plates. So went with the stock size to keep the gear ratio as close to stock as possible.

Bighorn radials I have no first hand expercience with but I have herd them to be a great tire also.

 

[bc]

Thanks much to all for your help. This is a great forum. I've been doing my homework. Leaning toward the HoleShot atr's. Pictures coming!

BC

 

[sneutel]

Hi BC,

I have been riding on Maxxiss Bighorn Radials for 6 months now, the same size as the OEM dunflops 25". I have found them to be superb tyres!! soft ride, strong 6 ply rating, and they look great too!!
I ride trails, rocks and sand. I have put a container of slime in each tyre. When I replace tyres, I will replace with the same, perhaps just upsize to the 26"'s

 

[blue_grizzly_04]

Hey Beast, how are the boot covers working out for you? And your Grizzly sure does look great!

 

[wildbarry]

Xtremegrizz,

How do the ITP ATR's compare to the stock tires for weight? Are they really heavy?

 

[xtremegrizz]

Not real sure on the weight difference between the two. Did not really pay too much attention but I know they do way a little more but not much if I remember. I did get at the same time the C-Series rims also.

Mike

Here is a pic of my wifes with the ATR's(More in my profile if you want to take a look).

 

[blue_grizzly_04]

Your wife's Grizzly looks great with the ATR's. If I ever get rid of my Mudlites that's what I will be going with ATR's. They must ride great being a radial tire. The Lites ride really good and I wonder what a radial must ride like.

 

[xtremegrizz]

Blue_grizzly;

Wife says thanks...lol The tires do ride great, I can't say enoough about them. The only one complant I have and not really a complant just nit picking now is that one of the trails we ride in WI is a old railroad grade that has been graveled for the trail and these tires sure do pick up the rocks and tend to beat the underside of the fenders. On the bright side they keep them clean..lol

 

[sneutel]

Hey Blue Grizzly,

Thanks I appreciate tthe compliment!

Those Boot gaurds are driving me to drink!!
Well not really, only one of them is driving me crazy.
I did as you said...

Took wheels off...

Fitted them according to stickers, inners/outers....

Velcro wraps to the back (sticks cant tear open)

Cable ties inside the groove...

Pulled tight.....

Yey when I ride, the front left, outer, (next to wheel) breaks loose when I turn.

Now I did notice that on the right one, the cable tie can feed into the boot into a hem. YET on the left equivalent one, the cable tie goes through a series of holes, (like stiching) about 1cm from the edge.

Tonight I will try to fix again (5th time), this time I am going to find one at the back that looks right and move it to the front!!

 

[blue_grizzly_04]

Beast,

You have them mixed up from what you just discribed. The covers with the "hem" are for the "inner cv" and the cover with the "stitching" like you say, is for the "outer cv". I had mine backwards when I first installed them and they would end up falling off. Now that I reinstalled them they have yet to come off even during sharp turning.

 

[sneutel]

Hey Blue Grizzly,

Dont say that!!!!
My head ache is getting worse now!!!
the one with the "stitching" is the one that comes loose!!!!
the one with the hem holds fast.
I am referring only to the "outer CV's (ie next to the wheel)

WHAT DO I DO NOW??????????????????????

 

[blue_grizzly_04]

Well if you have the cover with the "stiching" on the outer cv, that is indeed where it goes on the cv boot. The "hem" ones are on the inner cv and they shouldn't really come loose(they don't turn) but the outer covers will work loose when turning if they aren't mounted properly. I really pulled the zip-tie tight with pliers when the cover is in the first convolute of the boot. I hope you can figure it out before it drives you to drink!

 

[coolraul]

I have been riding on 28 in outlaws for 2 1/2 years with no problems.

 

[coolraul]

Here is another shot of my 02 griz with the 28's.

 

[sneutel]

Hey Blue Grizzly,

I took a look at the CV boot covers last night, I do not know if it is a good or bad thing?????
The reason to front left came loose was that the cable tie, snapped!!

So I just replaced it, refitted it, and will try it out on the trail on Saturday.

Perhaps I don't have to resort to drink!!!