Seems like this is a never ending topic. Anyway I have read all of the posts but want to get a few more details. I posted this on the tire forum but would like to get the opinion of a few Cat owners as they have the same problems with handeling as I have.

Im getting ready to get new tires and Im split between the Bearclaws and the Mudlites. I do most of my riding on trails with a mix of hardpack, loose rock, soft dirt, sharp burried rock outcroppings and of course some mud holes. I have been reading and I think either of these tires will be much better than stock and fit my needs as far as traction.

I have stock 25" tires on my 04 AC500i auto. If I go with the ITP Mudlights I think I will go to a 26" tire so that I can get a little deeper tread. These tires are lite enough that I should not have a lot of power loss going up one size. However the Kenda Bearclaws are getting good reports as well and seem to be a much more durable tire from what Ive read. They are heavier so I would probably need to stay with a 25" tire to keep the weight down.

Now for the question, does anyone know what the tread depth is on the 25" and the 26" Kenda Bearclaw? Also the pictures make the bearclaw look like a flater (across the face of the tread surface) tire than the mudlite. The mudlite looks more rounded and I already have a problem with the big cat leaning into corners. They both seem to hook up great but does anyone have any comments on the cornering or handeling of these two tires.

Thanks Guys,

 

For the conditions you mention, I would go Bearclaw all the way. Very tough tire with a flatter surface for better handling on hard surfaces, but has very good mud ability. A pure mud tire is pretty poor handling on hard surfaces. In our group we have one fella with Mudlites and he has had more flats this year than I've had in 10.

 

Thanks for that info, In this part of the country durability is a big plus.

Still looking for info on the 25" Bearclaw tread depth.

 

i have a few freinds that have bear claws on there quads and thay work ok but if you want a tire thats going to take you through anything then i would get the gators.
i had them on my 03 500 cat and thay lasted for ever i put 2600 miles on them and thay hardly wore at all. plus there a 6 ply tire
if your not worryed about the weight then go with the 26" gator there a way better tire then the bear claw.
and thay have a bigger tread then the claw also.
and the gators are great in the snow hard pack roads and in the mud thay are almost untouchable.
also i have 26" mudlites on my new rubicon and there a sweet tire also i havent had any troubles with them yet and thay are just as good in the mud as the gators but not in the snow.
the gators are a flat and wide where as the mud lites are a rounded tire witch makes them dig instead of riding on top of the snow like the gator.

 

ps. i just put some pics of the cat in action.
check them out.
thay should be up soon.

 

I had the same problem when i was grtting new tires. I went with the titen 589's they do realy good for tracion. I was going to get the mud lites. but anything is better then stock.

 

Here in the Flint Hills of NE Kansas there is a lot of things to screw up a tire. All of the hills are made of sharp flint rock or flat limestone and boy do we have a lot of hedge trees (Osage Orge) and Locust Trees. So I need to figure that in as well. Also I was out again this weekend and there was not near as much mud so Im thinking mud is going to be about 20% of my riding at best. So Im going to lean toward a tire that will work good in soft and hard dirt and be able to get over rocks and gravel then have fair to good mudding ability when needed.

Thanks for all of the input

 

Gators

 

had 26 in bearclaws on my rincon and they were good, but i was not happy with the rincon
i now have 27 mudlites on a 04 650 and most of the riding is 50\50 mud and hard pack and some rock and lots of muskeg. they ride fine on hard ground and i can go further in the muskeg than the grizzly with 26 bearclaws

 

If you plan on mud being a top priority, the other tires are the way to go. If you are going to do the majority of your riding on trails, I would get Bear Claws. They are far better for trails than any of the mud tires, regardless of what you will hear about Mudlites. Mudlites are just better on trails than the bigger MUD oriented tires. No mud tire will touch a trail tire on trails, much the same as the trail tires don't even compare in the mud.