OK people...are those nice aftermarket aluminum rims that are available as strong and durable as steel rims. I would really like to have a set but am worried about durability when it comes to rocks and abrasives, i.e. sand & mud. I know the steel rims that I have currently have their fair share of dents and dings. Would the aluminum rims stand up to the abuse or are they more for less severe riding environments?

 

If your riding in sand, or groomed trails, aluminum is fine. But i bought steel, because 2 people i know got aluminum, and ride rough trails like i like to ride, and their tires leak air now because the rims have little dents all over them!! I definately will never buy aluminum rims.

 

Aluminum look great and is great to run down to the bait shop, but steel rims I feel make a lot more sense for the rocks and mud. They have about the same durability, but they can be straightened a whole lot easier and if you ruin one they are a lot cheaper to replace.

 

well, i had alum factory rims on my 800 and the wife had steel rims on her 450 riding in the same place over the same rocky ground and we have about the same amount of dings and dents w/ no problems. i now have itp tpye 7 and going thru the same area w/out any problems as of yet.

 

I have the 06 limited edition sportsman, let me just say I will never buy another ride with bling bling for wheels and think its a good deal.

Steel is the way to go. The sides of the ally provides a lot more surface area around the nice fake beeds. Every scrub tends to burn away more ally.. I am pretty safe in saying my rims are like butter for collecting shaves and scratches and dings.

Won't be long before my tires leak against this stuff.

.02

but hey they sure make the bike look nice. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Thanks for the honest replies, especially Dutch cuz we live only a few hours away from each other and would ride the same types of terrain. I have been looking at them cuz they look so darn nice but I can't see where they would be as good as plain old steel. Anyway it looks like new, shiny & pretty is not always the way to go.

 

Steel is the only way to go if you ride terrain with rocks. I know a guy with an 89 Fourtrax that the the rims are nearly square and they still hold air. I have some dings in my rims from riding with the factory rubber but since I went to the 10x12(front) 12x12(rear) Mudlites they are very protected. I do appreciate the look of the alloys but I will always have steel on my bikes.

 

It all depends on what tires you are going to use. I have a set of the original itp aluminum wheels with a set of 27" itp 589's on them. i have had them on my 2002 HO since new-over 1700 miles, rough, rocky, muddy northeast terrain and never a flat or hardly even a scratch on one of the bead areas. it all comes down to the sidewall and the stiffness of the tires carcass to protect the rim. radials have no sidewall stiffness what so ever and allow any obstacle to contact the rim, firm 6 ply bias tires like the 589's will take all of the impact without bulging inward. i have had mine against large rocks and the tires have kept the rims away from danger.

 

I agree with the tires being the culprit. In my case the bike has the nasty old 2ply junk on there and twice I have rode a rim because of it. I would love to see a 6ply on the same rim to see what happens. Now that I have heard this comment I might be forced to rethink my position.


cheers
d

 

Buy the rubber Dutch and let me know how it works out...but seriously I would like some of these aluminum rims as they look great and if it means some tires, well I guess that won't kill me either.