Hi Guys. I know there has been a pile and likely many more to come topics on ATV tires. I have an 05 sportsman 400 which will be needing (wanting) some new tires soon, but I have no clue which ones to get. Money (wife) will have some say on this, if they didn't I would be getting the Mud Lite XTR's. Also I don't want a very heavy tire so the Zilla's are out. Staying with stock size as well. I stumbled accross on eBay some swamp lite's that look good, Anyone heard anything on these. Another tire I was thinking about were the mud lites. They seem light, inexpensive and lots of quads out there have em. Typical terrain I ride on is a bit of everything other than rocky. Hardpacked with sand and plenty of mud! Any info will be greatly appreciated.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: behindredeyes

Hi Guys. I know there has been a pile and likely many more to come topics on ATV tires. I have an 05 sportsman 400 which will be needing (wanting) some new tires soon, but I have no clue which ones to get. Money (wife) will have some say on this, if they didn't I would be getting the Mud Lite XTR's. Also I don't want a very heavy tire so the Zilla's are out. Staying with stock size as well. I stumbled accross on eBay some swamp lite's that look good, Anyone heard anything on these. Another tire I was thinking about were the mud lites. They seem light, inexpensive and lots of quads out there have em. Typical terrain I ride on is a bit of everything other than rocky. Hardpacked with sand and plenty of mud! Any info will be greatly appreciated.</end quote></div>

I did alot of research on tires etc and like the ones that I have. I run different tires on the front as apposed to the rear for a specific reason. (Check my pictures out and I also explain a little as to the reason for different tires on front and rear). Very reasonable on price too. I have the links where I bought them too.
I have 1" tread depth on a 25" tire. Not to brag, but I put a Grizz with 27x12x12 Mud Lites on all fours to shame this weekend in the mud and he left quite embarassed and with his tail between his legs. Although he did do a great wheelie leaving. The wide light tires defeated him. Had he had heavy narrow tires he would have breezed right through. Even with his 27" tires I still had about 1" ground clearance advantage.

 

Unless you plan on having some extra agressive, extra deep (1.5"-2" or more) lugged tires that can have floatation and paddle through the mud then consider this.

You can't go without traction. You need to sink down to the stuff that can give you grip. Narrow heavy tires, steel wheels, and heavy machines push the tires down to the more solid ground. Too light, too wide will only do a lot of floating and spinning.

Theory is, once you go over the top of your tires they want to float. I have seen light machines with big wide light tires and alloy wheel almost swept down stream in water. The same principle applies to mud. So you either have to be so agressive as to paddle or you have to sink to get traction. Anything inbetween you'll be 'up the creek without a paddle and leave with your ego dammaged'.

 

swamp lites i hear are pretty good tires and are as light or lighter then the mud lites.

 

i say the kenda bear claws not as light but they look good and r agressive.

 

I would suggest Gators. I'm planning on getting some for my trailboss. I know my brother can go through some nasty stuff with his diesel and it's equipped with them on front.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Legendary

I would suggest Gators. I'm planning on getting some for my trailboss. I know my brother can go through some nasty stuff with his diesel and it's equipped with them on front.</end quote></div>

Gators are fine if all you do is mud. They stink on rocks and wet logs, absolutely bomb out in sand, worthless in snow. Can't grip hard pack surfaces, grass, leafs, pine-needles etc. They also don't handle faster riding on dirt roads well. And they are not smooth over the trails. If you have a lot of money and can afford two sets of wheels and tires then yea, get a set to run mud with, get another set of tires for everything else.

 

hey,

these are the tires i put on my xplorer 400...

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/...834&leafCatId=&mmyId=


i really like them... they are 6-ply.... so the handle rocks and are really tough..... the handle mud really well also.... the are a good all around trail tire....

$250 for 4 of them shipped from Dennis kirk

Made my BKT Wing

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: truckermatt

hey,



these are the tires i put on my xplorer 400...



<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/tpl/tire/atvtireproduct.jsp;jsessionid=GVKZ3PTQHZ3VPLA0WTKS M4VMDK0NCIV0?skuId=652882&store=Main&catId=108&pro ductId=p652834&leafCatId=&mmyId=
">http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/...afCatId=&mmyId=
</a>


i really like them... they are 6-ply.... so the handle rocks and are really tough..... the handle mud really well also.... the are a good all around trail tire....



$250 for 4 of them shipped from Dennis kirk



Made my BKT Wing</end quote></div>

Wings are a good tire, a very similar tread is the Duro Buffalo maybe a tad more agressive, and less restrictive side lugs..
Picture of them.
http://www.tiresunlimited.com/...es/duro/DI2010BUFF.jpg

 

i like the wings because they have nice side tread.... which helps...