Bear Claw tires
Jun 18, 2002 | 07:43 PM
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Trailblazer
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This is a copy of a letter I just sent to Kenda regarding their Bear Claw tires and awaiting their reply. Maybe some of you can shed some light on this for me.
............
I just purchased some new Bear Claw tires for my 2001 Yamaha Kodiak. They were recommended through different web sites and coversations with other owners. The tread pattern looks impressive, although I have not had an opportunity to try them out yet.
I installed 26x9-12 frt and 26x12-12 rr on new 12x7 ITP "Delta" steel wheels.
I have a couple of concerns. Firstly, I can not seem to get a straight answer to what ply rating they have. Some distributors catalogues indicate 4 ply, some 6 ply, your web-site indicates 6 ply for all sizes.
The tires themselves show 6 P.R. on the 26x9-12, and 4 P.R. on the 26x12-12. Is this the ply rating? If so why the difference between sizes and why does your web site indicate differently?
I also have a concern about the ......."Built rim guard protects your wheel from dings and dents while also preventing dirt from wedging between the tire and rim." The rear 26x12-12 has very good rim protection due to the design of the tire mold. The rubber extends out past the wheel rim lip providing real protection for the rim. The front 26x9-12 however, provides zero protection for the rim. The rim actually sticks out past the tire....worse in fact than the cheap stock 2 ply tire set up. There is no built in rim protection at all.
The front tire is the one which tends to take more abuse as the rear more or less follows along in the same path. Why would the smaller sized front tire be molded in such a way to provide less rim protection than the larger rear sizes? Why does your web site information not indicate that there is a diffence between sizes.
I was very much looking forward to doing some riding with the new tires. I am now however, concerned and somewhat disappointed that I will be catching and bending the front rims on rocks and logs more than ever.
I look forward to your response.
............
I just purchased some new Bear Claw tires for my 2001 Yamaha Kodiak. They were recommended through different web sites and coversations with other owners. The tread pattern looks impressive, although I have not had an opportunity to try them out yet.
I installed 26x9-12 frt and 26x12-12 rr on new 12x7 ITP "Delta" steel wheels.
I have a couple of concerns. Firstly, I can not seem to get a straight answer to what ply rating they have. Some distributors catalogues indicate 4 ply, some 6 ply, your web-site indicates 6 ply for all sizes.
The tires themselves show 6 P.R. on the 26x9-12, and 4 P.R. on the 26x12-12. Is this the ply rating? If so why the difference between sizes and why does your web site indicate differently?
I also have a concern about the ......."Built rim guard protects your wheel from dings and dents while also preventing dirt from wedging between the tire and rim." The rear 26x12-12 has very good rim protection due to the design of the tire mold. The rubber extends out past the wheel rim lip providing real protection for the rim. The front 26x9-12 however, provides zero protection for the rim. The rim actually sticks out past the tire....worse in fact than the cheap stock 2 ply tire set up. There is no built in rim protection at all.
The front tire is the one which tends to take more abuse as the rear more or less follows along in the same path. Why would the smaller sized front tire be molded in such a way to provide less rim protection than the larger rear sizes? Why does your web site information not indicate that there is a diffence between sizes.
I was very much looking forward to doing some riding with the new tires. I am now however, concerned and somewhat disappointed that I will be catching and bending the front rims on rocks and logs more than ever.
I look forward to your response.
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