I rode my 650 V2 05 pretty good this weekend...and I really noticed how hard it is to stear is there anyway to make it any easier?

On the slower trails and hard turns it where I noticed it the most?

Or is this something i'm going to have to get use to?

 

Stay out of 4 wheel drive and check the air pressure in the front tires. Make sure they are aired up to spec. Also check front end alignment.

 

A set of bias ply tires will really help that problem. That's just a natural thing with the stock radial tires, even though aftermarket radials aren't as bad.

 

Cruff, My 650 steered extremely hard. Running about 7-8 lbs of air in the front helped some. I don't know if you are riding Windrock or not, but I put a set of bighorns on mine and Windrock was the first place I rode. I could not believe the difference a set of tires could make. I heard a lot of guys saying this with the 650's, now I know what they were talking about.

 

My '05 400 steered like a truck without powersteering when I first got it. Both front tires had 3 psi in them, and 5 psi solved half the problem. Checked the alignment which was toed out. Changed to 1/8" and the rest of the steering problem was solve. I wasn't aware of any radial being harder to steer than a bias ply tire unless the set up wrong. Every article I have read says that installing radials improves handle a bunch. So radial being harder to steer is not natural. Where do you get this stuff?

 

First hand knowledge. The stock tires really have a soft sidewall, thus allowing the tire patch to grab ahold of whatever is under it. When you turn the handlebars, the tire is twisting in the sidewall before the tire moves on the ground. I do like the tires when riding on rocks, and I use mine when at ATV pulls, they work great. But they do make turning harder then my Bugs. Once I installed the Bugs, it was like adding power steering. As for the other aftermarket radials, I'm only going by hear-say, I haven't tried any of them, but there's plenty of reports out there. Your right about having the front end in line. Out of proper toe will make it handle tough. As for reports on tires, I believe most of the ATV reports I assume your refering to, are for aftermarket tires. As I said, the aftermarket tires are said to handle better then the stock ones do. Again, I haven't tried any others, but almost any of the boards will tell you they prefer the aftermarket radials. Once my stockers arew worn out, I plan on replacing them with HoleShot ATR's, maybe the MTR's. It could also be the tire itself. The 650's run the Goodyear tire. I believe you have a set of Carlisle's on yours. Could be just the difference in the tire. I've heard alot of complaints on the 650 tires turning hard, but not so much from the other machines.

 

I still have the stockers on mine and at 5 psi the sidewalls are not an issue. if bias tires were so damn good for handling radials would never have come on the market. Every race car that goes around corners uses radials because they handle better. I've ridden several after market tired rigs I felt no difference and I have done enough racing to know about handling. The XTR's on mine work very well, which makes no sense to me is why AC would not use as good a tire on the rest of their machines.

 

well I have to agree, get a good set of 6ply tires, they make a world of difference, you'll notice the difference in your arms. Even stock tires at 5psi are still soft they are great for trail riding but if you want to get more agressive you'll need 6ply or atleast I did. The first thing I did on my 05 400 was loose the tires but the 650 does have a different tire setup.

 

Get a set of Bighorns...

 

Put MORE air in the front tires... it will help the handling too..., it will stop the sidewalls from turning under..., giving you a sensation of a push (going strainght) in the front with dipping (front nose-diving) I run 9 to 10 lbs of pressure in the front and even in 4wheel drive it steers easy. I also run soft springs, softest setting up front and second softest on the rear. It slides around turns and steers easy.

Only caution with higher tire pressure in the front is that it makes the steering sensitive and quick so if the toe-out is too excessive then on dirt roads it may want to dart left or right towards which ever tire has more grip or control. So if it wants to dart on you then toe it in a little and make those adjustments until it stops darting..... I think my setting is about 1/16" toe-in. Came from factory with about 1/8" toe-out. Toe-out helps you to oversteer the inside tire on the front to help compensate for a delayed response because of tire roll from soft tires. Higher tire pressure equals less tire roll, quicker response thus less toe-out, which gives you more positive, predictive steering.