First I would like to pass along many thanks to this forum for the valuable information that has been passed along. I looked for many months (June) for just the perfect bike for a rookie.

I hunt alot in both South Texas and West Texas and after my first trip with the new 500i Manual it was a blast....BUT, the last thing i need to worry about is fixing another flat. Yes, I still have the stock tires, but is there anything I can do to prevent all of the flats.

PS. I enjoy the passing of the VERY useful information on this forum...but being a rookie, I found the simplicity of the AC line one of the biggest selling points. From the spedo, manual shifter, manual high/low, and the manual 4wheel/2 wheel to be just what I needed. For you "pro" riders, I can understand some of the points...but for the price and the quality of the AC lines...it was a no brainer for me.

I no longer need the screen name "lookin4quad"...and I no longer need to hear about the front locking diff...but still fun to read the post. Best to all and thanks for any help with the tires. Nutt

 

You can try some of the products that go in the tire and stay liquid, they seem to work well at plugging small holes. I know some with the rubber compound mixed in can plug holes up to 1\4" maybe even a little larger. Slime is probably the most popular name brand, I don't know how well some of the other brands work. I have seen some at Wal-Mart that had the rubber compound in it. If you put in the recomended amount (32oz. I think) per tire the cost is from 8 (cheap stuff) to 16 (Slime) dollars a tire. May be someone else has experience with this stuff. You might also do a search for "tire sealants" or "slime" to see whats out there.

 

Check out your local lawn mower dealers, especially the ones who sell riding mowers and do their own service. If they are like dealers here in PA, they should have a product that coats the inside of the tire. They will also put a selent on the bead of the tire too. I had it done to my mower for $90 (all 4 tires), and it comes with a 5 year warrenty (doesn't cover sidewalls though). I would just check that it works on ATV tires that can hit higher speeds, and tend to take more abuse than mower tires.

Good luck.

 

I bought the stuff at wal-mart last year, works great. Picked up a nail in one tire, pulled the nail, put the gunk in ,pumped the tire up and it's still holding air without any loss.
Jim

 

One thing I can add is too air your tires up for less flats. The ride quality will suffer slightly, but you will be less likely to incur a flat.

 

I've had good luck so far, applying a layer of TireWet before riding. Seems to help "bounce most things away" and help with cleanup. But, probably the best thing I do, is to be extra cautious about the "line" I take through the woods. Avoidance is the best policy, but I understand about different situations, etc.