WooHoo! Sold my boat and after a year of shopping, lurking, dreaming etc. I will be buying a new 500i manual next month! That is unless we find out what is coming out for 2003 that would be worth waiting for. I don't really care about having anything bigger than a 500 but a locker sure would be nice. Anyone heard for sure yet?

Question- I am leaning toward bitri combo for tires. Anyone have any good or bad experience concerning puncture resistiance? The other tire that I am interesed in would possibly be the radial outlaw but have my concerns that the sidewalls may be too soft and weak. Now I know trucks run radials and I have done my share of 4byn in the mountains of Montana with radial tires but what about the "radial buldge" you get with radial tires. An atv tire running at 5 psi will probably have quite a buldge and have a lot of thinner weaker side wall out there just waiting for that sharp object. What do you think?

Other tire questions/ concerns for tires I am considering.
Current 28 inch Outlaws- Too heavy?
Gators- Deep enough tread?
BiTri Combo- 4ply rating, no bead protection?
589's- No side wall tread.

Terrain here in Interior AK is a mix rocky (sharp) high country and low land bogs mixed with Tundra, Muskeg, Tussocks, creeks, rivers etc. Pretty varied remote and nasty. I want the 500i man for the simpleness and evident AC dependability. Also the suspension is the best on the market for off roading, IMHO. I want a tire that's up for the terrain that won't leave me stranded or tear up my machine by being too heavy. I'll take any and all comments etc.

Also, I've been lurking for quite a while and want to say thanks for all the info. This and other Cat forums are the best! I look forward to giving back after I get my machine and get some miles on it. This will be my first quad (I've riddin a few over the years) but I'm no stranger to hardcore off roading. I know what a 4by truck or Bronco can do with the right driver. I can only imagine what this quad will be like! My buddy rides a 2001 Griz with 27inch 589's. He may be getting an 02 or 03 Griz by the fall. I hear Cats and Griz get along pretty good!

Thanks again.

 

I think you will be happy with the cat you cant go wrong. I own a Honda 500 4x4 as well and like the cat alot more, its just a work horse. If your looking for speed its not the fastest but holds its own , I get about 55 mph top end on mine. As far as tires I went with dirt devils X/T 27" they are 6 ply and at 5 psi they dont have any buldge. They are aggressive but not as bad as the outlaws or 589's that I've had experience with. Remember that if you ride on a lot of hard pack the more aggressive tires tend to float you left and right while rideing. And if in snow, the aggressive tire will dig you down into the snow, which isn't bad unless the snow is deep, if you know what I mean. I have had my bike in the mountains on lose rocky trails with no problems and mud is my best friend cant get enough so Good Luck on your decision it can get a bit costly.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

TillerTruckie, how well do the DD's do in the mud I'm trying to deciced between the 28" DD's or 28" Gators. The Gators are ten dollars a tire cheaper but I think the DD's might do better in the sandy creeks we ride in pretty regular in the summer, but I also want good mud performance. Also, at 5 psi, what is the actual height of your tires?

 

concerning your radial outlaws if i had a choice i would have picked the radials instead you,ll get a bette ride and with all those extra small treads in the lugs she should bite good in mud i have 28x12.5 on my 500 ac and i love them[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

manmudcat- what year 500 do you have? auto or manual? Do you still have plenty of grunt with the 28" Outlaws? The radials won't be out until next month according to Highlifter. They may just be the hot setup.

 

Snyd, Glad to have another member of the pride! I am in the same boat as you are as for as tires go. I would like to go 28's and according to all that I have read or seen here from fellow cat riders, I am opting for the 28's. I am tring to decide between the claws and the radial outlaws. I guess I still need a little more reassurance that the 28's won't tear my machine apart.

I know I haven't helped your decision any, but I know someone here will![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

later fango

 

The DD's work real well, I'm happy with them they like to dig in like all the other aggressive tires. At 5psi they are 26" from top of tire to the floor.

 

yea, my dealer here in alberta said that they are coming out with a 700cc, next year...