Hey guys, What is your opinion on paddle tires(obviously strait paddles are better for strait lines).......so what is your opinion on the number of paddles??


More paddles = less spinning = get going quicker

fewer paddles(to a limit) = gets you moving quicker because you can spin = you win.....


Give me your responses........See I'm thinking about my paddles tires(in my photo page)......they have like 18 1.5"(height) paddles......also on a 10" rim(I think)......I was thinking about maybe trying to shave them(like cut half the paddle, then go to the opposite side and cut that half, then back again.....) These tires worked excellent on our 650 crotchrocket......but I'm wondering about what everyone else thinks.......

 

they seem extremely too agressive. daryl smith sand tires or bill in temecula could remove every other paddle or more if the tire is close to new.

 

Dont go opposite paddle when cutting them. You want the two tires to line up perfectly and both to have traction at the same time. Alternating the paddles you cut will put the tires at odds with each other and seriously slow you down.

Not sure why you went with such tires, I wouldnt run those on most of the built banshees my friends have. Way too aggresive and are probably killing your speed and drag times. I would sell them and get a different set instead of butchering them and making them useless for anyone else.

A 9 paddle hauler or extreme would be plenty for your bike.

 

Dude those have got to be killing you in the sand. I'm sure they hook up great, but you would need some serious HP to push those monsters. I agree with Maddog, go with a 8-9 paddle Hauler, and maybe even get double buff's if you want to shed some extra weight.

Do you know how much each of those weigh?? They look very heavy, especially with a 10" rim. If you have some sort of scale, weigh them out and lemme know, just out of curiosity. TIA

 

I'm not at home now, but when I get home, I'll weight them.......they don't weight that much, less than the stock pred tires(I also have them on light weight rims).....

so you guys don't think more traction is better??

You are more on the lines of spinning to get going and then you won't spin anymore anyways???

These do take a lot of power, I need to gear down with them from my stock gearing.....but otherwise, I can do pretty good in the drags........


Not to start anything about racing or anything, but to tell you how these tires work........I have a modded pred....and with these tires I could just barely beat a yfz in a race(800ft??) This yfz was completely stock though, and had a fairely new rider on it.......I can be rappys though(stock too).......So what do you think??

 

Here goes.. my opinion is that a round profile tire works much better than anything that has a square profile (viewed from the rear of the bike). A 10" wide paddle works much better on an 8" wide wheel than a 10" wide wheel. As far as the number of paddles goes most people use too many for drag racing anyway. The last time I talked to skat trak over the phone they gave me the impression that only the big bore bikes need even an 8 paddle hauler to perform their best. I have 10 paddles but I got a steal on them, when they need replacing I will probably go with a 22" 8 paddle hauler.
.02

No matter how fast you think you are now those tires are slowing you down. More traction is good, too much will slow you down in the 100' past the start. A set of 8 paddle skat trak ultra lites will put you 2-3 lengths ahead of the paddles you have now. Not beating on you, just trying to share information..

 

what ever you go too they will get you going quicker then that..those are 20 paddles huh...

 

I think they are 18 paddles.......and the 10" rim is what comes stock on the pred(I think, I just said 10").........

I'm not trying to start any fights here, I only go to the sand once per year, but when we go, we all try to bring our best and compete against eachother.......so I want the best......I think I'll try and sell these, they have only been ridden for about 10(maybe) days in the sand, so they are pretty much new, right?? I can't see any wear on them......


this is good info, because that means I'll be that much faster(if I change tires).......

Anyone have any idea what a new set of those skat-trak haulers cost?? Are there used(still in good condition) tires floating around?? Do you think I'll be able to sell my tires for anything??


They get awesome traction.....no spinning whatsoever......they were initially used on our 650 in the 250r.....worked real well there......



So what is your guy's suggestion on what tire I should get?? I want something light and that will make me fast too(someday in the next year I might big bore this thing, so keep that in mind).......

 

I still say 9 paddle hauler or extreme.

I'm sure you hook up great with those tires but you are using all of the limited torque the pred has to get those things moving. I'm sure you would be doing much better against the yfz's and other bikes with a new set of paddles.

 

yeah I notice they hook up great........but I have to really give the gas on take off(everyone gets the hole shot on me).....and I also have to rev the other gears hard too(I have to rev 4th really hard for it to even pull 5th......) so probably too much tire......I am going to make a gearing change, but also a tire change I think......