On Friday, I got to ride with the 28 inch Outlaws in any mud for the first time, as we have had one inch of rain in the last 80 or so days.

I went to a lease I ride on where a lake is being built. It has three tiers of depth. The levee is around 25-30 feet high on the water side. The highest flat area is dry. The deepest part is around an island in the middle and is around 10-15 feet with water. The middle tier is mud. Pure mud, not 3 inches of mud with 2 feet of water over it. It is Gumbo mud and some red clay. It looks like freshly poured concrete. Thick and not watery. When you go thru it, it does not run right back into the ruts.

I have the 28x10.5x12 and 28x12x12 Outlaws on ITP Magnum wheels (aluminum 12x7). I rode slowly, faster, stopped, backed up, turning, etc. The tires pull great. You don't have to pin the throttle. You can just crawl along and they pull without a struggle. I expected to have to use a lot of throttle like when I went to a 25" Vamp on my 300. But, that was not the case. I guess the tire weight is the reason for this. In straight line speed, it accelerates slower (not dramatically), but common sense would tell you this. The mud was deeper than the axle as you could look back and see the tires had drug the whole bike along with no problem. The motor has plenty of torque. I ran is high range and both D1 and D2. D2 pulled better. The throttle required in high range was more than in low. In low range, as soon as you started applying throttle (1/8"), the tires started to churn and you started to move forward. I stopped and let the mud ooze back in some, but it did not fill the ruts back in but about 50%. It was thick. The tires back up as well as they go forward. I went very slowly and stopped and creeped along to let the tread fill up with mud, but it readly came out. If you moved along at 3-4 mph, it would be dislodged. The point of that is, I think if you were in some sticky mud and trying to move forward, the tire would not stay packed up with mud and as the tread rotated around to the ground, it would be clean and ready to bite again, insteade of just slip. They do bump along at 4 mph and below, but once rolling they are not bumpy. When you hit a rock or something at 30 mph, you "feel" it more than a 2 or 4 ply rated tire, but that would be expected with a tire with a higher ply rating. I don't know, but I think the tire may run with a flat and not go to the ground where you can't get home.

The Rubicon has plenty of torque and HP to turn these tires. In lo range and in auto (I never used ESP mode as I never felt the auto mode in a strain), it pulled fine. I could move from a stop with the slightest throttle application and could spin the tires from a dead stop or while moving. I guess the computer engine management has something to do with that. If you select maximum torque, then at any time you are always getting maximum torque, whether moving at 2 mph or 20 mph. I could stop and look back and see I was deep enough to drag the bike's axle thru the mud with this tire. I guess between the bike's lightweight and the pulling ability of the tire and the engine and transmission's ability to turn them, it was no problem. This was not not a rutted trail, but a large flat area of mud that was wet, but not with a lot of water, if any, on top of the mud. You could write you name in it and see it later. I was dragging high center the whole width of the axle and underside, not in a single place like on a rutted trail. The mud was over the floorboards and that is pretty much dragging the skidplates, I believe. Since the rear axle is loser than the skidplates, that is what left the smooth, flattened are behind between the tire ruts.
The bike turns the tires fine, the tires pull the bike fine and I am very happy with the combination.

 

Excellent report TxDoc2, I was wondering how the Ruby would do with that big of a tire myself. Sounds like the tire and machine performed as advertised, it is always fun to play in mud like that. Now all that remains is putting the bug in my wifes ear about those big bad Outlaws. Thanks.

 

Whats you'r gas milage on you'r rubicon with the 28's

 

With the 28's what mods were used to fit them? A lift(of course) but what else? Did you have to cut any of the plastic body parts? And finally where can you get these mods off the internet. I got the cash but am so new to this sport that I dont know where to start to get me some of those bad a$$ tires and needed mods for my machine. I

 

A Lift from Highlifter.com, ask for Dan or Mike and a very, very slight trim. The small amount of trimmed fender flare is shown in my pictures below. And, it was trimmed on the rear fender flares right behind the floor boards only. About 1/2" wide and 3" long.

 

Texdoc2,do you think that your outlaws are a better tire than the 28vampires? I was just wondering because I have a ruby on order. I now have a 450es with 28x12x12vamps and they work excellent.Nobody arround here has outlaws,or any other agressive mud tire for that mater.Just wondering what your opinion was.

Thanks.
99 450es27x12x12vamps.
Swampdonky.

 

I hate to get into this is better or not. I know the Outlaw is taller (28-1/8") vs the Vamp (27-3/4) and the Outlaw is lighter. The "rear" Outlaw is 13 inches wide, but weighs less than the 28 Vamp that is 8.5" wide. I was looking for a 28" tire that would help me in the ruts, but be as light as possible. The Outlaw is that tire for me.
Interco is coming out with a new Vamp with tread wrapping around the outside shoulder of the tire, but I don't think it will be in a 28 or know the weights. I believe it is coming out in a 26-inch size first. If you want to know, I have that information at the office and can tell you tomorrow.

 

What is you'r gas milage with the 28in. outlaws?

 

I don't know.

 

If this helps Dirtwheels just did a tire test between the 28" Outlaws, 28" vampires, and 27" Mud Machines and they said the best mud tire was the Outlaw. No I don't know personally which is best, I only know what the mag says is the best.