http://www.nytroatv.org/

 

Well the consensus appears to be a overwhelming thumbs up for the 650! I'm not in a real big hurry to purchase because I probably won't ride much until spring. Anyone know when the 03's will be out? Thanks for all your responses to this thread. The info has been very helpful.

 

nyroc, another tire you may want to consider is the Kenda Bearclaw. They are 4 ply and a more aggressive tread than stock. I think they are quite a light tire (don't quote me on that) and they have a tread pattern that is good for steering. I've been told that they are an excellent all-around tire that wears very well. They aren't as aggressive as the Blackwaters you mentioned (the Blackwaters have about a 1" tread depth---maybe more). A friend has Blackwater XT's on his 500 Sportsman and they are wider than the stock tires, so when he is in mud, they sling it all over him. They are more aggressive and rougher riding than I want. I am thinking about the Bearclaws for my old Prairie when I need to replace them because I want a light tire that is good in all conditions and more reliable than stock without being much heavier, but still just as easy to steer. Here the Bearclaws are much cheaper than the Blackwaters too. I was under the impression that the Blackwaters were quite heavy compared to the stockers.
Goodyear Tracker P's (like I've seen on some of the Polaris quads) might be a good tire also. They look like a good tread design for all around use, but I don't know what ply they are.

 

<"$5959.00 is what they have in the bike total...so what ever they charge else is nothing but PROFIT, so go figure"

Dealers also have to carry these product on their Floor Plan with a local bank. In other words every bike, ATV, snowmobile, etc... on the dealers showroom floor is paid for or they are paying interest on it for a set amount of time. If they don't sell that product in X amount of time they have to pay the bank or refinance their floor plan which is expensive. Next time you are at your dealer figure up just how many dollars they have on the floor and double that to include what he has in storage, add to that all the parts, tools, etc... and he has one hell of an investment sitting their.

 

Thank you guys SSOOOO much for your positive remarks on the new prairie. I am a new member to this forum and have just put a downpayment on a 650. I pick it up in about 2 weeks. I didn't get into this forum till AFTER I put the money down on my quad. I was DYING when I started reading about problems with the 650!!I had read all the Dirt Wheels and other quad mags writings and they all say that this machine rocks. You guys have renewed my faith in my choice!!!! Thanks

 

Every heard the old saying it takes money to make money,if a dealer has the price jack up.he's will be sitting on a big investment for a long time, because they just wont move them at all,id rather make 200-500.00 than **** people off by trying to make 1000.00 profit on a sigle bike,a person could sell 5 bikes and make a 1000.00 in profit if you just charged 200.00 over the base price, this would bring in other customers from the pleased ones,a word by mouth travels a long way, its a good thing im not a dealer because i would sell by the quanity and make everybody happy

 

jcsyoung, I am looking for a best riding, best handling 27 inch tire. Thanks for the advice about the bearclaws but they are too wide in the 27" size for me. The blackwater XT has a 9 in wide tire for my front, which is a little better. Mud bugs are actually the lightest 27" tire I have found, and they come in the right sizes, 8" wide front, and 10" wide back. The mud bug is not my favorite tire, some people think they are a little rough. I think I would want bearclaws for my summer riding if they were narrower. This is a tough decision due to the lack of the size I want.

Is there a reason your friend's sp500 ride rough on blackwater xt's? High pressure? 12 in wide front tires?

 

I HAVE OVER 200 MILES ON MY 650 NO PROBLEMS AND I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

nyroc, sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. My friend bought his Sportsman with the Blackwater XT's installed, so when I asked him what size they were, he wasn't sure. He hadn't paid any attention. I know they are larger than stock, but not sure what size they are. They ride rougher just because they have a deeper tread that is spaced out more than a stock tire, plus they are at least 4 ply (possibly 6 ply---I don't know). They are probably 6 ply (maybe you know) because he is at least 225 lbs. and he put a stick through a rear tire recently and rode home carefully on it and it didn't come off the rim. He was impressed. He said that it didn't even squash down much. It performed much like a "run flat" would. I have ridden it a short distance and the tires aren't bad. On dirt I didn't really notice them. He will soon know what size they are. Unfortunately he has to replace the tire as the hole can't be repaired. I'm surprised that a stick would go through a Blackwater. He must have just caught it at the perfect angle. I have ridden a Kawasaki 650 two different times at the dealership just around their parking lot and up the road there. It had Blackwater XT's on it and they rode fine. You can feel the lugs when going slow on pavement more than you would on a stock tire, but they weren't bad. I wish I could have jumped right on one with stock tires to compare directly. I was so busy hanging on when I hit the throttle that tires were the last thing on my mind! I see what you mean about the 27" Bearclaws. It is strange that they don't make a narrower front tire in 27". Good luck on what you buy. If you choose the Blackwaters, I think you'll like them. By the way, I noticed that the 650 was very easy to lift both the inner tires on a turn, but I was really impressed at how easy it was to ride like that, even in a straight line with both tires up and the quad at about 45 degrees. The balance is terrific. I guess that is because of the low center of gravity. I never felt out of control, and I had never ridden the 650 before. That balance must give you lots of confidence on a side hill. I can't do that on my old Prairie that easily.

 

over 550 miles on mine with no problems.