I don't ride mud a whole lot but I do like to play in it so I want to go with a 26" tire to add a little ground clearance but not have to lift it or have any other problems I just want to put the new tires on stock rims. will a 10" wide tire fit in the front and 12" in the rear with out any problems. The three tires I am considering are the Bear Claw , Mud Shark, or Gator. I want a tire that will last also and not where down like the stockers are in about a month.

Which tire do you think would be the best without sacrificing ride and speed etc... anny opinions would be welcomed please any opinion would be appricaited I have read the other post but the are all contradicting and most say 589's for mud that is to aggressive for what I want.

Thanks for any opinions

 

Have you ever seen the Maxxis Bighorn? Or the Goodyear Rawhide Grip? They are nice but don't come tall enough yet.

http://www.maxxis.com/getImage.asp?FileID=1031
http://www.treadepot.com/images/groups/rwhgr.jpg

I am looking for the same kinda thing you are, and no one really makes a good trail tire in taller sizes. Makes me mad. I hear bear claws are good, but they are kinda heavy.

Mudbugs are promising, because they are a little light, but I want a hardpack tread.

 

I agree. I want something that I can runn year round. The tires you have are great but I know I don't need them no matter how cool they look. thats why I narrowed it down to those something that leand slightly toward th amud but will still run on hard packed and protect the rims but willl last a lot longer than those $hitty stockers.

 

I think 489XT's come in 26" size. But I hear they are hard to find.

 

I am in the same boat you are. I thought I wanted 589's like everyone said. But I think they are too aggressive. Still love to kick down that 650 and feel the speed. I am considering Dirt Devil's, Gators, or Mudbugs as of now. I found some 489's in 26" but can't remember which web site off hand. Any help for us would be appreciated.

I hit some mud today that my stockers almost did not get me out of. To make matters worse there were not trees for my winch and I was two miles from home. I BARELY made it through, thank God for locking diff.

 

I think I ruled out the Gators they way a little over 30 LBS a piece for the rear ones so it is now between the mud sharks and the bear claws. Which one will last longer and still have great grip, good ridon trails, and sling mud. Bearclaws vs Mud Sharks any comparison or pros and cons on the two would be welcomed.

Except the mud sharks look like they would be rough on hard packed with the spacing of the center lugs maybe the gators aren't out yet just they seem to be fairly heavy. Does any one have them and if they do how did they effect the performance of your machine? Top speed, exceleration, ride, and wheely ability.

 

Look at this sight,tire shootout www.4wheelatv.com/detail.asp?id=68

 

Should I go up a tire size or keep it te same with the larger wider tires on the fron is it going to be much harder to steer?? Should I get stock sizes are they atlest the same size as stock or are they usually smaller with the bearclaws and gators???

 

I would not go over 9" wide in front for trail use.

www.tiresunlimited has the 489 tire in a 26" size. Titan only makes one 26" size, 26x10.5-12. So either same size all around, or put something like a spider trac on the front, and 489 on the back.

10.5 is too wide for my taste on the front. I tried emailing a couple of tire manufacturers like maxxis, to ask them to make a larger Bighorn.

Why don't we all email these guys and see if it helps get them to make a bigger tire size? A whole lot more quad owners want the kind of thing we want. This same topic gets repeated over and over here, in the other quad brands, and tire section. I wish the tire manufacturers weren't so deaf to this need.

My favorite tires to get in bigger sizes are:
Maxxis Bighorn (in a 26 or 27)
Goodyear rawhide grip (in a 26 or 27)
Titan 489 (in 26x8-12)

 

We should e-mail them this forum and tell them to read the posts if they want to know what the public wants!!! I think they look to much like stock and I want something a little more agressive thats why I was leaning toward the Bearclaws but if I go up to 26 then I have to have 9 inch wide the front and 12 inch wide the rear. I don't know if I should stay with the stock 25. I've never owned a ATV so all this is very new I don't know all the pro's and con's to changing tire size. Any help????? PLease.....[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]