In all the posts I've read about tires for the Prairie 650 lately, I've heard very little about the Blackwaters or Blackwater XTs. They used to be very popular. Are they just too heavy or don't they wear well, or what? A friend has the XTs on a Polaris Sportsman 500 and he likes them. They are too aggressive and fling far too much mud for my liking, but some guys like that. I think his are 27". They are wider than the fenders.
I have an old Prairie and want a tire that is at least 4 ply, no wider than the stock tires, smooth running on hardpack and good wearing without being too heavy. The rear rims are 10", so that limits the choices a bit (I don't want to buy rims too). Most of the tires I've looked at in 26" are too wide. I like the looks of the tires that come on the new Polaris's (Goodyear Trackers?). What do you think for a /97 Prairie?

 

my sucess rate with blackwater was not good. I got 6000km on them and at that point those tires were over. Then i put mud runners on it and I put 16000km on them....

 

I've got them now and don't like them. They were badly out of balance and the fronts aren't agressive enough. Bearclaws will be my next tire.

 

I know this is totally apple and oranges, but I have some black waters for my banshee and the have been an awesome all around tire. Plus they will roost mud, gravel and dirt 30-40 feet. But for my P650, I will probably be looking at 589's, Mudrunners, or the new Outlaws (when they come out).

 

Blackwaters have been around a long time. I had them on my last 4x4 and they were ok. Never got any flats and they were an ok all around tire. When I bought them they were considered one of the best mud tires. Now they are considered an "all around tire" compared to the more aggressive 589s, mudrunners, outlaws, mudzillas, etc...