I know this subject has been beaten to death but I could use some input on new tires for my P650. I spend most of my time (70-75%) blasting around in 2wd on mostly woods and farm fields. Most of my hill climbing is at the Badlands (hardpack dirt, rocks, gravel...the works) or Haspin Acres in Indiana (great places I might add). Mud is fun but we don't encounter a whole lot of it. I don't like the way the stockers roll on the front end in corners and I'd like a little more traction especially with winter coming on. I have heard very good things about the ITP 589s but I'm a little concerned that they might be really rough riding up front and add a lot of steering effort. Would 589s on back and 489xts on front be a good choice? Any thoughts?

 

You will probably get inundated with replies recommending the tires that each has chosen, but you should read the review for your type of riding before you make a choice. The stockers are horrible, therefore anyone that has a different set after riding on the dunlops will really thing that they are something special.

I have heard that the 589's will handle the hardpack really well and some have said that they make the steering easier. They have big lugs, so your ride quality will suffer low and high speed.

I have bearclaws and like their features for the price. I love the 12" size because of the large sidewall protection, but price should not be your deciding factor, your tire is the only part of you quad that touches the ground (under normal riding conditions) so they are very important!

 

OK Slider, Bearclaws are a good choice, even Spyder Trax will work out well for you under the conditions you describe. The Bearclaws will do better in the mud.

Troy has a great facility,(badlands), as you've already mentioned. May see you there one day.

 

PrarieS...I now have Spyder Trax, 25x12.5 rear, 25x9.5 up front...This gives me a great ride, good hardpack traction and takes very little of the pep away that the light weight stockers have.

I had 27inch dirt devils on and they were also good tire but were heavier (robbed power) and did not hook up as good on hardpack. They were better in the mud!

 

Thanks for the input! ConMan and Encore....are your tires on stock rims?
Dangerous...Everytime I'm at the Badlands there are 1 or 2 other 650s there...green or red? Mine is green...hope to see ya there sometime.

 

PrarieS...Yes, mine are on stock rims.

 

Dangerous, how do claws affect steering? I really wish my tire were claws now.

My tire combo is really good on dry, grass, streams, and rock. But I flipped it due to the rear tires have so much less traction in the mud (tailspin, then flip). I'm not going to get a combo again.

 

nyroc...OUCH! I have not noticed my spider's not having enough traction. I almost used our tire combo but I felt uneasy about going to a 2-ply tire.

 

I don't have spiders.

The mudrunners I have in front have much better sideways bite on mud that the sur traks I have on the rear do. I proceeded to try a powerslide when I was in PA on a curve that was wet, but kinda firm clay. My 650 overslid and did a tailspin. The griz in front of me had mudrunners on all four and he did a picture perfect powerslide. I realize that my 650 has more power than the griz, but I didn't really gas it that hard, and I overslid, hit the edge of the trail going sideways and flipped. Ouch. Only $69 damage (wheel), plastic scratches, bruised knee and butt.

It is like a front wheel drive car with stud on the front tires and not on the back. On ice it makes for a very unsafe car.

that combo of yours may be slightly better, but I am gonna stay away from that.

I though I could have my cake and eat it too. I thought I would get some mud traction and still have fun dirt tires. My 650 really goes awesome in the dirt with this combo. It just is unsafe on some surfaces.

I can't decide what to get. Getting 2 more mudrunners may be ok, but it is a little bit heavier. They ride well and handle well. Good in snow. They don't hook up on drypack that well. I wish I had claws.

 

I'd go with the 489XT's now; after having tried the 589's. Either those or the DirtDevil AT's (not the XT's).