well i dont know what your price range is but the grim reapers are nice tires and cheaper than the xtr's. ride smooth on packed and take care of the mud too!
these are the 27's next to stock. you can also get 26's if you dont want to go tall!

 

A riding buddy and i both have the same quads but different tires (i have bighorns and he has xtrs). we both them them for our own reasons but they are expensive. We foudn them on great deals (try bikebandit.com). But i have a 1995 kawi 220 2x4 that goes everywhere with kenda bear claws. I dont know how they are as a front tire, but they seem to be great in all conditions, are tough, are light, and best of all, are inexpensive. for a cheap tire, they are one of the best.

 

I went with the 28" zilla's and in my opinion, considering all factors concerning my riding style, they are one of the best all-terrain tires out there right now. I can't complain one bit about them.

 

DingoNuts, how tall is a 28" zilla really? Are they a bit small or really 28"? How is the handling?? We still do some hillclimbing, and I don't want to get too tall with tires, and kill the XP's hilling ability. I watched a guy tumble an AC Mudpro with 28's and don't want to do that with my 850. That was why I was thinking 27's at most.

 

I can't speak for the 28" zillas but my buddy put a set of 26" on his pussycat and they measured 25 1/4 at 6 psi. I'd guess they all run small, but thats just guessing. Overall he loves them. The ITP Mudlites on the wifes magnum are a little short as well.

 

Bitter....Totally understand the cost issue. However, think about how long they'll last and get what you want for your 850. You deserve it! If you settle for something less than what you want, to save $100, I'll think you'll regret it. Check out the Pittbull Growlers while you're at it...

 

The 28's mounted on the quad measure 27 1/2" in the rear and 27 3/4" up front. They handle perfectly, but the EPS may help out slightly in that department. My thinking was right in line with yours a few months back, but I think I would have regretted going with the 27's. If you compare the specs of the two sizes, the 28's barely weigh more and you get that extra ground clearance. Hilling is not an issue, I stand and lean forward to help, but I did that anyways when I had the stockers on so no real difference there.

 

FYI

27" grim reapers actually measured 28" mounted

 

Zilla's are priced right, I like Maxxis, but how do they do in the muck? They look like they work great, but I haven't seen them in action. Oh, and someone asked how much XTR's were going for around here, and he paid a bit over 700 including mounting. I figure going with zilla's I can save over 200 bucks, and all the reports say the zilla's wear like iron.

 

I have the Spartacus tires on my Hawk. I have not had any buyers remorse. These tires have performed very well in all the different conditions I have encountered. I currently have over 300 miles on them with very little wear. I also have pulled 3 nails out of my rear tires and no leaks ( love the 8 ply!! ) I honestly have no problems recommending these tires.