How much snow can one actually go through with an ATV? I just picked up a 98 Sportsman, and it has the stock size tires on it, but they are fairly new. I get stuck in a foot of medium powder, and have to rock it side to side to keep it going.

Is there anything, besides insanely expensive tracks, that will make this thing fun to ride in the snow? Are the Maxxis Zillas going to do it for me?

 

Well it all depends on groundclearance and footprint size. A radial tire with a flat footprint is gonna be better than a non radial... In my opinion...

I have two 4x4s one with 27" radial (mud lite XTR's) and one with carslie 489's the one with the XTR's has about 13" of ground clearance and man can it rip through some snow!

 

Just buy a used sled,there way cheaper than ATVs. I bought this 98 500 Skid-doo for the girlfriend its in very good shape for $1800, used ATV tracks sell for $2500! (Canada)
The sled has reverse,hand thumb warmers, long track,electric start, two up,and will do 70mph.

Also its have the price to insure for the year compared to the ATV.

 

I agree with TLC-

Even though I can get through 20" of snow with my 27" XTR's, you need to keep the momentum going- your tires are always spinning and the motor is always winding out just trying to keep going forward. Anything over 12" is really a PITA.

Hell- a new set of tires cost about 1/2 of what you could spend on an older used sled- and you'll have more fun on the sled in deep snow.

I don't understand why people spend $4k on atv tracks when you could spend 1/2 that and buy a decent sled AND spend the other half on a plow setup for your truck.

 

I have the Maxxis Zilla's on my 850 XP, unstoppable in the snow, and I ride through fields with like 12-30" of snow...

 

30" would be at the fenders- can't imagine any atv in 30" of snow!

 

Well its not 30" of fresh fallen snow, its been packed by the weather changing, and the bike floats on top ofmost of the snow, it doesnt just sink right to the ground...

 

some photos or a video would be able to suport your argument ;-)

 

Friend of mine use to do a lot of plowing of parking lots and sidewalks and he swore by ITP radial Holeshot ATRs. They're not an aggressive tire by any means but he said they were great on snow.

 

Clearance is everything in fresh snow regardless of what tires you have but I will say the zillas do a nice job. As for the talk about tracks, one can get a great deal if you look enough. I paid $2200 for a new set of prospector pro-s tracks off craigslist. Prior to that I had a set of first gen prospectors I bought with less than 100 miles for the same price off craigslist too(also sold them for what I paid for them). Yes, you can get a cheap sled for that kind of money but it depends on your preference. I am born and raised in northern MN and have no want, need, or desire to own a sled. That being said, tracks were a great option for me and I can go anywhere with them year around if I so choose. Can't plow with a sled either which made my track purchase well worth it.