Need a tire that actually hooks up...

[yellow400ex05]

Ok I have a 400ex and I bought kenda klaws xcr's the beginning of spring and still have about 85% tread left and I have the tread set for hard packed surfaces. Now I have a hotcam stage 1 and a slip-on HMF along with 13 tooth up front and a 40 tooth in the rear for gearing. I have A LOT of torque and a a lot of wheel spin and part of that is because I only weigh 100 pounds, I haven't gotten a chance to switch around the tread for the soft packed side. I spin from a stop in a slightly hard packed field till about mid 4th gear. And on pavement I spin till i shift into 3rd and I start in 2nd gear. I want to actually feel the power of my quad for once, I geared it down to mx gearing for acceleration and more low end. And when i had stock gearing it was just as bad.

I'm really tired of spinning and just want a long lasting tire that hooks up so that I can wheelie instead of spin for once!:ermm:

I ride just about every day and o n mostly hard pack but some soft packed trails.

[dopeyferree]

Learn to use your clutch instead of just dumping it.

[yellow400ex05]

well I forgot to mention thats while I'm occasionally racing my friends but still when i need to accelerate fast i don't want to just spin all day, like when I'm rippin' around a grass field with my friends I want to tear it up instead of spin. Like coming out of corners while I'm accelerating I'd want to pull away and feel the power from my quad try to lift the front end up.

[ZSNOW]

sounds like u want a 400 to perform like a 450, u need MORE wheel spin to get the front end to come up if its spun from stock, u need to have ur tires spinning fast for it to come up, thats why 450s always come out of corners full on and can wheelie

[m.h.s.c.#527]

razr IIs

[blsnelling]

Originally posted by ZSNOW
sounds like u want a 400 to perform like a 450, u need MORE wheel spin to get the front end to come up if its spun from stock, u need to have ur tires spinning fast for it to come up, thats why 450s always come out of corners full on and can wheelie

More wheel spin is NOT going to get the front end up or more power to the ground. The only things that's going to do that is to eliminate wheel spin. That can be done through better traction, less throttle, or both. BTW, my Titan Fast Trekkers hook up better than Razors or Holeshots ever did for me.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by blsnelling
More wheel spin is NOT going to get the front end up or more power to the ground. The only things that's going to do that is to eliminate wheel spin. That can be done through better traction, less throttle, or both. BTW, my Titan Fast Trekkers hook up better than Razors or Holeshots ever did for me.

That makes sense, because its on a 300ex. Try those tires on a 450, they dont compare to holeshots.


Your gearing seems to be ridiculous. I would change the gearing, you will get fast acceleration from that. You should have enough power with those mods to pull stock gearing no problem and waste your old gearing away. I would try this before buying new tires.

Other than that if you are deadset on tires... you need a soft sticky tire, and it is not going to last as long as those klaws. You need to make a compromise somewhere....

[ZSNOW]

Originally posted by blsnelling
More wheel spin is NOT going to get the front end up or more power to the ground. The only things that's going to do that is to eliminate wheel spin. That can be done through better traction, less throttle, or both. BTW, my Titan Fast Trekkers hook up better than Razors or Holeshots ever did for me.

have u ever ridden a 450? when you nail the throttle the front end doesnt come right up, the tires spin then it comes up ,because they get enough traction IN the tire spinning that is enough to lift the front end. this is my last post in this thread so it doesn't get deleted.

[blsnelling]

Originally posted by 400exrider707
That makes sense, because its on a 300ex. Try those tires on a 450, they dont compare to holeshots.
My experience comes from owning/riding a Duncan Racing National Midrange Banshee for 10+ years. That defines wheel spin!

Razrs hook up the best that I know of. But it also depends on what type of surface you ride on. Lower tire pressures will increase traction but you cant go to low otherwise jumps will hurt more and if you dont have beadlocks your tire will fall off haha

[ZSNOW]

Originally posted by FoxHondaRider
Razrs hook up the best that I know of. But it also depends on what type of surface you ride on. Lower tire pressures will increase traction but you cant go to low otherwise jumps will hurt more and if you dont have beadlocks your tire will fall off haha

this guy knows what hes talkin about!:D

[yfz450rida]

some guy said that wheelspin is key to a wheelie that is funny. traction traction traction and for the test you go try to wheelie all day on some mud or wet grass and come back and explain how the wheel spin help you find enough traction so you can put enough power down to lift the front end. LMAO!!! thats good!

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by blsnelling
My experience comes from owning/riding a Duncan Racing National Midrange Banshee for 10+ years. That defines wheel spin!

Again a two stroke needs wheel spin to put the power down, which is why you dont see any 250Rs and banshees running a heavier MX tire. Most 250Rs I see still run grooved turfs, they need to be light and be able to spin/hookup at the same time. I used a brand new set of 18" fast trekkers on my nearly stock 450 and they didn't hook up good at all compared to other tires I've tested. I love them for the ice though once studded.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by yfz450rida
some guy said that wheelspin is key to a wheelie that is funny. traction traction traction and for the test you go try to wheelie all day on some mud or wet grass and come back and explain how the wheel spin help you find enough traction so you can put enough power down to lift the front end. LMAO!!! thats good!

I somewhat agree with ZSNOW. Its difficult to explain and I think it also varies depending on riding conditions. Obviously not many quads are going to get a lot of traction on wet grass no matter what. Obviously traction will be one thing that gets the front end up, but I know from experience in riding in the sand, the only way to get a wheelie going is to get excessive wheel spin, once the tire starts spinning fast in say 2nd or 3rd the front end starts lofting up rather easy. Difficult to understand unless you've felt it yourself.

[250rmike]

in sand what you saying is you need the tire spinning to stand up thats not true what happens is the tires sink deep enough in the sand to get bite. spinning is not good for anything but doughnuts. now back on topic you with either have to change your gearing change your tires to a grippier tire(you said you can flip you tires around so try that) or you will have to im sorry to say it learn how to ride better. im sure when you are racing or riding hard you are just dumping the clutch to take off and you spinning its alot easier to stay spinning once you start. what you need to do is learn to slip the clutch on take off. also the reason you see alot of 250r's running turfs is 1 its either an old magazine or bike that your looking at or it just personel preference the new mx tires are not that much heavier than turfs and believe me i have ownerd grooved turfs with radials along with regular holeshot mx holshot and mx4 holeshot now i have never had claws or razr's for mx but from my expeirience they all way about the same give or take alittle bit. but not enough to effect performance. look at all the old xc 250r's that used 22 in holshots and razrs they werent suffering from poor performance

[banshee84]

I am convinced that for certain bikes on hard packed dirt there isn't a tire that has good traction. If you want need traction that much get a shortened swingarm. I have a -2" on my banshee but I would like a -4" in the summer

[procircuit406ex]

Razr2