Best Woods/Trail Tires

[Shawthy33]

Just getting some opinions, I scrolled through a ton of pages and see a lot of guys running different tires. I'm looking for the best value for a woods/trail tires that will see some mud, some sad, mainly fast woods-style trails.

[400man]

ive always had great luck with just plain old maxxis razr rear tires. but ive not really used any other tires though so it dont say much.

[bigbad400]

holeshot hds are the good trail rated ones and the gncc's are the best racing trail tire. other than that id say any one of those with the most ply rating would be your best choice. durrability in the woods is big, thats why i run hd's they are thick tall knobs and they are 6 ply and they are made wider than most for extra bite in the ruts, mean tires they are, i run them flat in the dunes like 3 lbs and they work just as good or better than my friends itp sand stars, we drag race and im the one pulling a wheelie out of the hole on blow sand.

[timmy400exfast]

i like the wholeshot xcts there 22s kinda big but awsome for trails

[katch26]

I like the GNCCs as long as you go +1 over stock...IMO they run a little small. Dont be afraid to mix and match. I see alot running the razr2 fronts with the razr rears. The razr2s rears are nice but they have too many knobs for me and pack up in muddy conditions. I generally don't like the ITP fronts because they have a flatter more square profile which I dont thing bites as much. Theres always Kendas which are also very popular.

[Snipe]

All you listed are really good tires. There are even some off brand tires like AMS, Kenda and even more you have not listed. What ever you buy be sure and get 6ply rating. I wouldnt have a problem buying any of these tires as long as they were 20 to 22" tall and were 6ply. Go for any of the brands you have listed and try and find the best price.

[honda400ex2003]

i like the razrs in the woods and in general. they have not let me down yet. actually i just a set of 18's for my stock tires just to try them out. steve

[Honda#4]

When I had my HD's I never ran air in them cuz they were so darn hard. A good stiff sidewall tire I must say but they sure are heavy.

[TRXRacer1]

Best woods/trail tires IMO are the Kenda Knarly's.

[Snipe]

I have ran, Razr, AMS and ITP my bro in law just bought of set of kenda knarly. I like them all, we will see how his kenda's do.

[MtnEX]

I have Maxxis Razrs and ITP Holeshot HD, XC, and GNCC.

I like all of them.


I have Razrs on my Polaris.

I have HD rears and XC fronts on my 400EX.

I have GNCC's on my 450R.



It is hard to compare them like that, but I like them all. I just think the HD rears happen to be the best looking. Heavy though.

I think the GNCC's are the best self-cleaners. And the lugs are DEEP. It's weird to see a 10" wide sort of rounded aftermarket tire though... very stock looking from a distance. I didn't know the 21x11 was pretty much the same height.

The Razrs I really like... They kind of look generic to me... but they work great, and they wear a lot slower than ITP tires. So I voted for them for best value.

A lot of people say the same about Kenda wearing long... I dunno...

[Wheelie]

Originally posted by TRXRacer1
Best woods/trail tires IMO are the Kenda Knarly's.

x2

[VTredneckgames]

help me out a second, what is the stock rear tire size? Ive heard of people going to a larger diameter. Notice any difference? Id like that extra 1" of ground clearance. Im out of town right now, so I cant go check, but I would like to go ahead and shop around. Thanks guys.

[TRXRacer1]

Originally posted by VTredneckgames
help me out a second, what is the stock rear tire size? Ive heard of people going to a larger diameter. Notice any difference? Id like that extra 1" of ground clearance. Im out of town right now, so I cant go check, but I would like to go ahead and shop around. Thanks guys. Stock is 20" I was running the 21" Knarly and believe it or not it was just enough to go through areas that my buddies were getting hung up.

[Shawthy33]

Razr's seem to be running away with things....however if we said "VALUE" then price would be thrown into the mix and the Razr's are most expensive.

[VTredneckgames]

thanks, also what is the stock wheel size? 10x9?

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by VTredneckgames
help me out a second, what is the stock rear tire size? Ive heard of people going to a larger diameter. Notice any difference? Id like that extra 1" of ground clearance. Im out of town right now, so I cant go check, but I would like to go ahead and shop around. Thanks guys.

Stock rear is 20" but has a lot of squat...

A 20" 6ply aftermarket tire will give you a bit more clearance.
Less tire squat.


The 22" ones will give you an extra inch of rear clearance, but will throw off your frame geometry, suspension, and gearing.... It also will not handle as well in the corners.

They know there is a large price to pay for the clearance... that's why you are seeing 21" rears starting to come out now...

[katch26]

Originally posted by TRXRacer1
Stock is 20" I was running the 21" Knarly and believe it or not it was just enough to go through areas that my buddies were getting hung up.

stock is a small 20". I was saying go larger on the gncc because theyre small too and would give you a closer 20

[VTredneckgames]

gotcha, so what size am I looking for? 10x9? or 11x9? Sorry I would do this myself if my four wheeler wasnt 100 miles away.

Might just go with 20s anyway. mine are basically bald, so that has got to hurt me in height.

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by VTredneckgames
gotcha, so what size am I looking for? 10x9? or 11x9? Sorry I would do this myself if my four wheeler wasnt 100 miles away.

Might just go with 20s anyway. mine are basically bald, so that has got to hurt me in height.

Stock front rims are 10x7...

22x7-10 or 23x7-10 front tires for trails.


Stock rear rims are 9x8...

20x10-9... 20x11-9... 21x11-9 rear tires for trails.

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by katch26
stock is a small 20". I was saying go larger on the gncc because theyre small too and would give you a closer 20

Yes... my 20" GNCC's were exactly 20" tall at the top of the knobs brand new. They are only 10" wide too.

I think I could have went with the 21x11-9... I saw a set and it's hard to tell the extra height without a ruler.

[Shawthy33]

Maxxis Razr's dominate the opinions huh?

[Tommy Warren]

holeshot gncc or razr2

[IcutMetl]

I'm going to vote for Razr2s at every corner. They do well; I mean rediculously well on my 250R. I also have first hand experience with regular razr's on both a warrior and a banshee, and holeshot/holeshot XCR's on a 400ex.

My buddy got his Razr's the same time I got my Holeshot XCR combo. I liked mine better; they felt lighter, and I felt like I had more control sliding. Neither one seemed to have much side bite.

When it was time to put new dogs on my 250R, the Razr 2's were out, and I thought ehh, what the heck...I'll try 'em. I almost went cheaper and got Knarly's.

I am very impressed with the Razr 2's. They handle a lot better (for me) compared with the others, and pull me thru more gummy situations at just over idle speeds than any of the other tires I mentioned above at any speed. They don't slide as well as the others...I didn't say bad, just not as easy. My 250R spins 'em up pretty good, so they didn't take long to get used to. Man, do they ever grab crazy traction and they throw roost to the moon! I can claw over logs a lot easier than my pal can on his Razr's. Riders switch...same outcome. They feel a bit heavy to me...but again; for what I get out of them, it's a fair trade-off. I seriously considered the original Razr's; they're also a great tire, but I am glad I didn't...for my style. My buddy took his razr's off his warrior and put them on his 'shee, it slides awesome, but can't hook up in the sloppy stuff to save it's life. We were at a creek crossing, almost straight down into a muddy creek, and then a very short, steep climb back up...I was able to do it repeatedly, while he wasn't able to climb even once. I had to use my 250R to pull his Banshee up the other side because I got tired of waiting. By the way, I don't think it has a damn thing to do with a Honda vs. Yamaha thing...haha.

I would be curious to try out another brand/combo after I wear these out...and they were pricy...but geez; these work so damn well I honestly would have a hard time bringing myself to switch.

Just my opinion!!

[Shawthy33]

Would all those Maxxis votes argue that for the woods rider who rides on just about every type of terrain there is, be better off with the Razr 2's for about $30/pair more?

[IcutMetl]

I really like the Razr 1's too...and strongly considered buying those. In my opinion, if you ride mainly on the dirt, some mixed terrain, some track, and limited sloppiness...they probably would be the better choice beacuse they spin and slide very predictably.

But after riding on both...and riding on everything...dirt, track, wet grass, bean fields, muddy corn fields, rutted trails, muddy trails, creeks, mud pits, over logs, hills....I'm 100% convinced that the 2's were a better choice for me. Seems like every picture of a GNCC race I've seen on here, the majority of the guys are running Razrs...and more often than not they are 2's.

I think sometimes people get value and price confused. Nobody wants to pay any more for anything than they have to, but like my grandma told me..."poor man can't afford to buy cheap stuff". I choked on the price a little too, but I figued if they were as tough and as durable as everybody was saying, then that's more valuable to me. So far, no regrets.

I think there is a tire out there made by GBC called the X-Rex that is incredibly similar to the Razr2. Same damn tread pattern, same 6 ply rating. It is hard to tell them apart, and I believe the GBC's cost a bit less too; you might want to check those out.

[katch26]

Originally posted by IcutMetl
Seems like every picture of a GNCC race I've seen on here, the majority of the guys are running Razrs...and more often than not they are 2's.


sponsorships my friend. The razr 2 is a good tire but all the ones you see at the gncc have all been modded.

[Shawthy33]

Originally posted by katch26
sponsorships my friend. The razr 2 is a good tire but all the ones you see at the gncc have all been modded.

This is basically why I was asking for some life experience opinions, looking around here a ton of guys run ITP's and Kenda Klaw's but no one voted for them, so I'm curious why that happens.

I agree value and price are not the same thing, at the end of the day if the extra $40 is going to get me a way better, longer lasting tire, its a no-brainer

[katch26]

everything is going to be a compromise somewhere. You want lots of traction but can't pack with mud, long lasting but super grippy, super heavy duty but light.....you get the idea.

Its all personal preference. I think the razr2 fronts are one of the best front tires out there. I just think the razr2 rears are just too much everything. too many lugs, too heavy, too hard, too square, they ride too rough but thats my opinion.

[Shawthy33]

Maybe I'm thinking into it too much, anything is going to be an inprovement over balding stockers, but I want to know the money is well spent

[GMC400ex]

man i hated to see no one put the old faithful bandit a/t..by far my favorite..but ive not rode a lot on the razrs i hear nothing but good things about them..but the bandit a/t have always done the best for me..

[IcutMetl]

I always liked those tires too...at least the look of them, but I never got to ride on any. I just passed up a pair of new 20x10x10's on ebay for $60+/- bones.

Looks like they would churn some stuff up, though!

I always heard the fronts caused a lot of bump-steer because of their square profile.

[MtnEX]

Well, I would have brought up the Bandits...
But I had assumed Pure Sports had went under or something.


Am I wrong?

[white tails]

pure sports bandits. last a long time knobbies. nice durable tire.

[GMC400ex]

yeah man i got 20x10x10 on mine and they are awsome..too bad they werent an opinions on the poll..i agree that the fronts are rough on the road but i love em
idk know man if they went under or what..does anyone know whatever happened to pure sport? bc i sure would like to get some more bandits? haha

[Shawthy33]

Should anything from Dunlop's line be considered? Like the KT335 - Rears, or KT331 - Fronts..... Price wise they are similar to some ITP's and the Kenda's, but they are never in any comparisons, is this because they are mainly a stock tire, no upgrade?

[Shawthy33]

Originally posted by TRXRacer1
Best woods/trail tires IMO are the Kenda Knarly's.

Can someone throw up a picture of Knarlys on the back, does the 21 inch tire work well over the 20 inch stock?

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by Shawthy33
Should anything from Dunlop's line be considered? Like the KT335 - Rears, or KT331 - Fronts..... Price wise they are similar to some ITP's and the Kenda's, but they are never in any comparisons, is this because they are mainly a stock tire, no upgrade?

Well, the new QuadMax Sports are a 6 ply tire and the rears don't look bad to me.

My KFX 450R had the Dunlop radials on it.
KT331 fronts and KT396 rears.

Those were not bad tires really for stock tires.
They are true radial design and 4 ply.
Not superb, not bad.

My GNCC tires get a lot more bite though.

For something under a 450R, these would be fine I think. I took mine off new, but decided to stash them away and keep them until I had some time on the GNCC's. I think they would be pitiful now on the 450 with the mods I have now. But I'm going to keep them for hard times, or to go on one of my other quads... I'm sorta thinking they are good enough to me to be worth more "to me" to have around than they would bring if sold...

Which brings me to the moral of the story.... For the price of new Dunlops, I'd get Maxxis/GBC/ITP/Kenda...

But for cheap... new take-off Dunlops would not be terrible... if you had little cash and needed tires bad.

Also, sometimes you can find a supply of "once raced" Maxxis/GBC/ITP/Kenda tires. A lot of guys only run them once or twice, especially if they have a tire sponsorship.

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by GMC400ex
man i hated to see no one put the old faithful bandit a/t..by far my favorite..but ive not rode a lot on the razrs i hear nothing but good things about them..but the bandit a/t have always done the best for me..

Where do you get the Bandit's these days?

[IcutMetl]

Ebay...type in Pure Sports ATV, or Pure Sports Bandit...etc; they'll pop right up!

[GMC400ex]

yeah man you can get them on ebay..and i have a neighbor who works at honda and he said they could get them but they had to order them so i guess they are still around...sweeeet

[DuwBra]

Knarleys. They truck through it all. I've been through some **** with mine and they're still trucking great a year after i got them.

[Shawthy33]

Originally posted by DuwBra
Knarleys. They truck through it all. I've been through some **** with mine and they're still trucking great a year after i got them.

Can you post a pic of them on your bike? I want to see how the 21 inch size looks

[DuwBra]

Mine are 20's, great for blasting hills. they give my quad amazing bottom end because they hook up well and arent too big and are some of the lightest 6 ply tires you can buy, they might actually be the lightest. This thing absolutely rips up a hill, i love it. best investment i've made by far.
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u227/Duwayne_2007/DSC00503.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u227/Duwayne_2007/DSC00505.jpg

[MtnEX]

They don't even make 20" Knarly's anymore to my knowledge.

That is one complaint I have read a lot of about Kenda... too much starting and stopping production and too much messing with the model numbers... re-using them and stuff.


Seems to me they have some good ATV tires and good potential to be a major player... they are just not getting it together and going after it.

[DuwBra]

yeah i think they changed the name or something, but its the same tire. Something like that. I dunno what they're thinking. Their radials are amazing as well, but pretty heavy, gotta have some horse power for those.

[Shawthy33]

Duwbra - you must be running 20's up front too correct? They look small, but I like the set-up.

[DuwBra]

they're 21's, for some reason the pic makes my tires look smaller than they are, the fronts look bigger in person. The backs still look about the same as in the pic. When I first put these tires on they did look weird because they were a little smaller. At first I was like those tires are tiny as hell. haha but im used to them now and they look normal.

[Shawthy33]

Any recreational woods rider running the ITP GNCC's? They look like an awesome tread pattern both front and rear, just wondering if anyone out there is using them?

[katch26]

I got them on the predator. I really like them compared to the razrs Ive run in the past. I like everything about them better than the razr2 rears.....the r2 fronts are still one of the best front tires but I thought the rears were just too much everything

[Shawthy33]

Nice, any pics of them on the bike?

[katch26]

http://i37.tinypic.com/1553omh.jpg

[Shawthy33]

Much more of a flatter profile then the pictures on Rocky Mountain/Golden West and other distributors show in the stock pictures

EDIT - The rear tires at least, the fronts are radials

[katch26]

well the fronts are pretty flat (only 5 lbs) and the rears are really a weird size. Most rears are one inch wider than your wheel which makes it balloon up a little these are exactly the same size. If you look at the tires on the itp site (maybe even rmatv and motosport) they are actually mounted to a black rim that looks like it only 8" wide by the look of the sidewall. Either way I really like them.

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by Shawthy33
Much more of a flatter profile then the pictures on Rocky Mountain/Golden West and other distributors show in the stock pictures

No, they just seem to look flatter in some real photos.

I have a set on my 450R and from a distance you can't tell them from stockers.

Same size and same roundy profile on the 20x10-9 rears.


The 21x11-9 rears look a bit flatter, and a lot flatter when they wear down.

[Shawthy33]

Katch - what size front/rears are you running?

[0101]

GBC X-rex's look like really nice tires with an insanely low price.

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by 0101
GBC X-rex's look like really nice tires with an insanely low price.

I'd like to know where you all are finding them cheap?

[katch26]

Originally posted by Shawthy33
Katch - what size front/rears are you running?

theyre 20r/22f. Ideally I wanted 21/22 but the 21 rears hadnt been released yet and I got the fronts for something ridiculous like 100 shipped new......too good to pass up.

[Shawthy33]

Where did you get the fronts for that price?