Suggestions for a 25" AT tire for a hardtail "81" 200

[Snyderman]

I have two of these basket cases I am restoring and was looking for some advice on what would be a good cross country type of tire for a 1981 ATC 200 with 25x12x9 tires.

We ride out in the mountains of Colorado and have a mixture of hard- pack, (mostly) rocky, muddy, sometimes sandy terrain.

I was considering the ITP mudlite AT on the rear and Scorpion on the front. We do have a lot of hard pack fire roads that are traveled to get to the trail head. Not certain if a mud tire would take too much of a beating on actually "getting" to the trail...

I am more of a fan of the "square" tire but know they are usually higher ply and a bit stiffer. I have Carlise Turf Tamers on a few BR's but they are a really heavy tire and are terrible in mud and snow. (IMO)

Here are some photos of the terrain we ride and one of the 200's.

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Thank you for taking the time!!

[Electrofreezze]

Kenda Bearclaw is a good choice or interco makes swamp lites which are a great all around tire too.

https://youtu.be/rXYU1VrVzOw

Sent from my ONE A2005 using Tapatalk

[Jwheeler]

Hey give me a PM I may be able to help you with two tires with 0 miles on them. :beer

[lincolnolli]

I run the bear claws on my big red,and they are awesome.But honestly i wouldnt ride em without a suspension,waaay to hard sidewall.
The softest i can think of are the ohtsu "noppies" that my big red came original with.
I would def use them on a hardtail,if you can find those.
Olli

[86125m]

The kenda scorpions ride veary smooth and on an old hard tail I don't think you can do much better than the scorpions or the dura knobbies.

[atctim]

I like to think of myself as a self proclaimed hardtail guru. If I can tell you one thing, it is that Honda got it right with the tires they put on these machines stock. Your tires are your suspension. Why beat yourself and your machine up? Look for a round profile 2-ply tire. It's the only way to go. Cheng Shin makes a fine replacement - the 25 X 12 X 9 knobby. They get great traction, are soft enough to soak up bumps and look correct on the bike. I agree with the "fan of squared off tires" but on a non suspended trike, they ride like tank tracks. You need "Roundy Poundies" as I like to call them. The softer the better. And to be honest, no, they will not handle as well as squared off tires, but they will out perform in every other aspect, and as you age, your back and spine will thank you for it.

[Mr. Clean]

self proclaimed hardtail guru

This should be under your username.

[Snyderman]

Roundy Poundies!! Gotta love it... Thanks man.

[cr480r]

Not a hard tail.. But I have Duro HF240a "tuff duty" 4ply knobbies on my 250es. They are very soft for a 4ply. They have larger knobs with a more open spacing than most knobbies. I am using a duro HF244 on front.. Love it... I would like to try them on all three corners in the future. I think the HF244 would last well and perform well on a variety of terrain. Duro products are high quality and the tires look completely different mounted than they do in pics.. They appear square, but round right out when inflated. I had 2ply Cheng knobbies on my 200s I like them too... they are very light.. Very compliant ride.. Excellent traction.. But IMO they don't have the lateral stability that some inexperienced or heavy riders might want on a side hill. The 2ply Duro small knobby I had on my 125m were about the same as the chengs in every way. I avoid Carlisle products. Had several leak air right thru the carcass, poor traction, and generally have loose fitting beads. I have had trail pros, turfs, Strykers, and badland knobbies.. Never again

[Snyderman]

I must say, maybe the ITP mudlite may not be best suited for a hard tail, it sure looks wicked!

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Anyone got any photos of the Duro's or the Scorpions mounted on a ride?