any one use spider tracks?

[mikey's250sx]

i've got a 250sx and am probably going to need new tires in the spring. i ride mostly on grass and fields with mud and water crossings and occasional sand.

i haven't bought tires since about the mid 90's so i am outta the loop as far as new brands and models. i am looking for a tuff tire that will resist punctures more than be light.

do you know if they still make spider tracks? i can't seem to find them on the net.

got any other suggestions?
thanks

[TimSr]

They are now made by ITP. Dennis Kirk sells them, among many other places.

[toyota200x]

I would get ITP MudLites. They are a pretty new tire and are cheap in price.

[Trikeaholic]

complete JUNK, not to mention stupid looking on a 3 wheeler.

[hrc85250r]

Thank You Trikeaholic!

[mikey's250sx]

which ones are junk? do you speak from 1st hand experience?

[lisnup65]

I have an old set of Spidertracs and IMHO they are 1 awesome tire. I use them for snow and muddy conditions. 30 foot roosters are possible when on the 350X!!!!! The problem is they only are offered in large sizes now. I have not seen a set of 22" for a while and that is what I have now.

[hrc85250r]

dude, just get a set of 22 " razrs or holeshots.....i had 22" razrs on my R and i could go through eveyrhting that my friend with a polaris 4x4 could, all i had to do was put through the stuff in 2nd gear with my legs up over my shrouds, i didnt even get wet most times, and i only got stuck once, when my front tire caught a rock....the newer tires like razrs look cool, work awesome and last for 2 seasons or more if you dont road ride a lot or ride 4 hrs a day...the newer sporty tires have alot of advantages over the old ones......i saw screw the spidertacs or whatever, not even worth considering....

[Trikeaholic]

spidertraks are junk. When I got my 86 200x it had them. no flex to them, they rode horrible and looked stupid. but hey, its your machine, if you want a mud bogger 4x4 wannabe thats your business.

[BigGreenMachine]

Why don't you give GBC Dirt Devils a try, agressive tread without the bogger tire tread and ride. I have spidertracks on my Tecate and they look nuts with about half the tire sticking out past the rear fenders. They work great, I've only got to try them in snow on the Tecate but it was deep snow that no bike would perform good in. I have a set on my Kodiak too and they are unstopable. Only had to use the winch to free myself once when I burried it in mud that was worse then cement.

[Glenn J]

You're going to get a million different responses on this. It's almost like asking "Does Ford or Chevy make a better truck?"

I just bought a set of 22" Kenda Klaws for my 200X. They work really good in the snow. THey seem like they're going to be a good all around tire.

[bigredhead]

I've got Bear Claws on mine, and i like them.. 6 ply, you can ride them over nails and not get a flat.

They are stiff tho. 6lbs of air in them.

[hrc85250r]

the dirt devils are awesome tires!!!!i put them on my polaris 400 2 stroke 4x4 before i sold it and took it for a couple rides, and wow do the ever hook! be careful thogh hey do tear the lawn up pretty good....

but im tellin ya, the razrs are the way to go.....i wish i had pics of the 2-3' deep mud holes i was going through, this summer im taking some and posting them in my pic site....

[OldSchoolin86]

I bought an lt250r once that had spidertracs on it. They were a kick ass tire all around but for a 200x I'd try to find a lighter tire.

[Troll 2]

i've got a 250sx and am probably going to need new tires in the spring. i ride mostly on grass and fields with mud and water crossings and occasional sand.



The 250sx will handle spiders just fine. They are a nice tire for what you want, plus they will be tall enough for the rear diff. clearance for trail riding too.
The traction with a spider type tire is great and only works with a few trikes, a sx is one. They work killer on our 350x also. Good luck..............:beer


http://www.bmi.net/magoos/b5.jpg

[Howdy]

complete JUNK, not to mention stupid looking on a 3 wheeler.

Them are fighting words!! lol

I run spidertracks and love them. I haven't had any problems with them.
Howdy

[Trikeaholic]

Yes I know, we have had this argument before! You are nuts! I couldn't stand them, but you guys have seen the way I set up my trikes, so thats prolly why.

[md1985250r]

Whatever tire you decide on ,make sure you get a 6ply. Good Luck GREG

[BigGreenMachine]

You guys say 2-3 inches of mud lol, I ride where theres 2-3 foot of mud in places.

Heres a pic, XJ with 38's stuck in a bog.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/BigGreenMachine/muddddd.jpg

[Huffa]

While we are on the tire subject, lets talk plys. OK, a 6 ply is the most durable but you sacrafice the ride somewhat plus the less suspension you have the more I'd say a 6 ply is a no-no. Less the ply, more the flex, which in some cases you want. Don't 6 plys weigh a ton & 1/2 too?

I don't think on my 225 I'd want to have a 6 ply with 4 inches of travel but don't deny you'd be most assured of not getting a flat with a 6 ply.

Also too agressive of a tread and you just have to lose a % of the sliding (wheelspin) ability of the machine, espeicially if it's a 200cc 4 stroke or less.

Tough decision I guess?

:wondering Front tire I just don't get why I see alot putting a traction rear tire on the front of 3 wheelers instead of a true steering tire tread.

Trolls tire set up I like. What kind of front is that?

[BigGreenMachine]

You can't really rely on the largest number of plys having the most puncture resistance. 4 thick plys are going to be more durable then say 6 thin plys. I have spidertracs on the Tecate and they werk great, hook up real well but like I said in 3-4 foot of snow were practicly useless. Mud they are going to be great with the bikes light weight and all the traction they provide, trails are going to be good as well because of the ground clearance and traction. Sliding around on hardpack is not as easy as my bald Trail Pros but the power the bike has combinded with the stiff ass sidewall doesnt make it hard to get the ass around when ya want to.

[Huffa]

You can't really rely on the largest number of plys having the most puncture resistance. 4 thick plys are going to be more durable then say 6 thin plys. I have spidertracs on the Tecate and they werk great, hook up real well but like I said in 3-4 foot of snow were practicly useless. Mud they are going to be great with the bikes light weight and all the traction they provide, trails are going to be good as well because of the ground clearance and traction. Sliding around on hardpack is not as easy as my bald Trail Pros but the power the bike has combinded with the stiff ass sidewall doesnt make it hard to get the ass around when ya want to.

3-4 foot of snow??? Exactly waht tire WOULD work in those conditions? Thats higher then the trike itself!

[Dirtcrasher]

I think Spider tracks are too much grab for a driveshaft and a differential. Not to mention that the SX with an auto clutch already has limited sliding ability.

Any time I get a cheaper tire with less plys I end up with a leak on the bead sooner or later. This has happened on different rims and with different new tires like ITP holeshots and Dirt Devils. I always pay extra for the multi ply and they seem to flex just fine to me and I never get bead leaks.

[83185s]

ive got them on my 200x..they work pretty good..i also had the same ones one my 185..they were really good for trails and snow but u cant spin them much or slide around alot..now i defintely agree with BigGreenMachine..the trail pros are easy to slide in and spin and stuf..i also have never got stuck on the 185 with them and they spin very very good! its all about personal preference

[BigGreenMachine]

I'm not recommending the Trail Pros lol, just comparing how they slide to the Spidertracs. I don't think you need such an agressive tire as the Spiders for what you want. I'm sure I don't need them on the Tecate either but what the hell. Dirt Devils should do fine.

Huffa, I actually did better than I thought I was goin to. I stayed on the hardpacked trails that the skidoos had made but once I got off the trail and momentum got scarce they spun for a split second until I bottomed out on the carrier. Utterly useless to be using to trike in that much snow. Balloon tires are better for the snow IMO and in some cases would work better in the bog as they would float over the deep stuff.

[straight pipe]

well this is what i picked up today for my sx. itp MUD LITES. lighter than anything i picked up before , 6 ply tough, excellent trail tire, smooth ride and can mud with the best of em! this tire is fairly new to the market and hasn't been tested on trikes enough to get a good opinion on. i will try them out. i don't ride in sand up here it is all trail , swamp and gumbo mud. i ride with guys that have 400+cc's and set up with mud bugs and zillas. the lites have a pattern in the center to give it a smooth ride and mud slingers on the side that cleans itself very well, a few quads have run them and they liked them alot,i know of guys that switched from lites straight to zillas cause of their specific mud capabillities ,but liked the lites better on trail riding where they weren't up against 3 feet of gumbo, the lites are a good riding tire.. this could be THE tire to run on a trike that sees alot of forest trails and mud/swamp.i do agree that balloon tires work excellent in swamps though, the floatation is great but are not a good mud tire.i am rebuildin the sx right now and will give reprorts time to time on how they work in up here in the candaian wilderness. my buddy has a 350x and he has spider trax on it and we are curious how the tires will compare out in the elements.i think just by visually comparing them he'll have lites on before the before the summer ends.oh ya the weight of the lites and rim together is waaay lighter than the tire in the picture alone....by far lighter.

[K1500]

I ran them for years on my Big Red and I liked them. They were make by Dick Cepek back when I got them. I have switched to a set of Vampires and really like them but I use my trike more for utility and mudding. The Spider Trax rode really well for a mud tire.

[83185s]

yup those r the ones i got k1500...20-?x12.5-9 or somethin like that

[Yardbird]

I've been running the Spiders since '88 on my 350X and bought a new set from ITP couple of years ago. They don't slide that well as others have mentioned but have great forward traction and they'll throw a hell of a roost (see below) :naughty: . They've never had a flat or let me down. It's all just personal preference but I probably will try some Razr's or Holeshots next time I'm needing some tires. Which could be awhile because the Spiders do last pretty good.

http://forums.atvconnection.com/i/GalleryImages/33614/sandthrower.jpg

[straight pipe]

i've seen vampires on older 2x4 quads and some trikes. how do they ride? someone give a report on smoothness, muddin, sand pits,trail.i would think that they would fair up to a spider trax, their tred pattern is very similar. what are hard rubber compound tires good in? the lites are a soft compound, other than tred life...that's the only advantage hard rubber tires have that i can see. are hard rubber tires best for dune riding? i haven't done much of that.

[lisnup65]

All the complaining that I am reading about this tire does not belong on a trike, or this tire sucks just makes me laugh!! The choice of tire is 100% up to the owner of the trike/quad. Their is no perfect tire for all conditions and thats the bottom line. Most of the machines came with over sized baloon style tires that do the job.

Dependant on the machine and riding conditions, depends on the tire to choose. I have owned at one point over the years almost every machine that was made. When I would replace tires, I would base my decision off power, terrain, and use of the trike. For someone to say that this tire suck or this tire does not belong on a trike is just plain child'ish.

From my expirence I will rate the following:

Spider tracs, mudd lites, etc= The tires are designed for maximun traction is soupy type conditions. They do excellent in Mud, snow, loss packed earth, etc. These tire are normally big in sizes. The large thread pattern makes for a ride that is not really smooth on dry hard packed. Agressive riding is limited as they normally do not slide as other non-agressive tires. The more power you have the better these tires will perform as it takes power to get them turning, espically in a mud bog. The side walls do not offer as much flex as a baloon style tire, therefore I would not recommend for use on a non-suspended trike unlesws you dont mind the rougher ride.

Baloon style tires= These are the original tires that most of the trikes came with from the factory. These tires offer fair to good all around traction. The large side walls provide excellent flex ability to allow for cushion impact which is ideal for a non-suspended trike. Agressive riding will easily push the limits of these tires as the cushion causes extreme flex in the turns creating a more unprdictable response. At high speeds these tires also high center from expansion leaving less contact patch on the ground. For mud and snow these tires are only fair as they have limited grip capabilties due to their design.

Hoeshot type tires= These are tires made for 1 reason and 1 reason only. Agressive riding. Their design is to have a stiffer side wall to limit flex, a greater contact patch with the ground, and lower profile to help eliminate high centering at speeds. The tires provide excellent hard packed traction, but they suffer in soupy conditions. High speed riding is rewarded with these tires as sliding through turns or high speed straight line runs are predictable. A few hours with these tires and you will learn and know what you can expect out of them. Their is a reason why this is THE tire of choice for MX racers. Again, great hard packed, good loos packed, but poor soupy condition tire.


Crossbreeds= I would consider the Titan Fast trekkers and the Dirt hooks to fall into this group. These try to offer the best of the MX and mudd styles in 1 design. Although they semi accomplish the goals, they still fall short of getting the tires completely right. I have the fast trkkers on a machine now. They work well in all conditions, but not excellent. In mudd the provide what I cannot get out of the Holeshot style, but no where close to the Spider tracs. On hard packed the grab, but nothing like the Holeshot style. Tire flex is less than the ballon style, and they dont seem to high center either.

So IMHO, pick the conditions you will encounter the most, consider the machine you are riding, and finally the type of riding you do. This will lead you to the correct tire for your machine regardless of the shallow oppinions of what some will tell you.



My tires of choice! I ride trail and woods, no MX trackes around.
Summer, dry with little rain, holeshot style Maxis Razr, Razr 2, or carlsie badlands.
Summer, rain a few days before a ride, I go to the Fast trekkers.
Fall, Due to rain and foilage on the ground Fast trekkers.
Winter= Spyder tracs
Spring Spider tracs or fast trekkers dependant on conditions.

For this reason I have multiple sets for a choice as to what conditions I will be facing. Nothing like riding with a bunch of sport and sport utiliy quads to find yourself stuck because the tire look better on the machine!!!!!!

[TimSr]

All the complaining that I am reading about this tire does not belong on a trike, or this tire sucks just makes me laugh!! The choice of tire is 100% up to the owner of the trike/quad. Their is no perfect tire for all conditions and thats the bottom line. Most of the machines came with over sized baloon style tires that do the job.

Dependant on the machine and riding conditions, depends on the tire to choose. I have owned at one point over the years almost every machine that was made. When I would replace tires, I would base my decision off power, terrain, and use of the trike. For someone to say that this tire suck or this tire does not belong on a trike is just plain child'ish.


I sit back and laugh at all the nonsense in these type threads, but since since you took the time to actually write an intelligent post on the subject, I wanted to say that I agree with you completely. My tire choices are dfferent, for what works best for me, but based on the exact same logic. Ive seen countless arguments about specific tires, when the bike it will be used on, and what they will be riding in isnt even mentioned! If nothing else, people reveal the extent of their knowledge that way.

There is nothing more ironic than somebody who laughs at a practical choice in a tire, while they think a tire is a cosmetic choice. Tires should be chosen based on appearance if all you are ever going to do is look at it and talk about riding it.

Maybe we should try a thread discussing the best tire for the Armchair Racer!

The two guys who started me on 3 wheels always swore by Spider Tracks on their 350X's. We did woods trails, mud, snow, rocks, and hills year round in Ohio.

[K1500]

straight pipe I have 25x13x9 Vampires on the back of my Big Red. They are a very aggressive mud tire. Their tread is deeper than the Spiders and they ride a little rougher on hard pack, mainly at very slow speeds. I ride mostly in the woods or muddy conditions, they don't slide very well unless you are on a gravel road. Mud traction is great, but if you loose your momentum they will dig theirselves to China in a hurry. They have good floatation, but the lugs are so deep and they clean very well so you can end up stuck deep. I'm an old fart so I don't really care what looks cool anymore, just what works for me. LOL

[straight pipe]

right on k1500! i thought they would be good in mud. i almost bought a older 250 four trax quad last year and it had vampires. the bike was seriously muddy with scredded weeds all over it. before i put the lites on i had the original tires on. they are similar to the carlise stykers. i was surprised how well they worked. the 250sx had originals and i bought new strykers for my 185s and i was riding along the red river after a rain and the 250 plugged up right away and i was sliding everywhere, my 185 on the other hand was good..it had no problems. i still can't figure it out cause the tred pattern is dang near identical. the only explination i have is that the strykers are new and the edges are still sharp contrary to the originals on the 250 which are rounding.i had some who were telling me to install outlaws instead of lite and of coarse i has my bud telling me to go spiders, but no one i personally know has installed lites so that's why i did it. to be different and also to see how they will handle on a trike. when i showed my bud he shock his head and said "they're not spiders" so we'll see when we start hitting the trails.

[honda200]

I run ITP mudlites all around on my warrior, amazing hook up (i got it geared WAY up too) and they are amazing in mud, sand, water, snow,and on hardpacked

only thing dont like about them, if you gotta do a bit of road riding, brace yourself for a not so good ride :(

Curtis

[straight pipe]

really? what do they do on the roads?

[K1500]

I think they just have some vibration out on the blacktop. One of the guys I ride with has them but he hasn't said much about it. He really likes his Lites. One of my riding buddies has a set of strykers on his old 200SX quad and it amazes me at the places he can go. He laughs and says his old worn out quad just doesn't have enough power to spin the tires. :D

[honda200]

yea, its a real rough ride, the front end vibrates too much, so i wheelie as much as i can :D

Curtis