Newbie tire question

[Frankencelery]

Ok, I'm not totally a newbie, but when it comes to tires, I don't have a clue. I put Cheng Shin C827's all around on my SX, and they seem to work fine, but I don't really know what's good and what's bad. I know that this is a very subjective area, and everyone has a different opinion, but I wanted to try to get some guidelines.

I realize the first questions asked might be, "What kind of machine are you riding", and "What kind of riding do you do?" My 200x needs tires next, and it's got plain old square knobbies on it right now, so the Cheng Chin's would be about the same. I'm just a trail rider mostly. I don't race on a track. Here in Iowa it's just plain dirt trails and grass, and not a lot of rocks. My tires leave the ground occasionally, but not more than a foot or so...I'm too much of a chicken to catch any more air than that!

The more serious performance riders always seem to run lower profile tires on the back. Why is that? To keep from flipping when you go into a slide, or is there more to it? Doesn't that rob you of top-end speed?

When I look at tires in a catalog or online, they mean nothing to me, and I end up looking at tread patterns that look cool. That's a ridiculous way to pick tires, so I end up going with the cheapest. I can't figure out why I should pay $80-$100 per tire when I can buy them for $50. Maybe you guys can enlighten me on that too!

If there's existing threads on this question, please post the link. I searched on "tires", but that's a useless search term to use.

[FATTYFIVE]

I think the Cheng Shins are great. I used to drag race my ATC500 and everyone else is spending huge money for exotic tires. I bought some C829's in a 25x12x9 and found traction on every track I went to. Sand, pea gravel, hard pack dirt, cut loose dirt, ect. Then I stopped racing. Put the tires on a 250x and rode in the woods. Mud, rocks, roots, ect. The tires were and still are fantastic. Not heavy, and cheap. What more could you ask for? My two cents.

[Yamada]

Usually the tires that cost the most are the one with more plys. More plys equal more puncture resistance and they are usually heavier.
Since you don't have rocks in your areas, a 2 plys tires is enough.

[Yamaha_Rules69]

The lower profile tires (smaller) do cut the top end dramatically. Most of the time when smaller tires are used, they are for track racing purposes, and gearing changes are made to compensate for the top end loss. Chen Shins are fine, and are much better than the trail pros by far. The chen shins seem to be a little taller and narrower than compared to other tires of the same size I have noticed.

[Frankencelery]

I'm glad to hear somebody thinks the Cheng Shins aren't totally horrible. They do seem taller than some other tires. My KLT110 has some old school knobbies on it that are so old some of the knobs are just breaking off. Funny they still hold air. I was thinking about putting the C827's on that one too.

[Saul]

Chen Shins are fine, and are much better than the trail pros by far.

Don't you ever bad mouth the greatest ATV tire known to man! Trail Pro's came as STANDARD EQUIPMENT on Tiger 500's back in the day! Mo,fo'in TIGER 500's!

Now, only one or two of those tigers are around, but only in pieces .. but those trail pro's? STILL out there, roaming the trails on ATV's, the SAME tires, not same 'type' but actual EXACT tire ... they have outlived the first trike they were on, then the second and third, then the multiple trailers and wood carts - that barn fire, even the homemade trail pro tire swing out by the old swimming hole - and back on an ATV again!

Not one single flat, not one puncture - not one MILLIMETER of weird retarded looking thread worn off them.

Boy, when you badmouth the trail pro, you're badmouthing the GOD of ATV tires. And when you die, those trail pro's will roll right up and spit on your grave.

4 life!!

[mohadib]

I plan on picking up an 86r next sunday (not tomorrow). It has bear claw tires on it. How are those for a multipurpose tire? Are they really heavy?

Thanks

[topless]

Just went through the same exercise in tire decisions. In the past 2 years I've learned a couple of things about tires. On my 200s and now 200x weight is a big thing. I started out with Cheng Shin C828's because that's what came on my 200s. They worked OK, but I ride a lot of sand or sandy dirt and I kept getting stuck, my son with stock Honda tires never did. I bought stock Honda tires and found that the C828's weighed 20lbs each, the Honda tracs weighed 13lbs and cost about the same as most other tires $53 each. Huge difference in performance and traction.

I just put my 200s motor with 200x piston with ported head in a 200x chassis I bought last week, it needs tires. I went with the lightest tire made for sand, snow (which I love to ride in) and ended up with Maxxis 22x10-8 Rear 4 Snow. $41 each, 12.3 lbs.

Whatever you buy, go light, heavy tires really takes a toll in ride, quickness and (in the case of 200x) suspension reaction.

[Frankencelery]

I've been without internet for 3 days. Major withdrawls!

Ride I can see...traction too. But I'm surprised to hear that weight makes that much difference in performance. Interesting. I've never weighed the C827's, but they always seemed light to me.

[keister]

I'm glad to hear somebody thinks the Cheng Shins aren't totally horrible.

Cheng Shens and trikes go together like macaroni and cheese.

[rdlsz24]

But not quite as good as beat trikes and

Rob

[Thorpe]

ITP mudlites all the way.....

[mohadib]

No one has an opinon on the bear claws? I read they are 6 ply. Is this going to be a rough ride or make the bike slow? Thanks

[250rAL]

I hate heavy thick tires. I've got some Dirt Dogs that I use sometimes in the winter and they're so heavy and stiff that I only run 1 lb. of air in them . I can and have run them flat with little difference. I prefer light weight 2 ply radials. I have Dunlop KT 335's.