27" tires tight fit?!

[trigger]

bighorns are expensive and heavy, terrible in real mud and snow too. there is a guy that had them in my group he had to backup and try again in 4wd, the can am i had just the stock crap during the summer 2wd one try on easy mud. we dont leave them, good snow tires like mud light, swamp lites something like that to ride snow

tim you using a ratchet strap to seat the bead?

2.0's aren't heavy and BH's are expensive because they're the standard and best all around tire you can buy, proven by how many companies have imitated them. Definitely not the best mud tire but not terrible and they do much better in snow and sand than rip saws.

 

[Chooglin]

bighorns are expensive and heavy, terrible in real mud and snow too. there is a guy that had them in my group he had to backup and try again in 4wd, the can am i had just the stock crap during the summer 2wd one try on easy mud. we dont leave them, good snow tires like mud light, swamp lites something like that to ride snow

tim you using a ratchet strap to seat the bead?

The BH are a great all around tire. They have preformed well for me in mud and snow ?

 

[jwfirebird]

clay or hedge row snow(thick packed like a slushy) they cant even move the machine not dragging anything, there are better for less if thats the conditions you have, all we have is that stuff, the bighorns the bar are too close to clear and just slick up. the one guy i knew that got into the hype and tried the 2.0s gave up and got something different couldnt even do as good as some stock tires. only thing i can see those being good at is wearing forever if you ride alot gravel or rocks, we have neither. people around here like mud light/xtr/mudlight 2s, swamplights, mega mahems light mud tires. i have a pic somewhere of my old prairie on three feet of snow talking to the neighbor on his sled it had the bias mudlites, they pick you up on top of the pile. if you search the bighorns on you tube i remember watching one vid was a couple inches of snow like we get the guy with the atv couldnt even make it up a little hill. the guy in the club was the same with the trail with a little clay mud. im sure people who live in south and west like them for wear but north there are way better for less money

 

[jwfirebird]

Been thinking about going with 14" rims and Bighorns: 26" vs 28" - Kawasaki ATV Forum

 

[trigger]

clay or hedge row snow(thick packed like a slushy) they cant even move the machine not dragging anything

This is nothing but clay, the tires aren't even touching the ground and I'm dragging the belly of the machine. Just the sidewalls of the BH's got me through this hole and there's 10 witnesses on this forum that saw it first hand. Obviously your statement is BS! Again, there are better tires for specific riding conditions but BH's are still the best all around tire, no hype it's real. I've got more pictures of other conditions if you need more proof. Maybe your boy just doesn't know how to drive?

 

[jwfirebird]

hard to belive anybody could make it up that unless they have taller tires that the ruts
guy was on a short outlander(pretty good in the mud) and has 5-10 yrs at least. and the trail was just like the bottom of the pic there couple inches of crap not the deep ruts, and he had to back up and try again a bunch of times, the clog too easy and it stays, any of the mud designed tires has more open area and cleans with a little wheel speed. i had a max at the times and it was summer most of our trails arent that bad then, i always just ran the stock 25 inch all trails and had my daughter on the back and tools in the box so it dragging every where, he got stopped it went through without any trouble. anybody with xtrs or swamplights is a 2wd easy area. the winter tires i had 27inch xtrs always made through that whole trail in 2wd in the summer, dragging the bottom

 

[trigger]

Went back to the start of this thread, then did a little digging. There were guys running true 28's with the frame mod and that's not hard to do. Wouldn't take away from the strength or anything either and might actually make it stronger. Spacers and offset wheels will help as well.
Wonder why more guys haven't done it?

 

[deerfu]

I have 27" bighorn knock offs with 1.5" spacers all the way around. No issues with clearance so far. BTW- these tires get me through places in 2wd that I was getting stuck in with the stockers. Great mud traction as far as I'm concerned

 

[jmlkicker]

I opted to take the chance and throw some 27" with stock rims and stock suspension on the P500. They just fit, with about 1/2" of clearance on full steering lock. Admittedly, I went with a set of the VANACC 27X9X12 on the front, 27X11X12 on the rear from Amazon. The front is 50.5" wide, so yea, I'm "just" over 50"...kinda wished I'd of measured the stock, but I suspect it's those large nobs on the sidewall pushing me past 50"..... The backs are right at 50"..... I'm in California, so yea, I'll probably be sporting a ticket, but I'm going to risk it, as these just look soooo much better!

Haven't field-tested, but had some family stand on the bumper to test if they were going to rub...they didn't.

Clearance on back-side while full-right turn (Right Front Tire)

Clearance on Front side while full left turn (Right Front Tire)

Not a spot-on comparison, but new 27" compared to the stock 24"....that's water by the way....kinda looks like my dog had a field-day...which, he probably will, but not yet....

 

[1border4manu]

Nice, thanks for sharing.

 

[trigger]

I'll probably be sporting a ticket, but I'm going to risk it, as these just look soooo much better!

If you're lucky anyway, better than sporting a concussion. I realize you're trying to stay at 50" but that thing's going to be a puckerfest. If you get into any serious riding, you'll be on your side with that set up. Lots of testimonials and real world situations documented here but to each his own. Good luck.

 

[DaddyDubbs]

This is nothing but clay, the tires aren't even touching the ground and I'm dragging the belly of the machine. Just the sidewalls of the BH's got me through this hole and there's 10 witnesses on this forum that saw it first hand. Obviously your statement is BS! Again, there are better tires for specific riding conditions but BH's are still the best all around tire, no hype it's real. I've got more pictures of other conditions if you need more proof. Maybe your boy just doesn't know how to drive?

View attachment 89813

Gee, I remember that outing. Also a great tribute to the ability of the P5, only trouble I had was high centering in a knee deep mud hole (thanks for the anchor point for my winch) and mud clogging up the radiator.

 

[rustyneversleeps]

@jmlkicker Thanks for posting those pics, interesting to see the clearance on stock wheels. I have been debating on 27's with a 4+3 offset and was just concerned with the clearance when running chains. I think I might be ok with the 27s + 4+3 offset + chains.

I'm a rookie, but I agree with @trigger - without spacers or offset that thing looks pretty tippy...

 

[trigger]

@jmlkicker Thanks for posting those pics, interesting to see the clearance on stock wheels. I have been debating on 27's with a 4+3 offset and was just concerned with the clearance when running chains. I think I might be ok with the 27s + 4+3 offset + chains.

I'm a rookie, but I agree with @trigger - without spacers or offset that thing looks pretty tippy...

Yeah, we all went into it thinking the same thing. Bigger, better tires but maintain the 50". It makes it tippy as hell, I know bc I tried it too. There's still a couple I know of that say they haven't spread the stance, hope and recommend that they stay on the easy stuff. When you get into deep ruts or off camber stuff it becomes apparent real fast. I preached to one member for about two yrs and I do believe he has the record for tipping, like 9 times. He finally gave in and added spacers, never went over again. Had another member not heed the warning, took a corner too fast and went over at speed. Don't think anyone was hurt too bad (thank God) but it totaled the machine.
If you want to stay at 50", leave the stockers on or at least the same diameter of tires. Okay, rant over.