Choosing paddle tires

[Steelekj03]

So our paddles on our 2014 Honda trx450r's are finally done for, Looking at new paddle tires and just getting a little confused on how a different size would perform.

Our current paddles:

21x12x8 (6 paddles) straight cut

so my question is how would 21x12x8 (8 paddles) skat trak extreme haulers would compare

(unsure of current tire I forgot and I can't find the photo I took of the brand. I think they could be skat traks because it's just a shaved cheap regular tire but not sure)

Anyways, any advice or help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[wapawekka]

More paddles means more hook. You'll be good with an 8 paddle on the 450s as they turn a lot of power. The extremes and the haulers are the same paddle height. The extremes just have a harder paddle compound. They say if want better cornering, you can get the skat trak edges but I've never had them on any of my bikes.

Go with skat traks if you can find them new. They are just so much lighter then other paddles like sand shark, ITPs, etc... They are expensive, however.

Andrew

 

[Bansh88]

Someone on one of the Facebook pages was selling a new set of Sand Skate I's.  I've got an old pair that I love.  Always ran Sand Skate II's as well.  

I tried a set of Hauler one trip and hated them.  Lot of power going straight but I definitely noticed a lacking on turns.

 

[sndsamplr]

I really enjoy the STUbrats, tall paddles cut, with STU single razor fronts.  The rears are on 8” rims.  They work well for me.


 

21 x 12 x 8.  

 

[Rorschach]

A little trick I came up with years ago having had a pretty extensive collection of older quads, 3 wheelers and pretty much anything that had "balloon" tires. I often had problems with leaks from the beads that I could never get to stop especially with paddle tires mounted on my old ass wheels. I started getting o-rings at places like The Parker Store or other places that specialize in seals and o-rings and placing them on the bead of the wheel to seal the tiny spots where the air would leak or if you have a small cut in the bead of your tire that would usually make a tire trash or require a tube but I don't like tubes in atv tires. I'll usually even put one on as insurance if there's not a leak. For an 8" wheel I'd get like a 6" o-ring, 8" for a 10" wheel and so forth so they fit nice and tight.

 

[MWB]

So our paddles on our 2014 Honda trx450r's are finally done for, Looking at new paddle tires and just getting a little confused on how a different size would perform.

Our current paddles:

21x12x8 (6 paddles) straight cut

so my question is how would 21x12x8 (8 paddles) skat trak extreme haulers would compare

(unsure of current tire I forgot and I can't find the photo I took of the brand. I think they could be skat traks because it's just a shaved cheap regular tire but not sure)

Anyways, any advice or help would be greatly appreciated!

What did you like and what did you wish the paddles you have now did better?  Hate to send you in a wrong direction.   For instance I went from 8" rims to a 10" rim and liked the harder sidewall grip I could get in the corner. I would push hard into a corner and didn't like all that sidewall flex. 

 

[Steelekj03]

More paddles means more hook. You'll be good with an 8 paddle on the 450s as they turn a lot of power. The extremes and the haulers are the same paddle height. The extremes just have a harder paddle compound. They say if want better cornering, you can get the skat trak edges but I've never had them on any of my bikes.

Go with skat traks if you can find them new. They are just so much lighter then other paddles like sand shark, ITPs, etc... They are expensive, however.

Andrew

Thanks for the info, Rocky Mountain ATV has some skats in stock so I need to go take another look there, Ive run the ITP Sand stars before which are similar to the Edges (Just not as high quality and heavier) and I just didnt like how they rode. I'm able to corner plenty fine on the straight cuts so I'll keep a look out for the Haulers or extremes and go from there!

 

[Steelekj03]

Someone on one of the Facebook pages was selling a new set of Sand Skate I's.  I've got an old pair that I love.  Always ran Sand Skate II's as well.  

I tried a set of Hauler one trip and hated them.  Lot of power going straight but I definitely noticed a lacking on turns.

Interesting I'll have to take this into account, I've never heard of sand skates before but I will check them out for sure!

 

[Steelekj03]

I really enjoy the STUbrats, tall paddles cut, with STU single razor fronts.  The rears are on 8” rims.  They work well for me.

View attachment 22055

Thanks for the setup advice!

A little trick I came up with years ago having had a pretty extensive collection of older quads, 3 wheelers and pretty much anything that had "balloon" tires. I often had problems with leaks from the beads that I could never get to stop especially with paddle tires mounted on my old ass wheels. I started getting o-rings at places like The Parker Store or other places that specialize in seals and o-rings and placing them on the bead of the wheel to seal the tiny spots where the air would leak or if you have a small cut in the bead of your tire that would usually make a tire trash or require a tube but I don't like tubes in atv tires. I'll usually even put one on as insurance if there's not a leak. For an 8" wheel I'd get like a 6" o-ring, 8" for a 10" wheel and so forth so they fit nice and tight.

I'll for sure be trying this out I had some issues early on with my last set with air leaks.

 

[Steelekj03]

What did you like and what did you wish the paddles you have now did better?  Hate to send you in a wrong direction.   For instance I went from 8" rims to a 10" rim and liked the harder sidewall grip I could get in the corner. I would push hard into a corner and didn't like all that sidewall flex. 

Overall I liked them, I could corner just fine and keep up with everyone else in the group (All running different setups). I'm stuck between which rim size to go with because I haven't noticed the sidewall flex a whole lot when riding, but I also haven't tried 10" rims before so part of me wants to try them and the other part of me wants to stick with what I know.

 

[Morgan]

What you had is in my opinion, the best all around tire for any 450. 

8s are too much tire for any 450, and keep in mind that the base of an Extreme is thicker than a standard Hauler so they don't flex like a Hauler does, and essentially adds a paddle count. Another good option for a TRX is a 21x12x8 9 Glider, great all around tire as well. 

John Safarian at Sand Toyz Unlimited would probably have what you're looking for in stock. 

 

[Spize909]

What you had is in my opinion, the best all around tire for any 450. 

8s are too much tire for any 450, and keep in mind that the base of an Extreme is thicker than a standard Hauler so they don't flex like a Hauler does, and essentially adds a paddle count. Another good option for a TRX is a 21x12x8 9 Glider, great all around tire as well. 

John Safarian at Sand Toyz Unlimited would probably have what you're looking for in stock. 

I agree with this 100%

 

[Steelekj03]

What you had is in my opinion, the best all around tire for any 450. 

8s are too much tire for any 450, and keep in mind that the base of an Extreme is thicker than a standard Hauler so they don't flex like a Hauler does, and essentially adds a paddle count. Another good option for a TRX is a 21x12x8 9 Glider, great all around tire as well. 

John Safarian at Sand Toyz Unlimited would probably have what you're looking for in stock. 

That's what I thought as well, I was just trying to consider everything before spending $600+ on new wheels and tires as well as Its harder to find the 6 paddles.

 

[wopachop]

Please share what you end up finding. We looked around last year and not much was available. Have a set of old haulers that are cracked and each year we think it must be the last before the paddles start ripping off. 

edit: actually was more like 2-3 years ago we looked around.