[spaguru]

What are good paddle tires for the Z? I am looking at the Gecko's and the Paddle Masters. We dont have many big hills here but lots of sand. I also heard the Sand Skate II is a good tire. What about fronts? A good front with some decent trail/dirt traction? Mohawks? Do paddles work good in the snow too? I've never had a set of paddles but this new place to ride is all sand and paddles are a must! Which do I get? I like the 10" rear rims too. Any disadvantages to the larger rim size?

 

[thrshr]

i think the sand skate II's are the best for all around riding. the geckos look cool but they work like sand sharks. just not enough "paddle" height. i think razors for the front are would be the best bet. i wouldn't recommend using paddles in snow cuz underneath all that snow is frozen dirt and you never know when your gonna run into some hard packed ice.

 

[spaguru]

Any clue on the Paddle Masters? They are 2 ply and look pretty durable...

 

[thrshr]

never seen 'em. are you going to be doing rec riding or drag and hill climbs?

 

[spaguru]

Just rec riding. Not much hill climbs in sand. Will ride at Little Sahara a few times with em though! We have a lot of sand here but not many large sand hills just small dunes.

 

[spaguru]

Paddle Masters look like this...

They look pretty durable for a paddle tire. WHat do you think? Also what about the 10" rim sizes?

 

[thrshr]

since you do mostly rec riding. i wouldn't recommend straigh paddles like the paddle masters. you need v-paddles such as the sand skate II's. again, i highly recommend sand skate II's and i'm sure that my sentiments are echoed my many.

the reason v-paddles are better than straigh paddles for rec riding is because you can turn with no effort with v cut paddles. straight paddles will try to maintain a straight line. you can turn with straigh paddles, just not as good and fun as v-paddles.

 

[spaguru]

So... These are the hot ticket then? Where is the best place to buy em and what rims should I get?

 

[slider]

i've got a set of geckos, used one weekend in glamis, i'll sell for 150$ + shipping, if anyone is interested, on red lable douglas rims, for the Z

 

[marty]

I run the ten inch Douglas red dots with a two inch offset to give me more width and stability. I also run ten inch Sand Sharks and find them good.

 

[sduncan]

Gecko's are on the heavy side weight wise. I use Sand Skate 2s on both my quads w/ good results. However, my next set will be Sand Skate 1 w/ the comp grooving. These are very light, hook up very well, but are strictly for soft sand. If you want a tire that will work reasonably well in the sand but will tolerate a bit of hard ground also, then check out the Pro Wedge made by Ohtsu. I had a set a long time ago and they were not bad at all. I believe some of the guys who are into pulling sleds w/ quads still use them. I'm not sure where they are available at but a Ohtsu dealer should be able to find them. As far as prices go, either Rocky Mountain ATV or Prowlers has the best prices for SS2s.

 

[thrshr]

www.rockymountainatv.com is the cheapest place i've found them. i'd get the 10" blue label douglass wheels. i think blue labels are pretty durable in the sand because sand soaks up alot of the impact. but, if your going to be doing big air (40ft or more) i'd suggest red labels.

 

[dual-sporter]

i've run SS2's on my LT250 for 3 years and loved them so far. i have them on douglas 10" .125" rims and the combo works great. i'll be getting different rims and putting them on my Z when i get it. i think the 10" rim lowers the overall mass of the wheel/tire combo so it spins easier... lowers rotating mass.

 

[iski3]

I looked up the SS'2 in Rockey Mountain, and it saye they should be used by high powered quads. Does the z have the power to spin them? Are the Gecos too little?

 

[spaguru]

8)

 

[Z400Central]

anyone want to do a review on sand tires?

 

[Zeeper]

Has anyone tried the Sand Shark paddles.. I know they are cheap but do they work.. Everyone says V blade.. I only use these twice a year.. at Little Sahara and need a good all around paddle.. The Sand Skat II s are a little more than I want to spend @$160 for the tires with no rims..

 

[little_fat]

if you want some good tires for rec riding, then definately go for V-Blades. the Paddle Masters are made for deep mud and snow, that's why they're so durable. the paddlemasters are SUPER heavy, and won't work on any sand unless it is super-soft. i saw a guy on a 440EX out at some small local sand dunes with the paddlemasters, and he said that he hated them. try www.rockymountainatv.com for some good paddles.
i personally have the Kenda Gecko's, and a pleased so far. they throw good roosts, and slide pretty easily. i don't know how good they climb yet, since there aren't any big dunes where i have tried them out, but that shouldn't matter if your mostly a rec rider.

Little_Fat

 

[alyupe]

sand tires

paddle masters are good for bikes with lots of power .I have them on a lt500 great hole shots,good sliding,very good overall.I have skat-trak 8 paddle 20/10/10 haulers on the Z very good inline,good sliding,no problem turning smokes the v-paddles.

 

[KandK_Z-400]

i have a set of skat-trak extremes and love them... it easier to turn with the v-paddle but if your hittin the gas, the straight ones do fine, plus when you drag, you'll have that little extra "hit"... but if you want v-paddles, id say go with the skat-trak edges... they dnt weigh much at all. Tire weighs more than rim so you'll be lighter w/ a 10" rim rather than you would with an 8 or 9.... just my .02