Yet another which tire thread??

[eng811ine]

I've narrowed my tire choices down to either the Maxxis Zilla's or the Highlifter MST's. Either of these will be in 27"
size. These tires will be for trails that consist of a lot of hard pack and rocks as well as some rocky climbs. I've read a lot on here about the zillas and how great they are but my concern is with the wide tread spacing....will the rocks be more likely to puncture these? The zillas are about $120 cheaper for a set and also lighter. Again my main concern is rocks and how well they perform. I'll be buying 2 sets, one for me and one for the GF. Thanks in advance for any help.

[desertdweller]

Rocks. hard pack???????????
Your looking at the wrong tire!!!!!!
Maxis Bighorns are what you need.

[grizzled]

I have the Highlifter MST's in 27" and BigHorns in 25". For riding the terrian that you are describing, I would pick my BigHorns everytime. The MST's are not as tough as the Bighorns and I punctured them the first time I took them out west. I have never had an issue with my Bighorns. I use my MST's on the trails around my home state where it's mostly wooded trails and mud. MST's work great for that type of riding.

[bearinthewoods]

BIGHORN'S

[eng811ine]

Perhaps I misunderstood the meaning of hardpack....The trails I'll be riding are mainly trails through the woods in the mountains of Pennsylvania which include tons of rocks. I've read the reviews on here of the bighorns and they're all positive but how do they perform in the mud?? We don't do strictly mud riding but we both enjoy muddin' at any chance we can. If the bighorns are decent in the mud then I'm sold.

[bigpagriz08]

I also ride in the hills of northwestern PA... I have the 27" zilla's but I try and stay away from the rocks. They perform very well in the hardpack though. A friend of mine has bighorns on his rincon and loves them, they dont perform as well as the zilla's in the muck... but do extremely well in rocks and climbing area's

[bearinthewoods]

Bighorns on a Rhino

YouTube - smackdownrhino

YouTube - smackdownrhino

[bearinthewoods]

Bighorns on a Arctic Crap

YouTube - Maxxis Bighorn ATV

YouTube - Maxxis Bighorn ATV

[StupidNewbie]

Bighorns are no good in the mud. Better then stock for sure. But they dont mud very well. I guess its so tough to have a tire for everything. You just gotta set a priority and go from there. What is 95% of your riding, and then take a tire for that, and suffer a bit in that 5%. Not like horns wont get you though the mud, but dont expect to go where guys running outlaws etc go.

[jwede]

I agree with StupidNewbie. Take the 95% and buy that tire. I went mud tire because I thought thats what I wanted. Turns out I hardly ever get in the mud and am now saddled with the characteristics of a mud tire when a trail tire would have been what I should have bought.

[TripleR]

I believe a lot of people underestimate Bighorns in the mud. As shown by the videos, they do pretty well. Yes, a dedicated mud tire will do better, but you don't have to ride around mud holes if you are running Bighorns. I believe they are a good "all around tire".

[GameDog]

I am a western Pa. woods/rocks/hills and yes a good bit of mud rider as well. I don't have near the experience with tires many others do here but that won't stop my 2bits from getting in there. I was $$$ cautious and went with the Kenda Executioner. Take some time and read the reviews on these,( Rocky Mtn. ) I am hardly the only one that thinks they are a REAL good value. I have not found one place that they can not take me with ease in W.Pa. UBER tough ( by no means a butter soft ride....air down a bit and they are fine ) and the footprint allows for great controlled slides around those woods trails. Tough as nails rim saver feature.......Obviously not the flavor of the week but one good tire for sure.

[maxthis]

My horns have seen way more mud then I care and they have so far pre-vailed...I can't complain about the way they do in the mud for a trail tire. Let alone you can go through two sets of mud tires in the time it takes to wear out Bighorns...these things are like iron! 1800 miles on mine and they still are in great shape. Good luck

Ronnie

[twisterf4]

Rocks=Horns. I find that I jump in less mud than I used to because I don't like cleaning it up for hours. Now those hard pack trails with tree roots and rocks are better served with big horns than the XTR's that I bought previously. The XTR's also leak and have plugs/slime.

If you ride mud then get a mud tire. If you ride some mud, then don't get a mud tire.

-Twister

[NCMUDMAN]

Also, Is the terrain you ride in mostly dry? If it is, the bighorns have the advantage. But on moist, slick ground, I think the MSTs will bite and dig down better.
There is not a single place that the Bighorns will go that MSTs won't. They may grip slighlty better in areas, but when it come down the wet, tacky clay, or mud, unless you are spinning the crtap out of them, Bighorns will clog up more.
My brother has a set of Bighorns on his Foreman 500, and so far he loves them. I'm getting MSTs in the future, so we will compare then!!

[Benwah]

I would reccomend the zillas, as I just put them on, but since you arent planning on doing much mud/water riding, then you need something a little more tailored to rock climbing. Apparently bighorns sound like the way to go.