26" tires

[jew8201]

Anyone running 26" tires on their Kymco UXV 450i?  Just doing some research. Leaning towards replacing the stock 25" with 26x9-12 in the front and 26x11-12 in there. I've also read of people going to the same size all the way around, for example like 26x10-12 or something.  Anyone running anything different than stock? Any issues?

[airshot]

   Why not wait until the factory tires wear out? That is what I am going to do, no sense burning thru your hard earned money until you have to!  Make sure the circumference is the same on all four tires, with 4wd you don't want different circumferences on front and rear.

[jew8201]

   Why not wait until the factory tires wear out? That is what I am going to do, no sense burning thru your hard earned money until you have to!  Make sure the circumference is the same on all four tires, with 4wd you don't want different circumferences on front and rear.

Oh I'm not taking my current 25" stock tires of right now. Just looking to see if anyone has went to 26" or something besides stock. What do you mean exactly about the circumference? Stock size is 25x8-12 front and rear is 25x10-12.   In 26" closest thing to that is 26x9-12 front and 26x11-12 rear. Do you mean put the same thing at all four corners(tires)

[Bratman2]

He is talking about the overall diameter. On UTV and ATV four wheel drive is usually used in pretty crappy conditions. Most manufactures have a slight height difference in the front and rear in any series of tires. For instance the Carlisle 25-8x12 I have on the front of my MXU 450i are 25.0" tall. The 25-10x12 I have on the rear are 25.2". Some vary even more.  You don't need to worry about that! These are not Subaru all wheel drives being driven on the pavement. I just wouldn't use different manufactures. Carlisle tires makes 26-8 and 26-10x12. Going to a taller and naturally heavier tire is going to slow your take off down and may even cause minor issues in thick mud/steep hill climbs due to the overall ratio change. A 26-11x12 is going to be even heavier that the 26-10x12 and a lot heavier than a 25-10x12.  Just so you know. Carlisle tires has a very good website that list heights and weights of each tire. I got Carlisle cause they make them in radials also and that is what I wanted.

[jew8201]

He is talking about the overall diameter. On UTV and ATV four wheel drive is usually used in pretty crappy conditions. Most manufactures have a slight height difference in the front and rear in any series of tires. For instance the Carlisle 25-8x12 I have on the front of my MXU 450i are 25.0" tall. The 25-10x12 I have on the rear are 25.2". Some vary even more.  You don't need to worry about that! These are not Subaru all wheel drives being driven on the pavement. I just wouldn't use different manufactures. Carlisle tires makes 26-8 and 26-10x12. Going to a taller and naturally heavier tire is going to slow your take off down and may even cause minor issues in thick mud/steep hill climbs due to the overall ratio change. A 26-11x12 is going to be even heavier that the 26-10x12 and a lot heavier than a 25-10x12.  Just so you know. Carlisle tires has a very good website that list heights and weights of each tire. I got Carlisle cause they make them in radials also and that is what I wanted.

I understand. I may stay with stock size tires. I'll have to see how the ground clearance looks once I get my shocks adjusted. Mainly considering 26" tires for clearance. Plus if the tires were a smidge wider might handle and ride better. (typically the narrower a tire the better handling I know, but we're talking minimal difference so shouldn't make a huge difference.)

[jew8201]

Finally got my 26" maxxis bighorn 2.0 mounted today. Ground clearance is much improved with the larger tires and adjustments to the shocks.

[jew8201]

How do you make the pics smaller on here??

[randyo]

I can't use my UXV now even with the chains I have, I would need to have tracks, with the 50" + snow cover and another foot more expected this afternoon

[k9bitten]

Good to see you took my recommendation. You should be happy with that setup. As far as overall diameter, that's all easily adjusted with minimal air pressure adjustments. Get it close and call it good.

[k9bitten]

The 2.0's are about the lightest weight 6 ply you'll find. It's crazy how thin and chintsy the stock tires are.

[jasonrbitt]

For those of you with 26s:  did you have to lift or would it fit stock?

[airshot]

    Those tires sure look good on that machine!!

[jew8201]

For those of you with 26s:  did you have to lift or would it fit stock?

I didn't lift it. All I did was adjust the preload on the shocks all the way up. I think they'll fit even if you don't adjust them. I did it for
Ground clearance mostly.

[jdub0813]

I didn't lift it. All I did was adjust the preload on the shocks all the way up. I think they'll fit even if you don't adjust them. I did it for
Ground clearance mostly.

Is it difficult to adjust the preload?  Does it affect your suspension a lot?  Only reason I ask I would like more ground clearance but I feel the suspension is great and a smooth ride right now.

[airshot]

    Most all that adjusted their shocks to the max have found no difference or some say an improvement to the handling of the machine. Easy enough to do, if you wouldn't like it easy to put them back. You will probably find like I did the adjusters are almost at the top anyway. I gained less than an inch and found no real difference at all.