Polaris RZR Forum - RZR Forums.net banner

Tusk Terrabite review. (East coast)

70K views 33 replies 17 participants last post by  pvjiffy 
#1 · (Edited)
Just wanted to share a quick review for the people on the east coast. I had a chance to put some decently hard miles on the tires. 28x10x14 tusk terrabites on a 2016 rzr 900. Ride was renegade ridge in Bloomingdale Ohio. Some soupy rutted out trails, muddy rutted out hill climbs and a few rough rocky areas. Tires gripped very well, a bit more slick in 2wd then the stock Polaris tires that came in the machine. Few areas where I normally would push through in 2wd I had to use 4wd, but once in 4wd the grip was unbelievable. Never got stuck or had any issues with running a radial tire in the mud. They did great. Obviously if deep mud is your thing, these tires would leave you using a winch, but for normal muddy trails they did great. In the ruts they had plenty of bite to pull me right up, without even working hard. I have a Evo tune with stock clutch and belt, had no issues and felt no power loss. In the dirt and mud they were perfect, but in wet grass they are pretty slick. Self clean very well. Would absolutely buy these tires again. Ride great @ 15psi.





 
See less See more
3
#3 ·
The side bite was excellent in the ruts. I also was in a situation where I was crossing some boulders and got hung up. The side-bite of the tires is actually what pulled me through, was pinned against a large rock face. I rode a wide range of terrain, so I can give you a little feed back in each case. Dirt Hard pack to medium loose: high speed cornering and racing through the trails, the rears gripped down when you needed them, but you could work the corners. Like, it wouldn't just slid out for me, I had to work the throttle right in the hard corners and kick up some tire spin to slide corners. Once you were into the apex of the corner, you could really hammer down. You feel the rears gripping and pushing through the corners without wheel spin. The fronts for sure were planted. Never felt the front end pushing, until I hit a high speed down hill, into a 90* turn up hill. It was pretty loose pack. When it planted tho, it gripped and pulled hard right back into my control. Never felt that floating front slid feeling.

Long Wet grass was honestly like ice. Tacky mud was excellent control all around. Hard pack and Loose dirt hills climbs in 4x4 low we're amazing

If you ever had a sport quad, they remind me of the way a fresh set of holeshots felt!
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the "East coast" review Zulu. It is very relevant for some of us. When I see these truck type tires they are usually tested in the AZ and CA deserts or the rocks in Moab. I was wondering specifically how tires like these would do in the woods. Appreciate it.
 
#6 ·
Ride review: Showing very little wear after 250 miles of hard trail riding. Way less wear than my bighorns at the same mileage. Overall I like the tires a lot. Predictable in throttle slides in 4wd. A little loose in 2wd but could be because of the much narrower profile than stock rears. I run in 4wd only after suspension work anyways so doesn't bother me. They perform very well in hardpack and never let me down in mud but I do try to avoid it. Plenty of grip on rocks wet and dry. They are slicker than bighorns on dry leaves and wet grass...tend to push a little which is probably due to lug spacing but a little throttle in 4wd will pull them through the corner.

Seem to be pretty tough tires as they have taken some hits that should have been flats. On that note, I was running 11 psi in fronts and 13 in rear this weekend and got a pinch flat on the front that nothing would have survived at that pressure so I will be bumping up a little. (Leaves blocked a 2 ft rock on side of trail and I hit it at a very fast pace.). Didn't have any trouble blasting rocks at Hatfield McCoy at 15 psi all around. Luckily no other damage. I would not hesitate to buy them if you don't mind them being a touch smaller in diameter than some direct competitors. Benefit of that is they do stay lighter. Only other tire I might consider would be the 10 ply mongrel and they are similar in price.

I will say the size does vary slightly from tire to tire but I was able to fix that by putting about 45 psi in the smaller tires then bleeding back down. Variation was about 1/4". Measure 29.25 mounted on 14x7 method 401 beadlocks. 51lb wheel and tire combined weight.
 
#10 ·
UPDATE: finally had some time to get out and ride in some snow. While the snow wasn't exactly deep, I would say 2-3 inches. The ground was semi frozen. Most of access trails to out trails in the woods, are around the edge of corn and bean fields. As you would imagine lots of tractor ruts and such, to create some deep puddles under the thin ice. Those spots were pretty soft and soupy, once you had 4 machines running through them. I was the back of the pack so I was hitting the spots after the ice was broke and powering through the mud. These tires were amazing. We hit some of our bottom trails in the low lands, where we actually ride the creek to some hill climbs. Going into it I was nervous because It usually a muddy mess, but once we were in I had absolutely nothing to worry about. Tires self cleaned the lugs like a boss, and I was ripping right though. On the snowy hill climbs with leafs covered under the snow, had lots of tire spin, but never felt like I wasn't going to make it up. I was following a 900s with stock dirt commanders, and could see his tires digging for traction where when I hit the same hill I pulled right up. I still have yet to find anything that these tires, would make me think twice about hitting.
 
#11 ·
Thanks for all this information. I had been stressing over the muddy trail aspect of these tires, but I have ordered 27x9x12 for all four wheels. I already have the STI HD beadlocks that I got for 1/2 price brand new, so I had to go with the 12s.

I didn't want my 900S any wider than it already is, and I am gaining about 3 inches front and back just from the wheels, so I didn't go with the 11 inch tires.

They are supposed to be here on Thursday.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Well, they got here. Installed them on the STI HD beadlocks and headed to Windrock today. We had no problems with dust, since it has been raining a lot since the beginning of December. Everything was slick as cat spit on a linoleum floor. (to paraphrase The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas)

Five other RzRs with me had various versions of Dirt Commanders or Bighorns. My stock tires were Dirt Commanders.

First off, the terrabites were amazing on pavement, much quieter and smooth riding. They felt more secure on corners as well. I don't do high speed, so I can't speak to that, but up to 35 MPH, great.

I was worried about mud, since every review except this thread, was only talking about rocks and hard trails but it turns out that there was nothing at all to worry about. These things just kept on pushing through all the puddles and slick clay. The other people I was with never left me behind and the tires never let me down. The only hard surface we rode was rocks and the tires were great on them as well. I am stickin with these tires and putting the stock wheels and tires up for sale.

In conclusion, the Terrabites were as good (in mud) or better (on all other surfaces) as the Dirt Commanders that came with the RzR. That's this driver's opinion.

Thanks Rocky Mountain ATV for a great tire, a great price and great service.
 
#13 ·
all these reviews give me high hopes...just got my terrabites delivered today and I am not very happy...I got 27x11x12 rears and 27x9x12 fronts...look to be a great tire with some good rubber compound but...and its a big one...When measured they were just over 25"...this is not good at all...don't think I can afford a 2" drop in clearance...or is the drop in size worth it in the tire
 
#19 ·
sounds like these run a good bit small vs stated size? I am considering these (rzr 1000s, ride in west va), but it sounds like the 28's likely wouldnt be any bigger than my 27 dirt commanders?? Losing any more ground clearance isnt an option for me....anyone have measurements for a 30" Terrabite? Wonder if they would fit (30x12x14) on my 1000s without rubbing? Wonder if clutch kit would then be needed?
 
#20 ·
I put 80 miles on my 28/10/14 terrabites today at Hatfield McCoy. Started running then at 15lbs and they were quite firm. They r very good on hard pack but not as good as dirt commanders in soft terrain or loamy terrain. They don't clear out mud as well either. They r very quiet and smooth on dirt roads and asphalt. I made a mistake and dropped psi to 13lbs....cut one sidewall and plugged it and gouged a chunk of another tire on a rock. I seriously doubt the sidewallls are 8 ply as the tire tool went through the sidewall with ease when plugging it.

For dry hard pack and solid surface roads they are very good...much better than dirt commanders. All other terrain my dirt commanders were better imo. I never had a cut sidewall running D.C.'s at 10 psi in 1400 miles here....and I did it to two terrabites in 80 miles today. I'll run them at 15psi until they wear out but highly doubt I would get them again


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
#21 ·
Another 100 hard miles today and I am liking them more and more. I can't go lower than 15psi for how we ride, but as long as you keep wheel spin in check, they work ok in loamy stuff. They are very, very good on hard pack.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
#24 ·
Hmmm...I wasn't aware of the psi differences. Radials need more air normally? After further review, I have two more cuts in the sidewalls after running them at 15psi cold the second day. The cuts didn't go through and they r holding air.

And recommendations on psi for rocky environment? I don't "want to run low psi"....I want a good tire the same size all around, that won't get cut and performs well on the east coast...I had better traction at 13psi but cutting tires won't do. I'm already looking at pro armor crawler xr's as possible replacements but maybe I just need to up the psi?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
#29 · (Edited)
Thanks. I'll try a little higher psi. The dirt commanders were the toughest tires i have run in over 4000 miles of riding in west va. During that time have run BH, D.C., and now the terrabites and we don't ride slow...Heading back there in a month and will see how they do again


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
#32 ·
I got ya. I ride eastern trails, mainly east TN and love my Swampers. They are heavy but I have yet to see the downside of that. The up side is no UTV tire is tougher or will outlast them and they do amazing in every type of condition. As you see them in my profile picture they have over 5K miles on them, mostly from my Ranger. I ran them 1350 miles on the XPT and liked them so much I got a new set for it and put those back on my Ranger. My new ones are not mounted on beadlocks. The only flats I have had were due to due to the beadlocks getting bolts broken against rocks, not the tires.
 
#33 ·
Not familiar with the terrain back east but here in the desert I run Terrabites on my 900xp with 8psi in frt & 9psi in rear. 9" all around. Handles like a sprint car on hardpack. I run in 4wd all the time, when the rear steps out just gas on it and it pulls right out of the skid. Run rocky washes and the lower psi lets the tire flex instead of getting cut, a stiff sidewall will eventually get cut. I have about 500 miles on them & they look like new. Machine feels so much lighter with all 4 the same size. But this is desert riding. I am very pleased with them.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top