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Review: Raceline SXS tires on a Brute

15K views 32 replies 6 participants last post by  NMKAWIERIDER 
#1 · (Edited)
http://s483.photobucket.com/albums/... Trail Jam/?action=view&current=allat1_xl.jpg

Well, took it out yesterday for a little run. As expected, they do a lot better then the Bajas on the soft sand and sand hills. Climbed surprising well. Unless I purposely made it fail to climb to see where it would, they never gave me the feeling they weren't going to make it over the top. This is nice as it isn't the case with the Bajas. And they don't tend to trench-in like the XTRs or one with a deep solid bar across.

Engine Braking down hills was good although they did seem to want to slide a bit more in 2wd but nothing uncontrollable.

Trail riding was smooth and sure. They almost feel like a radial. Corners were solid with no sliding unless you wanted to, then it was easy to control and once off the throttle they snapped-back to the trail. Fun!

One thing that I expected was with the smaller amount of rubber making contact with the hard-pack, it would not grip it as well. That was untrue. My Brute with these tires wheelies easier then it ever did before, meaning it is getting better traction on the hard-pack over the Bajas. In fact, it wheelies easier on any surface with these...even easier then with the XTRs. There is something to be said for concentrating pressure in smaller areas.

Another unexpected pleasure was how easy it was to steer again with these 9" tires over the 11" Bajas on the front. I guess I have been fooling myself in thinking the Bajas didn't steer that much harder. They do. And with these Racelines, it felt like I had power steering.

Mounted on the stock rims, the overall width was approximately back to stock from 49.5" to 45.7" and of course this put some of that "Tippy" back in powerslides and off-camber situations but still way better then it was with the stock tires.

At higher speeds, say at 45+ they do have a small amount of wobble or bounce but it seemed to be coming from the rears not the fronts.

The tread pattern alternates from side to side and the rears have s depth of about 3/4" where the fronts have about 1/2". This might explain why there is no frontend wobble and why it does not tend to trench in like so many others.

I can't find anything I really didn't like about these tires. They are even pretty good in reverse up hills being a directional tire.

The only thing it needs is not to be mounted on the stock rim and installed without spacers. Yes, the rears did rub...and more then I thought it would. You will see at the end of the video. All fixed now though.

In summary, I liked them. It was a great ride and I wouldn't be worries about taking on anything. If I has a nicer set of rims with some 4+3 Offsets or some 1.5" spacers, they would stay on. They are definitely worth keeping. They do show not to be made in the USA, and they do only show to be a 2-ply tire with a 4-ply rating although they are stiff like a 4-ply. This makes them suitable for a backup set but here in the rocky mountains...and many other places around the world, 2-plys may not be suitable for the back-country. Sorry Raceline...need more plys to be trusted....or at least some time in the mountains which I intend to give them. I still like that way they perform.

Here's a little video from yesterday. Funny how the wide-angle liens always make the hills look like nothing..when they are something. Excuse my rambling at the end, those holes had me thinking and wondering why I hadn't heard or felt anything.

Anyway, you can get these tires from Discount Tire.

Raceline Tire Test Ride Video


And here are some shots with them mounted on the new wheels

http://s483.photobucket.com/albums/rr196/BFFreak_2008/Raceline%20tires/New%20Douglas%20wheels%20with%20Raceline%20tires/?albumview=slideshow
 
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#2 ·
Good review. I like that straight road you have to ride on there! Reminds me of when I lived in the Midwest. Not too many places like that here in West Virginia! I still haven't hit top speed on my Brute yet, lol. I was looking in this months DWs mag and I saw these tires listed in an advertisement. Compared to the Bighorns, they are fairly inexpensive. I'd like to see how they hold up, long term. BTW-where are they manufactured? China or Taiwan I imagine...just something I always look at.
 
#3 ·
Good review. I like that straight road you have to ride on there! Reminds me of when I lived in the Midwest. Not too many places like that here in West Virginia! I still haven't hit top speed on my Brute yet, lol. I was looking in this months DWs mag and I saw these tires listed in an advertisement. Compared to the Bighorns, they are fairly inexpensive. I'd like to see how they hold up, long term. BTW-where are they manufactured? China or Taiwan I imagine...just something I always look at.
Says made in PRC. I don't know that one. I'm talking with Mike at Dick's ATV on a set of Douglas Rims for these so I can use them more often.
 
#8 ·
Nice review and ride....I like the looks of the tires...How much would you have to space them out with fac rim spacing?
 
#10 ·
those are sharp looking rims should go good with the silver paint
 
#14 ·
I'm just concern that if you ride up in Paliza or FR144 area's with those sharp rocks that you may tear out a sidewall, no fun with that. Of course, for the sand riding near your home, those would work out perfect.
A 9" wide tire up front has worked great for me, tried a 10" once, didn't care for the steering results.
Next time we ride together, you can check out the Seat, ELKAs, my steering stabilizer and now the terra cross tires.
 
#15 ·
I'm just concern that if you ride up in Paliza or FR144 area's with those sharp rocks that you may tear out a sidewall, no fun with that. Of course, for the sand riding near your home, those would work out perfect.
Oh there's no way I'd take a 2 ply tire up to Jemez.
 
#18 ·
I have too. I took my brand new 05BF750 on a Trip up into the High Colorado Rockies for a 5 day ride, never had a problem with any of the stock tires and talk about Sharp Rocks, that is all there was up there.
You may be fine with these tires, at least you do have excellent grip with them.
 
#19 ·
So you think I should go a head and get a set of rims so I can use these. They were a lot more fun and had way more bite in sand then the Bajas and it steered so easy... If I hadn't just bought these Bajas and the 14" 112s, it would be an easier decision. I need these Bajas for the Utah rides and deep excersions..but I kinda think the 11s on the front is partly why I suddenly am having stem bearing and bushing issues as well as upper a-arm play again. Might be wise to go back to 9s again.
 
#23 ·
Done the test ride

All went pretty well. The tires and wheels were great! The Throttle needed a little adjustment and I need to work on the locking pin for the twist part cause it sticks. And the tires rubbed the overfenders a bit in the whoops but a little adjust on the shocks fixed that. When I got home I adjusted the overfenders bit with my belt sander...hehe. The 4wd button worked great! Perfect! That's where it should have been from the factory.

All in all, a good ride. I'll up load part of the video and post it. No music, just ride'n the arroyo
 
#27 ·
Final test ride

Me and SWBF900 and my friend wient to Jemez on 4/13/11 and I bolted the racelines back on for some mountain testing. Over mud,rocks of every kind, off-camber sutuations, quick trail riding and a touch of snow. They did well on all situations and I even tried to damage them on the sharp rocks and stumps but they held in there. I finaly decided to quit trying to kill them and just enjoy the ride.

These most be a 4-ply tire as a two would have been gone for sure.

So, in short, not a bad tire. Worth the money.
 
#28 ·
Good to hear!
 
#30 ·
They measured out to be 4+3. called the distributor told him what was going on and he is going to send my a different brand and see if that works. Hopefully it will!
 
#32 ·
Wow!?!? not sure what to think or make of that....
 
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