Rock Ready
Maxxis Carnivor tires were designed for west coast riding, but the aggressive design works well for riders who travel the country finding some of the best trails available. The radial tires are similar to light truck mud terrains. They are an 8-ply tire but have fairly soft sidewalls for a good ride and traction in soft terrain.
When looking to upgrade our factory Bighorn 2.0 tires on our Can-Am Maverick X3 XRS, we looked for a long lasting, aggressive, 8ply tire that was not too heavy. Our stock 30x10x14 Bighorn 2.0’s were 31 pounds each. The Maxxis Carnivore in the same size weighed in at 34.5 pounds. For a 3.5 pound increase, we feel the durability and increased traction will be more of a benefit than a hindrance to power.
Tools Used to Mount The Maxxis Carnivore
Mounting the Maxxis Carnivore tires is no different than any other tires on the market. Make sure the tires and rims are clean. Apply a light layer of soapy water for lubrication and slide them on. We used the following items to help us through.
Why Maxxis Carnivor Tires
When looking at the option for light-truck inspired tires, a few items were very important to us. We wanted a very square tire that was a minimum of 8-ply. The tire had to be light as we were not going to be happy spinning 60-pounds in each corner. Because we are in Michigan and not out west for most of our riding, we wanted something very aggressive to help us through some of the Michigan mud. With that said, all roads led to the Maxxis Carnivor tire because it was only 3.5 pounds more than stock and has a seriously aggressive tread pattern that should clean out well in mud. The tires a sipped for traction on rock and hardpack. The compound is fairly soft, but will still last a very long time. Also, the sidewalls are not too stiff to make the ride harsh or to make passing through sand impossible.
Testing
In this video, we were able to get the tires mounted on the rims and installed on the X3. In the very near future, we plan to do some tests to see if the 3.5-pound increase in rotational mass has any effect on the acceleration and if the traction provided makes up for the weight. we also have some friends in the business close by who can do more testing and walk us through an increase in power that might be wanted. Lots of great stuff happening in the very near future so make sure you subscribe to the channel.
