Smooth tires on grass?

Has anyone ever rode the smooth tires on short grass? It seems the grooves on regular tires aren't very deep and wear down quickly and I wonder about their effectiveness?

I run pl bigfoots on my field... Its a tiny soccer complex so I rarely top 30mph. I have plenty of grip for the low speed, and enough slick to kick it all sideways when I want to.

Honestly, the only time ive wanted (needed) barrows were at jibe this year... I was on bigfoots on the hardpack, and I was flying a 14m Montana.... The upwind runs were sliding sideways the whole way... Miles and miles sideways are hard on thos little 12mm bolts!

Like I said... For small grass areas, I like smooth tires just because im not trying to hold an edge and go fast.... Im trying to slide all over the place, long drifts, 360s, donuts

Quote: Originally posted by rtz

Nanco(cheap) or Carlisle(Made in USA)?

smoothies are perfectly fine on grass and then perfect if you get to a dry lake. The carlisle is a much better tire, but with that said if you are on grass you will not wear out a nanco. If riding hard pack dry lake etc the carlisle will last much longer but you will pay about 3x as much. Its kind of a wash unless you hate to change tires

Also a 480/400 x 8 is not the same size as a 480 x8 . They are close but the 480 x8 is noticeably larger when you see them in person. Usually you will find the nanco in 480/400 x8 and the carlisle in 480 x 8.

At $8 each; I had to try them out. I really like them. With standard barrow tires; a slide ends hard when the tires grab. I never knew how long or how much the slide would be or when the tires would grab. It was always different and inconsistent.

Now with these; it has a surreal slide feel. Slides and never does that last minute hard grab. Now I can control it because I know what it's going to do.

Also, the tire surface is soft like a drag slick. On concrete it hooks like glue. With plain barrows I used to slide on the concrete. These never did once.

If your riding style is slide and glide; you'll like these tires.


Rode for 7 hours today. GPS logged 28 miles. Top speed was only 25mph. Started the day off powered up with the 4m, later got out the 3m and finished off the day with it. Most time I've ever had with either of those two kites in those sizes. Most time on my 2m and more time on the 5m then that 3 and 4.

Quote: Originally posted by rtz

Bigfoot Nanco's are $31. http://www2.tires-easy.com/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?details=Ordern&a...

Dang I wish they fit the stock PL rim. I see these are 12" wide.

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Anybody know where to get the kite buggy style rims?

Quote: Originally posted by Cheddarhead

I know that Kent from a wind of change would be able to fix you up with pretty much anything you need. http://www.awindofchange.com/category/kite_buggy_parts.html

Kent is great to deal with too

Quote: Originally posted by shehatesmyhobbies

3shot and anyone else for that matter, the Nanco "Bigfoot" tires will fit on a standard rim. It takes a little patience and a careful touch but they will fit. I run the Nancos on my stock PL rims all the time.

Thanks for the heads up!

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

If you get a wheel from a different industry/hobby, make sure it can stand the lateral loads we generate. Most wheels don't have to be able to handle that. You're going to wear yourself out looking though. And then you'll find something that uses a 3/4" bearing or some other size that won't quite fit right. I'd recommend ordering what you need from a reputable dealer and end up with the right stuff. The different rims you saw might just be the new style of safety rims. The old 3 spoke style are no longer available new. Only the safety rims with the blowout valve are available now.

I don't intend to try a different type of rim necessarily, I just want to know a good supplier that may be less expensive than buying the PL stock. For instance, the PL big foots are somewhere in the neighborhood of $120-$150 EACH which is for the rims and tires. If I wanted to get the set of nanco BF's (selling for $31 ea FOR JUST THE TIRES) that will fit on the standard PL rims (or an equitable facsimile), where would be a good place to pick up those rims? Is the only place to do so one of our kite distributors? it seems that if I buy the tires and rims separately, I'll save some dinero $$$$$.

Just thinking out loud.

Emailed with Van a little and found the information I wanted,... Apparently Peter Lynn is the only one who sells the black plastic hubs which we use on kite buggies, they may change suppliers, but that type of wheel is specific to our bugs and can't be found or purchased otherwise. So if anyone gets curious like I was, you will have to buy hubs from a PL dealer. Apparently, even if you purchase from HQ, they still are sourced from PL. Curiosity is now abated.

Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate the input.

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

Emailed with Van a little and found the information I wanted,... Apparently Peter Lynn is the only one who sells the black plastic hubs which we use on kite buggies, they may change suppliers, but that type of wheel is specific to our bugs and can't be found or purchased otherwise. So if anyone gets curious like I was, you will have to buy hubs from a PL dealer. Apparently, even if you purchase from HQ, they still are sourced from PL. Curiosity is now abated. Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate the input.

Not sure about this, there are some other plastic 8 inch wheels that are not made by PL out on the market. The landsailers have been using them for years, I need to look a bit more for the supplier.

As for the tires an using them on grass, what type of grass are you talking about?
I have a sweet turf farm that will turn off the watering a few days before I get there to make things a bit faster and a bit slicker.
Wet grass is slow, dry grass is fast.
Short grass is faster than long grass.
Some grass will die the minute you step on it, while others are able to withstand doing burnouts with my truck.
Smooth or grooved, tall or short, wide or skinny, Like asking which wind is best to fly in.

Short grass like this:

Quote: Originally posted by rtz

If anyone needs tires; that tire site listed above has smooth Nanco's in stock again. Also; the smooth Carlisle tires are exactly 1/2" taller than standard barrow tires. How much more tippy is that 1/2" going to be on a PL buggy?

That half inch taller only raises your axles a quarter inch. I promise you won't notice it at all.

may be more funny if you use on this little
and light buggy but if the wind is not even ,
much unexpected slid and spin out - so big #@%$#! .
you cannot accelerate up properly .
leave it for the sandy boy , use big and hard gnarled rubber
the girls like it better

Quote: Originally posted by rocfighter

I wonder how those never flat solid poly tires will work on a buggy?

My limited experience with them is from carts and other equipment. If you do any sliding (side load) at all, the never flats will inevitably form flat wear spots. The more you slide the greater the tendency to rotate to the slick pint and slide there. I'm sure results will vary from brand to brand and of course there are numerous type which also affect your outcome..