More tire size discussion

[426rider]

Ok, with all the talk thats going on, how do we prevent tire size restrictions?
I am pretty sure not many here want to see these restrictions put in place. Especially if you have 38's and the new law only allows 37's. Wouldn't that piss ya off?

Instead of complaining and arguing lets not let this happen.
So how can we be proactive about it?-Brainstorming session on-

 

[Jaydog]

Maybe the trail systems can be more diverse, Just like a ski hill you have certain runs for certain skill level.

Make runs easy thru difficult, mark them and then enforce them, don't let 38" tires go on a 33" restricted trail.

 

[MIG'DHORSE]

i dont understand the huge problem here, though. how big your tires are doesnt make a difference. its how you drive that makes a difference on the land and safety for others.

 

[KarlVP]

Maybe the trail systems can be more diverse, Just like a ski hill you have certain runs for certain skill level.

Make runs easy thru difficult, mark them and then enforce them, don't let 38" tires go on a 33" restricted trail.

They do that on the Forrest Service lands.

The only problem is EVERYONE tries the easy trails and they get rutted out by the stock vehicles on street tires.

The answer to everything is trail maintenance. If you see something getting bad, fix it.

 

[Not Jobless]

The answer to everything is trail maintenance. If you see something getting bad, fix it.

Yep.......

 

[Rock_Crusher]

They do that on the Forrest Service lands.

The only problem is EVERYONE tries the easy trails and they get rutted out by the stock vehicles on street tires.

The answer to everything is trail maintenance. If you see something getting bad, fix it.

Amen... thats where the DNR FSR etc come into play...

now as for avoiding tire restrictions -

We may be seeing a end to OUR freedom's of just going buck wild and building offroad machines to no extent... i think the real picture is;
the old timers are in agreement w/ the higher up's... and for good reason, now before you bash me - listen... and I know I write / type alot - but again, read it... just like the signs / brochures / information on/at trail area's...

here we go...

after years of seeing trails destroyed quicker than from the past, many old timers - *sorry young at hearts - are in agreement that after a few tests & studies, it's more the bigger tires, than more the users... yes higher traffic & more & more offroad users are offroading & using the trail system's more than ever, but it's the bigger tires & improper use of them on the trails, that is destroying the trail faster than ever before.

idea's are to limit tire size's vs what i throw out - trail upkeep can only go so far, as soon as a trail is fixed... it's destroyed again... kinda like grafitti, only we can't keep painting over it... work parties are formed by guys that take time off of there job's & work parties aren't paid for... and they must be scheduled ahead of time... dada dada dada...

no one wants to see trails closed... but thats the only way to save them until a work partie can get to them to repair them.

we can't pave / cement all trails... hell, we can't afford to even pave / cement small sections in the worse case of them... but doing so... would stop EROSION and others may follow the example.

you have solid ground fixed... and then build untop of that, embedded rocks / etc that cannot be eroded.

but for now, it comes down to the ones that have witnessed 1st hand the destruction of the trails, trails that they helped build or upkeep or fought to keep open... they have the strongest say - because they have the experience in maintaining the trails & seeing / knowing & answering to those that ask;

what can we do to keep the trails open & not shut them down.

we can't just keep a area open and hope for the best, w/ NO restrictions - everything is going to continue to play out as it has been doing so far, so...
it seems tire restrictions will come into play, certain areas might be excempt from these, but generally - what area's do you know of that could sustain -

constant abuse w/o trail upkeep?

===============================

ok, hopefully some of you get it?

talk to the people that have been offroading before you were born, people that have been involved w/ the offroad scene since it started, people that know the answer's... they are the one's talking w/ the state & others to figure out how to save our trails that we have now & select new area's that could withstand constant abuse w/ less upkeeping... join a club or get involved w/ people that know whats going on in your area's...

http://www.pnw4wda.org/ <--- great place to start.


otherwise - your just sitting here reading & it really isn't doing much else to help, now is it?

 

[426rider]

Well since you have all the answers lets just slap a 30" tire size limit on everything and call it good.:flipoff:

I really think it has more to do with overuse not oversize. Also my opinion on gorounds is that they are made mostly by people that cannot make an obstacle so they make a way around it. Not the other way around. But honestly I have no proof to back this up and I don't see that you have proof to back up your theorys either. Just saying something about tests/studies doesn't give any kind of proof.

I do think the PNW4WDA is a great place to start. They have a good base of experience with trail maint and a good relationship with land managers. I don't really understand why someone who loves the sport, spends much of their money on it, and lives in the NW wouldn't join and contribute. Granted you don't have to be apart of it to contribute to keeping our areas open but they make it alot easier with the knowledge and volunteer base they have.

But I also think that better maintenance and education can save our freedom to choose tire sizes. And what areas stay open and when they are open. Granted right now and in the past we don't have and have not had nearly enough volunteers to do this maintenance. That is where the education needs to be. We need to get everyone on the page that trail maint/upgrades need to be done constantly. Maybe these newbie runs should start out with a short project(maybe 1hr) then wheel the rest of the day. Same with group or club runs. Maybe start doing some kind of maint when you can.

Now I know we can't just go out there and do what we think is right as far as trail maint but someone posted up info on a maintenance training class and there seemed to be alot of interest. The more people trained to lead work parties the more work parties could be done.

 

[Rock_Crusher]

Now I know we can't just go out there and do what we think is right as far as trail maint but someone posted up info on a maintenance training class and there seemed to be alot of interest. The more people trained to lead work parties the more work parties could be done.

This is the Major issue...

I just think certain trails need Rules & Guidelines set by the builder's / user's as a example to follow, and if restrictions are warranted;

certain tire size's required; small / med / large - then follow it,

certain size rig; again small / med / large - again then adhere to it,

I thought since most 4wd rig's are street driven & used on ORV area's, it should be something to consider at least in our state... to have a basic guideline / requirement / test - permit in order to use ORV area's.

nothing over the top... just some booklet wrote on all the basic rules of our ORV area's, and what to do vs not to do - when using them.

thats all.... but again it all comes down to PERSERVING what we have now.

 

[tsm1mt]

I must've missed something.. is someone pushing to enact a law or administrative rule to impose a tire size limit?

Statewide/everywhere, or just on dirt roads?


Biggest issue is usually congestion/overuse. What causes that? Land managers closing routes because of "damage" which funnels more and more users onto less and less trail miles, which causes cumulative impact damage along with a loss of opportunity.

..but no one wants to just open up all of the closed routes again.

There are areas where hikers have caused severe erosion because they hike on the same trail - in Wilderness areas - but the trails don't get closed because of erosion/damage.. and no one will put in an "area closure" that affects hikers..

 

[Jaydog]

They do that on the Forrest Service lands.

The only problem is EVERYONE tries the easy trails and they get rutted out by the stock vehicles on street tires.

The answer to everything is trail maintenance. If you see something getting bad, fix it.

They do mark it easy to difficult, but they don't rate it for tire size, nor do they enforce it (actually they can't enforce it, because there is no limit)

Although I agree that trail maintenance it the Key.