How To Choose The Right ATV Tire
Unless you had a specific purpose for your ATV when you bought it, chances are you gave little thought to the tires that came with it. Older ATV’s that have been used for a while are more than likely going to need some new rubber in the near future.
The question now becomes, what type of tires do I need on my ATV? Here are some general guidelines for choosing the right ATV tires for your needs. Pick the wrong tires and you can be left alone out in the backcountry.
If your budget is tight, and who’s isn’t these days, you may want to consider buying used ATV tires. These can generally be found any place that carries used ATV parts. If you buy used, make sure there is still ample tread left. It would be a real bummer to buy a used set of tires only to find you they’re wore out.
For starters, sit down and think about the type of riding you do. There are tires designed to do one thing really well - like riding in sand, then there are tires that try and be all things to all riders - which means they won’t excel at one thing very good - like mud bogging. On the other hand, if all your riding is done at the beach or in the soft shifting sands of the desert, then the general purpose ATV tires that came with your machine will not give you the best performance.
Sand tires are really nothing more than wide slick ATV tires with paddles on them. They excel in loose sand because the paddles get traction by grabbing a large amount of sand as the wheel and tire turn. These types of tires excel in all types of sandy terrain, but don’t think you can use them anywhere because you can’t. The all smooth ATV sand tires are designed for the front steering wheels of a two wheel drive ATV.
If you find yourself riding down high mountain trails one weekend and riding over sand dunes the next, then a general purpose tire may be what the doctor ordered. More than likely it’s what came with your new or used atv. Even though general use ATV tires get the job done in most cases, they’re not the best bet in places with deep soft sand or deep mud.
Mud tires have aggressive treads to displace lots of mud and to keep the tire clean as it goes round and round. This allows the tire to dig deep and grab firm ground for traction. Mud tires are a good choice if most of your riding is done in the wet stuff. Some believe that mud tires work well in sand. They don’t. You’ll dig youself a nice deep hole quickly if not careful when using a mud terrain tire in sand.
Now we get to the Sport and High Performance ATV Tires. These tires are meant for fast riding on hard surfaces. These differ from other types of ATV tires because of their lower profile. Some will have taller and wider wheels. The tread is generally small knobs in an X pattern.
Stopping to think about where it is that you’ll be using your ATV is a critical step in choosing the right set of rubber for your four wheeler. Picking the right ATV tires isn’t rocket science. It just requires a little thought and research before laying your hard earned money down.
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