Four Wheeler Tires 101

February 6th, 2011 |

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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. On the other hand, if you bought a used off road vehicle or have owned and used one for quite a while now, then it may be getting to that time when you need a new set of ATV tires.

Now a person has to stop and think about what type of ATV tires they will buy. Keep these easy tips in mind when choosing the rubber that goes on your next 4 Wheeler. Choosing the wrong tires can leave you high and dry out on the trail.

The amount of money you have to spend on new or used ATV tires will affect the quality of tire you’re able to purchase. The old saying that you get what you pay for is as true for tires as it is for anything else. Used ATV tires can be a real bargain, just be sure you check them out thoroughly so you’re not buying someone elses problem.

For many ATV owners, the set of tires that came with their ATV will perform well. It’s the hardcore off road rider that will see the most performance with high quality ATV rubber. Picking a cheap general purpose tire for your high speed desert riding will yield poor results as the tires fight to gain traction in loose sand. This is why it’s important to choose the right tire for your riding condition. Someone who goes off roading in Colorado mountains will have different needs than someone who spends their weekends in the Mojave desert!

Sand tires designed for ATVs do one thing and they do it well. They get a grip on loose sand. ATV sand tires are slick tires with rubber paddles on them. As the tire turns, these paddles grab and scoop the loose sand, giving the ATV super traction. However, these tires are poor choices for mud or general all terrain riding.

If you’re just a casual rider that doesn’t take your four wheeler to extremes, then a general purpose type of tire may be all that you need. These tires perform well under a variety of conditions. Just don’t expect them to handle deep much or deep and loose sand well. For your average ATV owner, they are more than enough for average conditions.

Mud tires for ATVs really catch the attention of most off roaders. These tires have very aggressive tread design and are made to dig out huge amounts of mud and throw them off the tire as it goes around. These tires just look like they could kick anything’s butt and still have some left over. High performance mud tires should be your choice if you ride in deep mud like is found in the Southern Swamps and Midwest bogs. Some even use these aggressive tires for rock climbing, but in my opinion there are better choices for this type of off roading than mud tires.

Sport performance tires are generally used on ATVs that are being raced. They are great for getting traction on hard packed surfaces. They don’t do well in mud, loose sand or on the rocks, but on hard dirt and asphalt, they will outperform other ATV tires. You’ll also notice that the treads are a little smaller and most will resemble an X as you look at it. The overall tire is also a lower profile tire. So they’re not a good choices if you need ground clearance!

The right tire for your ATV isn’t hard to find with all the choices on the market today. All it requires is some thought about where you’ll be riding your ATV the most and what you want your tire to do. Then simply search for the manufacturer who has tires that match your requirements. Then you can decide if you want to buy new atv tires or used atv tires. Once you have them mounted on your machine, it’s now time to get it out on the trail and have some off road fun!

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Four Wheeler Tires 101

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