When most people think about buying a new ATV, tires are not high on the list of features to look at. On the other hand, if you bought a used ATV 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.
If that is the case with you, then choosing your new ATV tires is very important Here are some general guidelines for choosing the right ATV tires for your needs. Choosing the wrong tires can leave you high and dry out on the trail.
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.
First off, decide what type of riding you do the most. If you’re riding the backwood trails and searching out the muddiest places you can find, then obviously you’re not going to by sand tires. With today’s technology, an ATV owner can easily match tires to his or her type of riding for peak performance.
ATV sand tires are tires with paddles on them. Loose sand is not a problem for these wide slick paddled tires. The paddles scoop the sand as the wheel turns, giving excellent traction. These tires are wider than normal and offer good traction in all types of sand terrain, whether it’s the beach or in the middle of the desert. 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. General use ATV tires are geared more for the casual rider or those that ride over fairly hard soil types.
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. Mud tires are not a good trade off for sand tires. General purpose tires even work better in sand than the aggressive treaded mud tires.
Sport or Performance tires are designed for fast paced riding on hard packed 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.
As you can see, just choosing any old set of ATV tires won’t do. So before you run out and plunk your money down for any old set of tires, give it a little thought and get the right ones for the job.
