Naturally, ATV owners are no different from car owners, and wantonly the best for their vehicles, including the best tires.In this article, we will present the 10 best ATV tires on the market today. Whether you’re looking for tires that can handle any terrain, or you’re looking for the most affordable option, wewill tell you about the best options. But first of all, let’s learn some theories.
What is an ATV tire?
ATV Tiresare a type of rubber that has a directional pattern, which diverges from the center of the tire to the sidewall and is located at an angle. This tire is designed specifically for dirt. The tires are also suitable for riding on road surfaces other than paved surfaces. The mud tire has high grousers (2.5-3cm) separated by loose surfaces. Such a design is required for self-cleaning. When driving, the dirt moves to the sides of the tread and then out of the track. The higher the speed, the faster the rubber gets rid of dirt.
How to choose the right ATV Tires?
The right choice of tires affects the passability and speed of the ATV, so it is fundamental for sports races. But for utilitarian tasks or just walking it is not less important, because comfort and even fuel consumption depend on it. Let’s find out what you need to consider when choosing the best tires for your ATV.
The main criterion affecting the characteristic of the tires is, of course, the purpose of tires for the ATV. The”specialization” of tires determines the pattern and depth of the tread. There is rubber for dirt, snow, sandy and rocky terrain, level tracks, as well as universal.
Types of ATV Tires
Unlike automobile tires, ATV tires are not divided into winter and summer ones. All utilitarian models are equipped from the factory with universal all-season tires. But if you are not satisfied with traction or cross-country ability, or have a complaint about handling or comfort of the equipment, you can pick up more suitable tires for the cold season.
According to the device of the carcass tires for ATVs are divided into radial and diagonal, and by purpose— on mud and universal. Let’s consider their features.
By carcass
Radial Tires are More durable and with less rolling resistance. Good shape retention and a larger contact patch. Improve acceleration and braking as well as handling at high speed and in corners. Excellent for smoothing out small irregularities. The disadvantages are the higher cost.
Diagonal Tires are usually more flexible and cheap. They have better traction on a loose surface and are more effective for self-cleaning. At the same time, such tires wear faster, have higher rolling resistance, and worsen ATV handling at high speed and when cornering.
By purpose
A mud tire has a tread in the form of rays diverging from the center to the edges. Such a pattern effectively diverts water and mud from under the wheels. The hooks improve traction with the ground and help get out of deep puddles. This rubber is suitable for driving on slushy mud, slush, and marshes. These tires are not suitable for flat and hard surfaces – they do not allow you to develop high speed.
Mud ATV Tires
Tires for snow are similar to mud tires. They trod with a complex pattern, giving a confident grip on a slippery and loose surface. Additionally, winter tires are equipped with spikes.
Snow ATV Tires
Tires for sandy deserts have a tread represented by a central rib and specially shaped blades. These tires are ineffective on other surfaces.
Sandy deserts ATV tires
Tires for stony deserts are very tenacious. The high stiffness of these tires protects them from punctures on sharp rocks.
Stony deserts ATV Tires
Sports tires have a checkerboard-shaped tread. It is effective on hard surfaces and race tracks, but of little use on deep off-road.
Sports tires ATV Tires
Universal tires with balanced characteristics are good for all surfaces, but it is not suitable for professional sports.
Universal ATV Tires
For ice, frozen ground, and rolled snow, universal tires with a frequent and low tread pattern are better suited. They provide a larger contact patch, allow faster acceleration or deceleration, and make the ATV stable and controllable at high speeds and in corners.
Universal tires are also great for deep frozen snow: the lower the pressure, the better the ATV will ride. The main thing is to avoid slippage.
Dirt tires are the best on the downhilland shallow snow — they quickly reach the ground and push off it. But such rubber is not suitable for hard surfaces because of increased wear, deterioration of controllability, and safety of machinery.
Top 10 ATV Tires
Reputable manufacturers of ATV tires value their reputation and maintain their laboratories, where certified specialists tirelessly improve all product parameters. Manufacturers of cheap ATV wheels do not bother with such difficulties and simply try to produce tires with minimum production cost. Materials for such products are purchased cheapest, sometimes completely unsuitable in their parameters.
When buying a set of tires for ATV necessarily need to take into account the type and specifics of the application of a particular machine. Full-drive quad bikes for off-road should be shown in mud rubber, high-speed models for good tracks require lightertread.
Four-wheeled motorcycles are mainly used for conquering off-road, often – in the most difficult climatic conditions. High loads on the rubber of quad bikes (quite heavy and fast machines) are the rule rather than the exception. And tire industry professionals take these peculiarities into account.
If you own an ATV and you need a tire that will be most suitable for your conditions and the nature of the ride. In this article, we have made up an opinion of professional experts, based on years of experience in operating various ATV vehicles in the most diverse weather conditions, into a top 10 list, for your comfort.
- Kenda Bear Claw Tires
Kenda K299 Bear Claw ATV tires are considered a leader in quality and comfort among all the ATV rubber available on the market today.
K299 Bear Claw is one of the best tires for riding off-road on an ATV. This tire combines high recoil power and high cross-country ability. Cut and puncture resistance and durability are also undeniable advantages of these tires. The side grousers provide maximum transfer of force and extra protection while riding. Bear Claw rubber is excellent for all kinds of surfaces, from ordinary asphalt roads to mud and clay.
This model has a distinctive mudcharacter and belongs to the class of Mud Type Tires. The name of this model, Bear Claw, sounds very confident and charismatic, brilliantly reflecting all the technical characteristics of the rubber.
This tire is suitable for touring or utility ATVs with an engine capacity of 500 to 1,000 cc. The special tread pattern will allow your ATV to pass without problems whereas before you had to be wary of the possibility of getting stuck. When driving on forest trails, muddy rivers, or broken ruts, the Kenda K299 Bear Claw is great and allows your ATV to follow the path you want without stalling or slipping too much.
At the same time, the Bear Claw has a high degree of self-cleaning – the tire does a great job with mud and water drainage. The diagonal construction of the Kenda K299 Bear Claw tires provides a high level of durability, less prone to punctures. At the same time despite the 4PR ply, you will not feel discomfort while driving – the tire smoothly swallowsall the irregularities you meet on the way without creating vibrations on the steering wheel. K299 Bear Claw ATV tires demonstrate excellent traction and handling on hard surfaces, as well as on loose or soaked soil and deep mud.
If you need a reliable, productive rubber on the tourist or utility ATV with an engine capacity from 500 to 1 000 ccs, which will not deliver unpleasant surprises in operation – the world-famous Kenda K299 Bear Claw is for you. This dirt tire is reliable and durable, so it will serve effectively for more than one season. The Kenda K299 Bear Claw ATV tires come in a wide range of sizes. Bear Claw tires will provide only a positive experience riding a touring ATV, and when installed on a utilitarian ATV will give the ability to effectively perform a variety of work on the farm.
The only arguable thing about Kenda Bear Claw Tires is that they are quite loud and are not suitable for riding in the city.
- Deestone Swamp Witch Tires
Deestone Limited was founded 28 years ago by a group of Thai industrialists. From a small bicycle tire and tube factory, the group has grown to become a major exporter of rubber — more than half ofall Deestone Group products are exported to the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, UK, Sweden, Egypt, Israel, and Jordan. The company has a solid production capacity: it hasthree own plants, whichallows it to be one of the largest manufacturers in Southeast Asia. All tires by Deestone have consistently high quality and have certificates and awards.
One of the most famous all-season Deestone models, popular among ATV owners, is Swamp Witch in sizes 25, 26, 27, and 28, which has a deep self-cleaning tread for riding in rough terrain. Deep and wide blades in the tread ensure the high self-cleaning ability of the tire. The Swamp Witch has a more aggressive tread compared to the KENDA BEAR CLAW model and is not as heavy as the KENDA K538 EXECUTIONER. The Swamp Witch’s carcass is six-layer, giving the tire excellent flotation and resistance to warping, punctures, and cuts.
- Carlisle ACT Tires
Carlisle tires are produced in the same factories as the world’s leading tire manufacturer ITP, in the United States, which already says a lot about qualifying the runners. The Carlisle tires are fitted to most BRP, Polaris, and Arctic Cat ATVs as standard tires, and have proven to be a great tire for everyday use at a reasonable cost.
In our today’s ranking, we would like to draw your attention to the model Carlisle ACT, Radial tires for all conditions. This model features such qualities as deep self-cleaning tread, and aggressive 3/4″ high ground treads. The Carlisle ACT has excellent handling due to its radial design and comfortably absorbs rough terrain. Also, these ATV tires are equipped with a disk protector. These are the most versatile tires chosen by leading ATV manufacturers (Polaris, BRP Can-am).
Undoubtedly, every time going to new terrain (sand, swamp, gravel, etc.), it is quite problematic to change tires. Nowadays many tire manufacturers successfully develop and produce universal tires with decent wear resistance suitable for any terrain, both for hard surfaces and marshy terrain, and Carlisle ACT is one such tire.
- CST Wild Thang Tires
The new dirt tire from CST is of very high quality and has all of its features perfectly balanced. It successfully combines all components of a good ATV tire. This is an aggressive tread pattern, able to grind and absorb not only mud but also forest soils, sand, and snow. The tire is also benefited from the composition of the rubber used – quality, wear-resistant, moderately soft, and resilient. Thanks to it the tire is lightweight, which means it is comfortable to steer and spares the suspension and drives of your ATV. Tread height is 30 mm, the tire has 6 layers, and meets all the requirements for modern ATV tires.
This dirt tire has a unique tread pattern that helps the driver easily overcome any dirt and slippery surfaces, digging into them with its advanced tread shoes. The 6-ply diagonal tire construction of CST Wild Thang gives exceptional acceleration and instant braking.The toothed tread pattern has a side tab for extra cornering traction in mud, helping you get out of ruts easily.The versatilerubber design of this model makes it comfortable to drivein all conditions.
- ITP Mayhem Tires
ITP is one of the world’s leaders in the product of ATV Tores. This North American company has been using all the latest technologies in the manufacturing process, making the driving process of ATV owners across the globe comfortable and safe.
Professionals traditionally require mud tires for ATVs to provide a whole set of performance qualities: directional stability, easy handling, high cross-country ability to self-cleaning tread, moderate weight, and great mechanical strength. All these qualities are inherent in ITP rubber. ITP, an abbreviation standing for Industrial Tire Products, is a Canadian company that has won great authority among specialists. ITP tires have stunning performance characteristics, are famous for their resistance to damage, and confident behavior and at the same time, they usually weigh less than competitors’ products.
ITP Mayhem Simone of the most popular models from this company. Thanks to the unique high grousers high cross-country ability in the mud is achieved and these tires are notable for good controllability on hard surfaces.
Comfortable driving on hard surfaces is improved thanks to the lightweight construction of the tire carcass. Mayhem rubber allows you to steer with confidence in every situation: cornering, acceleration, and braking.
The Mayhem tire’s 6-ply cord makes it incredibly durable and can withstand almost any kind of damage.The finely honed tread design, like a work of art, will stand out not only among ITP rubber but also among all existing ATV tires. This is a continuation of the ITP Mayhem line of ATV tires. The new tires have added a muddy “malice” that will make your ATV / UTV more passable.
- Kenda ATV K538 Executioner Tires
The Kenda K538 Executioner is a model, specially designed to take on the toughest terrain in 4×4 racing.This type of tire was developed to be mounted on ATVs for off-road riding. The Executioner tire is a high-performance tire designed for a dynamic, aggressive riding style using the all-wheel drive on rutted terrain. The tread pattern is deep with grooves to ensure a firm, reliable grip on any surface. The Kenda Executioner tires are great for riding on sand, soft and wet soil, and rocky terrain. The side tread protrusions are reinforced to reduce the probability of tipping over your ATV in case of low tire pressure. The rubber is highly resistant to punctures, bruises, and cuts.
New tread design for high traction on all terrain, even the deepest mud.Reinforced shoulders reduce the likelihood of low-pressure tire blowouts, increase ride comfort and extend tire life. Slots in the cleats provide stability in dry conditions.
The Kenda K538 Executioner tires applytodry, muddy, loose, and rocky roads, along with clay, loose, muddy roads covered with grass, dirt, and sand. It would be easier to say — they are universal.
The special traction tread design of the Kenda Executioner tires acts like a paddle, adding ribbing, andprotectinglong tire carcass
- Stormbringer Nomo Tires
The main goal that the Stormbringer company set for itself when manufacturing ATV tires was to maximize the strength of the sidewalls and tread and reduce weight. These factors are the main factors that have an impact on the comfortable and safe movement of machinery in extreme conditions. Developed tread design reliably ensures high cross-country ability. A special tread pattern gives the tire the ability to self-clean in clay and mud riding conditions. With all its off-road properties, Stormbringer tires are also quite comfortable when driving on paved roads.
Nomo is one of the best models, produced by Stormbringer. An excellent rubber, perfect for riding on asphalt and rutted roads. At maximum speed, these tires perfectly maintain contact with the surface even on uneven roads. The rubber has excellent lateral traction, which is important in fast corners. Thick tread stops even the heaviest ATV quickly under hard braking. Nomo tires have low noise levels. Comfortable tread marbles with sharp corners provide good traction, and the tread itself has the property of quickly clearing dirt and clay. When driving in sand, the Nomo’s reinforced sidewalls help you control the ride, even at 4.5 psi. Over hard log obstacles, the Nomo crumples hard, at 4.5 psi, for maximum traction. The rubber has excellent resistance to punctures and other types of mechanical damage because the original tread pattern makes it difficult for branches and rocks to hit the unprotected part of the tire.
- BKT W 207 Tires
BKTW 207 Tires for ATVs is a very affordable model, manufactured by an Indian company Balkrishna Industries Limited, or simply BKT. A surprisingly good option within a modest budget. At the same time, it has a durable diagonal 8-ply carcass and a very productive tread. BKT W 207 tires can be referred to as the tires from the Hard Pack class, with a certain bias toward Mud. Developed V-shaped tread with a wide indentation between the tread lugs allows the tire to self-cleaning while the side blocks in the shoulder area allow the tire to freely release from the rut.
One of the most affordable ATV tires in today’s list, model BKT W 207, hasa tread design, that is very similar to the famous Kenda Bear Claw K299. Hence, these tires can easily cope with both dry and wet conditions. Forest and field roads, small fords of stony and sandy rivers, leaves, gravel, gravel, or stones – all obstacles will be overcome and for a very affordableprice.
- Deestone Dirt Devil Tires
The Dirt Devil tire model from Deestone is also known as Mud Crusher, which already says a lot about the purpose and character of these tires.
The Deestone Dirt Devil is considered one of the most versatile tires on the world market. It has an aggressive design and excellent traction on all surfaces. Directional soft grousers with specially designed shape of troughs and reinforced lugs, contribute to an excellent ride on stony surfaces and ordinary off-road. The tire has a six-layer carcass, which provides high durability and excellent resistance to any damage.
The manufacturer has successfully combined in this tire model a high-quality rubber compound and a tread pattern, originally modeled on the computer. The result is an excellent tire with perfect traction properties at all speeds. Thanks to the original tread pattern, Dirt Devil / Mud Crusher tires can be used when driving on the most difficult surfaces.
- ITP Baja Cross Tires
The last mud models of tires for quads created by ITP specialists demonstrate the amazing: toothy tread not only rowsexcellently in the marsh but also allows driving quite comfortably on dry ground. Thus it is almost impossible to tear the sidewall with a sharp stone or stick out a piece of wood – so thoughtfully is the multilayer construction of the tire. Tests of specialized ATV editions confirm the advantages of ITP tires. At a very competitive price, the rubber of the North American company surpasses the products of other manufacturers by all accounts. Putting an ATV into tires with ITP branding, the owner of the ATV automatically receives increased comfort and more confident control of their vehicle.
ITP Baja Crossis made of eight-layer cords and has structure reinforcement of 25 %. The new tread pattern with stepped lugs provides a smooth ride and excellent wear resistance to the tires. There are curved protrusions for improved side protection. The BajaCross has a state-of-the-art carcass and high durability while offering a comfortable and soft ride.
The ITP Baja Cross tires have the unmatched performance to handle the toughest and toughest terrain on the wheels of your ATV with confidence and efficiency. The model is also well-suited for larger ATV-class vehicles. This tire model has the longest service life of any company tire. Stepped tread design elements create the best conditions for edge development and contribute to the fact that the tire does not lose its traction performance as it wears. The upgraded design of the ITP Baja Cross tire with a radial carcass provides the most comfortable and reliable driving that meets the requirements for such tires. Shoulder protrusions further protect the tread and structure from damage. Deeper rim protection than other models also contributes to the safety objective of the product.
Summary
ATV tires are, undoubtedly, one of the main elements of construction. It is the quality of tires that determines such parameters as cross-country ability, steerability, and stability of ATV. Nothing but rubber tires connect ATV tothe road (or off-road – depending on the situation). The safety of the owner of the “ATV” also depends on the condition of the tires. By the way, rubber for ATVs requires special attention, because tires are subjected to heavy loads, and therefore – take an important place in the list of “expendables”.
Interestingly, the appearance of the cheapest tires for ATVs can not differ much from the first-class wheels. At the same time, these tires will behave differently on a highway, and their life will differ many times. The fact is that it is not difficult to make a cheap wheel look decent. It is more difficult and expensive to copy the composition of the rubber compound and observe the subtleties of the technological process.
The first thing with which the choice of tires for the ATV begins is to determine the optimal diameter of the wheel. To do this it is sufficient to know a simple rule: the larger the diameter of the wheels of the ATV, the larger the contact patch and the higher the off-road capability. On the contrary, a tire with a small diameter will allow you to reach high speed, but the off-road performance will be lower.
When choosing the right diameter of tires for your ATV, you should pay attention to the volume of the engine. ATVs with up to 50 cc are susceptible to changing the regular diameter of the wheels, with increasing the volume of sensitivity becoming less.
But all need measure: the installation of too big tires for ATVs will adversely affect the viability of the engine, suspension, and transmission. In addition to increased load on the ATV systems, installing large heavy wheels will also reduce torque.
ATV is a universal vehicle that is used for extreme recreation, tourist trips, races, and expeditions, as well as in forestry and private property. For such an all-terrain vehicle, it is important that it is well-held and controlled on any part of the road. It is for this that the tires are responsible, which depends not only on maneuverability but also on cross-country ability, and ease of control. Even in an inexpensive ATV with properly selected tires, the driving characteristics increase significantly.
What to look at when choosing tires for ATVs
When choosing tires for ATVs, it is worth deciding how the transport will be used and what will be more important to the driver – speed or increased cross-country ability. To increase the speed characteristics, tires of reduced diameter are selected. The ideal option would be tires of 12, 13, or 14 inches. With large wheel diameters, cross-country ability increases, but the speed characteristics of the device will be reduced. They significantly increase the contact patch, which makes the ATV easy to control on difficult tracks, but not as fast.
The products of this series are designed for use in off-road conditions. But some manufacturers make tires designed for public roads. According to these characteristics they are divided into:
- radial;
- diagonal
The first is used for ordinary roads, for example, racing on the track or ordinary driving around the city. Diagonal tires are the most common type, as they provide good stability and maneuverability to the all-terrain vehicle on rough terrain.
The tread pattern should also be considered before buying a tire for an ATV because the behavior of the vehicle depends on it. For example, tires with deep herringbone treads have better traction. Such tires are used for mud tracks or loose primer. But the block tread pattern allows to drain of loose soil well, so such tires are rationally used for sand. In winter, tires with deep treads with spikes are selected for the quad, which is necessary for snow and ice. Often they are hung with chains.
When operating equipment on the tracks of different landscapes, universal tires are put on ATVs. They are characterized by a fine tread pattern that provides a good grip on any type of road.
The best tires for ATVs are suitable for the conditions in which you ride and meet the size recommended by the manufacturer. If you can afford it, buy a more expensive rubber – it will last longer, it is less likely to be punctured, gives your ATV better maneuverability and cross-country ability.