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Tires have transformed the ATV and UTV marketplace. 20 years ago, a rider’s choice was a knobby tire or a knobby tire! Today, there are literally hundreds of tread choices and numerous manufacturers to choose from. Our goal with this page is to share some information with our Maniac’s that will make tire selection an easier process.
Radial and Bias ATV Tires
First, let’s discuss the difference between radial and bias tire construction. The carcass of all tires is made up of layers of rubber fabric or plies. The direction these plies are laid in relation to each other, differentiates between a bias ATV tire and a radial ATV tire. The plies on a bias tire run 45 degrees to the center line of the tread, alternating in direction with each layer. The result of this type of construction is rubber plies running in 90 degree angles to each other.
The plies of a radial ATV tire run 90 degrees to the center line of the tire and overlap instead of crisscrossing. This allows the side walls to be more flexible, longer tread life, better steering control, and a better ride on the trail!
So which tire is best? This really depends upon what you intend to use your machine for. For off-road only use, bias tires are probably the best option. Bias offers better cleaning characteristics, keeping the mud from building up in extreme conditions. Bias ATV tires also tend to be softer which allows for better grip in off-road conditions.
Radial tires should be considered when using your Quad at higher rates of speed since they allow for better steering control and handling.
So what tread pattern is best for your Quad? Again, this really depends on your planned use. Many tires would fall into the All Terrain category that provide a great cross-over design that can be used in both off-road conditions as well as on hard surfaces. These tires tend to wear better than some of the real aggressive patterns available today. The 489 ATV tire from Carlisle is a great example of an O.E. replacement tire that serves well as an all- terrain tire.
Manufacturers also make tires specifically for sand! These ATV tires have paddles on the rear tires to ensure proper acceleration is achieved in the loose sand, while offering deep center ribs for front tires to aid in steering in the same loose conditions! GBC and ITP make great ATV tires of this type.
The most popular type of ATV tires in recent years has been the introduction of extremely aggressive tires for mud applications. In years past, one of the few options was the Mudlite tire. Today, there are numerous options like the GBC Gator, GBC Grim Reaper, Kenda Executioner, Carlisle Mud Wolf, Carlisle ACT, and many others. These aggressive lug patterns can sometimes cause a rough ride and certainly wear faster than less aggressive tires.
There are numerous manufacturers that make ATV tires today. We tend to sell more ITP, Carlisle ATV tires, and GBC ATV tires than other brands. That doesn’t mean they're the best! It simply means that our sales are greater for those 3 brands! We offer tires from Kenda, Maxxis, Cheng Shin, GBC, Carlisle, ITP, Super Grip, Dunlop, Goodyear, Duro, and many others!
Remember, FREE shipping on all orders greater than $99!! Any Maniac would love that deal!
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