ATV tires

Today let us enter the world of ATV tires.

What is ATV tires?

Definition: ATV tires are the abbreviation of All-Terrain Vehicles tires.

ATV Vehicle

There comes another question, what is all-terrain Vehicles?u003cbru003eu003cbru003eUnlike cars and trucks, ATV equipment may sound a bit unfamiliar to us. Therefore, it is necessary to know more about this vehicle for better undertanding of this kind of tire.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eAccording to Wikipedia, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV),a quad bike or quad (if having four wheels), is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, has a seat that is straddled by the operator, and has handlebars. As the name implies, it is designed to handle a wider variety of terrain than most other vehicles

Its history and development

What we call all-terrain vehicles today didn’t come into existence until the early 1970s. In the late 1960s, one of Honda’s engineers, Osamu Takeuchi, created several drafts, and eventually one of the three-wheeled designs caught the company’s attention and went into production due to its maneuverability in slippery, muddy, and snowy driving conditions.

In 1982, Suzuki began producing four-wheel ATV vehicles, which also made ATV vehicles more and more popular.

Although ATVs were intended as sport and adventure vehicles, the gasoline shortage of the 1970s led to the use of ATVs for farming and agricultural activities and their conversion into utility vehicles. ATVs are much cheaper than tractors and require only 8% of the fuel used by tractors. By the 1980s, ATVs had become a utility vehicle in great demand.

Over time, ATVs have now become more than just recreational vehicles and can also be used for farming, hunting, and agricultural activities.

Classification

Generally speaking, there are two main ways to classify ATV tires – according to the application and according to the tire construction.

Classification according to application: We can classify tires according to their application and location.

All Terrain: These tires are generally used in non-extreme tread conditions but do not perform well in mud or snow.

All Terrain

These tires are generally used in non-extreme tread conditions but do not perform well in mud or snow.

Racing

These tires have a lower speed and aggressive, uniform tread pattern that provides grip while maximizing surface contact. They offer excellent cornering, handling and control capabilities, which also require strong tires with widely spaced tread for balance. These tires will be more nimble, but that means they’ll be faster.

Sand tires

Sand tires look different than any other ATV tires and come with two different treads front and rear. The front features a smooth or single center rib to provide flotation and steering, while the rear features paddles to propel the vehicle across the water.

Mud and snow tires

For loose terrain, a wide and deep tread is necessary. These tires are not suitable for driving on hard surfaces such as pavement or hardpack, nor are they suitable for lawns. The tread depth should be between 1 and 1.5 inches, with large, deep lugs that look like shovels. This type of rubber will be harder. If you need extra grip, consider ATV tire chains.

Off-road tires

Look for heavy-duty tires with a sturdy tread and a high ply rating. You want extra durable tires with more lugs on the shoulders and a tighter tread pattern to increase contact with the road. Look for deep, angled groove designs for enhanced grip on rocks.

Classification according to construction

Bias tires

These tires offer greater flexibility, which is important when you need maximum contact with the terrain. They usually overlapping the center line at an angle of 30°-60°. The extra flexibility means the tires drive more comfortably over rough pavement, but they tend to wear out faster.

Radial tires

They combine ply and belt cords to provide more reinforcement. They are at a 90° angle to the center line, with overlapping beads. Because they are stiffer, they last longer and provide better control and handling than bias-ply tires, as well as greater puncture resistance. They perform best on flat terrain because the stiff carcass makes uneven surfaces feel bumpier.

ATV tire sizes

You could find tire specifications on the sidewall of the tire as below photo shows.

How to read ATV tire specifications?

• Take 25×10-12 as an example
• 25 refers to overall diameter in inches
• 10 refers to section width in inches
• Refers to bias construction (while R refers to radial construction)
• 12 refers to wheel diameter in inches

If you still have some questions about what size of tires you should buy, then we have prepared a table as well.

In this form there are many models and its corresponding tire sizes for your reference.

ATV Tire and Application Chart