Used Or New? How To Choose The Right ATV Tire

If it's one thing that new owners of ATVs fail to think about when purchasing their off road machines, it's the tires. They generally begin to think about them when they wear out or when they're stranded on a trail somewhere after their tire leaves them in a bind. ATV tires aren't cheap, so picking the right tires for the job becomes a bigger challenge than normal.

Once you find yourself needing new tires, you'll have to ask yourself what kind of ATV tires do you need. Not all ATV tires are created equal. Picking the wrong type of tires for the type of off-roading you do can leave you with less than ideal performance. Follow the advice below to be sure of getting the best possible tire for your ATV.

You'll have to stop and think about how much money you have to spend on atv tires. Don't go cheap! The biggest mistake many ATV owners make is buying any set of tires they can find because they're cheap.

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!

Let's start with ATV sand tires. These tires are basically slicks with rubber paddles on them. These tires are designed to grip sand by scooping the sand with the paddles. If all your riding is done in the sand, then there is no other type of tire you should have on your ATV. If you have a 2 wheel drive ATV, you should buy smooth front tires for sand riding.

When looking to buy a used machine, it will more than likely come with a general use tire. Although they do not exceed in any one type of terrain, they do offer the best all around performance for the casual off road ATV rider.

For those of you who don't consider it a fun ride if you don't come back covered with mud, the aggressive tread Mud ATV tire is right down your alley. These tires have aggressive treads designed to get a bite in deep mud. The treads are made in a way that it is easy for the tire to clean itself by slinging the mud out of the low spots in the tire so it can get a better bite on its way around.

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!

Picking the right tire to go on your ATV isn't hard but it does require some thought. For those that choose the right tires, they'll have many happy seasons out on the trail as their tires perform well. For those who don't choose wisely, they'll be kicking their self for scrimping on cheap tires as their friends blow past them.