The Three Tires You Need to Know for ATV Riding

All-terrain vehicles are built to tackle a huge variety of ground conditions. It’s what makes them so versatile when it comes to work and recreation. They’re agile and built with suspensions that can tolerate bumpy roads, high ground clearance to go over rocks and the mettle to plunge through mud puddles. Their tough tires play a big role in where quads can go and what they can do.

While your 4 wheeler comes with four wheels made to handle a lot, it can sometimes be beneficial to have a few different sets on hand for very specific riding conditions. These sets are designed to ride more easily through certain areas.

The three primary types of ATV tires are the general all-terrain style, the sand style and the mud style. Read this quick breakdown by Altus Motorsports of what each type can do for you so you know what to invest in to make your rides better.

All-Terrain

Every quad comes equipped with a set of tires that can generally handle most of what you throw at them. This is something of a catch-all term that describes tires that aren’t specialized in any particular way, like other tires we’ll cover later on.

However, some of these sets may be better equipped for certain conditions than others. You’ll want to check when buying your ATV what type of terrain its wheels are suitable for. Some might have better traction to handle slippery mud, but they may not be able to endure rocky roads, for example.  Even if you do equip your four wheeler with different wheels at some point, having a set of general-purpose all-terrain tires will always come in handy.

Sand

Four wheelers are great for riding through sand dunes! They do need to be outfitted with the correct wheels for the purpose, though, and that’s where sand tires come in. Also referred to as paddle tires, these ATV wheels have paddle-type ridges that help to plow through sand, pushing it backwards to provide the vehicle with optimal traction. Because loose sand will easily shift under the hefty weight of your quad, it’s best to ride over dunes with sand tires so you won’t get stuck.

Those paddle-like ridges do not work well for any harder terrain, though. Be warned that you’ll need to swap out your wheels if you’re going from sand to hard-pack dirt or pavement. If sand tires are ridden over hard terrain, the paddles will soon be destroyed on these surfaces, rendering them useless.

Mud

The third type you may wish to consider for your quad is the mud tire. These wheels have oversized knobs instead of a typical tread, which lets them grip the ground tightly whenever you twist the throttle of your 4 wheeler.

Muddy terrain doesn’t have a uniform texture, so these tires are adaptable to softer and firmer conditions. They’re also not limited to mud use! You can ride on mud tires in snowy and slushy conditions, too. The knobs help to provide better traction so you won’t slip and slide around as much as you would on a typical all-terrain wheel.

However, as with sand tires, you don’t want to ride mud tires on hard-pack terrain, because the knobs will be worn down and become useless. Always choose the appropriate tires for whatever you’re riding on!

This guide should help you determine what types of tires you’ll need for the riding you want to do. Want to check out some quads near Amarillo, TX? Visit our Altus, OK, dealership today to tour our full inventory of new and used 4 wheelers for sale. Altus Motorsports also proudly serves North Dallas and Lubbock, TX.