Best ATV Tires For A Baja-Style ATV
Baja! The nostalgias of the Baja 1000 and the craziness
surrounding the event give me goose bumps. All kinds of desert
bound vehicles pinned at speeds up over 100 mph... all aiming to
just finish, let alone win. When setting up a Baja Style ATV two
different set-ups come to mind. The first would be the traditional
sport quad set-up and the second is the more modern trend of
putting the same sizes and style of tires at all four corners, like
a trophy truck. Let's explore the best Baja tires for both of these
kinds of set-ups, beginning with the sport quad Baja Style ATV.
Best Sport Quad Tires for a Baja-Style ATV
First things first, we need to get the sizing correct. Many ATV's
come stock with 22" front tires and 20" rear tires. There are
Baja-Style tires in these sizes, but if you want to get that true
Baja-Style ATV set-up, you will want to upgrade to 23" in the front
and 22" in the rear. Now that size is covered, another huge
topic of discussion, or debate, would be tire construction. Some
guys like lightweight 4-ply tires, while others go with a more
heavy-duty 6-ply set-up. There are plenty of options for each... so
let's continue.
When thinking back to one of my more recent trips as a spectator at
the Baja 1000, there are two tires in particular that stand out in
my mind, the Razr tire from Maxxis, and the Holeshot tire from
ITP.
Maxxis Razr Tires
The Razr family of tires from Maxxis has grown over the years and
we will actually talk about three different Razr tires, which are
perfect for Baja-Style ATV's.
The Original Razr M931 and M932
tires: This was Maxxis' first stab at a true
cross country Baja type tire. The tire began to produce wins over
and over and over... and with feedback from users, they then
created the Razr2 tire.
Front Tire:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="249"]
Maxxis M931 Razr Front Tire[/caption]
Rear Tire:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="280"]
Maxxis M932 Razr Rear Tire[/caption]
The Razr2 M933 and M934 tires: These Razr
tires have the same roots as the original Razr tires, but have been
given deeper tread for increased mileage and a more durable 6-ply
construction.
Front Tire:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="280"]
Maxxis M933 Razr2 Front Tire[/caption]
Rear Tire:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="250"]
Maxxis M934 Razr2 Rear Tire[/caption]
The Razr Plus MS-SR1 and MS-SR2 tires:
These are the newest to the line-up and like the Rzar2 have been
developed out of feedback from very satisfied Razr and Razr2 users.
This set of tires feature a modified tread block, which is visually
different and much more aggressive than the previous two versions.
Additionally the Plus tire has been developed to be even more
durable and is able to handle heavier loads.
Front Tire:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="280"]
Maxxis Razr Plus MS-SR1 Front Tire[/caption]
Rear Tire:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="250"]
Maxxis Razr Plus MS-SR2 Rear Tire[/caption]
ITP Holeshot XCR Tires
Like the Razr tires above, the ITP Holeshot tire has had a very
similar evolution. There are half a dozen different versions of the
Holeshot tire, but the tire, which was built specifically for Baja
is the ITP Holeshot XCT. This tire is a 6-ply tire with a super
tough carcass, just like most of the other Holeshot tires. What
makes the XCT Holeshot tire different is that it is the tallest of
the Holeshot tires. It is the only tire in the Holeshot family made
in a 22" and 23" sizes.
Front Tire:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="280"]
ITP
Holeshot XCR Front Tire[/caption]
Rear Tire:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="250"]
ITP Holeshot XCR-03 Rear Tire[/caption]
Budget Friendly: Ocelot P356 Front and P336 Rear Sport ATV
Tires
If you want a similar look, but don't want to spend the dough...
you might want to take a look at the Ocelot P356 Front and P336
Rear Sport ATV tires. These tires are very similar to the
Razr and Holeshot tires we featured above. Keep in mind that these
Ocelot tires are just 4-ply and they do not feature the patented
tread block styles of the Razr nor the Holeshot, but they do hold
their own... and for the price, they just can't be beat.
Front Tire:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="280"]
Ocelot P356 Front ATV Tire[/caption]
Rear Tire:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="280"]
Ocelot
P336 ATV Tire[/caption]
Now that we have covered the Sport Quad set-up, let's move to the
increasingly popular Trophy Truck set-up for the Best Tires for a
Baja-Style ATV.
Best Trophy Truck Set-Up for a
Baja-Style ATV : 4 Matching Tires
A very trending ATV tire style is to mount matching front and rear
tires, similar to how tires are used in the UTV market. As more and
more UTV's have taken on the various Baja races, tires similar to
those run on Baja Trophy trucks have replaced the all popluar
Maxxis Bighorn. ATV riders have seen the benefit, and have followed
suit as well. But why did this change happen? Why was the Bighorn
being dethroned? What benefits do these new tires have to
offer?
Basically, all of these smaller vehicles have begun pushing their
tires to the limits. They find themselves in the need for tires
that can perform better at high speeds, withstand harsh terrain,
provide more ground clearance, be more puncture resistant and
provide a better contact patch for more traction. These tires
existed in larger wheel sizes for more traditional Baja bound
vehicles, but the offerings for the small ATV wheels just weren't
there... until STI, GBC, ITP and Tensor stepped up to the
plate.
These new style ATV tires are typically radial tires which feature
8-ply construction, close lug tread designs for minimization of
punctures, maximum traction in loose dirt, best coverage when
crawling on rocks, and the ability to run at high speeds for long
stretches of time. Here are several of the best-selling 8-ply
desert worthy Baja-Style ATV tires.
STI Chicane RX : STI Chicane RX quad /
side-by-side tires serve owners well with high performance
features, including a deep rim guard and a reinforced bead/lower
sidewall that allows lower psi operation. The result is maximum
tire performance and durability over a variety of terrain, without
the need to run overly high psi to avoid flats. The 8 ply carcass
offers the perfect mix of durability, light weight, and smooth ride
flexibility. Featuring a unique split knob non-directional tread
design, the Chicane RX radial ATV/UTV tires are DOT marked and
ready to hit the road for powerful performance and high mileage
value.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="280"]
STI Chicane
RX Tire[/caption]
GBC Kanati Mongrel : The GBC Kanati
Mongrel is a true all purpose, DOT approved tire built specifically
for side-by-side UTVs offering unparalleled performance in all
terrains. Named after GBC's affiliated light truck tire, the Kanati
Mud Hog, this quad tire utilizes the very same tread pattern marked
by aggressive diamond shaped lugs. The Kanati Mongrel overcomes the
toughest off-road obstacles while providing a smooth and safe ride
in your street legal SXS. Mongrel tires are sure to remain the
preferred choice of professional and recreational drivers.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="280"]
GBC
Kanati Mongrel Tire[/caption]
Tensor Regulator A/T : With thick 8 ply
construction, DOT approval and a tread design based off of truck
tires rather than quad tires, the Tensor Regulator AT tire is the
all terrain side-by-side tire you've been waiting for. No matter
the terrain, the Regulator has you covered with suggested psi's for
sand, rocks, and basic flat ground to ensure the best traction
regardless of location.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="280"]
Tensor
Regulator AT Tire[/caption]
ITP Ultracross R Spec : This is an
8-ply DOT rated tire born to race and WIN Baja. This tire has been
used to win the Baja 1000 and "Best in the Desert" Parker 250 with
over 1,250 miles total without a single flat!
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="280"]
ITP
Ultracross R Spec Tire[/caption]
BEST VALUE: TG Tyre Guider Victory Tire
: If you are all about this look for your ATV, but do
not need the name brand, nor 8-ply construction, you might like
this TG Victory Tire. Featuring a tread pattern very similar to the
ITP Ultracross, it is a 6-ply version good for sandy, rocky and
high-speed situations.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="268"]
TG Tyre Guider Victory ATV/UTV Tire[/caption]
Best of the Best
Well, there you have it! Two bulletproof Baja-Style ways to outfit
your ATV with either Sport Quad or Rally Truck tires. Please check
out our YouTube channel for more information regarding all of the
various tires we have discussed here in this article. Thanks for
reading. Until next time, take care and ride safe.
