Our quad bike tyre categories

The quad all-terrain vehicle is used for sport and leisure, a very popular four-wheeler for trips in the countryside. It is also used for agricultural and forestry activities. It therefore needs to be sturdy, stable and balanced to ensure comfort and safety. In this buying guide, we will show you the criteria to take into account when choosing a quad tyre.

When should you change the tyres on a quad?

It is difficult to determine the exact longevity of a quad's tyres because it depends on several factors: the nature of the terrain, the state of the path, driving style, frequency of use, quality of the rubber, the load supported by the vehicle, maintenance, weather conditions and design technology. However, here are a few signs that tell you its time to change your tyres: When you need to inflate your tyres regularly, when the rubber of the tyre begins to crack, or when the tyres are more than 50% worn. At this point, you start to lose traction so you need to start thinking about changing your tyres.

Worn tyres

Over the course of their use, the tyres of a quad deteriorate and their lugs wear out. They can then lose grip. This increases the risk of aquaplaning, which results in skidding, loss of control and the vehicle sliding across the wet surface. Braking also becomes less effective.

The tyre brands when

The leading tyre brand in the quad world is surely Maxxis. It is known in particular through the commercial success of the "Bighorn". Another example is Kenda, which also produces high quality tyres. Other brands are following closely behind the premium brands with very good value for money, such as Sun F who a few years ago released the A033 in response to the Bighorn from Maxxis. The brands BKT and Carlisle specialise in the agricultural sector.

What criteria should be taken into account when choosing your quad tyres?

The choice of tyres for a quad should not be made at random. These 3 criteria must be taken into account:

• The type of tyre;
• The dimensions;
• The number of layers or plies.

The type of tyre

Quads are very versatile vehicles. While they can be used by the family for recreation, they can also be used on farms for transporting equipment and people. The quad is also used in sports disciplines practiced by millions of people. Thus each activity has its own specific type of quad tyre.

The wheels vary according to 2 main parameters: the type of ground used and the performance required. There are 4 main types of quad tyres:

• Utility/all-terrain;
• Leisure/track;
• Competition/sports;
• Approved/road.

The tyres of a utility/all-terrain quad

This type of wheel is used for agricultural machinery and adventure quads perfect for off-roading. They have a V-shaped tread design with wide lugs. These lugs have great grip and allow the vehicles using them to tow heavy loads (agricultural equipment and materials). These tyres are also very practical for getting around on difficult and extreme terrain (mud, steep slopes, loose earth, stones, etc.).

Leisure/track quad tyres

These tyres are often approved for road use and have practical multi-purpose use. They can be used on public roads as well as on tracks. Hence why they are known as mixed use.

Wheels for competition/sports quads

The plain profile of these tyres allows them a larger contact surface with the ground. They thus ensure good stability when running at high speed on the track.

Road tyres for quads

If you drive on open roads most of the time, then the road tyre is the perfect fit for your vehicle. The grooves of the road-approved tyres ensure optimum water drainage on wet surfaces.

Dimensions

How do you identify the tyre size of your quad?

To read the dimensions of a quads tyres, you need to take a look at the sidewall. You will see markings after the manufacturer's brand name and model. They look like this: height/width - rim diameter (in inches).

If, for example, a model is marked 25X8-12, this means that it is 25 inches high, 8 inches wide and 12 inches in diameter. As you can see, this notation has nothing to do with the tyre dimensions of cars.

On a quad, the dimensions can vary between front and rear.

Can you change the tyre size on a quad?

Yes, it is possible to change the size of its tyres. For example, the height of the tyres can be increased to increase ground clearance. In this case, to maintain good manoeuvrability you must install the same heights on the front and rear to keep the machine balanced.

The number of layers or plies

The number of plies gives an indication of the stiffness of the sidewalls of a quad's tyres. The bigger it is, the stronger your tyres will be. Conversely, the smaller it is, the softer and more comfortable your tyres will be.

Why buy your quad tyres online?

Buying tyres online at Grip500 offers many advantages:

• Competitive price;
• Access to a vast catalogue of products;
• Possibility of reading reviews before buying;
• Low-cost tyre fitting service from a partner garage.

Shopping online gives you access to a wide range of tyres from different major brands. On Grip500 we offer you the best prices on the market. The biggest brands of tyres for quad bikes can be found in our catalogue: Kenda, Maxxis, BKT, Duro...

You can consult the opinions and comments of our customers before making your purchase. This way, you can rely on real feedback to make your choice.

Finally, we provide you with a network of partner garages to help you with tyre fitting.

How should you maintain your quad tyres?

It is advisable to check your tyre pressure regularly (once a month) using a pressure gauge to avoid under-inflation. If you only use them occasionally, then you can check them every time you go on an outing. The normal pressure is between 0.2 and 0.9 bar.

Don't forget to regularly check the geometry (parallelism and balance) of your wheels. All this influences the quality of traction on the track or on the road.

Quad bikes are used in many areas. To cater for this, manufacturers offer different categories of tyres that can easily be adapted to the types of ground used. Whatever your needs, you can browse the Grip500 catalogue and find the equipment you are looking for at a good price.