Surfing different terrains on your side by side satisfies your nerve for adventure. But if you want to multiply the adventure in your favorite terrain or enjoy all terrains for a next-level experience, you have to get specific side by side tires.
Using specific tires has many other benefits. They offer greater stability on the terrain and save your side by side from wearing out. Using one set of tires everywhere isn’t a good idea. There are different types of side by side tires that you can use at different places, for attaining different purposes.
Keep reading this article to know all the necessary details about SxS tires, the different types, and where you can use them.
Why Are Side By Side Tires Important?
Side by side isn’t your regular vehicle to move on roads. It is an especially designed off-road vehicle that has to move across various terrains and pass multiple obstacles. These machines allow seating space for two people, hence called a side by side. Tires are an important part of your side by side vehicle as they help it in performing its basic function, that is, moving.
There are a variety of different tires that can attach to your SxS. They usually come with general-purpose tires allowing you to explore multiple terrains. General-purpose tires cover plenty of ground easily. But in rugged terrains, they aren’t the best fit when things can become more challenging. As a side by side user, you’d probably like to explore rocky mountains, sandy deserts, and water too.
Attaching terrain-specific side-by side tires makes your ATV robust to explore the rugged terrain, offers great speed, control, and traction, and saves your vehicle from damage. You’ll find plenty of side by side tires in the market that work best in rugged terrains.
What Are The Different Types Of Side By Side Tires And When To Use Them?
In the market, you’ll find tires in a great variety of sizes and tread patterns to make you feel intimidated. Don’t get carried away.
The most practical way of understanding the type of tire depends on the type of ground where you’ll be using it. That means, depending on the ground type, you can fit different types of tires to your side by side. The different types of side by side tires include:
All-Terrain Tires
All-terrain tires are also known as general-purpose tires. As their name indicates these tires run on versatile grounds and can efficiently tackle a broad range of terrains. They are able to drive in most of the terrains an average side by side driver will like to explore.
All-terrain tires have thick rugged lugs that are 0.75-1 inch deep with space between them. This characteristic tread pattern allows SxS’s to grip properly and crawl on various grounds including mud, snow, and sand dine. The treads don’t allow stones or any other material to remain stuck in the tires.
You can use the all-terrain tires for daily purposes, snow, and rocky areas. Such tires are not a good choice to explore mud or soil terrains.
Mud Tires
Among all the types of SxS tires, the mud tires are the gnarliest of all with deep tread patterns and wide spaces between the lugs. They look challenging, large, and dangerous. The treads and the lugs allow tires to self-clean the mud, and throw it back when spinning hard. These characteristics make mud tires a perfect fit for slippery and sloppy grounds.
Mud tires are specifically designed to rule the muddy terrains and don’t let your side by side sink in the mud. Their design and width offer excellent grip over the vehicle and move faster in the terrain.
As the name says, mud tires are best to use in muddy areas. If you want to utilize mud tires for general purposes as well, it’s recommended to opt for mud tires with shallower treads.
Sand Tires
With the most specialized paddle-like treads, sand tires are the most specialized type of side by side tires. They are the only tires where the front tires are totally different from the rear tires, where rear tires are lighter and wider. They allow maximum traction, control, and speed in sandy areas. The paddle style treads efficiently push sand back allowing side by side to move easily in the sand. The wider-than-usual sand tires provide more stability in uneven sandy ground.
Using sand tires you can enjoy aggressive sand terrain exploring by digging into the sand and coming out. They are specific for sandy areas, you can use sparsely traded tires for soft sandy areas or off-road.
Sport Tires
Sport tires are also known as racing tires as they are designed to move fastly on tightly packed trails. Their treads resemble the treads of truck wheels and you can use them like general-purpose tires as well. Sport tires feature stout lugs that resist damage while passing through various terrains at higher speeds. They have excellent gripping power as compared to general-purpose tires.
Unlike general purpose tires, you can not use sports tires on highways or roads due to regulatory issues. Else, sport tires are fit to run on most of the grounds.
Now that you know details about different types of side by side tires and where to use them. Are you ready to get your new side by side tire?
If you found this article helpful, you should check out our other articles about side by sides here!
