Have you ever wondered if the tires on your all-terrain vehicle are the perfect tires? Or is there a better-sized tire for your ATV? Changing your ATV tires can be difficult if you do not know the correct size ATV tires. You do not have to worry; we will explain the ATV tire size chart.
Three things determine the right size tire, the tire height, the tire width, and the wheel diameter. The tire height of a typical ATV is within 20 to 30 inches; the wheel diameter is 10 to 12 inches. The width of the rear tire is within 10 to 11 inches, and the front tire is within 7 to 8 inches.
This is the basic knowledge you should have before knowing the right size tires for your all-terrain vehicle. Let us take a deeper look at the ATV tire size chart for better understanding.
What Is The Right Size ATV Tires?
Some people are lucky. They do not have to find out the right size tires for their ATV at all, and this is because they are keen on regular maintenance and proper usage. However, others have to change their tires periodically despite all they do, so they are compelled to know the right tire size.
Regardless of the category you fit in, it is still important to know the right size tire for your ATV. This knowledge will come in handy in an emergency when you need to purchase tires.
When shopping for ATV tires, or even on the tires of your ATV, you would see the size printed in it. It is usually written like 23x10x12, or 23-10-12, or 23×10-12, or 206/80R12. You are probably wondering what this means.
It gets a bit complicated here. The first three sizes listed above are the standard ATV tire size, and the last size is the metric ATV tire size. Let us look at both sizes.
Standard ATV Tire Sizes
The standard format is the most common ATV tire size. If you search for ATV tires, about ninety-nine percent of the tires you will find will be standard ATV tires. There are three ways standard ATV tire sizes are written. It could be: 25-8-13 or 25x8x13 or 25×8-13.
Standard tire sizes are displayed in a three-number format; the numbers are separated with a hyphen (-), an "x," or both. Let us look at what the three numbers signify.
The first number represents the height of the tire when it is mounted and inflated; some refer to it as the tire diameter. The second number represents the width of the tire when it is fully inflated. Furthermore, the third number represents the wheel diameter.
For example, an ATV tire size is 23x10x12. Reading the tire size, the tire is 23 inches tall, 10 inches wide, and will fit a rim of 12 inches. This is how to read the size of a standard ATV tire.
Metric ATV Tire Sizes
The metric tire size format is very rare for all-terrain vehicles, and you may likely not come across it. However, if you notice a letter in the middle of the tire size of your ATV, you have a metric ATV tire. It is always written like this, 205 / 80 R 12.
There are three numbers and a letter in the metric ATV tire size. The first number represents the width of the tire in millimeters. The second number represents the sidewall height (which is a percentage of the tire width). The letter represents the tire construction (R is always the letter representing Radial construction). The last number is the wheel diameter.
If you see the size of an ATV tire written as 205 / 80 R 12, it means the tire has a width of 205 millimeters; the sidewall height is 80% of the tire width, which is 164 millimeters. The tire is of Radial Construction, and it should be mounted on a wheel with a diameter of 12 inches.
ATV Tire Size Chart
All ATVs do not use the same tire size. There are four types of ATV, and these four have different tire sizes. There are sport ATVs (used for sporting activities), there are Side-by-side ATVs (used to haul trailers), there are utility ATVs (used for a variety of purposes, like mowing, field, and snow plowing), and there are youth ATVs (for children).
We will look at the right tire size for each of these ATVs. We will look at the average tire height, tire width, and wheel diameter.
| ATV Types | Tire Height | Front Tire Width | Rear Tire Width | Wheel Diameter |
| Sport ATV | 20 to 25 inches | 7 to 8 inches | 10 to 11 inches | 10 to 12 inches |
| Side-By-Side ATV | 27 to 28 inches | 7 to 11 inches | 10 to 12 inches | 10 to 12 inches |
| Utility ATV | 24 to 28 inches | 7 to 8 inches | 10 to 11 inches | 10 to 12 inches |
| Youth ATV | 14 to 17 inches | 7 to 8 inches | 7 to 8 inches | 6 to 8 inches |
ATV Tire Designs
You now clearly understand how to pick the right size of tires you need for your all-terrain vehicles. The next thing is to decide the type of tires that will be perfect for your ATV. There are five categories of ATV tires, and we will look at them all.
All-Purpose ATV Tires
When you purchase a new ATV, the tires that are with the vehicle are all-purpose tires. They are the most versatile of all tires because they can be driven across any terrain. They are the most purchased and most popular ATV tires. With all-purpose ATV tires, you would have a smooth transition from a muddy river bed to a sandy desert.
Off-Road ATV Tires
There are few similarities between an off-road tire and an all-purpose tire. However, off-road tires are designed with stronger treads and are more durable than all-purpose tires. They are designed to handle off-road. Driving through off-road trails with off-road tires gives a better experience than when you use all-purpose tires.
Motocross ATV Tires
These are tires that will make you thread smoothly across motocross. The soil is loose; a tire with stiff knobs makes it easier to get through corners. Spaced-out tread patterns give grip during acceleration. These are all features of motocross ATV tires. Motocross terrains are off-road racecourses with different soil types, and only motocross tires can travel across them.
Mud ATV Tires
These tires are designed for wet, muddy, and sloppy terrains. They have aggressive tread patterns, large lugs, wide spaces for grip, and plow through the mud. They are specially designed to self-clean; the designs make it easy to clean dirt, mud, and gravel stuck in the tires as it spins. Mud ATV tires offer intense traction capabilities because of the deep treads and wide spacing.
Sand ATV Tires
If you intend to drive your all-terrain vehicle in the dunes, you should get some sand ATV tires. The rear wheels are designed to function like paddles, they push the vehicle through the sand, and the front wheels complete the smoothness of the movement. Sand tires can be expensive because they are only used for riding in the dunes.
Final Thoughts
To enjoy your ATV to its best capacity, you need to ensure all the parts are fully functional. Using the best choice for your vehicle depends not on your choice but on compatibility with your ATV.
The right wheels on your all-terrain vehicle is an assurance your vehicle will travel many distances and scale through any terrain. You need to find the right wheel size, and this blog post will help you with it.
Also read: Best ATV Street Tires
Shawn Manaher loves to play with new toys and dive into new hobbies. As a serial entrepreneur, work definitely comes first but there is always room for hobbies.