Goodyear Mud Runner Tire
<table border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>
Goodyear had been making great tires even before I was in diapers. But one thing that never really jumps out at me is the fact that they actually make tires for our ATV’s. It seems that somewhere along the lines they often get overlooked as a contender in the ATV industry.
While looking at some tires on display at one of my local dealerships I took notice at some very aggressive tires which were mounted on a new Polaris Sportsman 500. I had never seen these tires before and after closer inspection I saw that they were stamped
Goodyear Mud Runner. As soon as I got home I quickly looked up the
Goodyear Mud Runner and quickly discovered that this was a tire which was definitely worth looking into.
After several months of testing these tires I feel they are definitely worth including on you shopping list of after market ATV add-ons.
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td height="237">
First Impressions
The
Goodyear Mud Runner is a bias ply Run-Flat tire which was designed specifically for the muddiest conditions. The aggressive 1” tread is deep enough to provide excellent traction in nearly all conditions though.
Initially, we were concerned since the Mud Runner tires were only 4 ply tire (2 body plies and 2 belts). But
Goodyear claims that the Mud Runner has a reinforced sidewall which utilizes an extra-thick molded insert that is extremely difficult to puncture.
Goodyear also claims the Mud Runner can be ridden at 25 mph for up to 50 miles even with a gaping two-inch hole. Yes I said a two-inch hole!
The tires tested were 26 X 9 X 12 for the front and 26 X 12 X 12 for the rear with the fronts weighing in at 26 pounds each and the rears at 26.5 pounds each. This is a lightweight tire for its class which keeps from robbing too much power from the ATV.
</td> <td>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td>
</td> <td>
Ride Report
Unlike many “Mud” tires, the Mud Runner rode on the hard pack extremely well due to its centerline tread section. The trail characteristics of the Mud Runner were very predictable which I felt was uncommon up to this point with a tire of this design and intent.
The first problem encountered with the Mud Runner was on a very steep hill. The loose soil allowed the tires to do their job and dig in, only a little too well. While I was a bit off guard, the Mud Runners dug through the soil and made contact with some solid rock underneath allowing the tires to spin. This set off a crazy chain of events. As the rear tires spun out on the slippery rock, the front tires pivoted left catching a root ball. Again, the Mud Runner took good hold and pulled the ATV sideways on the hill. I quickly counterweighted the quad, but it was too late. Uh-Oh, I thought. Time to eject! I rolled left just as the quad was rolling right, bounced off of a tree and rolled the rest of the way down the hill on all four tires coming to a stop against a large cedar tree.
After a quick inspection of the quad for damage, everything appeared only superficial. It was time to continue the test of the Mud Runner. “Just keep off of the steep hills” I reminded myself.
Since the hill climbing incident swayed my decision to go that portion of the trail, I decided it was better to go around it the long way and make my own trail. The Mud Runner tires had no issue crawling some very technical sections of rocks and logs.
Next testing phase was what the Mud Runners were designed for. The mud! The Mud Runner tires seemed to do great in open swamp crossings as well as rutted out water crossings. The side lugs seemed adequate enough to pull through the areas where you had limited ground clearance and needed just a little extra side bite. The Mud Runner tires also performed very well in mud that was the consistency of peanut butter. However, the rider needs to be prepared to get very dirty as these tires clean out extremely well and tend to throw large amounts of mud in all directions.
With 350 miles on the Mud Runners, I feel it necessary to note that there is a negligible amount of tread wear on these tires.
</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <table border="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td height="275">
Conclusion
The Mud Runner tires did exceptional in all terrain conditions. Aside from my hill climbing incident which was more my fault than a fault of the tires, they have the ability to dig in and pull you through nearly any situation you need. Due to the durability of the Mud Runner tire, it has really hampered us testing its “Run-Flat” capability. And personally I hope I don’t ever have to. However, it’s nice to have that confidence and piece of mind that this tire will get you back to the trail head if you do have a catastrophic tire puncture.
Additionally, the tires have a great tread design that rides well and performs spectacular in nearly all conditions imaginable.
For the person who needs a lightweight, aggressive mud tire, this is an excellent option for the farmer, hunter, outdoor sports enthusiast or just your average swamp rat. I definitely give the
Goodyear Mud Runner tire the ATVTortue stamp as an awesome tire. We would have to recommend the Mud Runner tire for anyone who is looking for a mud tire that is lightweight enough for some of today’s smaller ATV’s, without sacrificing durability.
</td> <td>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Pros:
Center lug provides excellent ride
Excellent traction
Run-Flat capability
Reinforced sidewall
Lightweight
Long wearing
Cons:
None
For more information on the Goodyear Mud Runner tire visit Goodyear at
http://www.goodyearatv.com
Reviewed and published by Gary
