Hercules Tires Launches New UTV-specific Tire and Wheel

Eager to get into the rapidly expanding UTV tire market, Hercules has entered the fold with the all-new TIS UT1 for dedicated use on side-by-sides. It’s a meaty-looking thing, with siping and grooves to take on any trail or obstacle thrown its way. Hercules has been making car and truck tires since 1952, so there’s plenty of industry knowledge at play here.

The TIS UT1 is an eight-ply tire for heavy UTV use that will launch in the first quarter of next year. Hercules says it features a “balanced void ratio and innovative biting edges on the tread blocks” to offer optimum traction.

It has big, open tread blocks for dispersing dirt, mud, and sand. The siping and sidewall pattern are reminiscent of the spectacular BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO2, which has long been a benchmark off-road tire. Hilariously, Hercules calls the big knobs “stone ejectors.” We also like that the tread and shoulders are dual compound, which Hercules says is to maximize tread life and rock-crawling performance. The UT1 is designed to perform best in sand, silt, loose rocks, gravel, dirt, and soil.

Hercules and parent company American Tire Distributors have collaborated with TIS Wheels, creating the new sub-brand TIS Offroad. The new wheels are suited for both ATV and UTV use, and two different products will be available at first. One option, dubbed 558, is a mesh-style wheel available in four color schemes, and the other is 559, an “aggressive concave” wheel with eight spokes that has three colors to choose from.