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Finding the best tires for the Honda Rancher 420 is not as easy as it might seem at first.
Not only do you have to consider the obvious points, like riding conditions and price, but you also have to keep in mind more specific things, like clearance issues, tire size, and even the limited choices for the 11″ rear wheels.
To help you out, we’ve done the work for you and put together a list of the best tires for the Honda Rancher 420.
The 11” Rear Wheels Will Limit Your Options
Before we get on with our review, we just want to point out that the 11″ rear wheels on the Honda Rancher 420 will limit your options when it comes to finding the best tire.
That’s right, 11″ size wheels are not that common, which means that your choices will be limited to a handful of brands and models – most of them aren’t even that good. Unfortunately, tire manufacturers rarely make tires for 11″ size wheels.
Luckily, there’s a cheap solution to that – second-hand 12″ wheels from the Honda Foreman. Foreman wheels are a direct bolt-on to the Rancher 420 and the 12″ wheel size is probably the most common one, so you will have no problems finding tires for them.
Because of that, most tires on our list will not be available in 11″.
The 5 Best Tires for Honda Rancher 420
 | Best All-Around 1. Maxxis Zilla |
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 | Best Mud Tire 2. Kenda Executioner |
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 | Best Trail Tire 3. Maxxis Bighorn |
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 | Best Value 4. ITP Mud Lite |
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 | Best Snow Tire 5. Kenda Bear Claw EVO |
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1. Maxxis Zilla – Best All-Around
The Maxxis Zilla is our top choice for a number of reasons. First, it’s extremely lightweight and comfortable, which means that it won’t rattle out your fillings or rob your Rancher 420 of too much power. Second, it has a very aggressive tread pattern that grips most terrain extremely well.
That, in combination with its very affordable price, is why the Zilla is one of the most popular ATV tires ever made and also the best tire for the Honda Rancher 420.
When it comes to riding trails, the Zillas is a clear winner. The strong yet lightweight radial-ply design translates into a very smooth ride and predictable cornering, while also minimizing the power loss of running bigger and more aggressive ATV tires.
As for rocks, gravel, and hardpack – the Maxxis Zilla is great, but there’s room for improvement. One thing that we’ve noticed is that the Zillas can break loose on the corners if you give it enough beans, but since these tires are very predictable, sliding around corners is very fun.
In mud, Zillas are outstanding, and for good reason – they were inspired by the Maxxis Mudzilla, which is one of the best ATV mud tires ever. They easily float over mud and paddle away instead of sinking, though really deep mud holes are a bit too much for them.
2. Kenda Executioner – Best Mud Tire
If you need even more loose surface traction than what the Maxxis Zilla can offer, then the Kenda Executioner is the best choice. These dedicated mud tires perform exactly as you’d expect from a name like that.
With that said, the Kenda Executioners have a softer side – they’re pretty inexpensive.
With a huge thread depth similar to that of an agricultural tire, the Kenda Executioners are outstanding in deep mud and even snow. Due to the huge angled tread lugs, the Executioners have unmatched self-cleaning capability – especially if you keep the tires spinning fast enough. Because of that, these tires can take on even the deepest mud holes with relative ease.
Interestingly, these tires are also very good in snow. The addition of the dimpled tread surface gives the Executioners more biting edges for extra grip on snow, which makes these tires a very good choice for snow plowing.
When it comes to hardpack and similar hard terrains, it’s a different story. They’re bumpy at low speeds due to the aggressive tread pattern, but smooth out a bit at higher speeds. Furthermore, they easily slide on gravel and do not inspire confidence while cornering. If that’s where you ride your Honda Rancher 420 most of the time, then you’re better off looking elsewhere.
3. Maxxis Bighorn – Best Trail Tire
If you mostly ride your Rancher 420 on trails, then you might want to check out Maxxis Bighorn. These tires are great all around and their definitely one of our favorites. Whether you’re riding through mud, snow, rocks, gravel, or pavement – they’ll get you through.
One of the main reasons why the Maxxis Bighorn is such a great tire is because of how smooth and comfortable it is. The radial-ply design means that these tires are very flexible, which makes for a very smooth ride, and lightweight, which is always great for the 420cc Rancher.
When it comes to performance, the Bighorns really shine on rocks. Their flexible tread compound sticks to rocks like glue and the heavily lugged sidewall provides good protection against tears and cuts when rock crawling.
As for trails, the Bighorns easily soak up bumps and rocks, while also providing great traction. Breaking traction and getting them to slide is not easy, which makes cornering at high speed much safer.
In the mud, they’re pretty good, but can be improved. The Bighorns will get you through moderate mud but can get bogged down in deep mud holes and cake up with mud. That’s where Maxxis had to make a compromise in order to make the tire so smooth and grippy on other surfaces.
4. ITP Mud Lite – Best Value
The Mud Lites are probably the most popular tires among Honda Rancher 420 owners, and it’s not that difficult to see why. They’re very inexpensive, durable, grip really well, and won’t rob your Rancher 420 of horsepower because they’re so lightweight.
The biggest selling point of the ITP Mud Lite is that they’re extremely lightweight – in fact, they’re some of the lightest ATV tires on the market. That makes them ideal for the Honda Rancher 420, which is not the most powerful ATV around.
The tread pattern of the Mud Lite is similar to that of paddle tires, which does wonders in mud. The huge lugs provide excellent traction and the self-cleaning ability is off the charts. These tires can take on some pretty deep mud holes, but they’re not invincible.
Surprisingly Mud Lites are also really good on hardpack dirt and similar surfaces. They provide good grip and are very predictable, which makes them great for trail riding. On top of that, they ride so smooth that you can’t even tell they’re mud tires, which is a big plus for us.
5. Kenda Bear Claw EVO – Best Snow Tire
If you use your Rancher 420 for snow plowing, then you definitely know the difference a good snow tire makes. If you don’t, then you’re in for a treat.
The Kenda Bear Claw EVO is one of the best ATV tires for snow and mud and is our top pick for the best snow tire for the Honda Rancher 420.
One of the main reasons why the Bear Claw EVO is such a great snow tire is the tread pattern. The large recessed-dimpled knobs provide outstanding traction on both packed and unpacked snow. This is further enhanced by the angled transition knobs, which help the tire to grip better while cornering.
When it comes to mud, the Bear Claw EVO is pretty similar to the Kenda Executioner. The large lugs provide good traction even in serious mud holes, while the huge voids between the tread lugs help to keep the tire from caking up with mud.
On hardpack, the Bear Claw EVOs are pretty good. These tires feel predictable and grip well, but they’re a bit bumpy at low speeds due to the aggressive tread pattern. However, they are pretty lightweight despite their looks, which is always a big plus for the 420 Rancher.
How To Choose The Best Tires For a Honda Rancher 420
Now that we’ve gone over our top picks, let’s take a look at what you should keep in mind when choosing the best tires for your Honda Rancher 420.
Tire Types: All-Terrain VS Mud VS Sand VS Racing
First and foremost, you have to decide what kind of riding you’ll be doing most of the time – this will determine the type of tire you need.
For example, if you’re mostly going to be riding on the trails, then you’ll need a tire with good traction all around. On the other hand, if you’re mostly going to be riding in mud, then you’ll need a tire with big lugs and a self-cleaning tread pattern.
Here’s a quick overview of the different types of tires and their main attributes:
All-Terrain Tires
All-terrain tires are designed to provide good grip and a smooth ride on most surfaces, including hardpack dirt, mud, rocks, and gravel. They’re the most versatile type of tire and are a great choice if you’re not sure what kind of riding you’ll be doing most of the time.
These tires have a larger contact patch for more grip and a shallower tread depth. This gives all-terrain tires more grip on hard surfaces and makes them more comfortable, but less grip on loose surfaces like sand and mud.
If you ride your Honda Rancher 420 on a mix of surfaces, then all-terrain tires are probably the best choice for you. Riding on the trails will be more comfortable and you’ll have enough grip for some fun in the mud.
Mud Tires
Mud tires are designed to provide the best possible grip in mud, period. Interestingly, mud tires are also really good on snow – that’s why ATV tire manufacturers no longer make snow tires.
However, mud tires are pretty bad on hard surfaces like pavement and hardpack dirt. They’re bumpy and can lose traction while cornering rather easily.
Now, mud tires can range from light (like the Mudlites) to extreme (like Super Swampers), so you have a lot of choices when it comes to finding the best mud tire for your Honda Rancher 420. Keep in mind that extreme mud tires are heavy and will certainly reduce the power of your Rancher 420.
If you’re mostly riding your Rancher 420 around your farm, then mud tires are a great choice. They provide the best possible grip in the mud and will also help you out in the snow. If not, then all-terrain tires are a better choice.
Sand Tires
ATV sand tires are very different from all other types of ATV tires. They have a much smaller contact patch and a very open tread pattern, which is designed to provide good floatation and grip in sand.
Unless you’re riding mostly on sand, then there’s no point in buying these tires. They’re not suitable for anything else, they’re very expensive and prone to punctures.
Racing Tires
Racing tires are not a popular choice for the Honda Rancher 420, but they do have their purposes.
These tires are designed to be as lightweight as possible, which makes them great for motocross and other high-speed applications. However, because of that, they’re not very durable and they don’t excel in any other type of terrain.
Tire Size: Which is Best?
When it comes to tire size, we recommend that you stick with the stock size – 24×8-12 for the front and 24×10-11 for the rear, but you can fit even bigger tires on your Honda Rancher 420.
In most cases, you can fit 27″ tires without rubbing, but some people managed to squeeze in 28″ tires. Bigger tires will increase clearance and give you a bit more traction, but they also will rob power from your Rancher 420 and make it harder to steer.
That’s why we recommend that you stick with the stock size or go one size up at most.
Tire Design: Radial vs Bias
The design of the tire is also something that you should keep in mind. In general, there are two main types of tire designs – radial and bias.
Radial-ply tires have steel cords that extend from the bead at 90 degree angles to the center. This is the reason why radial-ply tires handle significantly better, and last much longer than bias-ply tires. Their only disadvantage is the price.
On the other hand, bias-ply tires share the came ply cords with the sidewall and the tread. This allows the whole tire to flex, which is perfect for heavy-duty use, like rock crawling and whatnot. It also makes the tire stronger and more resistant to punctures, but it also increases weight and sacrifices comfort.
Which one is right for your Rancher 420 largely depends on your riding habits.
If you mostly ride your Rancher on hard terrain like gravel, then radial-ply would be a good choice as they’re smoother and more responsive at higher speeds. On the other hand, if you mostly ride slow and on harsh terrain, then bias-ply is the best choice.
Conclusion
There you have it – our top picks for the best tires for the Honda Rancher 420.
As we’ve mentioned before, the best tire for your Rancher 420 largely depends on how you’re going to be using it. If you’re mostly going to be riding on the trails, then all-terrain tires are a great choice. If you’re mostly going to be riding in the mud, then mud tires are the way to go.
Keep in mind that the 11″ rear wheels on the Rancher 420 will limit your choices when it comes to finding the best tire. The cheap solution to that is to get second-hand 12″ wheels from the Honda Foreman. Foreman wheels are a direct bolt-on to the Rancher 420 and the 12″ wheel size is probably the most common one, so you will have no problems finding tires for them.
Nick Kowalski is a diesel mechanic by trade, but his passion lies in motorcycles.
He’s been riding them since he was just a wee lad, and he loves restoring old Japanese street bikes and ATVs in his spare time.
Nick is an adrenaline junkie at heart, and he loves nothing more than hitting the open road on his motorcycle.