Off-road adventure and sport in Texas for BKT

By MEq May 27, 2020 15:25

This is the story of Stephen Fontenot, a Texan and off-road enthusiast, and one of the most widely followed Instagrammers worldwide in the sector. However, as for tires, essential components for off-road performance, his choice is still BKT.

Today Stephen is raising the bar again and has bought a new vehicle, which he is featuring on his Instagram profile to the delight of his fans who want to follow his performances. His new ATV jewel is a 195-horsepower Can-Am Maverick X3 XMR. Modified of course.

“I modified the vehicle almost from nothing,” Stephen admits. “Now I have a Super ATV 6-inch GDP portal gear lift, Super ATV 300M ball joints, adjustable radius shafts in Super ATV aluminum, high-performance ATV A-arms, Fab Four pocket rock sliders, a Monster Rigging synthetic winch, a Probox Rocks audio roof and tower speakers, all powder-coated.”

“They are very versatile,” Stephen goes on, “soft on hard surfaces, for a comfortable ride and good grip on bumpy terrain. They offer great traction on every type of surface, they are very resistant to wear and tear, they have a great design and the deep grooves in its footprint mean they can be easily cleaned, even of the most stubborn mud.”

The tire used so far by Stephen is the AT 171 – excellent traction, resistant, robust, suitable for muddy terrain, still fitted to his wife’s ATV – while the choice for the new tire has fallen on the TR 171 in the 22×9.5 size and with a broader footprint, which makes his vehicle unstoppable on any rough terrain. The TR 171 is a tire with a deep tread and thanks to its extraordinary self-cleaning qualities, the tire is ideal for humid and wet ground. Even in the toughest operating conditions, the TR 171 guarantees excellent traction and durability.

As an ATV racing expert, Stephen has some advice on maintaining tires: “Use of the correct air pressure is fundamental to give the tire a long life, as is cleaning and inspection before and after every use. I try to avoid low pressure which causes irregular wear and tear. I also avoid going too much on cement or asphalt, these tires are designed for off-road performance and must be used as far as possible in that setting.”