Hercules drives onto new terrain with first UTV tire

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C.—Hercules Tire is making an aggressive entry into the Ultra-Terrain-vehicle (UTV) market, introducing the TIS UT1 by Hercules.

Hercules, a subsidiary of American Tire Distributors (ATD), is co-branding the new TIS UT1 tire with TIS Wheel.

"This is going to be a homerun for us," Steven Liu, Hercules director of proprietary brands, said in October during the Hercules Tires Moab Adventure, in Moab Utah. Liu said the brand wanted to expand in the UTV arena.

"The market position, the timing is right. … It's very exciting."

The TIS UT1, officially unveiled Nov. 2, has an aggressive, all-terrain tread pattern specifically designed for UTV and side-by-side vehicles, the company said. The eight-ply rated tire's void ration and "biting" edges on the tread blocks are designed for a variety of surfaces.

The TIS UT1 will launch in the six most common sizes in the first quarter 2022. The company noted the tire will be a "stocking item," in that the product will be stocked in all the brand's distribution centers.

Along with the balanced void ratio and biting edges—something the company said is not normally found on a UTV tire—the product also includes center and intermediate tread blocks; scalloped shoulder lugs; inclined, deep and wide grooves; and an optimized footprint and tread design.

The TIS UT1 uses a dual compound between the tread and the tire's shoulder.

The product also includes dual "buttresses." One side of the tire features a more subdued-looking sidewall, while the other sidewall has a more aggressive-looking design. Both offer the same performance, the company said.

Hercules first started offering the "dual buttresses" in July when it introduced the all-terrain Terra Trac A/T X-Venture and X-Journey light truck tires. The company said the feature allows "consumers to cost effectively customize the look of their UTV."

Josh Simpson, senior vice president of Hercules, said the TIS UT1 builds on the expansion strategy of the brand to be a one-stop shop for independent tire dealers.

"Not only are consumers continuing to look for a tire that will confidently match the performance of their vehicle regardless of the terrain, but more and more consumers want to customize their vehicles and require a tire that will compliment the look and personality of their vehicle as well," he said. "These tires provide the ability to create a custom user experience."

Collaborating with the off-road division of TIS Wheels on the tire's design helps Hercules set itself apart, the company said.

"We wanted to partner with a brand like TIS who is a marketing powerhouse that could help us develop a quality product and also combine marketing efforts that will create a buzz with consumers ultimately driving traffic to retail locations," Simpson said.

TIS Wheels also is launching two new UTV/ATV wheel styles available in seven finishes. The 558 is a mesh-style wheel available in satin black, anthracite gray, bronze and gloss black with milled accents. The 559 is an aggressive concave 8-spoke design available in bronze, anthracite gray and satin black.