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“Rubicon 500” refers to the Honda FourTrax Foreman Rubicon, a mid-size 4×4 utility ATV — the “500” is the model’s engine-class designation, not a price or a different vehicle. Stock tire sizes run in the 25-26 inch range depending on model year, and ply rating plus terrain focus (mud vs. all-terrain/trail vs. rock) is the real axis to shop by: an 8-ply mud tire and a 6-ply trail radial are built for genuinely different jobs even though both bolt onto the same machine. Prices below reflect a single tire, not a set of four.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 | $210-$240 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | ITP Terracross R/T XD | $140-$165 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | GBC Dirt Commander | $140-$160 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | STI Chicane RX | $150-$165 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | ITP Mud Lite AT | $84-$140 per tire depending on size | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | GBC Kanati Mongrel | $155-$330 per tire depending on size | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | Sedona Mud Rebel | $76-$166 per tire depending on size and construction | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | Kenda Executioner K538 | $133-$195 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | Kenda Bear Claw K299 | $56-$101 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 10 | Interco IROK (Super Swamper) | $400-$660 per tire depending on size | Amazon · eBay |
| 11 | Sedona Coyote | $114-$193 per tire depending on construction and size | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
Maxxis Bighorn 2.0
The trail-riding staple for the Rubicon platform, with an 8-ply radial construction and directional tread that handles hardpack and light mud equally well.
- 8-ply rated radial construction
- Directional tread pattern
- Strong side-knob coverage for sidehill stability
- Common sizes: 26×9-14 front, 26×11-14 rear
- Widely considered the default all-around trail tire for the Rubicon platform
- Radial construction rides smoother than bias-ply alternatives at trail speeds
- Not built for deep mud or technical rock — a dedicated mud or rock tire will outperform it in those specific conditions
- Pricier than the non-radial ITP/GBC options
ITP Terracross R/T XD
A mixed-terrain radial with aggressive center lugs and puncture-resistant sidewalls, a common alternative pick to the Bighorn for riders who want slightly more aggression on rooted or rocky trail sections.
- 6-ply puncture-resistant sidewalls
- Aggressive center lug pattern
- Radial construction
- Designed for rooted, mixed terrain
- Center lug pattern bites better than the Bighorn on rooted, technical trail sections
- Puncture-resistant sidewall construction is a real plus on rocky trails
- 6-ply rating is lighter-duty than the Bighorn’s 8-ply for heavy hauling or aggressive rock work
- Less sidehill stability than the Bighorn’s wider side-knob coverage
GBC Dirt Commander
A budget-friendly, 8-ply bias-rated all-around tire that covers most everyday riding conditions without specializing hard in any one terrain.
- 8-ply rated bias construction
- All-terrain tread pattern
- Puncture-resistant
- Budget-tier pricing versus radial alternatives
- Cheapest 8-ply-rated option in this list
- Genuinely capable all-around performer for riders who don’t specialize in mud or rock
- Bias-ply construction rides rougher at speed than the Bighorn or Terracross’s radial builds
- Not a specialist tire in mud or rock — a dedicated tire will outperform it in either extreme
STI Chicane RX
An 8-ply all-terrain radial positioned as a well-rounded trail tire, with a tread pattern that splits the difference between the Bighorn’s hardpack manners and more aggressive mud tires.
- 8-ply rated radial construction
- All-terrain tread pattern
- DOT-rated on most sizes
- Multiple sizes from 26″ to 32″
- Radial construction and 8-ply rating give a genuine step up in load capacity over 6-ply alternatives at a similar price to the Bighorn
- DOT rating is a plus if you ever run the Rubicon on a mix of trail and road-adjacent routes where that matters locally
- Sits at a similar price to the Bighorn without a clearly differentiated terrain advantage for most Rubicon riders
- Less name recognition specifically on the Rubicon platform than Maxxis or ITP
ITP Mud Lite AT
A long-running, well-known 6-ply mud/all-terrain hybrid tire — one of the most common recommendations across ATV forums generally, not just for the Rubicon specifically.
- 6-ply rated construction
- Mud/all-terrain hybrid tread
- Available in multiple sizes including a Mud Lite II mud-focused variant
- Long production history with broad aftermarket support
- Decades-long track record and broad community familiarity make it an easy, low-risk default choice
- Hybrid tread handles occasional mud without sacrificing too much trail manners, unlike a dedicated mud tire
- 6-ply rating is lighter-duty than the 8-ply options here for heavy hauling
- A dedicated mud tire (Kanati Mongrel, Mud Rebel) will outperform it in genuinely deep mud
GBC Kanati Mongrel
A dedicated mud tire with deep 1.5-inch lugs and wide void spacing for self-cleaning in soft, wet terrain — the pick if your riding regularly includes deep mud rather than mixed trail.
- 6-ply nylon construction
- 1.5″ lug depth
- Wide tread voids for self-cleaning in mud
- Available in 27″ and 28″ sizes
- Purpose-built for deep, soft mud where an all-around tire like the Dirt Commander struggles
- Wide void spacing genuinely reduces mud packing versus a tighter tread
- Trades trail manners for mud performance — rougher and noisier on hardpack than the Bighorn or Terracross
- Sizing up to 27″/28″ may require wheel spacers or lift on some Rubicon setups — confirm clearance first
Sedona Mud Rebel
A budget-tier dedicated mud tire, positioned as a lower-cost alternative to the Kanati Mongrel for riders who want real mud performance without the premium price.
- Available in bias and R/T radial versions
- Aggressive mud-lug tread pattern
- Multiple sizes across the Rubicon’s common fitments
- Budget pricing for a dedicated mud tire
- Cheapest genuinely mud-specialized tire in this list
- Radial R/T version available for riders who want mud tread without giving up all trail ride quality
- Build quality and longevity are generally considered a step below Maxxis, ITP, or GBC at this price tier
- Bias version rides rougher than the radial R/T at speed
Kenda Executioner K538
An aggressive 6-ply mud/trail tire from a well-established tire manufacturer, sitting between the budget Sedona options and the premium Maxxis/GBC mud tires on price.
- 6-ply rated construction
- Aggressive lug pattern for mud and loose trail
- Multiple sizes including 27×10-12 and 27×12-12
- Kenda manufacturing
- Established tire manufacturer with broader quality-control reputation than some of the budget mud-tire brands
- Aggressive tread genuinely outperforms all-terrain tires in loose or muddy conditions
- Pricier than the Sedona Mud Rebel for a similar mud-focused use case
- 6-ply rating is lighter duty than the 8-ply Kanati Mongrel at the largest sizes
Kenda Bear Claw K299
A classic, widely recognized mud tire that’s been a budget mud-tire default for decades — an old-school aggressive lug pattern at the lowest price in this list.
- 6-ply rated construction
- Classic deep-lug mud tread, largely unchanged for decades
- Widely available in common Rubicon sizes (26×9-12, 26×11-12)
- Kenda manufacturing
- Cheapest tire in this entire list, and a genuinely proven mud tread rather than an unproven budget alternative
- Extremely widely available, including in matched front/rear size sets
- Older tread design is outperformed in pure mud clearing by newer patterns like the Kanati Mongrel
- Bias-ply ride quality on hardpack is the roughest of the tires in this list
Interco IROK (Super Swamper)
An extreme-duty 8-ply bias-ply tire built for rock crawling and the deepest mud, flexing around rock faces for contact rather than resisting them — the specialist choice for technical terrain.
- 8-ply bias-ply construction
- Deep, aggressive lug pattern
- Flexible carcass designed to wrap around rock faces
- Interco’s long-standing Super Swamper lineage
- The most technical-terrain-capable tire in this list, purpose-built for rock crawling
- Long track record in the extreme off-road/rock-crawling community, not just ATV-specific marketing
- Most expensive tire on this list by a wide margin
- Overkill and a rougher ride for riders who mostly stay on maintained trails
Sedona Coyote
A budget rock/technical-terrain tire with tight, multi-directional knobs, positioned well below the Interco IROK’s price for riders who want rock capability without the premium cost.
- Available in bias and radial construction
- Tight, multi-directional knob pattern
- Sizes 25″-27″
- Budget-tier pricing for the terrain type
- Cheapest tire specifically suited to technical/rock terrain in this list
- Multi-directional knobs give useful traction from multiple angles on uneven rock
- Doesn’t match the IROK’s flex and contact in genuinely extreme rock terrain — a budget alternative, not a direct equivalent
- Bias version rides rougher than the radial option at the same price tier
Buying tips
- “Rubicon 500” is Honda’s FourTrax Foreman Rubicon model with the 500cc engine class — it’s the same tire-fitment platform regardless of the number, so size compatibility depends on your specific model year and wheel setup, not the “500” designation itself.
- Ply rating and terrain specialization are the real shopping axis, more than brand: 6-ply trail/AT tires (Terracross, Mud Lite) ride smoothest and suit riders who mostly stay on hardpack; 8-ply mud specialists (Kanati Mongrel, Bighorn, Chicane RX) trade some ride comfort for load capacity and traction; dedicated rock tires (IROK, Coyote) are a different category entirely, built to flex around rock faces rather than just resist them.
- Match the tire to your actual riding conditions, not the biggest-sounding tread: a Bighorn, Terracross, or Mud Lite will outperform a dedicated mud tire like the Kanati Mongrel on hardpack trail, while the reverse is true in genuinely deep mud.
- Radial tires (Bighorn, Terracross, Chicane RX, Mud Rebel R/T) generally ride smoother at trail speed than bias-ply tires (Dirt Commander, Bear Claw, base IROK, bias Coyote), which matters more on longer rides than raw traction numbers suggest.
- Sizing up beyond stock (27″-28″ options like the Kanati Mongrel) can require wheel spacers or a small lift to clear the fender wells on some Rubicon model years — confirm fitment before ordering oversized tires.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.