As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.
The Sportsman 500 runs 25×8-12 front and 25×10-12 (or 25×11-12 on the LE) rear, and the aftermarket for that size spans mud-specific tires to mixed-terrain all-rounders. These eight are the tires ATV forums and specialty tire retailers most commonly recommend for this exact model.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 | $150-$170 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | Maxxis Zilla | $140-$165 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | ITP Mud Lite XL | $90-$110 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | ITP Mega Mayhem | $130-$160 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | Interco Swamp Lite | $80-$100 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | EFX MotoVator | $130-$190 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | Kenda Bearclaw | $60-$80 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | GBC Kanati Mongrel | $100-$130 per tire | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
Maxxis Bighorn 2.0
A radial mixed-terrain tire that rides well on trails while still handling mud and rough terrain competently — one of the most broadly recommended all-rounders for the Sportsman 500.
- Radial construction (Bighorn 2.0 is Maxxis’s radial update to the original Bighorn)
- 25×8-12 / 25×10-12 sizing available
- Balanced mud/trail tread pattern
- Comfortable ride quality on trails, not just a mud-only tread
- Radial construction improves ride quality over bias-ply alternatives
- Pricier than basic bias-ply options like Carlisle
- Not the most aggressive choice for deep, sustained mud
Maxxis Zilla
A 6-ply mud tire rated by riders as handling mud fairly easily while still delivering a decent ride quality — a step toward mud-specific performance from the same trusted brand as the Bighorn.
- 6-ply rating
- Mud-oriented tread pattern
- Maxxis build quality
- Good mud performance without sacrificing all trail ride comfort
- 6-ply rating adds puncture resistance over standard 4-ply options
- Less all-around versatile than the Bighorn 2.0 for mixed dry/trail riding
- Similar price tier to the Bighorn despite the narrower mud focus
ITP Mud Lite XL
A budget-friendly mud tire specifically recommended for mostly-mud riding conditions on the Sportsman, from ITP’s long-running Mud Lite line.
- Mud-focused tread pattern
- Lightweight construction relative to heavier mud tires
- 25×8-12 / 25×10-12 sizing
- Cheapest option in this list
- Established, long-running ITP tread design specifically for mud
- Less durable sidewall than the premium Interco or EFX options
- Not the tire to pick if most of your riding is dry trail
ITP Mega Mayhem
A more aggressive ITP mud tire than the Mud Lite XL, with riders reporting no power loss and good performance across mixed mud conditions on Sportsman-class ATVs.
- Aggressive mud-terrain tread
- Reinforced sidewall construction
- 8-ply rated in most sizes
- More aggressive tread than the Mud Lite XL for deeper mud
- 8-ply rating adds durability for harder trail riding
- Heavier tire than the Mud Lite XL, which can affect handling feel
- Pricier than ITP’s own Mud Lite line
Interco Swamp Lite
A tire designed to “grab hard” in wet and sloppy terrain with lighter ground disturbance than many mud tires — a top pick specifically for wet/muddy Sportsman riding.
- Mud/snow/hard-pack tread designed for reduced ground disturbance
- 6-ply construction
- Interco’s established swamp-tire tread heritage
- Specifically engineered for wet, sloppy conditions where many mud tires struggle
- Lighter trail impact than more aggressive mud tires
- Priced above the ITP Mud Lite XL for a similar mud-focused use case
- Less of an all-around trail tire than the Bighorn 2.0
EFX MotoVator
A versatile tread marketed for mud, sand, gravel, and dirt alike, positioning it as a genuine do-it-all option rather than a single-condition specialist.
- All-condition tread pattern (mud, sand, gravel, dirt)
- Reinforced construction for aggressive riding
- Broadest condition versatility of the mud-leaning tires in this list
- Reinforced build for harder-use riding
- Costs more than the ITP or Interco options
- A dedicated mud tire (Interco, ITP Mega Mayhem) will still out-perform it in the deepest mud
Kenda Bearclaw
A trail-and-mixed-terrain tire tested on a Sportsman-class ATV across mud and rocky trail conditions, positioned for riders who spend most of their time on trails rather than deep mud.
- Trail/mixed-terrain tread
- Tested across mixed mud and rocky trail conditions
- Long-running, widely available Kenda tread
- Best fit here for riders who are mostly on trails, not mud-focused
- Mid-range pricing, cheaper than the premium mud specialists
- Not the tire to reach for if mud is the primary terrain
- Less aggressive lug design than the Interco or ITP mud options
GBC Kanati Mongrel
Recommended specifically for riders whose Sportsman spends most of its time on rocks and hardpack rather than mud — the rock/hardpack-focused option to round out this list.
- Rock/hardpack-oriented tread pattern
- GBC’s Kanati-branded ATV tire line
- Best-suited option here for rock and hardpack terrain specifically
- Fills the gap the mud-focused tires in this list don’t cover well
- Weakest choice here if mud is a regular part of your riding
- Less commonly stocked than the Maxxis or ITP options
Buying tips
- Confirm your exact Sportsman 500 trim before ordering — standard models run 25×8-12 front / 25×10-12 rear, while the LE trim uses 25×11-12 rear, and a mismatched size affects clearance and speedometer accuracy.
- Match the tire to your actual terrain: mud specialists (Interco Swamp Lite, ITP Mega Mayhem) sacrifice some trail ride comfort, while trail/rock tires (Kenda Bearclaw, GBC Kanati Mongrel) will bog down faster in deep mud.
- Radial tires (Maxxis Bighorn 2.0) generally ride smoother on hardpack and trail than bias-ply tires of similar tread pattern, at a price premium.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.