Parts Magazine - DWT Wheels & Tires
Keep those ATVs and UTVs rollin'
Dain Gingerelli
2-pg. Approximately 900 words
Nobody knows who invented the wheel because that momentous event occurred so long ago. Perhaps it
was an inventive Neanderthal or some other knuckle-dragging biped named Grog or Gork who came up with
the idea. We just don't know.
But in the world of four-wheel off-road racing, more than a few people contend that Douglas Henline reinvented the wheel for ATVs, UTVs, and go-karts. Henline's "re-invention" eventually paved the way in 1991
for what became DWT Wheels and Tires, a company specializing in strong, lightweight, and stylish off-road
wheels and tires for all manner of four-wheel natural-terrain vehicles. With nearly a quarter century of
manufacturing off-road wheels and tires to its credit, DWT has become the go-to source for many offroaders looking to keep on rolling when the pavement ends.
Of particular interest to dealers who rely on Parts Unlimited's huge catalog to fill customer orders are DWT's
line of ATV and UTV wheels and tires. No surprise, either, because DWT offers some ground-breaking (no
pun intended) products, among them the new 12-ply Moapa Run-Flat tire. How good is the new Moapa RunFlat? Here's what the editors of ATV UTV Action magazine wrote in their 5-star review for a recent issue:
"Freedom from flats is a ride-saving final frontier every ATVer and UTVer is looking for. Even with zero air
pressure, the DWT 12-ply Moapa run-flat looks like it has air in it; it performs like it too. We were shocked
how well the RZR steered and accelerated, and the ride was comfy."
That's quite an endorsement, and there's a reason why the Moapa scored so highly with the ATV UTV
Action editors: As one DWT spokesman explained, "We developed Moapa run-flats to satisfy the need for
completely airless-running capabilities, stable ride with increased penetration protection, and to free up
cargo area and added weight/cost when using a heavy space-hogging spare tire and/or wheel." In short,
besides its flat-running benefits that all off-roaders appreciate, the new Moapa helps reduce overall weight of
an ATV or UTV by alleviating the need of a spare tire or wheel. One less wheel on board also translates to
lower operating expenses for your customers, something they'll appreciate when they're trying to stretch
their dollars for additional equipment for their ATVs or UTVs.
The Moapa run-flat is based on the hugely successful 6-ply Moapa off-road tire that DWT developed a few
years ago. This tire is already known for its wide contact patch and unique wrap-around tread sidewall,
features that assure an ATV or UTV rider enjoys traction under almost any off-road circumstance. In
addition, the Moapa's lightweight bias-ply construction minimizes acceleration-draining power for better
overall performance from the vehicle.
DWT carried the 6-ply Moapa technology even further for the Moapa run-flat, though. Doubling the bias-ply
factor and improving upon the aggressive wrap-around tread design created a tire carcass that maintains its
shape even when air pressure, for whatever reason, drops to zero psi. Moreover, the Moapa's multidirectional tread pattern works equally well in forward or reverse, which means if the going gets too tough,
the ATV or UTV rider will have equally good traction when using reverse gear to get out of a tight or sticky
situation on the trail. Grog or Gork probably never would have considered that back in the day.
Of course even the best tire, such as the Moapa, is useless unless it's wrapped around a wheel, and for that
DWT offers a wide range of lightweight spun and cast aluminum wheels. Perhaps your ATV, UTV & SXS
customers know those wheels by their marketing names -- Stealth, Diablo & Nitro (Litecast) or Sector, RokOut, Rok'n Lock, .125 Blue Label, .190 Red Label and G2 (Alumilite) that are produced in DWT's 60,000square-foot facility in Vista, California - U.S.A.
You might say that DWT's solid foothold in the ATV and UTV markets began with the Alumilite wheels, a
spun-aluminum design that is available in many styles and sizes. Years of off-road racing success by many
race teams associated with DWT has led to the wide-range of Alumilite wheels offered today for racers and
recreational ATVers alike. In fact, those spun-aluminum wheels have played a role in winning more off-road
racing championships (all classes of vehicles) then any other wheel brand. That's quite an accomplishment.
DWT's Litecast wheels for ATVs, UTVs & SXS have enjoyed similar success. Like the Alumilite, the
Lightcast line of wheels are made in the U.S.A., using high-quality cast aluminum to produce wheels such as
the all new Stealth, the Nitro and the Diablo that not only are durable and stylish, but affordable for the
average ATV, UTV or SXS customer. Don't worry about supply either. DWT's domestic manufacturing
facility can turn out up to 300,000 spun or cast aluminum wheels in a year!
In fact, DWT has made a strong effort to expand its wheel and tire manufacturing operations in the U.S.
during the past several years. The result not only makes for quicker fill-time for orders, but more jobs for
Americans.
No doubt, when it comes to producing the highest-quality wheels and tires for ATVs and UTVs, DWT is on a
roll. It's been that way for more than 20 years, and that evolutionary process should continue for years to
come.
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XC V3 - DWT's race-inspired tire
Success breeds success, and in the world of off-road racing the success of DWT's XC V3 tire led to an ATV
or UTV production tire like no other. The trail to success began in 2012 when XC V3 tires rolled to wins in
the most grueling off-road races in North America -- the Baja 500, Baja 1000 and San Felipe 250. That
resulted in race-tested compounds that are used today for full-race and standard-model XC V3 tires
available through Parts Unlimited. Need to know more? Then talk with your Parts Unlimited sales rep about
the XC V3 and other wheels and tires offered by DWT.