Agro Napló • 2020. május 27. 13:50
Stephen Fontenot, Texan ATV driver, presents his new vehicle which he has made even more “extreme”. But you don't change a winning team: the tires are still from BKT.
This is the story of Stephen Fontenot, a Texan and off-road enthusiast, a passion acquired when he was still a boy and his uncle used to take him to local races.
The sport starts to spread and engines, grips, tires, and extreme challenges become truly fascinating for Stephen, so much so that with his challenges he has become one of the most widely followed Instagrammers worldwide in the sector.
He and his wife Jess are long-term users of BKT tires for ATVs and for some time have used them for fun and for new off-road adventures.
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 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.”
However, as for tires, essential components for off-road performance, his choice is still BKT. “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 22x9.5 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 cause 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.”
Stephen relates his passion to numerous followers, who follow him on Instagram, and who have naturally reacted very positively to his latest folly, the new vehicle. His most recent photographic service thrilled 4,000 new followers. A new success. We look forward expectantly to the next folly, a challenge which is not of interest just to enthusiasts, but also to manufacturers such as BKT, which, given a level of passion such as Stephen's, know how to take up the opportunity and stimulus to continue their research.