CST adapts to changing ATV, side-by-side markets
Fresh off its first U.S. corporate sponsorship of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, tire manufacturer CST has secured a position in the powersports world with dedication to its customers’ needs and variety of products.
“With the new products that we have coming out, I think we’re building,” said Nate Hamilton, a marketing specialist with CST. “The sponsorships that we have are creating a lot of exposure. We’re starting to be thought of as a major player in that division.”
Among CST’s sponsorships are GNCC racing teams like William Yokley and Scott Kilger from Yokley Racing. “We also sponsor Adam McGill in the GNCC series,” said Hamilton. “He’s done really well for us, and he’s actually the GNCC point leader right now. He rides our Pulse tire.” Hamilton says that these sponsorships have helped to put CST on the map and reinforce its accountability in the powersports world.
In addition to this widespread support, CST strives to prove its commitment to its customers with new product offerings. In the past two years, CST released its first 8-ply tire, the Behemoth, which can be used for all-around terrain from hard-packed to loose and muddy conditions for side-by-sides. The side-by-side market is what CST has been focusing on the most for growth. CST also offers a mud-specific tire, the Wild Thang, designed for both ATVs and side-by-sides alike with its “aggressive” bearings.
CST’s newest product is the Lobo tire, built specifically for durability and for the heavier loads of larger side-by-sides. “Probably the most exciting product is the Lobo. It’s a light truck-style tire, 8-ply rated, so it rolls really fast on the hard pack out west,” said Hamilton. The tires are equipped with aggressive shoulder knobs for exceptional straight-line stability, predictable sliding and a better cornering grip.
In the ATV and side-by-side segments, CST has seen an increase in consumer popularity and has strived to meet the demand. “We’ve got to keep up with where the market’s going and create new products and sizes,” said Hamilton. “The important thing is making sure we have the right sizes and the tread pattern to match those sizes that our customers want. We’re slowly and surely getting there.”
To accommodate the changing market, CST has turned to developing new sizes and ply ratings for its future tire products. “As the machines evolve, we’ve had to evolve with them,” said Hamilton. “As the machines become more capable, more powerful and faster, we’ve had to build tires that can match their performance.”
Hamilton said CST has a clear focus: “It’s really about creating the mold, making sure we have the tread patterns to meet our customer’s demands and phasing out old tread patterns and focusing on new ones.”
