Shopping for tires is no easy task, especially when every brand claims to be the best. Knowing what you’re looking at is essential, and it’s helpful to understand that each tire company has its strengths and weaknesses. Kenda’s tires are a mid-tier product designed to act as a replacement for passenger cars. Kenda Tires also manufactures high-end tires for light trucks, SUVs, crossovers, racecars, heavy equipment, ATVs, motorcycles, and even bicycles. Kenda is known in the industry for its low prices and reliable performance.
When shopping for tires in the past, your choices were limited. It used to cost a fortune to replace an entire set of tires, but the introduction of cheap Chinese tires into the market changed the tire industry for the better. Popular tires companies had to start competing with these low prices, and Kenda Tires rose to prominence as an inexpensive tire that performs better than average on passenger cars. Kenda Tires may be mid-tier tires (for passenger cars), but it doesn’t mean they’re not well-made.
Kenda became the 27th largest tire producer in the world, and they offer one of the most diverse tire lines you can find. If you’re curious about whether or not a Kenda tire might be right for you, read on. We’re going to go through everything you need to know about Kenda tires.
History of Kenda Tires
The history of a tire company may not seem appealing. Still, when you see how a company has developed over time, it paints a complete picture of the company’s identity and goals. Kenda Rubber Industrial Company, or Kenda Tires, has a rich history that portrays the company as an underdog. Still, their steady growth over the years shows that they’re here to stay.
Kenda Rubber Industrial Company was founded in 1962 as a family-owned tire and rubber company. The company originated in Yuanlin, Taiwan, and started small. While most tire companies started by making tires for cars, Kenda has a unique story. Over the first eight years of its life, the company only manufactured tires for bicycles.
During the early years, the company primarily focused on producing high-quality bicycle tires for the companies that needed them. These tires were simple to make but gave Kenda Tires the money and recognition it needed to expand its operations in Taiwan. Once the first eight years came to a close, Kenda was able to begin producing tires for motorized scooters and motorcycles.
Kenda enjoyed success within these markets, and their tires were well received. Once Kenda started to get comfortable, the company decided to add another line of tires. Instead of focusing on passenger cars like other brands, Kenda began to shift their attention towards lawn and garden tires. These were tires designed for lawnmowers, wheelbarrows, and other backyard equipment.
Kenda had a lot of success with their new tires, which compelled the company to begin experimenting with even more tire options. This led to the creation of their trailer tires, which gave them a considerable boost in capital in 1983. Kenda’s success within their markets gave them additional funding for their second manufacturing plant in Yunlin, Taiwan. With a growing demand for its wide range of tires, the company had no choice but to expand in order to meet high demands.
Once the 1980s came to a close, Kenda had become a well-known company in Taiwan. Shares of the company were listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, and investors happily invested in the success of the company. With a significant increase in capital from going public, Kenda expanded into global markets.
By the early 1990s, Kenda had manufacturing facilities in the United States and China. During this decade, Kenda became bold and made one of the best moves it could. The step was a joint venture with Total Company, which led to another factory being opened in China. The investment was a massive success for both companies, which led to Kenda creating the American Tire and Wheels Company, headquartered in Pennsylvania. The result of this company, and their joint venture, was the creation of a new line of tires: their golf cart tires.
When the 1990s came to a close, Kenda grew exponentially. Not only did they expand their efforts into Vietnam in 1997, but the company was able to acquire another tire company, Martin Wheel Company. The result of Kenda’s growth was a worldwide network of manufacturing plants, research centers, and company headquarters. With roots around the world, Kenda Tires was ready to enter the passenger tire market.
Throughout the 20th century, Kenda established itself as a leader in the golf cart industry, motorcycle industry, bicycle industry, and garden industry, but the company wanted more. Once the early 2000s came around, Kenda released their first line of passenger tires in 2001. Not only did they create their line of passenger tires, but they also acquired more companies and factories around the world.
Kenda Tires had a lot of success in the early 2000s because of their diverse product line. While their passenger tires were above-average, Kenda Tires’ found a lot of success in the off-road industry. Sponsoring several off-road events, the Klever line of Kenda tires became one of the best off-road tires you could buy. The price is affordable, and their performance is superior.
Today, Kenda Rubber Industrial Company has offices and facilities located in the United States, China, Indonesia, Europe, Germany, and Vietnam. After their acquisition of Starco Company in 2017, Kenda is on pace to become one of the largest rubber companies on the planet. When you shop for a Kenda tire, you’re getting a tire that’s been perfected over decades.
What Sets Kenda Tires Apart
Kenda Tires focuses on producing a high-quality tire at an affordable price. If you’re curious about what makes a Kenda tire special, read on. We’re going to go through how Kenda tires are unique compared to their competitors.
Support From Copper Tires
Kenda made its way into the passenger tire market in a joint venture with Cooper Tires. The two companies worked together to produce manufacturing facilities in China designed to handle increasing demands for tires worldwide. While Kenda tires may be less well-known than Cooper tires, the joint venture proved to be efficient. When you shop for a passenger tire from Kenda, you’re getting decades of research and development from both companies.
The joint venture also allowed Kenda Tires’ passenger tires to remain inexpensive. The expertise of Kenda and Cooper engineers, and the affordable rubber that China offers, came together to create an inexpensive tire that’s above-average in quality.
Testing
Tire manufacturers pour a great deal of resources into their testing processes and facilities to make sure their tires perform the way they’re supposed to. Engineers from tire manufacturers set guidelines for how a tire should perform, and rigorous testing is done to help tires reach their performance goals. To test their tires, Kenda monitors the efficiency of their tires in the ice, snow, rain, and mud. Regardless of whether or not a tire passes or fails, the testing process helps Kenda perfect their tires. In fact, every Kenda tire that hits the shelves has been quality tested.
Kenda Tires uses 3D imaging operated by trained engineers to develop their tires. The company uses computer models to measure the dimensions of a tire’s sidewall, tread, and sipes. These same imaging practices are employed to produce tires in a wide range of sizes and styles to fit their diverse product line. When a company puts its tires through rigorous testing the way that Kenda does, there is little to no room for failure on the road.
Reliability
The quality of a tire is essential because you need it to last as long as possible. Tires can become expensive, especially if you need to replace them often, which is why Kenda focuses on making their tires reliable. Kenda focuses on producing a reliable replacement tire that you don’t need to worry about.
Not only are Kenda car tires reliable, but they’re all designed with precision for specific vehicles. Regardless of whether you’re looking at heavy equipment tires or passenger car tires, Kenda tires will get the job done. Since the company’s inception and early days working on bicycle tires, Kenda has strived for exceptional reliability in their rubber.
Options
When shopping for tires, you want to have plenty of options. If you have a need for tires, you want to make sure that the company you’re looking at offers a wide selection. While most tire companies tend to focus on one specific vehicle, like a car or truck, Kenda has branched out to many different cars.
Not only can you find Kenda tires on light trucks and cars, but Kenda manufactures tires for all sorts of unique vehicles. You’ll be able to find tires for bicycles, passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, crossovers, off-road vehicles, motorcycles, lawnmowers, and more. A diverse line of tire options helps Kenda remain relevant.
Durability
There is a prevalent stigma in the industry that tires manufactured in China are not high-quality tires. While this may apply to some companies, Kenda tires hold high ratings for most of their passenger and truck tires. Kenda tires are known to exceed customer expectations when it comes to durability.
When you have people raving about how a replacement tire lasts longer than a traditional tire, it means that Kenda is doing something right. Kenda’s durability is the best in their mud tire line, and this is evident in their mud tires being able to handle large amounts of force and harsh conditions. If you need a durable replacement tire, Kenda is one of the best options you can find for the price.
Affordable Pricing
When you have a blowout on the road or need to replace a tire quickly, the cost of some tires may shock you. Kenda understands how difficult it can be to part ways with your hard-earned money, which is why the company does its best to make sure that their tires are a bargain.
Kenda tires are unique in that they’re exceptionally inexpensive compared to other brands like Firestone and Goodyear. What makes their price so unique is that while they’re inexpensive, the tires are not cheaply made; there is a fine line between inexpensive and cheap. With new factories and research plants around the world, the company has grown to accommodate its growing demand. Kenda can leverage the low production of cost of Chinese tires while maintaining their above-average quality.
Kenda Tires Design Features
It may not seem like a mid-tier tire can compete with premium tires, but Kenda has no shortage of advanced design features. Kenda tires have innovations that make them stand out from others, so it’s important to break each one of these features down.
Advanced Coatings
Most tires have some type of coating on them to help preserve their lifespan and durability. Coatings can help racing tires corner, off-road tires remain inflated, and all-season tires remain resistant to the elements. While most companies use black carbon coatings, Kenda tires have an advanced coating solution that uses silica to distribute weight.
Kenda Tires also uses this advanced coating to prevent penetration and puncturing. When a tire gets punctured, the likelihood of blowout increases dramatically. Even if a blowout doesn’t happen, a penetrated tire needs to be repaired or replaced, which ultimately costs you more money. Kenda Tires’ advanced coating helps prevent punctures from harsh road conditions, projectiles, and aggressive weather. Kenda’s superior coating increases their tire’s lifespan while reducing the possible damage your vehicle can incur from a blowout.
Increased Control
When you drive your vehicle, one thing you want is control. If you’re not in control of your vehicle, you can only imagine what the result might look like. For this reason, Kenda tires are designed to help you maintain control of your car in any condition.
Kenda tires accomplish a strong level of control by using tread patterns and rim diameters that distribute weight evenly. The size of the tire is measured and tested thoroughly to determine the perfect amount of rubber, tread, and sidewall that a tire needs. 3D imaging also helps Kenda make sure that the diameter of a tire can handle high loads of weight in their industrial line of tires. All of these features work as one to offer you advanced control behind the wheel, even if you need to stop short, make a sharp turn, or handle heavy machinery.
Kenda tires can also enhance your braking capabilities. The stopping power of your vehicle is determined by its weight and brake system, but having the right tires can make your brakes work more efficiently. One tire that does this well is the Kenda Kaiser, because the V-shaped tread pattern uses traction to help your vehicle slow down. If your brakes are working more efficiently, it will increase the life of your brake pads. So, not only do Kenda tires keep your car on the road, but they can preserve the life of your brakes.
Grip
The grip of a tire determines how well it will keep your car on the road, and the more grip you have, the chance of slipping goes down. If you’re going to the track, you need to make sure your tires can hook properly and handle cornering. Like it or not, the grip of your tire determines your success on race day. Kenda tires are designed to give you the grip you need, and their ultra-high performance tires come with an exceptional amount of grip. The Kenda Kaiser UHP Tire leverages its V-shape tread pattern to keep your car hooked to the road during sharp turns.
Kenda also focuses on producing all-season and all-terrain tires that dig into uneven surfaces for enhanced grip. Kenda all-terrain tires are made with a tread pattern that can handle uneven surfaces and harsh conditions by digging as much as 25 millimeters into the mud or dirt. This helps the treads maneuver on uneven surfaces, which keeps your vehicle moving when you encounter damaged roads, harsh weather, or off-roading. Kenda all-terrain tires also feature deep penetration, which gives your car the proper stance to handle any terrain.
Eco-Friendly
Eco-friendly tires are designed to increase your car’s fuel efficiency while reducing your carbon footprint. When shopping for tires, understanding their impact on your gas tank is a great way to gauge the true cost of a tire. Kenda has a unique line of tires designed to increase your vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
The Kenda Vezda Eco is Kenda Tires’ economy tire, and it performs as well as standard touring tires at a fraction of the price. These tires are made with a silica-infused tread compound that reduces the tire’s rolling resistance, which helps you save money at the gas pump. The silica-infused mixture also reduces the amount of C02 they gave off.
Recognition and Sponsorships
Kenda Tires is known for getting involved in the community and promoting popular racing events. Kenda Tires sponsors events in bicycle racing, off-road racing, and even professional sports outside of racing. Through their sponsorships, Kenda Tires has been building up their brand recognition.
Hyperdrive
Kenda Tires helped drift racer Fielding Shredder climb to the number three spot in the Netflix series Hyperdrive. The show featured twenty eight contestants that had to battle it out on an intense drifting course, where drivers had to complete tough challenges. For the race, Fielding Shredder made sure he had a set of Kenda Kaiser KR20A DOT tires.
Kenda AMA National Enduro Series
The Kenda AMA National Enduro Series, presented by Moose Racing, is an off-road dirt bike racing event. For the last seven years, Kenda has been one of the races’ most influential sponsors. At the event Kenda offers tire repair, tire sales, and select merchandise. Kenda is deeply involved in the off-road tire industry, and their sponsorship of this event is a testament to that. In fact, Kenda tires can be found on many of the motorcycles used during the competition.
TROC Series
Kenda sponsors six racers for this off-road racing event. TheTROC Series is an intense race through brutal off-road and mud conditions. The tires used on this track are subject to severe abuse by their drivers and the trucks that they race in. The Kenda tires used in this race are the Kenda Klever A/T and the Kenda Klever M/T. While these tires are designed for harsh off-road and mud racing conditions, you can find both of these tires for sale on their website. These tires are tested and used in extreme applications, which makes them an excellent choice for off-road or mud driving. If they hold up well at the track, they hold up even better for casual driving.
Major League Baseball
Kenda Tires is a proud sponsor of the Cincinnati Reds. The company made a statement back in 2013 about how they love supporting local events and teams in their region. With their American headquarters being located in Ohio, it made sense for the company to sponsor this Ohio Major League Baseball Team. Along with the Cincinnati Reds, Kenda Tires is a proud sponsor of other sporting events in the state.
RTS-Monton Racing Team
Kenda Tires is a proud sponsor of the RTS-Monton Racing Team that participates in the UCI Continental Circuits. The circuit is made up of teams from several countries and involves an intense long-distance bicycle circuit. Kenda began its life as a bicycle company, which is one of the main reasons it continues to support local Taiwanese cycling teams.
Best Selling Kenda Tires
Kenda Kaiser UHP KR20A
If you need a tire for a track day, the Kenda Kaiser is a great choice. The Kenda Kaiser uses an advanced V-shaped tread pattern to keep your vehicle hooked to the road during launches and sharp turns, and the symmetrical design reduces the chance of your car hydroplaning in wet road conditions. The Kenda Kaiser provides these features at a bargain price, which makes them great for doing burnouts or drifting because the cost to replace them is low.
Kenda Vezda Eco
The Kenda Vezda Eco tire is part of Kenda’s all-season touring line of tires. The tire is made with an eco-friendly silica-infused coating that improves your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. The Kenda Vezda Eco also reduces your carbon footprint by reducing the amount of CO2 the tire gives off. For the eco-friendly shopper, this tire is worth every penny.
Kenda Klever M/T KR29 Mud Terrain Radial Tire
The Kenda Klever M/T KR29 Mud Terrain Radial Tire is one of Kenda’s specialty tires. This tire can chop through the mud with ease, and the tread design has self-cleaning capabilities to reduce additional wear and tear. If you drive through harsh road conditions often, you should consider this mud tire. The Kenda Klever M/T is features in several off-road racing events.
Kenda Cruiser K671 Motorcycle Street Tire
The Kenda Cruiser K671 Motorcycle Street Tire is a sturdy and durable tire manufactured for adventurous motorcycle enthusiasts. The tire is made to accommodate street conditions, and can even withstand speeds up to 130 miles per hour. If you’re looking for a durable motorcycle tire, the Kenda Cruiser K671 Motorcycle Street Tire boasts a 6-ply rating that increases the lifespan of the tire. Not only is this tire durable, but it also offers a great deal of safety. With a deep tread design, this tire can maintain proper grip and handling when roads become wet.
Kenda Bearclaw K299 ATV Tire
Kenda is a special company that makes sure there is a tire for everyone. All-terrain vehicles can be a blast, but only if you have enough traction to handle them properly. The Kenda Bearclaw K299 ATV Tire is perfect for off-road vehicles because the tread design allows it to dig 25 millimeters into the ground. When a tire can dig like that, it means that traction can be maintained on uneven surfaces. If you need a fun and safe ATV tire that gets the job done for a bargain, this tire is an excellent choice.
Kenda K500 Super Turf Lawn and Garden Bias Tire
The Kenda K500 Super Turf Lawn and Garden Bias Tire is a premium garden tire that offers plenty of durability and efficiency. One of the reasons that this tire works so well on garden equipment is that it can also be taken out on the road or highway. When used on a lawnmower, this offers a driver more flexibility over the terrain that they drive on. The Kenda K500 Super Turf Lawn and Garden Bias Tire comes with a 4-ply rating that helps it last longer than other replacement garden tires.
A List of Kenda Tires’ Automotive Tires
High-Performance Summer
Kenda Kaiser UHP KR20A
High-Performance All-Season
Kenda Vezda UHP A/S
Standard All-Season
Kenda Kenetica KR17
Touring All-Season
Kenda Vezda Touring A/S KR205
Light Truck / SUV /Crossover
Kenda Klever AT KR28
Kenda Klever LT A/P
Kenda Klever MT KR29
Kenda Klever R/T KR601
