General Grabber ATX Vs BFG KO2: An Honest Comparison

General Grabber ATX is better in terms of limited mileage warranty, affordability, traction in mud, dry grip ,and wet grip. They are also more comfortable and a bit less noisy. The BFG KO2 is better when it comes to traction on rocky and sandy surfaces. Both tires are comparable in performance in snow and winter. But General Grabber ATX lets you add metal studs to them. Both tires are very good and are similar in many ways.

But that is not all. There are some key differences between General Grabber ATX Vs BFG KO2. read this article to find out.

General Grabber ATX Vs BFG KO2: Quick Comparison

There is a lot to cover about the General Grabber ATX and the BFG KO2 tires. But let’s take a look at the fundamental differences below:

CriteriaGeneral Grabber ATXBFG KO2
Tread Warranty60,000 miles50,000 miles
Ride Quality(out of 10)8.68.3
Road Noise(out of 10)8.28.0
Traction on Dry Grounds (out of 10)9.18.8
Traction on Wet Grounds (out of 10)8.88.5
Traction on dirt(out of 10)9.29.4
Traction on sand(out of 10)8.99.0
Traction on mud(out of 10)8.78.7
Traction on rock(out of 10)8.99.1
Traction on snow(out of 10)9.19.2
Traction on ice(out of 10)8.18.0
Features1. Duragen Technology
2. 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake 
3. Available in Raised White Letter and Black Sidewall 
4. Studs can be added
1. CoreGard technology
2. Protruding sidewall 
3. Staggered shoulder blocks 
4. Side-Biter lugs
Price per tire(235/85R16 120 S)$185$230

This is a quick comparison between the two tires.

General Grabber ATX Vs BFG KO2: In-Depth Comparison

Still confused about which tire manufacturer is better, General Grabber ATX or BFG KO2? The sections down below will walk you through the differences in more details.

Tread Warranty

General Grabber ATX gives you a more limited mileage warranty than BFG KO2. 

General Tire will give you 60,000 miles limited mileage warranty with their General Grabber ATX tires. BFGoodrich, on the other hand, gives you a 50,000 miles warranty with BFG KO2 tires.

You will also get a 45 days satisfaction trial period for the General Grabber ATX tires. For the BFG KO2 tires, the free trial period is 60 days. Besides this, for either tires you will get a 1 year or 2/32 inch tread wear, whichever comes first, uniformity warranty.

Winner: General Grabber ATX.

Comfort (Ride Quality and Road Noise)

The General Grabber ATX will give you better levels of comfort on the road than the BFG KO2.

Users rate the General Grabber ATX at 8.4/10, while giving the BFG KO2 8.1 out of 10.

The General Grabber ATX makes less noise than the BFG KO2. They are obviously noisier than any touring tire, as expected of off road tires. Some users of either tires have complained of hearing a low hum when driving on paved roads. 

The General Grabber ATX and the BFG KO2, both have slightly uneven shoulders. This is intentionally done to reduce road noise. But the BFG KO2 has more closed shoulders, which can cause additional noise.

The General Grabber ATX is also better than the BFG KO2 in terms of ride quality. This is due to its smaller lugs and comparatively softer structural compound.

But if you balance your tires when mounting them on your wheels, you shouldn’t be hearing much noise.

Ride quality for both tires is similar as well. Despite being off-road tires, both tires are surprisingly comfortable to drive with.

Winner: General Grabber ATX.

Traction on Dry Grounds 

General Grabber ATX has better dry grip than BFG KO2.

Users give General Grabber ATX 9.1 out of 10 for traction on dry roads, while giving 8.8/10 to the BFG KO2.

General Grabber ATX has more compact shoulders which can help you in cornering. It simply maintains more contact with the road, giving you better dry grip. The BFG KO2, however, has wider grooves and less contact with the road, resulting in less grip.

Winner: General Grabber ATX.

Traction on Wet Grounds

The General Grabber ATX has better wet grip than the BK tire.

Users rate the General Grabber ATX 8.8/10 in this department, while the BFG KO2 gets 8.5 out of 10.

The General Grabber ATX has more sipes then the BFG KO2. The sipes on General Grabber ATX are also more in number and are deeper as well. The sipes open and close when the tire is rotating. This drives out the water from the contact path, reducing hydroplaning and improving traction. 

While both the General Grabber ATX and the BFG KO2 have great wet grip,the General Grabber ATX performs better on wet surfaces.

Winner: General Grabber ATX.

Traction on off road

General Grabber ATX and BFG KO2 are alike when it comes down to off-road traction.

The General Grabber ATX and the BFG KO2 have similar aggressive tread patterns. This means they have comparable performance when you are driving on mud, sand, or rock.

Muddy Terrain

The General Grabber ATX is a little bit better than the BFG KO2 when it comes to driving on the mud.

This is because of the deeper sipes of General Grabber ATX, which can evacuate the mud under the contact area. The wide aggressive tread of the BFG KO2, however, is less likely to get filled with mud. The General Grabber ATX is also a bit better at self cleaning its treads. 

But both tires are almost equally good for use on mud.

Sandy Terrain

The BFG KO2 may perform slightly better on sand than the General Grabber ATX

The BFG KO2 has more sipes on the sidewalls which will give you more traction on loose surfaces. The sipes increase your contact area and subsequently increase your grip.

But both tires give comparable performance on sand.

Rocky Terrain

The BFG KO2 is slightly better on rocky surfaces than the General Grabber ATX. 

Both tires have very aggressive patterns on their sidewalls, which improve lateral traction. They also have zigzagging patterns on their treads and blocks that resemble hooks for added performance.

The BFG KO2 has a 3 ply sidewall, whereas the General Grabber ATX has a 2 ply sidewall. The BFG KO2 sidewall is also 1 mm thicker than General Grabber ATX. This makes the BFG KO2 more safe when it comes to driving on rocky surfaces. But in terms of traction on rocky terrains, you may pick either tires.

Traction on Snow

The General Grabber ATX and the BFG KO2 will offer you roughly similar traction on snow.

Tirerack rates General Grabber ATX at 9.1 in terms of snow grip, while the BFG KO2 gets 9.2/10.

The General Grabber ATX and the BFG KO2, both have M+S and 3 Peak Mountain SnowFlake (3 PMSF) ratings. The sipes on both tires which extend all the way to the shoulders significantly help in increasing grip on snow. You may consider either tires if you live in an area with heavy levels of snowfall.

Result: Tie.

Traction on Ice

The General Grabber ATX and the BFG KO2, both offer you similar traction when driving on icy surfaces.

The General Grabber ATX gets 8.1 out 10 from the users of Tirerack, while the BFG KO2 gets a score of 8.0. 

The General Grabber ATX and BFG KO2 are heavily siped, which helps you maintain good control even on slippery ice. Furthermore, the General Grabber ATX, unlike the BFG KO2, can be fitted with metal studs for better traction. But studs may not be legal in your area and can reduce comfort.

Result: Tie.

Additional Features

The General Grabber ATX comes with many extra features:

  1. Duragen Technology: unique design elements and formulations used in their Grabber tires for added durability.
  1. 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake: Very good snow and ice traction.
  1. Available in Raised White Letter and Black Sidewall: Aesthetically pleasing for some..
  1. Metal Studs: General Grabber ATX lets you add metal studs to them for added traction in winter months.

The BFG KO2 also comes with additional features:

  1. CoreGard technology: Thicker tire side walls with tougher rubber materials.
  1. Protruding sidewall: Better traction when driving off-road.
  1. Staggered shoulder blocks: Additional maneuverability on loose soil and snow.
  1. Side-Biter lugs: Improved traction in mud, snow and rocks.

Price per tire

The General Grabber ATX is more affordable than the BFG KO2.

The price of a 235/85R16 sized General Grabber ATX tire with a load rating of 120 and speed rating of S is $185. A similarly specced BFG KO2 is $230. For the same specifications, General Grabber ATX tires are more affordable than the BFG KO2.

Winner: General Grabber ATX.

Which is better: General Grabber ATX Vs BFG KO2?

If you are looking for affordable off terrain tires with a long warranty, the General Grabber ATX is better. The BFG KO2, on the other hand, is superior if you are planning on driving more on sand or rocky surfaces. But the BFG KO2 is not drastically better than the General Grabber ATX in this regard.

The General Grabber ATX is also more comfortable and a little less noisy than the BFG KO2. The General Grabber ATX will also give you better traction on dry and wet surfaces. Unlike the BFG KO2, the General Grabber ATX also lets you add metal studs. 

Both General Grabber ATX and BFG KO2 are superb tires that are mostly similar in performance. Overall, you could get either tires and still be satisfied.

FAQs

Who makes General Grabber?

General Tire makes General Grabber tires. General Tire is a subsidiary of the Continental AG. General Grabber is a tire line up which specializes in off-road SUV, light truck and commercial truck tires.

Which is better: Nitto or BFG?

BFG tires are better when it comes to off-road performance. But Nitto tires combine off-road performance with high comfort. They are also more affordable than BFG tires in general. Both are reputed brands that make good tires.

Is BFGoodrich American made?

Yes, the BFGoodrich tires are American-made. But while BFGoodrich Tire is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, it is a subsidiary of Michelin. And Michelin, a French tire company, acquired BFGoodrich in 1990. 

Conclusion

Now you know about General Grabber ATX Vs BFG KO2. I hope that this article was helpful to you in determining which tire is right for you.

There are some key distinguishing factors between the two tires. Both General Grabber ATX and BFG KO2 are great all-terrain tires. They both have exceptional qualities that set them apart.

That is it for today. All the best and goodbye!

Written By

Photo of author

William Baldwin

This Is William Baldwin, The Founder & Managing Editor of this website. Me and my team share automotive tips, tricks, and news

Fact Checked And Mechanically Reviewed By

Talha

Talha Atta

Talha Atta, a Mechanical Engineer and experienced technical content writer and editor at Autoglobes.com with a passion for the automotive industry.