BF Goodrich KO vs KO2 is going to be a battle of the past and the present. This article aims to answer the question whether new is always better or not. Sometimes older products are better than its successor due to a combination of functionality, design, and price.
But of course, there are cases when the successors are just better and there is no reason to get the older version. We will start with a review of both products and come up with a verdict to help you decide which tire is the best for you.
BF Goodrich KO Review
BF Goodrich KO is without a doubt a good product that has been tested by many users throughout the years. There are some key points of BF Goodrich KO that we’re going to talk about here: tread life, traction, dry, wet, snow, mud, and ice tractions, noise, ride comfort, stability, and price/value.
Traction is great, BF Goodrich KO should be able to satisfy most users even on the roughest terrain in your area. Dry traction is great, even if you stomped on the gas you could still squeal the tires and your truck will have no problem spinning those tires. Stopping is just as easy on dry terrain.
Wet traction is top class, the open shoulder kept the tires from hydroplaning and do a good job at shedding water for years throughout its lifespan. Spinning and stopping the tires can be done no problem at all even on wet pavement.
In snowy areas, 4×4 works better compared to 4×2. The tires can plant themselves with no problem in 4×4, you will have no problems stopping, starting, turning, maintaining control or getting through snow up to 1’ in 4×4. BF Goodrich KO is one of the best in snowy areas.
Ice is tricky and can be very slick with this tire. This tire will slide too easily on ice, if you’re a good driver you could mitigate it somehow, but it’s not recommended to use this tire on ice. Mud is another big problem for BF Goodrich KO.
BF Goodrich KO does not self-clean and can easily get clogged and will always stay away unless you clean it up. If your truck is 2wd you can forget maneuvering on mud. BF Goodrich KO does a poor job on mud terrain and that’s it.
Noise is decent, slightly louder than other ragged trails but you could spend hours driving at any speed without noticing the noise or have it bothers you. Ride comfort is just as good, most people will be comfortable using this tire.
As for the stability, BF Goodrich KO is top class. BF Goodrich KO has a great handling and you will feel more comfortable when towing. Overall, towing and hauling is much more stable, and can be even better on the hands of a confident driver. As for the price/value, BF Goodrich KO isn’t that great unfortunately.
It’s slightly overpriced in the 305/65/18 size. To be fair all BFG tires are expensive when compared to their competitors.
Overall, BF Goodrich KO doesn’t disappoint. It will do well on rough terrains, especially in snow, just don’t use it on muddy area.
Its stable and comfortable to ride on and can be even better on 4×4. It’s just on the pricey side compared to other brands. But BFG has a good and solid reputation.
BF Goodrich KO2 Review
BF Goodrich KO2 is different from its predecessor, it has tougher sidewalls, longer tread life and improved traction for off-road and highway driving. BF Goodrich KO2 is great for light truck and SUV drivers who drive on the highway, work site and off-road. BF Goodrich KO2 also an all-season tire that has three-peak snowflake rating for snow traction.
BF Goodrich KO2 is specifically designed right in the middle between tires for light trucks and tires for heavy off-road use. See also: BFG AT KO2 vs Nitto Terra Grappler G2.
BFG says that BF Goodrich KO2 is an improved version of its predecessor in some important areas for consumers, namely: sidewall strength, puncture resistance, traction and durability.
Kevin Reim, the senior product concept designer for BFG said that, BF Goodrich KO2 is built to satisfy the demand for tires for heavy and strong vehicles with more horsepower and consumers who want to be more versatile with their products.
Here some pointers at how much is the improvement on BF Goodrich KO2 over its predecessor:
· Twice the tread life on gravel;
· 15% longer tread life on asphalt;
· 10% better traction in mud;
· 19% improved traction in snow; and
· 20% more resistance to sidewall splitting.
BF Goodrich KO2 performs better, more durable over the KO it seems. Thanks to new technology in the use of proprietary CoreGard developed for the Baja T/A Kr2 competition off-road tire, BF Goodrich KO2 has 20% stronger sidewall. In fact, BF Goodrich KO2 is the first product released by BFG to use the CoreGard technology.
BF Goodrich KO2 has a better traction and off-road capability due to the new shoulder changes. KO has a straight shoulder while BF Goodrich KO2 has a serrated shoulder. BF Goodrich KO2 is definitely the toughest tire that BFG has ever created.
It’s a well-rounded tire that performs very well on the road, relatively quiet and very comfortable, has good handling response and is perfect for wet and dry conditions with long wear on the highway.
BF Goodrich KO2 will satisfy most enthusiasts who face challenging gravel, dirt or snow-covered roads. Its toughness, durability, traction, improved tread life and great road manners can deliver a lot of benefits, whether for work, play or just simply driving home. BF Goodrich KO2 is produced in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and ft. Wayne, Ind. And priced at $222.
BF Goodrich KO vs KO2
| BF Goodrich KO | BF Goodrich KO2 |
|---|---|
| - Latest generation of America's best all-terrain tire | - Excellent traction and handling on- and off-road |
| - TriGard construction | - Excellent traction on dry/wet/snow covered roads |
| - Excellent traction and handling on- and off-road | - Off-road performance |
Conclusion
Without a doubt BF Goodrich KO2 is much better than KO. With the all new technology, BF Goodrich KO2 is just simply a better product. It will be worth your money to invest on BF Goodrich KO2 if you want a tough tire that can perform well in all rough terrains.
