ATV Tests

-- 300 2-stroke & 450 4-stroke from 2004 -- You may have heard of the ATVs with the funny name that were made in Spain. The Gas Gas quads were actually fast machines, whether you got the 300 2-stroke or the 450 4-stroke. Even though they're no longer available now they are a part of ATV history, along with Cannondale, that you should know about.  Dirt Wheels tested the two Gas Gas quads in our January 2004 issue and you may want to read the reprint of that article below. . .

-- Built to beat Baja -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels We are fortunate enough to find ourselves around some of the most epic ATV builds in the business, and this Baja Yamaha YFZ450R is one for our record books. Pro-Am WORCS racer Ricardo Gonzalez wanted to switch gears and race the wilds of Baja Mexico with his team. They needed a machine built to handle a ton of abuse and last for hundreds of miles in the many different conditions that the course throws at the team. His long-time mechanic Kevin Avina was put to the…

-- Upgrading this popular sport quad -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels It is no secret that we are huge fans of the Honda TRX450R. To be fair, we love all quads, but Honda built an easily modifiable sport quad that stayed competitive for almost a decade with a minimum number of changes. The 450R still tops podiums and earns championships even today. It makes sense that long-time Dirt Wheels reader and quad enthusiast Daniel Gonzalez would choose the TRX for his steed. He picked up a 2007 Special Edition model a few…

-- Four-wheel fun you can afford  -- Budget build by the staff of Dirt Wheels In world history, the Dark Ages were well before the discovery of America, but for the sport ATV world, the dark ages were the 1990s. Yamaha kept the sport quad light burning with the Blaster and the Banshee, but other brands shied away. Just 10 years earlier all four brands had performance two-stroke ATVs, and had fun riding, racing and going crazy. Then, in 1998, 10 years after the last Honda TRX250R, the 1999 TRX400EX was released. It…

-- The screaming yellow 2-stroke -- Here is the first test of Yamaha's all-new Tri-Z 250 as it appeared back in the August 1984 issue of Dirt Wheels magazine.  Honda riders were nervous that this all-new machine from Yamaha would dethrone their ATC250R. This was Yamaha's ad for the Tri-Z 250 that appeared in Dirt Wheels. Below is what the Dirt Wheels test riders said about  this 1984 Yamaha 3-wheeler. . . .

-- Return of the fat bikes? -- Test impression by the staff of Dirt Wheels We recently did a short feature on the internet dealing with the short-lived, fat-tired Honda Fat Cat two-wheeler. The response was incredible! That response brought back memories of hitting the dunes and trails on the Honda Fat Cat and the Yamaha BW80, 200 and 350. We had those machines in mind while returning our Suzuki KingQuads. We noticed a small fat-tired motorcycle that Suzuki says is an “extraordinarily retro, funky machine”—the…

-- Cole Richardson’s GNCC Yamaha racer --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels,  Photos by Ken Hill It takes a lot to become a pro ATV racer. You need commitment to put your all into each race, every practice lap and have the willingness to put your wellbeing on the line to place a foot on the podium. Countless hours are spent wrenching, working out your body and psyche, all while honing your skills on the quad to become one of the best. None of those facts matter, though, if you don’t have a great machine to pilot in the…

-- Still a top contender -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Kawasaki’s Brute Force 750 has been a staple in the 4x4 ATV market for quite a while now. Revisions have been small over the years, and that is due to how well the big-bore works. Power is plenty, suspension is supple and the Brute can tackle tough jobs around the ranch and rapid-transit trails while spitting rocks or slinging mud. We picked up the 2018 Kawasaki Brute Force 750 4x4i with electronic power steering in Metallic Stardust White for a test in the…

-- Suzuki, Honda & Kawasaki 250s fight it out -- Back in the June 1987 issue of Dirt Wheels we did a comparison of the three hottest 250 quads you could buy at that time. Below is a reprint of that original article for your viewing pleasure. MORE ARTICLES YOU'LL LIKE: https://dirtwheelsmag.com/shootout-of-the-century/ https://dirtwheelsmag.com/25-years-ago-in-dirt-wheels/ https://dirtwheelsmag.com/shootout-1986-honda-trx250r-vs-lt250/ . . . . . . . .

-- Suzuki 250 2-stroke vs. Suzuki 450 4-stroke -- This 1991 Quadracer 250 and 2011 Quadracer 450 are 20 years apart. How are they different and how are they the same? Find out by reading this reprint below from the April 2011 issue of Dirt Wheels. Get $25 gift card here> https://hi-torque.com/product/dirt-wheels-holiday/ . . .

-- Testing the best-selling sport ATV of all time -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Yamaha has so much love for sport ATVs that they keep the best-selling ATV in the category on dealer floors for you to buy today! It’s no secret, the struggle of the economic downfall in 2008 hindered the market and kick-started the decline of sport quads. Compounded with the rise in UTV technology, the sport ATV category had its heyday. Now we consider certain 4x4 machines sport models. Honestly, those 4x4s are very sporty in our…

-- Looking back at Trinity Racing's Banshee build of 2003 -- The 535cc Cheetah cylinders were the popular choice for Banshee builders back then and Trinity started with that for this project Yamaha we featured in our May 2003 issue.  With a bore and stroke of 72mm x 64mm and 26 ports this twin cylinder two-stroke cranked out 138.7 hp on the dyno.  We have a reprint of that original article you can read below. . .