ATV Tests

Auto-clutch manual vs. CVT automatic—which is better?  By the staff of Dirt Wheels Sport quad riders love their manual transmissions because of the absolute control they give over your machine’s power output. Plus, they can be more fun to ride. 4x4 riders or ranch-goers tend to stick to automatic transmissions due to ease of use. Few 4x4 quads still offer manual shifting, but that is because customers demand automatic transmissions. Suzuki makes two 2019 KingQuad 400s. The ASi comes with a CVT automatic, and the…

-- ATV Project Build: A racer comes back for fun -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Cory Hinsz was a factory-supported pro ATV racer in the mid-2000s. Injuries convinced him to retire from racing, and he was away for 11 years. Missing the sport way too much, he decided to get back in and support his beloved sport by racing for fun. He runs the Vet class in Quadcross and Pro class in cross-country races. Trail excursions in Idaho are also on the program. Suzuki’s LT-R450 is his choice of a quad to build. Although it has…

-- First test of a new 4x4 quad from Suzuki -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Suzuki has stayed almost out of range of the new-ATV radar for the past 10 years. The lineup has had minimal changes, except for the discontinuation of Suzuki’s legendary sport quads, including the LT-R450 and QuadSport 400. The KingQuad line has remained strong, but without many alterations or improvements to the machines. Finally, Suzuki has introduced the most extensive and biggest improvements to its ATV line in a decade. The all-new 2019…

-- How to improve your Raptor & give it a new look -- Yamaha’s Raptor 700 is the best-selling sport quad of its age, and for good reason. The four-wheeled powerhouse has a big-bore motor with a lot of torque, it handles well on all types of terrain and is comfortable to ride. This project Raptor started life as a fun racer in the hands of Russell Blake. It is a 2014 Special Edition model that was grey and black, but after a spill on the track and a lot of broken parts, the Yamaha is back and exceeding its former…

-- Honda vs. Yamaha vs. Polaris vs. Kawasaki vs. Can-Am vs. Suzuki vs. Kymco -- We understand what it's like when you want a 4x4 quad so bad, but you don't have a lot of money to spend on one. The good news is that you don't have to get the biggest monster 4x4s to have fun riding off-road. The smaller models will do just fine and they can cost nearly half of what the big boys go for. And, you save even more money if buy used instead of new. There are really good deals on 400 class 4x4s that are around 7 years old. Which…

THE HISTORY OF YAMAHA'S BIG SPORT QUAD -- The 1990s maintained a stagnant state of limbo for ATV manufacturers of sport quads. Of the potential manufacturers, Yamaha was the strongest player with the famed Banshee 350 and Blaster 200 two-strokes and the Warrior 350 four-stroke. Yamaha had a strong hold on the market, but it also knew that those beloved two-strokes would slowly be forced from the line-up by increasingly strict emissions standards. The fight to stay ahead of the competition lit a fire beneath…

-- Budget performance quad for teens -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels It’s easy to assume that machines made in China are inexpensive because they are of poor quality. While this stereotype can be true of some brands and models, the Kayo Storm’s performance and finish have assured us that it is not in that category. When we first received the little quad, we immediately noticed a few things. First and foremost the suspension. Most teen-sized Chinese quads come with limited front and rear suspension that aren’t…

-- 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…

-- Built by Lonestar Racing to win! --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels We’ve seen a large number of ATV enthusiasts rebuilding the beloved Honda TRX250R to its former glory. Retro is in right now, and the TRX250R is over 30 years old, so it’s retro for real. For the last decade most TRX250R projects we’ve seen were play machines, but now many riders have started building them to race against modern machinery. The Bosemer family never stopped living the two-stroke lifestyle. You may recall that we featured Rachel…

-- Big power and big fun are always on tap, By the staff of Dirt Wheels -- Have you ever heard the expression, “Legends never die”? Well, that has been Yamaha’s sport quad mantra for years. Back in the 1990s they didn’t let the Blaster, Banshee or Warrior fall into the depths of despair like Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki did with their sport quads. That was a hard time for sport quads. Even though big sales numbers weren’t there, Yamaha continued building them for the masses. That is still the case. Yamaha is…

-- Common-sense mods from TUSK --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels, photos by Pat Carrigan Our 2018 Polaris RZR XP 4 Turbo Dynamix is the upper end of the price range for the Polaris range. We have around 500 hard miles on the Dynamix at this point, with 200 of those miles being in the sand dunes. So far, the machine has been pretty wonderful. As we live with the Dynamix computerized suspension, the more we appreciate it. When it was new, it was great in the dunes, but with many miles on it now, it is working extremely…

Suzuki just released their 2019 KingQuad 500AXi and 750AXi. We got to test the new 4x4 ATV model in the woods of North Carolina. The quad handles great and looks just as good as it rides!