ATV Tests

-- Comparing the best models from the previous decade -- Not everyone has a ton a money to go out and buy a new quad. We understand that many people rely on finding good deals on used ATVs. That's why we like to provide them with info on models that are a few years older.  If you're in the market for a mid to big size 4x4 quad you'll certainly find a good price on a 2007 model. Without many hours on the clock it should still have many miles left. So, of the machines from 12 years ago, which one would suit you the best?…

-- Testing the fastest 4x4 around -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels By now you may be thinking to yourself, “Really? Another 2019 Can-Am quad test? That’s three in a row!” Or, you could be entirely too stoked about reading up on their impressive machines. Either way, this Can-Am, isn’t just “another one.” The Renegade X xc 1000R is in a league of its own! This is hands down the Canadian company’s most impressive and powerful ATV to the point of absurdity. Do we really need 91 horsepower in a quad? Well, no. But do we…

-- 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…

-- 130 Horsepower, fastest quad we've ever ridden -- Is it possible to turbocharge a 2-stroke? Yes indeed, as long as the turbo is mounted after the cones to the expansion chamber exhaust. Therefore they can still allow the exhaust waves to bounce back and forth to keep fresh intake from flowing out the exhaust port. Not only was this Banshee turbocharged, it also had a fuel-injection system installed. Is this something new for 2-strokes? No, it was 19 years ago when we tested this machine. Below you can read this "Blast…

-- 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…

-- Raptor, Banshee, Z400, DS650 & Cannondale 440 -- Since the first issue of Dirt Wheels back in 1980, the editors and test crew have done shootouts to see which ATV is best. We did that again in the January 2003 issue. At that time the five fastest machines were Yamaha's Raptor and Banshee, Suzuki's Z400, Bombardier's DS650 (Can-Am) and Cannondale's 440. So, how did each one rate for power, handling and suspension? Well, you can find out by reading the article below as it originally appeared.…

-- Testing the new breed of sport quads --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels…  Most sport quad manufacturers have taken our pride and joys off of their assembly lines. In fact, only Yamaha currently produces traditional sport quads with manual transmissions and solid rear axles. The days of sliding corners on a variety of brand-new sport 450s are disappearing, and a new breed of sport quad has come to take the spotlight. Polaris calls their Scrambler a “sport performance ATV,” and, honestly, we don’t feel they are wrong.…

-- 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/ . . . . . . . .

-- ATV TEST: Great upgrades for an impressive machine -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels The fun never stops in the world of four-wheeling! Can-Am makes some of the best 4x4 quads around, and you can find models outfitted with extra upgrades in the lineup. The Outlander XT is one of those models, and we got our hands on the 2019 1000R version in a black and Can-Am Red color scheme! We were fortunate to test the Outlander in a lush and thick Canadian forest setting to find out the Outlander’s strengths and weaknesses.…

-- A new three-wheeler you can buy today from TPC -- the staff of Dirt Wheels Action photos by Ashley Calvo Bill Casey is a man that simply couldn’t settle for riding four-wheeled machines. He started out on motorcycles in 1976, but traded with his friend who owned a Honda ATC, and the rest was history for him. Three wheels has always been his passion, and that extended into creating TPC Trikes. Casey founded his company in 1998. He concentrated on vintage ATC restorations, modifications and repairs. However, the…

-- Rincon 680 vs. Brute Force 750 vs. Kingquad 750 vs. Sportsman 570 -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels As time rolls on, technology advances, but the realities of the off-road market mean that the best-selling machines get the tech and marketing dollars. That means that big 4x4 quads keep improving, but they don’t get the attention UTVs do as they get more popular. Reductions in marketing dollars means it has gotten difficult to get enough of these big-bore brutes to perform shootouts. We managed to gather the Honda…

-- 1999 HONDA 400EX vs. 1989 250R -- When Honda came out with its TRX250R in 1986, the ATV world became a much better place. It wasn't long before  this two-stroke machine became known as the best high-performance quad ever made. Life was good for quad riders for four years, and then the bad news came. Honda announced that the 1989 model would be the last 250R  it would sell. For the next 10 years we all waited for Honda to introduce a new replacement for the 250R. Everyone was growing impatient and then the news finally…