ATV Tests

Dan Mayer’s second time around By the staff of Dirt Wheels, Photos by Pat Carrigan It is an old story: parents, trying to do what they think is best for their kids, forbid the purchase of an ATV. Often, as is the case with Dan Mayer, quads become the forbidden fruit and a life-long obsession is born. This Duncan Racing 2018 Lobo-chassis build is the latest milestone in Mayer’s dedication to magnificent quads. It turns out that Mayer was a die-hard Dirt Wheels reader as a youth, and he was drawn to the radical…

Sport, race and big-bore fun By the staff of Dirt Wheels This winter Yamaha finally announced its YFZ450 and Raptor 700 lineups. Both models return with new colorways in base and special-edition versions. Unfortunately, the 2021 YFZ450 cannot be sold in California. As for the Raptor base, 700R and 700R SE, there are California CARB-compliant models and 49 state models being produced. They are all built in Yamaha’s U.S. factory in Newnan, Georgia. 2021 YAMAHA YFZ450R According to Yamaha, the YFZ450R…

A 500cc hybrid monster By the staff of Dirt Wheels Yet another fire-breathing, torque-churning monster machine has come to life in the depths of Daryl Rath’s compound. Daryl leaned on his skill and expertise, as well as his expert staff to bring to life a hybrid—a Yamaha YFZ450R endowed with a Suzuki LT500R two-stroke power plant. The aptly named “Rathzilla” was devised to destroy the competition under the control of Rath’s stepson, Jared Weckman. Weckman is an impressive pilot on the Midwest TT racing circuit in the…

Dream two-stroke dune runner By the staff of Dirt Wheels Photos by Pat Carrigan Darryl Smith has always been a motorcycle guy, but the rest of his family were Banshee folks. It was only natural that he pick up a 2006 Banshee to join in. Miles and hours of dune fun slinging sand with a twin-cylinder, two-stroke sport quad followed. Unfortunately, an issue with the throttle resulted in a wadded-up quad. Smith’s choices were to attempt a resurrection of the original machine or look for a new one. After consulting with…

Ready for adventure or a second person By the staff of Dirt Wheels If you don’t follow the motorcycle market, you may not understand how much of an impact adventure motorcycles have had on new machine and aftermarket parts sales. Adventure bikes are large machines capable of going long distance and carrying ample gear. That sort of sounds like the definition of a big-bore 4x4 quad, right? CFMoto agreed and saw the potential in making an adventure/overland-specific quad equipped for packing everything you need. Enter…

Great news for trail riders and hunters By the staff of Dirt Wheels It seems like the new-model mill never stops grinding at Polaris. Our “2021 Buyers’ Guides” are long published, and it looked like the Polaris lineup appeared complete, but here they are with multiple new models for the RZR Trail line, the Ranger line and a new Sportsman quad! These new-for-2021 Polaris models are excellent news for both trail lovers and hunters. Customer feedback is crucial to Polaris, and they have taken that input to make the RZR Trail…

Ready for the major leaguesBy the staff of Dirt Wheels CFMoto remains dedicated to the 4x4 quad market with an extensive lineup that includes a new CForce 600 for the 2021 model year. This company prides itself on quality and value. In the fight to stand toe-to-toe with the big brands, CFMoto only sells the single-seat CForce 600 in one form—fully loaded. Other brands have a bewildering number of trim levels and equipment packages for a single displacement. CFMoto simplifies the showroom and pricing by selling every…

RAZOR DIRT QUAD 500 36V ELECTRIC ATV Off-roading is a lifelong sport. It’s one of those hobbies that can be enjoyed at any age and at any pace. With the right machine, two, three, and even four generations of family members can all partake at the same time. At the younger end of the spectrum, the activity starts with toys in the dirt until kids grow and can start riding on their own. The step right before getting on a gas-powered off-roader usually lands kids on an electric machine like the Razor Dirt…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2020 HONDA TRX250X This may not be the infamous and cultist TRX250R two-stroke ripper, but the humble Honda TRX250X has outlasted and sold in greater numbers than the old two-smoker. One is a pure-bred racing-style ATV, while the other is the perfect transitional ATV, or even the final landing, for riders that don’t need a lot of power. Honda’s 250X is their only sport ATV for older youth riders and adults that is still available. The TRX400X and favored TRX450R have long since left…

 By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2021 KAWASAKI TERYX KRX 1000 TRAIL EDITION In just one year since its introduction, the Kawasaki Teryx KRX 1000 has become a force in the market. There are a number of good reasons that it has quickly gained such acceptance. First, it was building on the well-deserved reputation of the workhorse Teryx 800. The Teryx design has aged well, and it has an excellent performance and reliability history. Second, Kawasaki didn’t rush to the market but decided what segment it wanted…

 By the staff of Dirt Wheels A Look at the 2021 Polaris Sportsman XP 1000S  SPORTSMAN XP 1000 S.  Fast and furious combined. As we inspect the photos from readers of ATC90s and other early three- and four-wheelers, it is hard to conceive the massive and muscular 2021 Sportsman XP 1000 S growing from those tiny, underpowered, and unsuspended machines. The 2002 Polaris 250 Trail Blazer weighed in at 461 pounds, and it looks (and felt) positively spindly in comparison. None of the new twin-cylinder 4x4 quads is…

By the staff of Dirt Wheels 2020 POLARIS PRO XP ORANGE MADNESS LE Polaris has introduced a new limited-edition model to its 2020 RZR Pro XP model lineup. The new machine comes with an updated Orange Madness color scheme that consumers have been waiting for. The LE model is equipped for “ultimate trail performance” that Polaris claims can only be found in the Pro XP line, including a 64-inch width and 22 inches of usable travel for outright comfort. Coupled with its performance, the Pro XP Orange Madness LE also…