ATV Tests

 -- ATV TEST: Small quads kids and parents will love -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Until seeing them parked together side by side, you could be forgiven for thinking the 2018 Suzuki QuadSport Z50 and QuadSport Z90 are the same machine but in different colors. Both machines share many features and technical specifications but are physically distinct. For example, they have a sturdy but compact steel frame with single-A-arm front suspension and swingarm rear suspension. The same is true of the drum brakes—two front…

-- Testing big changes to a proven 4x4 performer -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Can-Am has one of the most extensive lineups of ATVs on the market. We have tested many of their machines over the years, and while a lot of them are great, there was always something off with the handling characteristics. It is safe to say the Canadian manufacturer has figured it out for 2019! Their Outlander and Renegade line of the 650, 850 and 1000R have all received new upgrades for 2019. Our test subject is the popular Outlander 650…

-- 2-stroke power to break the sand barrier -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels, photos by Pat Carrigan CT Racing’s 400cc Banshee kits have been a popular kit for years. CTR originally marketed a 370cc, long-rod kit for the Banshee, but after the 4mm stroker cranks proved dependable, it discontinued the 370cc kit and replaced it with the 400cc kit. They are basically identical kits, but the 400cc kit has a longer stroke. The cylinder bore sizes are the same. The added 4mm of stroke works amazingly on the Banshee. It adds…

-- From the US90 to the 250R -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels with Mike Palmgren. A Parrot Green Honda US90 where the ATV world began and the Honda ATC250R that was the end of performance three-wheelers from the company that created them. ATVs survived and thrived, but the 1980s were the troubled end for three-wheelers. As we rolled up to Oceano Dunes SVRA, we were curious where the test subject was hiding. A lot of truly pristine machines roll through Dirt Wheels, but this better-than-new 1970 Honda US90—the very…

-- SHOOTOUT: 2018 4x4 ATVs meet the 2019 KingQuad -- 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 Rincon 680, Kawasaki…

-- One man’s dream named after a nightmare -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Robert Loomis has long been involved in the street car and hot-rod scene. “It has always been a dream of mine to have a machine that was different from what everyone else has,” Loomis explained. “Plus, I had a dream of my car being in a magazine that dates back to my time in the car scene. I’m a big motor-head and have always enjoyed fast cars and off-road machines. So, when I bought my 2016 Polaris RZR Turbo, I started off with a few mods here…

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…

-- 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…