ATV Tests

-- 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…

-- 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…

-- 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.…

-- 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. . .

-- High-Performance ATV Test --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels Yamaha’s YFZ450R isn’t simply a sport quad, it’s an experience. The smooth body lines fade into aggressively angular points, so the YFZ looks fast and focused just sitting still. But, you don’t really get the thrill until you firmly depress that little start button. The EFI and the ignition brings the Yamaha YFZ450R’s potent powerplant to life. To further intensify the excitement, shift into gear, boost the rpm and release the clutch. We have been seeing…

-- Converting a ATC250R into a quad -- FRONT COVER BACK COVER COVER 3 When the 1985 Suzuki Quadracer 250 came out it instantly won our shootout between Honda's ATC250R, Kawasaki's Tecate 250 and Yamaha's Tri-Z250. At that point everyone knew that Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha would have to come out with 250cc, 2-stroke quads too. While waiting a year for that to happen, 3 to 4 wheel conversion kits became available. The Dirt Wheels crew got a hold of one and turned a ATC250R into a quad. Below is the full…

-- High-performance 2-stroke 3-wheeler -- There it was on the front cover of our April 1984 issue, Honda's big bad ATC250R, back when it was still air-cooled. So, what did the Dirt Wheels test crew think of this machine back then? Well, read the original test below as it first appeared to the world 35 years ago. . . .