Alma

Shot Race Gear is a company that provides riding gear with great protection. We tested a complete outfit of jersey, gloves and pants from their top-tier Optica lineup, and we were impressed.

-- TESTING THE NEW DUAL TREAD PATTERN TIRE --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels When we first saw the GBC Motorsports Kanati Terra Master tire, we were intrigued with the unique tread pattern that GBC calls “asymmetrical non-directional.” For those of us who like smaller words, the tire has two different tread patterns. It is essentially divided along the center with tread for harder surfaces on one side and more sideway lugs and open space on the other. The sides of the tire are labeled “side A” and “side B.” We ordered…

-- ATV TEST By the staff of Dirt Wheels -- The better we get to know the Polaris Sportsman 570 SP, the more impressed we become with its performance and handling characteristics. This mid-bore single-cylinder ATV has potent power delivery, generous suspension, and light and nimble handling, in addition to being quite useful as a workhorse. There weren’t many changes made to this machine for the 2018 model year, but it is nevertheless one of the most changed quads of 2018. The Sunset Red color scheme is brilliant, and…

-- PRO ARMOR MAKES IT EVEN BETTER -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels One of the beauties of off-road is that the sport is accessible. Chris Pino has never had much of a dirt background aside from some local mountain biking. He has owned street bikes and appreciates a performance automobile, but a friend and former coworker found a package deal of two RZR 800s and a trailer. A year later they had driven the wheels off of the 800s and were feeling the limitations in power and suspension. Pino’s daytime job is…

-- Testing one of the best head protectors you can buy --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels The Shoei brand has been a well-known name in the motorsports industry for quite some time, and it’s because of the research and quality behind their name. The Shoei VFX line has evolved into a high-tech masterpiece with styling that is the envy of wannabe helmet brands. But, Shoei isn’t just a stylish helmet company; there is a lot of science in these helmets. The new VFX-EVO features Shoei’s own Motion Energy Distribution System…

 -- PRODUCT EVALUATION: Communicate with your fellow rider --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels Rugged Radios has almost cornered the market in communication systems for off-road applications. These days, it is becoming more unusual to see a UTV that doesn’t have one of their systems installed on it. Having the ability to communicate with your passengers or friends in other machines is not only safer, it adds to the enjoyment of recreational riding and racing. Rugged also caters to ATV and motorcycle riders with their…

-- Big crowd of quad riders have big fun in SoCal -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels, photos by Mark Kariya Originally, the AMA District 37 Big 6 series was a regional GP series limited to District 37’s boundaries. However, the series has become a runaway off-road success story that name-brand professional series are struggling to keep up with as it has spread out and grown. The first round of the 2018 Big 6 Grand Prix racing series kicked off with a fun event for the whole family to enjoy! The crowds were large, the…

-- Testing Chaparral's lower-priced performance tire -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels:  Chaparral Motorsports has been an off-road product distribution and sales company for quite a long time and has long had Ocelot Racing as its house brand of budget gear. Ocelot now has a full range of tires. Ocelot specializes in ATV and UTV tires of all types, and we recently picked up a set of its Atacama tires designed for 4x4 machines to tackle the rough, rugged and unrelenting terrain of the desert. We mounted them on our…

-- The Blackwater 100 was dominated by this fast 2-stroke quad -- In 1975 a race was born in the muddy waters of Davis, West Virginia. Dave Coombs, owner of the famed GNCC racing series, was contacted by a small-town preacher in West Virginia regarding the economy of his struggling town. He was interested in hosting a motorcycle race to bring money into the area. Coombs saw the enormous potential, and the Blackwater 100 was born! The Blackwater race was aptly named after nearby Blackwater Falls and Blackwater…

MACHINES PROJECT PRO ARMOR POLARIS RZR Enhanced with proper protection parts FIRST TEST: 2018 POLARIS SPORTSMAN 570 SP A top choice in 4x4 ATVs PROJECT EVOLUTION MAVERICK X3 Packing a powerful punch PROJECT HONDA TRX250R Ready to race through the woods PROJECT POLARIS GENERAL A super-smooth ride FIRST TEST: 2018 SSR SRU170RS Tons of features in a small package PRODUCTS GBC KANATI TERRA MASTER TIRE Two sides to choose from OCELOT ATACAMA TIRE Designed for harsh desert…

-- 253 horsepower never disappoints, By the staff of Dirt Wheels -- Recently, we have found ourselves getting seat time in a variety of machines with Evolution Powersports turbo modifications. Traditionally, when you start leaning hard on a motor and making a lot of horsepower, the power delivery can get finicky and lose drivability. When we first caught sight of the Evolution Powersports X3 in Idaho at the UTV Invasion, it was the look of the car that grabbed us. Later, though, when we strapped in, turned the key and…

-- Installing a better skid plate & testing it out --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels Polaris has not left the underside of its UTVs unprotected. Each has a factory plastic skid plate installed, but the plastic isn’t heavy or thick. It balances weight with maximum protection, but some people drive terrain that is a bit challenging. Ricochet Off-Road has been providing protection for off-road machinery for over 35 years. The reason? Ricochet is located right at the base of the Rocky Mountains, and there is ample…