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-- Testing for grip and strength -- By the Dirt Wheels test crew: Manufacturers of UTV tires are in a constant battle to build the best tires. Some tires are specific to the terrain you love to ride, while others offer a broad range of traction for multiple types of terrain. One thing stays consistent—these companies are struggling to make a tire that is light yet strong enough to withstand the harsh abuse drivers put their favorite toys through. Fuel Off-Road came out with its Gripper R/T 32-inch tire and Anza D918…

-- TEST: Vents and MIPS at a happy price -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels As soon as we took the new Z1R F.I. Flank dirt helmet out of the box, we were impressed. The finish is ultra smooth and glossy, and there is no hint of a transition between colors in the attractive graphics. Rather than plastic screws holding the peak in place, it has what looks like black-chromed metal hardware. Instead of plastic grates on the helmet vents, there is a fine mesh metal screen. The rubber trim around the eyeport has molded-in…

--Testing a sleek set of full doors --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels There are far too many UTV models that come with close-to-pointless quarter doors. Polaris RZRs generally all come with them, and we feel that they’re not enough protection against the elements, brush or trees and accidents. We went to UTV Inc. for a pair of $726 RZR XP 1000/XP Turbo and Turbo S doors. They also make doors for many other brands and models. CONSTRUCTION UTV Inc. builds the main door frame and mounting frames out of TIG-welded…

-- Tough multi-terrain performance tire test -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels We become used to seeing hard-terrain tires with closely spaced, relatively short tread blocks. Most have a pretty square profile as well. In light of that, we assumed that the Maxxis Coronado was a mud tire with widely spaced, deep tread blocks. Obviously, we were a little surprised to find that the Coronado is what Maxxis calls “the ultimate desert tire for your ATV or side-by-side,” and claiming that the compound is long-wearing and…

-- Like a vacation for your back & knees -- First test: By the staff of Dirt Wheels We aren’t exactly sure how a company renowned for high-quality tie-downs develops a work mat as a product. We can only guess that Mac’s owners and employees actually work on their own stuff, hook up their own trailers and occasionally have to slide under their vehicles. We routinely carry a small gardening mat to kneel on while connecting the trailer or changing flats. We also stand on it to change into riding gear. But our little…

-- BUYER'S GUIDE TO THE BEST CHOICES -- Like all of you, we drive UTVs for fun, sport and adventure, but safety is our number-one priority, especially in today’s powerful UTVs. The stock seat belts are easy and convenient, and they encourage drivers to use them at all times and will help keep riders in their seats in the result of a roll-over. OE seat belts do allow the riders to shift around in the cab. That doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it can become a nuisance during a long ride or those times when we feel like…

-- Testing a way to ride hard and stay hydrated -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Riding and testing often take us to remote locations to explore trails and terrain. We love finding new pathways of ATV riding pleasure, and that means we take all-day rides. Fly Racing has a nice lineup of Hydro Packs that come in sizes for long or short trail adventures. We picked up the XC100 that offers ample storage for our outings and a healthy-sized water reservoir. The Hydro Pack won’t break your wallet either at $99.95. WHAT…

-- Testing a six-ply ATV & UTV  tire with traction and long life -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Track & Trail is another tire company that is new to the ATV and UTV scene. Currently, the company has a sport quad tire set and the TT410 utility tire. The tire’s specs and pricing are very good, so we saw it for sale at many of the big tire retailers, despite being a new company, so we were quite curious about these tires. The set we received was sized 25x8-12 and 25x10-12 for a 4x4 quad or a very small UTV. We…

-- PRODUCT EVALUATION --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels Have you ever felt the smooth and warm comfort of slipping on a set of Ugg sheepskin boots? We imagine that sliding into a set of these Sidi Trial Zero.1 boots must be similar. We ride a lot of big 4x4 quads, and wearing a full motocross boot is a bit much on them. The search for a lightweight boot that still has some general protection was on, and we landed at the Trial. They are designed for trials motorcycle riders that jump from boulder to boulder for a good…

-- Making a list and checking it twice --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels Tis the season to be jolly, and it’s easier to stay in a joyful mood if you’re not fighting crowds of aggressive shoppers at the mall. When you’re looking for a gift for off-road riding enthusiasts, there’s not much at the mall anyway catering to our specific sport. That’s okay, because it’s more fun to shop at an ATV/UTV dealership where you also get to mingle with cool machines while looking at the accessory shelves. The thing about shopping…

GADGETS FOR AN OFF-ROAD FAMILY The holiday shopping season is in full swing. Maybe you skipped Black Friday and didn’t take advantage of those super deals on Cyber Monday, but you can still find some good deals for all those gearheads in your family. Some of these gifts will suffice as ideal stocking stuffers while others will bolt directly to that vehicle in the garage. Can-Am helps you become the giver you’ve always wanted to be, with this list of goodies for motorized family. Cell/Tablet Holder…

-- How to refresh your tired UTV suspension --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels Many sport UTV owners aren’t aware of the hard facts and level of maintenance that is involved in sustaining like-new performance while enjoying one of these insanely fun machines. Shocks are one of the chronically neglected parts of a UTV. We started with a fairly new Polaris RZR XP 1000 that comes stock with piggyback reservoir-type coil-over Walker Evans Racing shocks. Depending on how hard you drive, you should expect most stock shocks to…