Machines

A UTV for bedheads By the staff of Dirt Wheels Can-Am’s Defender line has been a real hit since it was introduced five years ago. There are many models of the Defender, and arguably the standout of those models is the pair of Defender Pros—the DPS and XT. We have come to expect a certain look for rec-utility UTVs: short front end, big cab area and a compact bed area. Can-Am has changed that look with the Pro. The concept began when a Can-Am engineer was looking at a Crew model. He realized that a standard cab on a…

Trails to anywhere By the staff of Dirt Wheels Can-Am and Honda make two of the newest and most impressive 1000cc, normally aspirated, trail-focused UTVs on the market. It seemed only natural to get them together for a rigorous comparison to see which one has the goods for trails, and to find out where they excelled. Can-Am sent the all-new 64-inch 2020 Maverick Sport X xc that starts at a price of $21,199. It faced off with the $19,999 Honda Talon 1000 X. Of the two available two-seat Talons, the X is most comparable…

Wide-paws ’Cat By the staff of Dirt Wheels Once Jason Craycraft saw information on the release of the Arctic Cat Wildcat XX, he was sure that he had found his UTV. As the early-release machines reached dealers for sale, he snapped one up. And in a show of patience that we can hardly comprehend, he waited four months to drive it! He intended to make sure that it was just like he wanted before taking it out for a maiden voyage. We have to tell you, we couldn’t do it. WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE Before the car…

Get tough with the Rugged Edition By the staff of Dirt Wheels Suzuki made its biggest ATV-related release of the past decade with the fully redesigned 2019 KingQuad 500AXi and 750AXi. Since then, Suzuki hasn’t needed to make any updates due to the great quality and handling of the platform. It did, however, come out with Rugged variations of the two KingQuads that gain heavy-duty bumpers and a 10-inch LED light bar. We picked up a 750i to refresh our readers and ourselves on the machine. The 2020 Suzuki KingQuad…

Mike Sloan’s WORCS champion By the staff of Dirt Wheels What it takes to be a champion: skill, talent, strength, commitment, motivation, courage, endurance and much more. That’s the stuff WORCS 2018 ATV Pro Championship winner Mile Sloan is made of. However, some of the most crucial aspects of a pro racer’s program are a machine that is built for battles and a team that supports the effort. Duncan Racing International has been in the pages of Dirt Wheels quite a lot throughout 2019 and 2020 issues. That simply stems…

Options and more options By the staff of Dirt Wheels KYMCO KYMCO UXV 700i Kymco has five different versions of its UXV 700i. The base model has steel wheels with limited features. You can upgrade to the LE EPS, LE EPS Camo, LE Prime Edition and the LE Hunter Edition. The final four machines have a winch, 14-inch cast-aluminum wheels and power steering as standard features. The LE Hunter is $600 less than in 2019.  Engine type: SOHC single, Displacement: 695cc, Suspension: Front: Dual A-arm/7.5”, Rear:…

Options and more options By the staff of Dirt Wheels What an exciting year for the UTV world! There have been big changes in the sport side, with Honda stepping up with a pair of two-seat Talon models. The Talon X is trail biased, and the longer-travel, wider Talon R is more pure sport. A pair of Talon X-based four-seat Talons will be 2020 models as well. Kawasaki introduced the all-new Teryx KRX 1000. Even though it has long travel and a track that matches the Talon R track width of 68 inches, we expect the KRX to be…

Ryan O’Hara’s Fuel General build By the staff of Dirt Wheels Life isn’t simply about the destination, but the roads that get you there. In our case, that’s the best dirt roads and trails we could ever imagine to find. Adventure riding and driving runs deeply through our souls, just like it does for Ryan O’Hara. Ryan eats, sleeps and breathes off-roading. He is so into our sport that he works for Fuel Off-Road and gets through terrain with their impressive wheels and tires. O’Hara’s dedication to adventure shows in his…

What you need to drive By the staff of Dirt Wheels Can-Am is focused on designing machines that provide the driver with the right tool to get the most out of their off-road experience. Can-Am offers everything from pure-sport powerhouses like the 195-horsepower X3 Turbo RR to the work- and recreation-ready Defender. In between, the line is well-rounded with multiple Maverick offerings. Can-Am sent us out onto the trails with their all-new 64-inch 2020 Maverick Sport X xc that starts at a price of $20,199.…

A Husqvarna 3-wheeler? No such thing, good sir! Husky doesn’t dip a toe too far in the waters of three and four-wheeled off-road machinery. So, how did this trike come about, you ask? Daryl Rath, owner of Rath Racing, likes to create hybrid ATVs and ATCs. While a lot can be done to make an old machine work better than new, sometimes it is best to start off with a new ride and customize it to your wants and needs. Photos by Wayne Davis Photography Rath’s white Husqvarna 3-wheeler began life as a 2018…

Fun with friends, family and computers By the staff of Dirt Wheels We were in the room when Honda announced the 2020 Talon 1000X-4 and Talon 1000X-4 Fox Live Valve to the dealer network. There was no mistaking the dealers’ excitement; however, our enthusiasm was somewhat tempered by the announcement that the 1000X-4 siblings would be based on the shorter-travel 64-inch Talon 1000X rather than the long-travel, wider Talon R. A great percentage of long-wheelbase, four-seat sport UTVs are sold where driving conditions…

The best offerings in this category By Casey Cordeiro, Photos courtesy of the manufacturers and Dirt Wheels There are so many categories and options in the UTV world these days that we often get asked, “How do I choose the right one for me?”  The 60-inch side-by-side vehicles on the market offer a lot of great features that many enthusiasts look for when purchasing a UTV. They are legal on many different trails across the country. They offer a good assortment of engine sizes across the different manufacturers, with…