Honda

-- BIG 2-STROKE SHOOTOUT -- Here's a "Blast From The Past" you may find interesting. Back in our October 1999 issue of Dirt Wheels we tested a Honda TRX250R that was enlarged to 400cc. We compared it against a Yamaha Banshee 350 that was enlarged to 630cc. They were both in the category of ultimate 2-stroke quad. How fast were they? Keep reading...

-- AND THEN GIVING IT SOME LOW-COST IMPROVEMENTS -- There is no doubt that we have had many love affairs with the Honda TRX450R in the years since its release in 2004. That isn’t to say we don’t have a passion for other sport quads, but the legendary Honda is easy to find, cheap to build and has proven reliable through the years. As easy as a Honda TRX may be to find, finding one like Jay Young’s TRX450R of Team True Racing is far from easy. He got lucky with his Honda. It spent life in a crate from its…

-- 100+ mph street-legal quads built by Lone Star Racing -- First tests by the Dirt Wheels crew: Setting out to build something different and unique is admirable. We marvel when someone’s dream build comes to fruition, but building something that’s never been done before can take a toll on your checkbook and your mind. The big picture can look dismal at times. To build something special, something that rightfully allows you to bask in the glory of the epic build, isn’t an easy task. It takes a lot of…

-- LOOKING FOR GOOD DEALS -- The Dirt Wheels crew is just like you -- we're always keeping our eyes open for a bargain buy. We came across this offer from i shock that you may like if you've been looking to upgrade your Honda 450R's front suspension. It includes Elka Stage 1 shocks and longer A-arms, with longer tie rods, brake lines and more. Normally priced at $1,419, the kit is on sale now for $849. Here are the specs they list: KEY FEATURES ***This special offer is for the 04-05 TRX450R ONLY! Other models…

-- Honey, I shrunk the quads! Remember that movie? Yeah, it was awhile back, and maybe it was shrunken kids instead of quads. Anyway, having a miniature version of your ATV is not a bad idea. It's nice to have a visual reminder of what you'd rather be doing, and you can't really have your actual quad sitting on your desk at work. Well, if you'd like to have a 1:12 scale replica of your YFZ, TRX, KFX or LTR, New Ray Toys has you covered. They also have some mini 4x4 quads as well as a few UTVs. You may…

-- 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…

-- An overall look at what you'll find at your Honda dealer for 2018 -- There is no doubt that Honda is one of the greatest off-road vehicle manufacturers of all time. It builds machines that are strong, durable and easy to operate, and its ATV lineup holds a multitude of models and options for recreation and work. The same can be said for its UTV lineup. The Japanese mega company released part of their 2018 lineup, and, as usual, this first release is for models that haven’t received any mechanical changes, but new…

-- Extreme evolution from the ATC90, by Karel Kramer -- In the October issue of Dirt Wheels you'll see a brand-new, built-from-parts 1970 Honda ATC90, then called the US90. Ace restoration expert Mike Palmgren recreated the little jewel of a three-wheeler, then brought along his friend and loyal customer Tim Pappas. Pappas brought his cherry, fully modified Honda ATC250R. In addition to the US90, Palmgren had a lot of early brochures, ads, tests and background information on that beginning of the Honda ATC. Honda…

-- "Mickey Dunlap is my hero", says Dirt Wheels reader Mike Wheeler. Mickey was a top Honda 3-wheel racer back in the 1980s and Mike is actively pursuing that goal for himself today. Here are two of his ATC race machines he competes on -- A 350X four-stroke and a 250R two-stroke. Mike Wheeler and his buddy Bobby Witherow travel to as many 3-wheeler racing events as their schedule allows. Their favorite races are put on by the Florida ATC Syndicate and the Virginia ATC Syndicate. Mike usually runs up front at…

-- THE QUAD THAT CHANGED THE SPORT -- The ‘90s were the dark ages in ATV history. Sport quads vanished, ATV manufacturers retreated and the forces of mediocrity and bureaucracy advanced, threatening to overrun anyone who dared to ride a quad for the pure joy of it. Then, in model year 1999, that entire era came to a close with the appearance of one ground-breaking machine: the Honda TRX400EX. From that point on, the sport would never be the same. The Honda 400 was a game changer on several levels. First, it was the…

TEAM USA IS VICTORIOUS

-- A fresh look at the updated original Honda Pioneer, By Mark Kariya, Photos by Kevin Wing -- It’s not often that you look out your bedroom window of your rustic but very comfortable cabin and see an ostrich and a trio of young kangaroos, especially in Texas. A huge longhorn, yes. A coyote, sure. A rattler, of course. But an ostrich—and an almost aggressively curious one at that? It was obvious from the moment we rolled into the Ox Ranch outside of Uvalde, Texas, that this wasn’t going to be…