Publisher - The Leading ATV Magazine Worldwide

Your clutch is a very important component of your ATV. It transfers the engine's power from the crankshaft to the transmission. There are two main types of clutches on today?s ATVs, automatic and manual. The clutch system you need to pay close attention to is a manual clutch. This system works well and can handle lots of horsepower; however, they require maintenance and sometimes replacement.HOW DOES A MANUAL CLUTCH WORK?Manual clutches have a stack of plates locked together under spring pressure. Two types of plates are…

The off road community has a fierce new weapon in the fight to keep our public lands open. The Action Program, a team effort between vehicle manufacturers, retailers, customers and land access groups was formed to provide national coordination and funding to defend the public right to access public lands for recreation. Manufacturers and dealers of ramp trailers and off road vehicles purchase access stickers for $25 each, install them on the vehicles and the customer is charged for the sticker as part of the vehicle…

Dirt Wheels industrial spies have informed us that Yamaha will not be sitting still with the release of Kawasaki's new 650cc V-twin powered Prairie 4x4. We have heard that they are planning an early summer release of an all new large-displacement utility four wheel drive quad. While there is no definitive word on how big, or what type of powerplant the new machine will use, we do know it is a response to the debut of the Kawasaki 650. Could it be a large new version of the Grizzly 4x4 with a Raptor 660 motor and…

Mark Breiner of Palm Harbor, Florida, was a big-time three-wheeler fan back in the days and owned just about every high-performance model at one time or another. When his son wondered what three-wheelers would be like if they still made them today, it got the wheels turning in old Dad's head. He bought a used '88 Banshee and he and his son disassembled it down to the frame. It was then reconstructed utilizing a Yamaha Tri-Z three-wheeler front end. The frame was powder coated and the engine got a complete makeover from…

Polaris Industries has launched a first-of-its-kind owners club designed exclusively for kids. Modeled after their PRO (Polaris Registered Owners) program for adult riders, The PRO Club Go! provides youngsters with regular newsletters offering safe riding tips, details on organized family riding events, games, contests, and product information. The program is lead by (PRO) TEKTOR, a super-hero character who encourages the kids to ride safely and responsibly. For more information on the PRO Club GO! visit your local Polaris…

Pennsylvania's Barry Hawk has been the undisputed king of the ATV cross-country racing world for the past six seasons. His points championships and dozens of overall race wins can mean only one thing?he knows how to tackle the toughest obstacles nature can throw at him.We sat down with Barry just before the first AMA Grand National Cross Country event in Florida and asked him to fill us in on his riding secrets.Hillclimbs: "Momentum is the main thing for hillclimbs. Don?t square off the corner before the hill, but rather…

Anyone who likes smooth, straight trails please raise your hand. We don't imagine yours is going up, is it? Most of the ATV riders we meet on the trail love it when there?s a little challenge to a section. A tricky rut, a small log, some big rocks, a sloppy mudhole, a big hillclimb?you know, the things you talk about back at camp at the end of the day.Navigating these tough sections smoothly and quickly makes it all the better. What does that take? Smooth throttle control, correct body positioning and a little practice. To…

Some folks consider cross-country events to be the purest form of ATV racing. Rather than racing for 15 or 20 minutes around a man-made motocross course or the groomed speedway-like surface of TT tracks, a cross- country race takes place on wooded trails?the same type of terrain most of us ride on every weekend. On any given cross-country track there are hillclimbs, ruts, rocks, stream crossings, high-speed straights and jumps. And the races themselves are no quick sprint through the woods? everyone races for at least two…

Wintertime for ATV riders in southern California means dune time! One of the most popular areas is the sandy deserts of the Imperial Sand Dunes near the town of Glamis, down by the Mexico and Arizona borders. During the summer it gets way too hot there for any recreation, but the warm breezes feel awesome in the middle of winter.Taking the full advantage of this unique riding situation requires a few changes in riding style, as well as some mechanical modifications to your quad. We talked with dune veteran and pro racer Doug…

We don't quite know what it is about wheelies, but they sure are fun to do on an ATV. And they?re not just for entertainment either. Out on the trail the ability to pop the front end a couple feet off the ground will make you a better, more efficient (and in some cases a cleaner) rider.Of course some quads are easier to wheelie than others. Much of it has to do with the type of transmission and clutch used, while in others the so-called "balance" of the machine?its ability to be ridden at a certain angle for a length of…

If you want to finish first, you must have every aspect of ATV racing down to perfection; starts, jumps, straights and especially corners. If you aren't fast in the corners, then you?re going to be losing a ton of time every lap.To some observers, cornering fast on an ATV doesn?t appear to be that difficult. But for those of us who have tried to rail a turn like a pro, we know that there?s actually a lot of things happening all at once. Body positioning, throttle setting, clutch fanning, front brakes, rear brakes, and…

There are plenty of things you can do to your quad to make it run better, last longer, and be more reliable. We have come up with a lengthy list of items we know can help you prepare for the trail or track. Included is everything from basic carb jetting tips to how to set up your gear for your next long distance ride as well as some handy tools and devices.So consult our list of 101 tips, products and procedures, and find the ones that will help improve the overall performance of your ATV or equipment. Read on and prosper?1.…