PRODUCT EVALUATION:SUPER ATV POLYCARBONATE ROOF

On Dec 19, 2020

By Ray Gibbs and the staff of Dirt Wheels

**This is what you get when you order the roof from SuperATV: the tough polycarbonate see-through roof panel, adhesive-backed rubber strips and all required hardware**

SUPER ATV POLYCARBONATE ROOF

When it comes to UTV roofs, we know two things: there are a confusing number of options, and we love having one. A friend was looking for a roof for his RZR Pro XP two-seater, so we suggested the SuperATV see-through, tinted polycarbonate plastic roof.

Polycarbonate, trade-named Lexan by General Electric, is commonly used when extremely tough plastic is used, such as goggle lenses and a helmet shield. It is also for bullet-resistant windows and helmet shells.

It can be affected by some chemicals like contact cleaner, but it is very strong and light. When polycarbonate helmet shells were new, salesmen brought a small Lexan bowl as a sales tool. They let dealers wail on the bowl with a hammer, and it was never damaged.

When we got the box in the mail, it was immediately apparent that the roof was far lighter than an aluminum or thicker opaque plastic roof.

**We cleaned the cage rails, carefully measured and marked the rubber stripping, and stuck it in place. It seals the roof and protects it from the cage rails.**

SUPER ATV POLYCARBONATE ROOF

INSTALLATION

The installation was straightforward, with no drilling, cutting, or grinding needed. It is manufactured from 1/4-inch-thick tinted material. The unit is nicely shaped, the edges are smooth and the bends accurately follow the contour of the top of the roll cage.

As delivered, the mounting holes are not round, but oval in shape to provide a small amount of “room” to help in installing the provided hardware. The kit includes two rolls of 1/2-inch-thick single-sided (adhesive) foam tape.

It is smoothed down on top of the roll cage where the roof will be positioned so it doesn’t rattle. It also creates a weather seal.

**Once everything is ready, you can peel the protective film off of both sides of the roof panel. Polycarbonate is scratch-resistant, but it will scratch, so the film is a nice touch.**

SUPER ATV POLYCARBONATE ROOF

For the trial fitting, we positioned the roof on top of the machine and made small marks with a marker for the foam-tape start and endpoints.

The rest is easy. Just remember that you are fastening bolts through “plastic,” and don’t over-tighten the hardware. When installed, it gave the XP Pro more of a finished appearance.

The machine in this installation was equipped with a Polaris tilting spare-tire rack that raises up to about 40 degrees using gas-charged struts. With a 30-inch spare tire on the rack, in the raised position, there was still plenty of room between the tire and the surface of the roof.

The roof itself comes delivered with a thin protective coating on both sides. We left it on while doing the initial fitting. It easily peels off prior to final installation.

**The finished install looks great! The roof is light, UV-resistant, easy to see through and well-mounted. It offers good protection as well.**

SUPER ATV POLYCARBONATE ROOF

HOW IT WORKS

One of the few drawbacks of a roof is picking lines when climbing steep hills or dune faces. When you look up, you are looking into the roof.

That isn’t a problem with the SuperATV roof. You can easily see right through it. The polycarbonate roof is available in clear as well. This material provides amazing puncture resistance and wears well. It is light and installs easily. I

t does not squeak or rattle, and it doesn’t cause any weird dust intrusions inside the car. For this install, the owner has a lighted whip, and at night, the whip adds a pleasant, diffused light inside the cab.

For $299.95 it is a great buy. It adds little weight yet is 250 times stronger than glass. It also stops UV rays. SuperATV has the poly roof for a huge selection of brands and models. Go to www.superatv.com.

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