Project Machines

-- A PROJECT UTV BUILD YOU'LL LOVE --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels. The Polaris General brought a new flavor of fun to the UTV industry. Polaris decided to further bridge the gap between the sport performance class and the utility class with a more recreationally inclined machine that offers more comfort and capability than any machine previously built for either class. We picked up a Polaris General 1000 Deluxe model and decided to build it into a more-than-trail-capable machine. We envisioned a UTV that…

-- BUILDING A KRAZY KAWASAKI -- Today we're going to check out the ride of a Dirt Wheels reader in Massachusetts. Marshawn Garden put a lot work into his 2004 Kawasaki KFX400. He made sure his older quad had all of the latest hardware to run with the newer machines of today. Here's the list: MOTOR: Cylinder Works 440cc big bore kit, Ferrara stainless steel valves, DRZE springs, Dyna Tek CDI, Dyno Jet kit, CFM air box & oil tank, K&N filter, Powerbomb header, DMC muffler, custom clutch cover, Fluidine oversize…

-- Wild machines of Dirt Wheels readers -- We're all used to seeing high-lifted 4x4 quads out in the deepest mud holes. For some reason though, we rarely see 3-wheelers modified the same way. Greg Armbruster in Ohio set out to change that with his unique mud machine here. He saw no reason why his old Honda Big Red couldn't become a swamp monster too. The first order of business was to make sure his 250cc 4-stroke 3-wheeler got plenty of traction while giving it more ground clearance. He accomplished that with these…

-- As close to a new 2019 model as you can get -- What has been considered the greatest high-performance quad of all time? Well, most of the experts agree that Honda's TRX250R set the standard when it first came out in 1986. It handled very well, had good suspension and its 250cc 2-stroke engine provided instant power that helped it get down the trail very quickly. You could buy a new TRX250R from your Honda dealer in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989. Unfortunately it was removed from Honda's lineup for 1990. ATV people were…

-- One man’s dream named after a nightmare -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Robert Loomis has long been involved in the street car and hot-rod scene. “It has always been a dream of mine to have a machine that was different from what everyone else has,” Loomis explained. “Plus, I had a dream of my car being in a magazine that dates back to my time in the car scene. I’m a big motor-head and have always enjoyed fast cars and off-road machines. So, when I bought my 2016 Polaris RZR Turbo, I started off with a few mods here…

-- The 1970 Lockley Wrangler -- Have you ever wondered which machine can be credited as being the first UTV? That can be rather murky based on how strict the rules are for proper classification. However, many people say the first side by side off-road vehicle was the Lockley Wrangler in 1970. You say you never heard of one before? You're not alone. The older members of our staff only had vague memories of the vehicle with no recollection at all on what it was called. Thanks to Dirt Wheels readers Steven and Kelli Gleason,…

To Get More Hot Off The Press Action, Subscribe to Dirt Wheels HERE! -- Here's the story and the top speed numbers the Dirt Wheels crew got with Yamaha's 2-stroke twin. The test took place back in 1994, but this "Blast From The Past" is still relevant today. Keep reading... .

-- How to get a brand new Honda TRX250R -- Dirt Wheels reader Frank Raneiro is in the process of building an awesome 250R. We're going to let him tell you how he's doing it and what all is involved. Check it out... > Hey there Dirt Wheels. Just wanted to share with you The MX build I’m doing. It’s a completely brand new TRX250R Build. All parts are new or new old stock. Nothing on this bike is used. Took me 4 years to acquire all the new parts. Here’s a few Pics of the Current State. Will be finished within the…

-- Ding dong… Trick or Treat!!! -- Our feature project quad for October has a scary Halloween theme. It was built by Michael Quinn in Ohio and he has been known to give his custom machines a unique visual appearance. For this one he went with the spider look. He began with a Suzuki LT-R450 and gave it a heavy dosage of Yoshimura engine work which includes a JE piston, Web Cam, Falicon crankshaft, Cometic gaskets and Gardner-Westcott fasteners. It has a Hinson clutch, Rebel gears and a full Yoshimura exhaust. Michael…

-- Here's a good letter from a Dirt Wheels reader -- Hello Dirt Wheels, My name is Tony Cooper and I wanted to share some before and after pics of my 2003 Yamaha Banshee build.  This is my second submission to Dirt Wheels with my first being a 2011 KFX 450 that made it into your great magazine last year. I bought the Banshee as a project in early 2017.  It was a complete and somewhat running ATV, but it wasn't until I started the tear down that I realized just how much of a project quad I had bought.  The only real…

-- And it can still be hauled inside a van! --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels - This could be the lowest-budget UTV project that we have ever covered in Dirt Wheels. Derek Hunt and his brother Chris spend their days creating incredibly exotic electric bikes for their company, Hi-Power Cycles (www.hi-powercycles.com). Don’t tell anyone, but despite their penchant for things electric, the brothers harbor a fondness for things powered by gasoline. Very few of their high-end electric bikes cost less than what Derek forked…

-- Lady Venom: When the passenger seat is no longer enough -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Famed Baja 1000 winner Malcolm Smith has the perfect explanation for how uncomfortable it is to ride in the passenger seat of an off-road machine: “The passenger seat is 20 mph faster than the driver’s seat.” When she first ventured into off-road, Kristin Flanders had very little experience driving in the dirt or in sand dunes. She didn’t grow up with off-roading, so was happy to let her husband Ryan handle the driving. As time…