UTV Tests

-- Testing the original ATV reimagined -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Chances are that any off-road enthusiast recognizes the unique eight-wheeled profile of the new Argo Aurora 800 Limited. The name Argo may not roll off of your tongue—yet. Argo isn’t currently a household OHV name, but it could become one. 2017 was the 50-year anniversary for Argo, and the milestone coordinated with an infusion of leadership making the move from Arctic Cat. Using the anniversary as a kick-off, Argo made a huge push with its classic…

-- XTC's superhero of UTVs -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels You never know what will set a person on a path to success. The trip to this scratch-built, 450-horsepower not-a-Polaris began many years ago when Chris Leaming’s father Rob gave him a new Yamaha Tri-Zinger 50cc three-wheeler for the SoCal deserts. The little Yamaha ignited a lifelong spark of off-road passion. The father-son duo are now partners in Gilbert, Arizona-based XTC Power Products. They moved there to grow the company that specializes in UTV…

-- UTV TEST : American hot rod style --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels:  Dirt Wheels’ first experience with the Textron Stampede was back when the brand was called Bad Boy. Since then, parent company Textron has changed their name, though the impressive Stampede remains pretty much the same. Even though the Stampede is largely intended as a utility and recreation UTV, we found it pretty sporty, and twice during our time with it, we took it to the dunes. Dune running isn’t exactly what it was designed for, but it…

-- RANCHO RACING'S RADICAL RZR -- By the staff of Dirt Wheel UTV racer Adrian Orellana didn’t drift into the sport by buying a recreational car and gradually adding to it. He bought a brand-new Polaris RZR XP 1000 and immediately tore the entire car apart and delivered the frame to Fabwerx. Fabwerx had no qualms about cutting nearly the entire stock frame away. Basically, Fabwerx started with the two main-frame rails and constructed a new racer from that starting point. Orellana’s race team is Rancho Racing. Rancho…

-- Is it the new king of UTVs? -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels, Photos by Pat Carrigan. Polaris is coming up with some truly interesting and exceptional machines for 2018. The latest and most extreme in performance is the RZR XP Turbo S. It is a two-seat platform that looks like a redux of the classic RZR XP rolling chassis from the outside. This is a case of beauty being more than skin-deep. Beauty starts with stronger bones for the frame. Polaris says “all-new frame,” though existing bodywork appears to bolt up. As…

-- UTV TEST --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels For the most part, the side-by-side world is split into three categories: sport, utility and recreation utility. Consumers are then left to play the role of Goldilocks and decide which category is just right for their needs and wants. Kawasaki kept this dilemma in mind when they created the Mule Pro series. While every machine in the series is highly capable, the Mule Pro-SX is the smallest of the bunch and the Mule Pro-FX is considered the largest. This year it was time…

We not only got a first look at both Talon models, but we were able to take each out for a ride in the California desert in order to give our readers some insight. They were worth the wait.

-- A manual-shift Yamaha that works! -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels -- What do you do if you already have a high-powered Polaris RZR XP 1000 punched out to 1100cc? If you are Brian Carle, you buy a stick-shift Yamaha YXZ1000R to add to the stable. He is fortunate to live where he has plenty of room to drive. He stays with his trusty RZR for slow and technical outings and turns to the YXZ for faster, more open conditions. He lives in a rural desert area and has many opportunities to hit the trails, and he is often out…

-- As good as it looks --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels, Photos by Pat Carrigan Kawasaki is one of those dependable brands that we are able to trust to build impressive machines. The Teryx lineup has sold very well, and for good reason. It’s a well-built UTV that looks absolutely stunning in the Teryx4 Limited Edition brilliant Lime Green color scheme. The fit and finish are amazing, with automotive-style paint that rivals anything at a car dealer. It made us cry to take it on brushy trails, but we did! The Teryx4 is…

-- More than just big power and great suspension --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels Polaris introduced the RZR XP Turbo in 2016, and it had some teething problems that the company was diligent in addressing. For 2017 the Turbo saw big improvements in cooling, braking and air intake for both the engine and the CVT case. Here it is near the end of 2018, and the RZR XP Turbo Fox Edition has lost some of the luster after being top of the RZR line in 2017. It has since been eclipsed in the minds of many by the Dynamix or the…

-- Fully loaded UTV for $8,199 --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels In the October issue of Dirt Wheels we tested the Massimo Warrior 800. We pointed out that the machine was quite unique as far as machinery sourced from China goes, since it had a very different look. Most offerings from the region have a strong Yamaha Rhino resemblance. While the Warrior broke that mold, the Massimo T-Boss 550 sibling is vastly conventional in look and design. It breaks no new ground and (for good reason) closely imitates the original…

-- The UTV Indiana Jones would buy --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels If you take a look at the entire sport utility landscape, most offerings look basically similar—rear- or mid-engine layout with a relatively open cab area. In many cases, you need a pretty savvy expert to differentiate different brands from a distance. That is certainly not true of the new Massimo Warrior 800! As the name telegraphs, Massimo is aware that the Warrior has more than a vague military look to it. Our riding group took to referring to it…