Part 1 of 2 – Trail Day

The top speeds of ATVs and Side-x-Sides are constantly improving to the point where it’s quite possible to “outrun” your headlights. To that end, the timing couldn’t be better for a company to come out with a new HID (High Intensity Discharge) technology that would eliminate that particular problem. In response, the folks at Welch Allyn Lighting Products have introduced Sōlarc NGX, a new lighting technology aimed at the off-road market.

AUSA is a company with a clearly international flavor. Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, it markets its all-terrain multi-service vehicles in over 70 countries through 225 distributors. The firm has been certified with the prestigious ISO 9001 standard for manufacturing, which designates it as a top-level company in implementing quality assurance systems in machine design, purchasing management, production and customer support. Established in 1956, AUSA gained off-road legitimacy through manufacturing rough-terrain construction vehicles like concrete mixers, forklifts and payloaders.

Kawasaki’s Teryx RUV (Recreational Utility Vehicle) has exterior dimensions that fall between most mid- and full-size UTVs and is priced lower than both the Rhino and RZR (quite an achievement, considering what you’re getting). The exterior is a fusion of Prowler, Rhino and RZR themes. Other than the V-Twin, the Teryx breaks no new technological ground for Side-x-Side’s, but Kawasaki also got very little wrong with it. The hood looks eerily similar to the Rhino, but the body design is clean and well-proportioned without any notable missteps.

“Dang it! It snowed again!!!” How many times have you heard--or said--that?

Description / Competition 

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the words “Big Red”?

Although we'll admit that we enjoy an inherently dangerous sport, we must also admit that safety is one of our greatest concerns. Everybody knowingly assumes a risk each time they throw a leg over a machine and fire it up, and because of that, they should never ride without the proper safety gear. While we may not always ride with full motocross gear, we always make sure to wear what we consider the "essentials": a helmet, goggles, long-sleeved shirt, full-length pants and boots, which have been longtime standards as the minimum safety equipment necessary for any type of riding.

When riders pull their chairs up to the campfire or cabin table and begin a rousing discussion of Honda ATVs, the conversation invariably turns to reliability. Honda ATVs have been the gold standard for engine and chassis reliability, and riders who have been disappointed by them are far and few between. We have two Honda three-wheelers that we grew up on, both of which are old enough to buy a drink anywhere and one of which has now reached the quarter-century mark.

This new offering for 2009 includes a 14-horsepower gas Vanguard engine in four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive options. The HUV 4414 includes the same features as Husqvarna full-size models, seats two and has a bed load capacity of 400 pounds.

Other prominent features are 4-wheel hydraulic disc brakes, engine braking, true 4WD, 25-inch tires, 4-wheel independent suspension and a certified ROPS. The 14HP (480cc) Vanguard V-Twin has a governed top speed of 25MPH. All of this for an amazingly low price.

MSRP & Specs coming soon!

Let’s face it--safety should be second to none when it comes to riding. While you can get away with a minimum of a helmet and goggles to go along with your blue jeans, work boots and long-sleeved shirt for a riding trip, you may find you'll have a more enjoyable time with the proper riding gear. We don’t mean that because you’ll look cool you’ll have more fun, but because these garments are specifically made for riding that you'll find added benefits over just wearing the basics.

With all the big bore ATVs getting the press, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at a mid-size sport four wheel drive machine. Our choice was a Yamaha 450 Wolverine 4 wheel drive quad. Yamaha has always been known for making excellent quality products that are very durable.

West Virginia is one of those places that has near-mythic connotations for ATV riding. With lush forests and deeply sculpted mountains, many regard the quad-state area of southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, east Tennessee and western North Carolina as one of the best ATV riding regions in the United States. Living in nearby Pennsylvania, we’ve been to the “heart of Appalachia” at least 50 times and have never tired of the extreme riding and beautiful scenery this area offers.

Let’s face it-most tires that come from the factory on an ATV are adequate at best. Our Grizzly 450 test unit from Yamaha is no exception. While it comes with much better tires than many of its competitors, they’re just not the perfect tire for everyone or every situation. In fact, no one tire is perfect for everyone because of the varied types of uses for ATVs and the different terrains you'll find across this great country of ours. Today we’re going to upgrade our Grizzly 450 with a set of Dunlop Quadmax tires.

    We’ve always liked the Suzuki LTZ 400 sport ATV. When originally released to an eager sport quad crowd in '02 (as an ’03 model), it offered features, handling and performance that made it an instant hit, and it rapidly overshadowed its only rival at the time, the Honda TRX 400EX. The new Suzuki sport quad came with a state-of-the-art, water-cooled, four-stroke motor, a high-strength steel frame, race-inspired styling and an aggressive stance and riding style.

Perhaps in sunny southern California, near the stunning Lake Arrowhead Resort which lies nestled in the San Bernardino mountains, there should be signs posted saying “Watch for Grizzlies”, since that area was noticeably overrun recently with Yamaha’s newest utility ATV in their now complete lineup of impressive vehicles, as editors from around the country (and continent!) were invited to spend a day with Yamaha in order to get well acquainted with their newest addition to the utility ATV market.  What better machine to fill the space between the popular Grizzly 450 and the ever-p

The machines in Arctic Cat’s Prowler lineup share many of the same features, such as cockpit, transmission, brakes, storage and hauling capabilities, as well as the same suspension. Following are the models in the lineup, along with their similarities and differences. Steel Blue Prowler XTZ 700 H1.

Prowler XTX 700H1

Arctic Cat TRV 700 H1 EFI CRUISER

Built on the same platform as the Thunder Cat 1000 H2, this has all the same amenities but with less power. The main difference with the motor is that it’s a single-cylinder, overhead-cam Hemi instead of a double overhead-cam. There’s still plenty of power, though, and the ride and handling are as good as the Thunder Cat.

MSRP: $9,929 (single-seat 700 H1: $8,679).

Its name is Thunder Cat TRV 1000 H2 EFI, and the world of two-up riding is about to change. This is an ATV built specifically for two people to legally ride tandem style. The rear passenger seat is raised and includes a padded backrest (if you’re riding alone you can simply detach the rear seat). You can also detach the rear box and add a large rear rack and box from Arctic Cat’s extensive speed rack system for added storage.

When Arctic Cat asked us if we wanted to attend the introduction to the newest member of its Prowler family, we could hardly contain ourselves. It has been rumored that AC’s engineers would use the Thunder Cat 951cc motor in this new Prowler—the XTZ 1000H2, which AC classified as an ROV (Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle)--and for once the rumors were true. Taking up AC on its invitation, we headed out to South Dakota to get a gander at its newest Prowler.

Finally, a performance windshield for your performance UTV. The folks at PowerMadd have released their Cobra windshield for the Yamaha Rhino and Polaris Ranger RZR. Its body-matching design and aero-deflective contouring offer a truly sporty look for your sport-designed UTV. Now it’s time to put one on a Polaris RZR and see if it works as good as it looks.

Installation

Honda may have named one of its most popular utility ATVs the Rancher, but we had no intention of taking the Rancher 4x4 ES anywhere near a broken-down fence that needed fixing, a pile of hay bales that needed moving, or a site that needed to be worked on. This wasn’t work time. It was time for a long weekend of winding down trails, rock climbing through an abandoned limestone quarry, and exploring logging roads hacked out of the wilderness over a century ago.