ATV WORLD SPRING 2011

Page 1

INSIDE: UPDATING THE “OLD GRIZZ”

OLARIS RZR XP

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IS RZR XP GOONS IN THE DUNES YAMAHA’S SPECIAL EDITION SPORT QUADS

RZR 4 BUILD UP - PART 3 LIGHTS, DOORS AND FENDER FLARES

S OLARIS RZR XP RZR XP

ATV TIPS & HOW TO’S

DROPPIN’ THE BOMB!

POLARIS

XP

GOONS IN THE DUNES YAMAHA’S SPECIAL EDITION SPORT QUADS

RZR 4 BUILD UP - PART 3 LIGHTS, DOORS AND FENDER FLARES

ATV TIPS & HOW TO’S

GOONS IN THE DUNES YAMAHA’S SPECIAL EDITION SPORT QUADS

RZR 4 BUILD UP - PART 3 LIGHTS, DOORS AND FENDER FLARES

ATV TIPS & HOW TO’S

GOONS IN THE DUNES YAMAHA’S SPECIAL EDITION SPORT QUADS

RZR 4 BUILD UP - PART 3 LIGHTS, DOORS AND FENDER FLARES

CUSTOM SLED CORNER GOLDEN YEARS - YAMAHA GS 340 COLUMNS BY TUCKER HIBBERT, PAUL THACKER, LEVI LAVALLEE & MORE!

ATV TIPS & HOW TO’S

VOL 8 • NO 1 • SPRING 2011 • $ 5.95

DISPLAY UNTIL JULY 31, 2011

SPRING BUYER’S GUIDE


© 2010 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc (BRP). All rights reserved. ™® and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates. BRP reserves the right, at any time, to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Some models depicted may include optional equipment. Read the side-by-side vehicle (SSV) Operator’s Guide and watch the Safety DVD before driving. For your safety: wear a helmet, eye protection and other protective gear. Fasten lateral net and seat belt at all times. Always remember that riding and alcohol/drugs don’t mix. SSV is for off road use only. Never ride on paved surfaces or public roads. Operator must be at least 16 years old. Passenger must be at least 12 years old and able to hold handgrips and plant feet while seated against the backrest. Never engage in stunt driving and avoid excessive speed. *Based on mileage estimates from BRP internal testing on most recent model year available at time of print. Test conducted under identical conditions and test procedure. This data should be used for comparison purposes only. Actual mileage will vary depending on trail conditions, how you drive, maintenance of the vehicle, vehicle accessories, cargo that may be carried, and driver and passenger weight. **As per manufacturer’s official MY10 declaration to the California Air Resources Board. †Visco-Lok is a trademark of GKN Viscodrive GmbH. ∞All other tradmarks are the property of their respective owners.


TO LEARN MORE, VISIT CAN-AM.BRP.COM


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ATV WORLD Editor Nick Nelson checks out the all new Honda Foreman. Check back for a full review next issue. Rider: Nick Nelson Photographer: Justin Dawes

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ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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Derek Guetter and Colton Moore hanging it out for the fans at the 2011 Nuclear Cowboyz Tour. Photographer: Dan Guetter

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DROPPIN’ THE BOMB 2012 POLARIS RZR XP p.38


FEATURES

GOONS IN THE DUNES

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DROPPIN’ THE BOMB 2012 POLARIS RZR XP

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GOONS IN THE DUNES YAMAHA’S ANNUAL TRIP TO SHOWCASE ITS SPECIAL EDITION SPORT QUADS

p.46

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MCR YAMAHA 660 GRIZZLY BUILD UPDATING THE “OLD GRIZZ”

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RZR 4 BUILD UP PART 3 - DOORS, LIGHTS & FENDER FLARES

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SPRING BUYERS GUIDE A LOOK AT SOME COOL PRODUCTS

COLUMNS 14

MUDDY WHEELS RICHARD KEHOE

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TIPS & TRICKS NICK NELSON

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MUD, SWEAT AND GEARS RANDY HALL

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DETONATION PAT BOURGEOIS

DEPARTMENTS 16 32 34 36 72 74 77

UPDATING THE OLD GRIZZ

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p.52

RZR4 BUILD-UP PART 3

p.60

INDUSTRY NEWS CRUISIN’ YOU TUBE HOW-TO WITH ATV WORLD BOGGIN’ THE WEB OFATV REPORT COHV INDUSTRY WATCH ATV WORLD LISTINGS

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VOLUME 8 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2011 FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES CONTACT

1-888-661-7469 President & Publisher: Richard Kehoe Editor: Nick Nelson Managing Editor: Rick Bloye Technical Editor: Jeff Edwards Art Director: Darryl Aspin Production Manager: Tendra Crossman Photographers: Pat Bourgeois, Dan Guetter, Virgil Knapp, Nick Nelson, Wayne Davis Sr. Manager Sales & Marketing: Andrew McEwan Advertising Sales: 1-888-661-7469 • (905) 898-8585 Mike Blakoe, Warren Geer, Kimberley Graham Andrew McEwan, Brad Stokes Contributing Writers: Pat Bourgeois, Tendra Crossman, Wayne Daub, Jo-anne Farquhar, Randy Hall, Richard Kehoe, Andrew McEwan, Nick Nelson, Chris Rademacher, Rick Sterling Subscriptions 1-888-661-7469 or info@atvworldmag.com ATV World Magazine is the Official ATV Magazine of the Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show and the North American International Motorcycle SUPERSHOW. ATV World is published four times a year by Outback Publishing Inc. Printed in Canada by Dollco Printing. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. Publication Mail Agreement 40973567 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: ATV WORLD MAGAZINE, Unit #4 – 1195 Stellar Dr. Newmarket, ON Canada L3Y 7B8 EMAIL: info@atvworldmag.com

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RANGER RZR XP™ 900


UTILITY ATV & UTV PERFORMANCE HEADQUARTERS

> MUDDY WHEELS RICHARD KEHOE

GETTIN’ DOWN AND

DIRTY IN 2011 EXHAUST SYSTEMS

Our 2011 Season is chocked full of even more great content; more Tips and How To’s, and some amazing Photography; all brought to you by TRUE ATV Riders! we ripped on the trails, the best part of the entire ride was the laughing. It was non-stop. If you’ve ever spent serious time riding two-up in a side-by-side, then you know exactly what I am talking about. It’s the social thing that makes a day’s ride with a good buddy even better. At times I was feeling a little nervous though; with Bourgeois at the wheel I felt like I was on a roller coaster. Would I do this again? …Yes! We had a dynamite time and the stories we took away with us were priceless. I have enough material for months… mmmmmmmmmmmKay!

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ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

We’ve had a blast, and a lot of laughs putting this issue of ATV World together, and we hope you feel that this issue is one of our best issues yet! Earlier this spring, Bourgeois and I made our way to Arizona to rip on the new Polaris RZR XP 900, which is featured on the cover of this issue. Pat had us dodging cacti, lizards, and other things one would find in the Arizona desert. It was an experience to say the least, where we rode twoup for a few days… a ride I wouldn’t have thought either of us would sign up for, but it was great. At times there was screaming, ranting and maybe even a little raving! It was a true experience, and was more entertaining than I would have imagined. While

Our Editor, Nick Nelson was “Gooning” his way into the new 450 Yamahas. He has also found the time during his daily adventures to build a special Grizzly. Chris Rademacher completed his RZR 4 build, and he didn’t take a shortcut, that’s for sure. Randy gets us started with a trip to “When Things were not so Standard.” Imagine your ATV/UTV not having an electric start! We’ve also added a few more tidbits which will resurface in future issues such as; Cruisin’, YouTube, How-To’s and Boggin’ the Web. Nelson has also added a new column focused around his mechanical skills. I hope you enjoy the new edition as much as we did. So until next time; like you, we honestly can’t wait for our next ride! I’ll be out in the garage removing the tracks and putting on the Mudders – Get Dirty! ✪



NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS FROM THE SPORT WE LOVE

KAWASAKI ADDS POWER STEERING Kawasaki finally adds power steering to the beloved Brute Force. For 2012 Kawasaki’s flagship utility machine, the 750 Brute Force will be available with Electronic Power Steering “EPS”. With Kawasaki’s EPS release, now every major manufacture offers EPS in their lineup.

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BRP TO CONTRIBUTE TO CANADIAN MOON AND MARS PROGRAMS Photo by: MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, The Montreal Gazette

Fiile Photo

BRP, in cooperation with the Centre de technologies avancées BRP-Université de Sherbrooke (CTA), will develop the chassis and locomotion systems for a Lunar Exploration Light Rover and a Mars Exploration Science Rover. BRP was awarded $5.6 million in contracts by MacDonald Dettwiler and Associated Ltd. (MDA) after they received the mandate of two contracts by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) for the design, development, construction and testing of advanced space vehicles under the CSA's Exploration Surface Mobility Program. Terrestrial prototypes of the rovers will be constructed from advanced aluminum alloys, with electric propulsion systems powered by battery, and in the case of the Mars rover; solar energy. They will also be capable of integrating hydrogen fuel cells. The rover prototypes will target improvements to the performance of existing Martian and lunar exploration vehicles by a factor of between 5 and 10 in terms of speed, range and size. 16

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

FIRST NEW HONDA PRODUCED ENTIRELY AT HSC

Honda of South Carolina recently celebrated the first new ATV to be built and produced entirely at their SC stateside facility. The new radically updated 2012 Honda Foreman was produced entirely in the USA and production is now in full swing.



ARCTIC CAT UNVEILS NEW UTV CONCEPT During the close of its 2012 snowmobile dealer show in Nashville, Tenn, a new sport UTV was revealed, dubbed the WildCat. Word has it that this 64 inch wide beast is coming soon with it's sights set on beating Polaris's new XP900. Full tube chassis and claiming the best suspension in the industry, with a curb weight of around 1000 pounds. It sounds like war, let the games begin.

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NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS FROM THE SPORT WE LOVE

YAMAHA CONTRIBUTES TO DEVESTATION IN JAPAN

Yamaha wishes express its sincere condolences to the >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>to>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>

HONDA JAPAN PLANT CLOSES DUE TO DISASTER As of March 14, all production activities were suspended at the following Honda plants: Sayama Plant at Saitama Factory (Sayama, Saitama), Ogawa Plant (Ogawa-machi, Hiki-gun Saitama), Tochigi Factory (Moka, Tochigi), Hamamatsu Factory (Hamamatsu, Shizuoka) and Suzuka Factory (Suzuka, Mie). From March 15 through 20, Honda suspended all production activities at its plants listed above, as well as at Kumamoto Factory (Ozu-machi, Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto). From March 14 through 20, Honda suspended regular operations at all Honda facilities in the Tochigi area, where damage was more serious, (including Tochigi Factory, Honda R&D Co., Ltd. R&D Center (Tochigi) , Honda Engineering Co., Ltd., etc.) and focus on the recovery of each operation. Honda associates were not required come to work during this time. In order to contribute to the earliest possible relief and recovery of affected areas, Honda provided the following aid: 300 million yen toward the relief and recovery effort, a total of 1,000 generators, (gasoline-powered and home-use gas canister-powered) along with 5,000 gas canisters. Honda also dispatched its staff to explain how to use the donated generators. Honda also contributed to the electricity conservation efforts and the rolling blackout, prioritizing the relief and recovery of affected areas. 18

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

victims of the devastating Eastern Japan Earthquake. As part of the company’s contribution to help with the fastest possible recovery of the affected regions, the following items of support were provided: Inverter type generator, 0.9 kVA to 2.5 kVA models- 500 units, drinking water (1.5ℓ bottles) - 8,000 bottles, emergency food- alpha rice, canned bread, miso soup, etc. - 5,000 meals, 170 blankets, portable toilets- 5,400 pieces, and surgical masks. In addition to the aid items mentioned above, Yamaha Motor immediately dispatched 139 PAS electrically power assisted bicycles to the stricken areas, in response to emergency conditions. The decision to send PAS bicycles was due to the present shortage of gasoline for motorized vehicles in the region, and the difficulty of automobile use in many areas because of blocked roads, which has led to an increasing number of requests for bicycles received at local government offices.

ITP BAJACROSS TIRE AVAILABLE IN PLUS SIZES In order to keep up with the demands of today’s high performance UTV market, the ultra tough ITP BajaCross tire is now available in 27 and 28 inch sizes. Released in 2009 as ITP’s toughest tire available, the 8 ply BajaCross utilizes an extended-life rubber compound and stepped lugs for a consistent, effective edge. The new larger sizes are perfect for higher horsepower, modified UTV’s, or the newest crop of bigger bore sport UTV’s. For other inquiries or technical advice, contact ITP at 930-A S. Rockefeller Ave., Ontario, CA 91761; (909) 390-1905. Or visit ITP’s website at www.itptires.com.



NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS FROM THE SPORT WE LOVE

JAGGED X WINS KING OF THE HAMMERS WITH NEARLYSTOCK RANGER RZR XP 900

BRP TO DONATE WARM CLOTHING TO JAPAN BRP will donate warm clothing to relief efforts in Japan; the clothing was distributed to its subsidiary, BRP Japan, who redirected it to people most in need. BRP has operated a direct distribution network in Kanagawa prefecture, Japan since February 2000, which was not affected by the March 11 event. Transport of the clothing to Narita airport from Europe was partially sponsored by FedEx, and from Australia by Trade Logistics.

TEAM MOTOWORKS CAN-AM DOMINATING THE 2011 WORCS SERIES Jeremie Warnia has a commanding point lead followed by teammate and #1 plate holder Josh Frederich. The two Can-Am teammates are followed in points by Factory Yamaha Racer Dustin Nelson and MCR’s Beau Baron.

Jeremie Warnia

After three years of racing “King of the Hammers”, the Jagged X team won the side-by-side class with the new and nearly-stock RANGER RZR XP 900! Since its original debut in 2008, the "King of the Hammers" race has been deemed the toughest off-road race in the world. The course is a 42-mile combination of open desert racing, narrow goat trails and huge rock trails. For the last two years, the Jagged X team raced their desert race car, and while they were in the hunt, the heavier full-blown race car came up just short of the win. This year the team took a little different approach and raced the new and nearly-stock RANGER RZR XP 900. The unit was modified only to comply with the safety requirements and equipped with a set of Elka Elite series shocks. With the temperature hovering in the low 20s, the Jagged X team lined up in the tenth starting position with seventeen other side-by-sides. When the flag dropped, Brandon Schueler and co-driver Mike West charged off into the California desert with a group of very-well equipped competitors. The RANGER RZR XP 900 did an amazing job of reeling in the rest of the field, and by the first rock trail, the team was running in third position. Shortly after, the only car between the No. 1919 and the finish line was the two-time winner Mitch Guthrie, also driving an almost-stock, very nimble and quick RANGER RZR 800. The two were separated by only a few feet for the next 15 miles, but then in the last major rock section, known as Aftershock, Schueler was able to squeeze by and capture the lead. The two swapped the lead again in the bottom of the canyon, but when the dust cleared, Jagged X came out ahead by nearly five minutes ahead of Guthrie, and the rest of the field was nearly an hour back. 20

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

BRP BECOMES OFFICIAL SUPPLIER OF TEAM LOTUS & TEAM AIRASIA BRP becomes official supplier of Team Lotus, the Formula 1 racing team during the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship, as well as Team AirAsia for the 2011 GP2 Series. BRP has supplied the teams with top of the range Can-Am vehicles. This is the first time BRP has entered into such an agreement with Team Lotus and Team AirAsia. Each team will be equipped with a Can-Am Outlander Max 800 Limited, which will sport their respective team’s colors: green and yellow for Team Lotus, and red and white for Team AirAsia. BRP’s state-of-the-art ATV (quad) will be at race events throughout the season, as well as other shows and events, and will be used to tow equipment between the pits and the garages. BRP will also be providing one of its signature vehicles; the Can-Am Spyder RS roadster. It will be made available to these motor sports professionals throughout the season.

POLARIS ACQUIRES INDIAN MOTORCYCLE Polaris has added one of motorcycling’s legendary brands to its strong stable of Victory cruiser and touring bikes. Indian will operate as an autonomous business unit, building upon the potent combination of Polaris’ engineering acumen and innovative technology with Indian’s premium brand, iconic design and rich American heritage. ®



TIPS & TRICKS

BY NICK NELSON

Backwoods Bead Breaker You can use a 2X6 board and your vehicle as a bead breaker in a pinch. Line the edge of a strong board up, just short of the wheel lip, and then slowly drive up the board to administer enough weight to pop the bead down. Then back up, flip the wheel over and repeat on the other side. Be sure to remove the valve core, and have a buddy watching and guiding you, so you don't damage your rim.

Get a Grip Next time you are struggling with a phillips head screw that is stripping, like the problematic ones on the carb float bowl, you should try Vise-Grips. If you can't get it to break loose by gently hammering the end of your screwdriver into it and turning, try a small set of Vise-Grips as shown. Once you break it loose, you should be able to finish with the screwdriver.

Custom Tools on the Cheap An engine stand makes benchtop repairs to your motor much easier and accessible. The one shown can be made from four small pieces of 2X4 and a handful of screws or nails.

Anti-Seize Your Problems Away Apply anti-seize lubricant to the threads of any bolts that go into your fuel tank. The threaded inserts in most ATV fuel tanks have a tendency to seize to the bolts and then spin with in the tank when you try and remove the bolt. A little preventative maintenance here can save you hundreds on a replacement fuel tank. 22

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TIPS & TRICKS

BY NICK NELSON

Hidden Fuel Shut Off Even though the Suzuki LT-R450 is fuel injected, there is a hidden fuel shut off valve. You must remove the small black rubber pug and then it can be closed with a small flat blade screwdriver. Closing this hidden valve will save you a big gas mess when removing the tank for maintenance or repairs.

The Leaky Bead If you have a tire bead that is seated but won't stop leaking, try breaking the bead back off and cleaning it and the inside of the rim. If that doesn’t work, break the problem bead and apply a thin, but complete bead of silicone or RTV around the entire wheel. Apply the silicone on the rim between the raised bead and the outer lip of the rim. Then air the tire back up and give it a few hours to dry before riding or checking for leaks with water.

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Moisture Prevention

Boot Repair

If your ATV is ever ridden in wet or even damp conditions, it will benefit from dielectric grease. Apply dielectric grease to the inside of every single electrical connection, including the spark plug cap. This special grease will keep water out and prevent corrosion.

A torn or ripped CV boot can be temporarily fixed with a soldering iron. Fill the torn boot back up with grease, and then clean the torn surface very well. With the boot clean, hold the tear together and weld the rubber back together with the tip of the hot soldering iron.

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ATV WORLD MAGAZINE



> MUD, SWEAT & GEARS RANDY HALL

GETTING

STARTED in the day when you could buy a liter of gasoline for about 15¢, a “glass” bottle of pop and bag of chips for 25¢, and ATV’s were just appearing on the scene, manual starting systems in the form of kick starters or pull cords were the normal way of getting your motorcycle or snowmobile fired up. Electric starting systems were available, but not that common. As with many things, the luxuries of yesteryear are no longer considered options, but rather standard equipment. This is primarily due to manufacturers trying to entice customers to purchase their equipment over that of a rival model. Add the fact that the more they build, the lower the cost to produce, and the evolution continues. So let’s take a look at the modern electric starting system component on an ATV that you might buy.

Back

THE BATTERY All electric starting systems rely on a battery to supply the energy required to get the engine fired up. A battery is a galvanic device that uses chemical energy to produce electrical pressure or voltage. This is achieved by immersing two dissimilar metals in an acid solution. A simple battery can be made by taking a steel welding rod and a bronze welding rod and sticking them into an orange. Do this and hook a digital voltmeter to the two rods, and you will see a voltage. The most common are 12 volt systems, but some high performance and factory race teams now 26

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

utilize 24 volt starting systems for the extreme requirements of competition. Besides providing the energy for the starting system, the battery will also provide supplemental power for other systems.

This wiring diagram indicates that the ATV must be in Neutral in order for the starter to operate.

Starters are sometimes not found in the ideal locations. This one is under the carburetor, behind the exhaust. The large black wire is coming directly from the solenoid.

This is a typical starter. The stud and nut on the side of the starter is where the large gauge wire is attached. The mounting is through the casting holes on the lower right.

THE STARTER The starter is primarily an electric motor. It takes the current being pushed by the electrical pressure or voltage supplied by the battery and changes it first to electromagnetism, which causes the motor to rotate. It then transfers the rotational motion through a “starter drive” mechanism to the flywheel ring gear, causing the engine to rotate. It is usually bolted to the engine, and may have a magnetic switch called a solenoid attached to it. We will discuss the solenoid shortly in the control circuit section. The starter drive is a small gear driving a larger gear, giving it a very low gear ratio and therefore a strong mechanical advantage to get the engine rotating. The drive mechanism usually incorporates a oneway clutch to prevent the engine from damaging the starter once it is running. An important fact that should be remembered when operating a starter is that it should never be used for more than 30 consecutive seconds at a time, and then have a two minute cooling down period between cranking cycles. Most starters can be rebuilt with parts kits that are available from various suppliers.

This picture shows the close positioning of the Stop/Run switch and the Start button. If the Stop/Run switch is in the stop position, the start button will not be able to get power to the relay.

The solenoid here is controlled by the relay. Notice the large gauge wiring required to carry the heavy current to operate the starter.



MUD, SWEAT AND GEARS • GETTING STARTED

THE WIRING CIRCUITS In every starting system there are primarily two completely different wiring circuits that work together with individual responsibilities. They are: a) the control circuit, and b) the heavy current circuit. Wiring schematics or diagrams will simplify what may look like complicated circuitry. Then it is something like following a road map. THE HEAVY CURRENT CIRCUIT In order for the starter to turn the engine over, it takes a lot of current from the battery. In most cases, the heavy battery cables capable of carrying this amount of current are connected directly to the starter and/or solenoid from the battery terminals. This circuit’s job is to get the required heavy starter current directly from the battery when the control circuit is activated by the operator. THE CONTROL CIRCUIT The control circuit is exactly what the name indicates. It controls the operation of the starting motor. It uses a small amount of current to control the larger current required by the starter. This allows smaller switches and wiring to be used on the instrument cluster and handle bars. Here is an example of a simple

order of operation. You turn your key on, energizing the circuit; this supplies power to the push button on your handle bars. Pushing the start button supplies a small current, required by a relay to close. The closing relay supplies a bigger current required to close the starter solenoid. The starter solenoid closes and the heavy current comes directly from the battery to the starter, and the starter motor turns the engine over. Other safety switches are often part of the circuitry. This may be why your ATV is required to be in neutral or have a brake applied in order for the starter to engage, when the start button is pushed. These switches are generally installed so that they interrupt the signal getting to the relay from the start button.

On this ATV, the starter relay which is controlled by the start button is right beside the fuse panel located right under the seat.

RELATED INFORMATION When the weather gets cold, two important things happen that will affect the operation of the starting system. First, the chemical action inside the battery slows down, and this will reduce the amount of voltage the battery can produce. Second, the engine is harder to turn over due to the thick viscosity of the oil, so the starter has to work harder and therefore needs more energy. The system sort of gets a double whammy. It is important to remember that the charging system on your ATV is not as strong as the one in your car. This means that if you are using your winch to either raise or lower your plow, or you have been pulling a lot of your friends out of some deep holes, the battery is being discharged much quicker than it is being charged. You should have a “trickle” charger to replenish the battery’s charge once you shut your ATV off. The battery should also be charged monthly during long periods of storage. Make sure you understand the operation of your model of machine as outlined in your owner’s manual and follow its suggestions if you do have a problem. It may be nothing more than flipping a switch to getting started.

DURHAM REGION’S #1 HONDA ATV DEALER 28

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE





GREAT ATV RELATED VIDEOS WE WANT TO SHARE FROM YOU TUBE VIEW ALL THESE BY VISITING WWW.ATVWORLDMAG.COM AND CL CLICKING ON THE CRUISING YOUTUBE BANNER

Shake and Bake In the post race interview, Ricky Bobby expressed his disappointed and commented, “It’s very uncharacteristic of me not to have stuck that landing, Ya’ know that I would have won that race if I did. That sonofabi@%# was running wicked fast”.

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SIC

K!

Poppa Wheelie Only bad things can happen when you are not properly sized for your ATV… What was the old guy thinking?

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Hamsterin’ Not-so-funny bald mullet guy Gallager shows us why he’s no longer in the ATV or comedy business… Our advice, get a hair cut!

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Out of the Box

CLUE! A T E G

Why some companies made millions on “The Better Ramp” system for your pick up truck. If you by chance encounter either of these men, purchasing a ramp system from them is not recommended.

Down and Dirty Highlifter mud nationals, Killer ATV’s, Mud, lots of women enthusiasts!

VIEW AT ATVWORLDMAG.COM

Watch the Ducks! Before the WORCS and GNCC, there was the RNPRC (Red Neck Pond Race Circuit); never making it to the international scene however, this was undoubtably the largest race ciruit in the 70’s. The RNPRC believed the short lived race circuit would have survived well into the 1978 season had they hired better trophy girls and had a larger fan base.

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Have a favorite ATV related YouTube video? Send us the link to info@atvworldmag.com 32

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

Marketer Shows, OSM, ATV World Magazine, Outback Canada Publishing Inc, Richard Kehoe Productions, Inc. and its affiliates are not responsible for the content or actions of others in these videos. The comments expressed and the activities performed in these videos do not reflect the opinions and position of Marketer Shows, OSM, ATV World Magazine, Outback Canada Publishing Inc, Richard Kehoe Productions, Inc and its affiliates and is no way an endorsement of such comments or activities. Always wear a helmet.


Some people call it chaos. We call it clutching. “An EPI clutch kit may be the best bang for your buck you’ll ever get!” - All Terrain Vehicle Magazine “For under $200, this is the best performance modifica on you can make to your machine.” - ATV Ac on “The EPI Clutch kit magically uncorked a handful of horsepower that is very useful in climbing steep dunes and bashing down any trail.” - UTV Off Road

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HOW How-To with ATV WORLD

ATV Tire Mounting Made Easy

ATV TIRES are a consumable product, regardless of what type of ATV you own. If you ride it, they will wear out eventually. Acquiring a new set is as easy as a phone call to one of the many mail-order vendors, or a trip to the local shop. After spending your hard earned dollars for a new set of meats, do you really want to shell

1 FIRST DETERMINE WHICH SIDE OF THE RIM HAS THE SMALLER BELL. This side of the rim will be the smallest and the tire will stretch over it much easier. Inspect the new tire for any arrows printed or molded into the side, as these are directional arrows and they are only present on tires that are directional. If the tires are directional, ensure that the tires are going the right direction with the valve stem on the outside. If the tires are directional, you will have a right and a left. If the tires are not directional, you can mount them either way. Before starting, lay out all the tires you will be mounting, with the rims going the right way, to ensure you don’t mess up.

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out 15-20 bucks a piece to have them mounted? This expense can be easily avoided with nothing more than a set of tire irons and an air supply. A pair of tire irons can be purchased for about the same price as having a single tire mounted. Check out or new Tips and Tricks section for an easy, tool free beadbraking method.

2 MIX UP A SOLUTION OF SOAPY WATER FOR TIRE MOUNTING LUBE. Dish soap and water at 10-20% will work great. Lube both tire beads with a squirt bottle or a rag. The lube will not only ease the rim installation greatly, but will also help the tire bead to pop into place when airing up the tire. There are many different lubes that will work, but plain soap and water will dry cleanly without a greasy residue.

WITH THE TIRE ON THE GROUND, PUSH AS MUCH OF THE WHEEL AS YOU CAN INTO THE TIRE BY HAND, BEING SURE TO USE THE SMALL BELL SIDE. The first side of the wheel can sometimes be pushed all the way in by hand. If not, take a tire iron (using the scoop side) to grab the inside of the tire bead and lever backwards against the wheel. This motion will both lift the bead of the tire over the lip of the wheel and also push the wheel down into the tire with the other side of the tire iron. Hold the tire iron at a slight angle away from the wheel. Start right next to the point where the wheel would not go in by hand. Repeat this levering motion, taking small bites all the way around the tire until you have one side mounted. If done properly, this should take very little pressure and probably less than a minute.


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FLIP THE TIRE OVER SO THAT THE WHEEL IS ON THE GROUND. PUSH ONE SIDE OF THE TIRE DOWN BELOW THE BELL OF THE WHEEL AND USE YOUR KNEE OR FOOT TO KEEP IT THERE. With the tire pushed below the bell, take your tire iron, slip it under the tire, and hook the wheel. Pry away from you, rolling a small amount of the tire over the rim lip with each bite. Slowly work your way around the wheel, taking small bites until completed. The key to this step is keeping the tire below the bell with your knees and to keep applying the pressure a little farther around the wheel as you take each bite with your tire iron. Following the tire around with your knees will keep it from slipping back off the opposite side of where you are working. To ease the levering, use a little extra pressure on the knee that is directly opposite of where you are working with the tire iron.

5 NOW THAT YOUR A TIRE CHANGING CHAMP. IT IS TIME TO SEAT THE BEAD. You need to remove the valve core so that a greater volume of air can enter the tire faster. In a pinch, with the core out you can shove the end of the air hose directly onto the valve stem without an air chuck, and the tire will inflate. What we recommend is to buy a cheap clip on air chuck, take it apart and remove the pin that holds the schrader valve open, and then reassemble it. Clip this tool onto the valve stem, attach the hose and the tire should inflate immediately. If too much air is leaking around the beads, hit the tire with your hands at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock, keeping pressure against the tire until it starts to take air. Once it takes air, it will eventually seat the bead. The clip on air chuck can be used as a safety device. Once the tire is taking air, you can back away and wait safely for the bead to pop. Once the bead is seated, you can either shut a valve to the hose or unplug it, keeping yourself clear of any possible danger. Finish by replacing the valve core and setting the pressure.

That bead that just wont seat! Occasionally the tire will have too large of a gap between the bead and the rim, leaking the air out too fast to allow it to fill. This is often the case when your tires have been shipped to you banded together to save space. First off, if your tires are shipped to you banded, cut the bands off as soon as they arrive to get the tire to start getting back to its original shape. If the gap is still really big and hitting the tire at 10 and 2 doesn't work, you can try tightening a ratcheting tie down around the center circumference of the tire, imploding the tire and forcing the beads out. If this does not work, try the following method: Start with a used front 21 inch motorcycle inner tube, and cut the tube on both sides of the valve stem so that you can toss it and be left with a long strip, instead of a round tube. Wrap the tube around the wheel on the inside of the lip so that it takes up the space where the air was leaking. Now fill the tire; it should press against the rubber strip and the tire will bead up on the other side. Once you have one side beaded up, release the pressure and remove the inner tube. With one side beaded you can apply air and push the wheel into the tire, and it should now seat no problem. We have also seen this performed with a wet towel, but be sure to not end up with a wheel full of water. ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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BOGGIN’ THE WEB GOPER DUNES

WWW.GOPHERDUNES.COM Gopher Dunes is one of the best all-around facilities in Canada, with a trail system that rivals Nottingham Forest and a track that caters to all enthusiasts making Gopher Dunes the perfect destination for any rider. They are also producing their first annual ATV Festival which is June 26th 2011; it has everything from ATV Obstacross, ATV Sand Drags, Mud Bog Racing and ATV Demo Rides. For more information on the track and upcoming events visit www.gopherdunes.com or call 519-842-2781

BISON ATVENTURE ACCESSORIES WWW.ATVENTURE-ACCESSORIES.COM For those of you that are hunters or like rough trails Bison has some really cool bumpers and cargo racks that you should check out, they have every model covered so finding what you need should be fairly easy. For more information on Bison and ATVenture accessories visit www.atventure-accessories.com or call toll free 866-789-5840

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ATV WORLD

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW

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Your first source of ATV news in North America is found at atvworldmag.com. Updated regularily, youʼll find whatʼs hot, whatʼs not, where the best spots to ride are, and of course the most reliable product and unit reviews. You will also find out the latest industry news, follow columns from the industryʼs leading writers. Be sure you add www.atvworldmag.com to your favourites.

BUILT FOR XTREME PERFORMANCE.

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Donʼt get left out, it's never too early to add the Toronto Snowmobile, ATV and Powersports Show to your calendar. The 2011 Show will take place October 14 - 16, 2011 at the International Centre, and will have all the major manufactures and aftermarket distributors on site so youʼll be able to checkout whatʼs new in the industry. This “MUST ATTEND POWERSPORTS SHOW” will have multiple test tracks and demo tracks for attendees to test ride new units. You wonʼt want to miss it! For more information check out torontosnowmobileatvshow.com or call 888-661-SHOW (7469) for more information.

THE SPORTSMAN 850 XP LIVES FOR EXTREME TERRAIN. With a big 850 Twin EFI engine, 70 HP and Electronic Power Steering, when you say “more power” it says “say when.” Stop by and see for yourself.

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WARNING!: ATVs can be hazardous to operate. Polaris adult models are for riders age 16 and older. Polaris youth models of 90cc for riders 12 and older. Polaris youth models of 50cc for riders 6 and older. For your safety, always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing, and be sure to take a safety training course. For safety and training information in the U.S., call the SVIA at (800) 887-2887. You may also contact your Polaris dealer or call Polaris at (800) 342-3764. For safety training in Canada, contact your local Polaris dealer. ©2009 Polaris Industries Inc.

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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BY PAT BOURGEOIS

THE 2012 POLARIS RZR XP REDEFINES BIGGER, BADDER AND BOLDER BEAMING, BRIGHT WHITE HEADLAMPS AND A HARMONIZING STACCATO OF FOUR-STROKE RUMBLE SERVED AS BOTH A RECEPTION AND A PROCLAMATION FROM POLARIS AS WE EXITED OUR AIR-CONDITIONED BUS INTO THE ARIZONA DESERT. NEWS OF A BIGGER, FASTER, AND MORE COMPETENT RZR HAD BEEN RUMORED FOR SOME TIME, AND GREW MORE INTENSIFIED AFTER CAN-AN UNVEILED THEIR LONG ANTICIPATED BIG BORE COMMANDER, OFFICIALLY MARKING THEIR ENTRANCE INTO THE SIDE-BY-SIDE ARENA.

despite those expectations, few if any were prepared for the “bigger hammer” Polaris that was about to drop. Even our competitive publishing counterparts who spend much of their time on the west coast of the United States, close to the dune and desert off-road scene, were unprepared for the “next-big-thing” RZR.

Yet

SHUAR SHRUNKEN Certainly Polaris had already secured ownership in the sport side-byside market by first one-upping the first to market Yamaha Rhino with the original 50-inch wide RZR. However, unlike other competitors, Polaris wasted little time knocking down subsequent barriers and gobbling up market share with a steady progression of performance and capabilities with the RZR-S and RZR-4. With those moves, Polaris quickly found itself atop the UTV market. But like many rulers, leading is often never enough, and dreams of conquest followed. Enter the conqueror; the all-new Ranger RZR XP 900. From its wide 64-inch stance and whopping 13-inches of ground clearance, to its flared fenders and monstrous Fox Podium X shocks, the RZR XP makes a clear and defined statement of bigger and expectedly better. To the untrained eye, the RZR XP looks very similar in many ways to last year’s restyled RZR… good eye. In fact, the plastic, save the oversized fender flares, along with interior decor is identical to other RZR models; but that’s where the similarities end. ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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DROPPING THE BOMB • The 2012 Polaris RZR XP Redefines Bigger, Badder, Bolder

Perhaps ripping a page from the Shuar tribes of South America, best know for their tribal custom of head hunting and head shrinking, Polaris engineers determined their vehicle of conquest would need to incorporate off-road suspension technology from the most adept off-road vehicles in the world – trophy trucks. With suspension travel rated at 14-inches at the rear and 13.5-inches at the front, the RZR XP touts a suspension stroke that bests nearly every aftermarket suspension currently on the market, let alone stock OEM competitors. TROPHY TRAVEL To gain such numbers of suspension capability, the RZR XP employs a threepoint rear suspension that in many ways mirrors a trophy truck, right down the over-sized FOX Podium X 2.0 shocks. It’s the rear suspension that almost immediately catches your eye, thanks to a long and extremely beefy trailing arm that attaches to the chassis just behind the cab and extends to the rear wheel. Two adjoining radius rod control arms perside, keep the position of the rear axle in place as it strokes a full 14-inches of vertical movement.

It’s the long, oversized trailing arm that allows the system to deliver huge travel numbers, while at the same time having the strength to withstand terrain of even greater vertical breadth. In a more traditional upper and lower control arm system, such as the one used on the RZR-S, terrain forces experienced by the control

The new trailing arm rear suspension features a long and very stout “trailing” link that affixes itself to the new chassis beneath the cab. You can see the shock mounting tab located mid-way back on the arm.

arms, as well as the central mounting location, attempt to twist and exert force on the suspension in a horizontal fashion. The control arms and mounting location must be strong enough to redirect these forces into vertical travel. In order to do so, the system first needs to be incredibly strong and subsequently heavier. In addition, travel numbers are limited due to packaging, design, and the horizontal forces experienced. The three-point “trophy-truck” design used on the RZR XP allows for more travel, and at the same time, ease of packaging. The massive FOX Podium shocks found here would never fit within the confines of the RZR-S rear suspension. There are trade-offs of course. While handling attributes associated with camber can be design altered for desired cornering results, the large travel numbers also creates greater amounts of wheel scrub, a trade-off Polaris engineers claim is worth the handling benefits the RZR XP exudes; more on this later. To the front, a more traditional, dual Aarm design resides, albeit a very tall one. With another pair of remote reservoir Podium X shocks found here, with the same pre-load and compression damping

>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > The front of the new RZR XP touts a broad spoiler which is said to not only improve aerodynamics, but also eliminates dead air pockets within the wheel well, thereby improving shock cooling as well.

The new engine was purposely positioned with a forward exiting exhaust so its length and routing could be tuned for optimum power. The stainless-steel, two into one plumbing dumps into an oversized, rear mount silencer that keeps the note hushed but leaves enough meat on the bone to alert would be rivals that there’s juice lurking within. We were greeted by a red RZR XP walkway upon arriving to our ride destination in Arizona this past January.

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The new Prostar engine and accompanying RZR XP transmission are adjoined by a spider casting, and mounted into the new tube chassis as a single unit, thereby keeping the center to center CVT distance constant for improved performance and belt life.

adjustments, travel is just south of 14 at 13.5-inches (34.3cm). Those travel numbers coupled to 27x12 ITP tires standing at a full 64-inches (162.6cm) wide, and you have 13-inches (33cm) of ground clearance, giving the RZR XP the ability to drive over more terrain that others simply can’t. PODIUM POWER Phase two of project shrunken trophy truck was undoubtedly more power. It was widely known the current motor found in the RZR-S and RZR-4, while certainly competent, was also nearing the limits of its performance capabilities. Even the aftermarket world was admittedly, overextending the limits of the 760cc twin with big bore, high flow engine kits or

turbo-charged performance boost; many which produced peak power numbers still south of the all-new Prostar 900. According to Polaris, the new RZR XP mill was designed and built specifically for a performance side-by-side application, although we suspect we’ll soon find this motor in other Ranger applications in the very near future. The dual overhead cam engine features 180-degree crankcase architecture, and when joined by a front, side mounted counter-balancer; it produces remarkably smooth power for a big bore twin. All the expected performance goodies are found on the new Prostar engine, including high flow head porting, optimized intake and exhaust flows, and an overall simplification

You can easily see the wider and taller stance of the RZR XP (right) when compared to its now smaller sibling RZR-S (left).

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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DROPPING THE BOMB • The 2012 Polaris RZR XP Redefines Bigger, Badder, Bolder

With full CVT shift coming at 8750rpms, the new Prostar spins at nearly 2,000 revolutions more than the RZR 800. Even with these additional revs, we think there is way more power to be “uncorked” from the Prostar, and Polaris could very well be holding the new twin back for year-one.

Full size primary and secondary clutching components were borrowed directly from the well-versed Polaris snowmobile department. Out of box calibrations are excellent.

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Accessories for the new 900 are plentiful and hit dealerships in unison with the first delivery of RZR XP side-by-sides. From skid plates and bumpers, to LED light bars and high-performance stereo systems, the PURE division of Polaris has been hard at work as well, in preparation for the launch of the 900 XP.

in design. The fuel injection system draws its oxygen charge through large 46-millimeter throttle bodies, which suck vapors through a new high volume air box, and oversized airfilter that according to Polaris, provides 90percent more surface area over their previous design. The result is more air –charge at the ready when the accelerator is mashed, and less filter maintenance, especially in highdust and dirt conditions. With more flow coming in, engineers had to ensure more flow was also going out. For that reason, the new motor is mounted within the RZR XP chassis with a forward exiting exhaust. This gave powertrain engineers the space and exhaust pipe length to tune the exhaust flow for optimum performance. Visually, the Prostar engine sits tall, with a large dry-sump lower case and excessive head and valve train areas.

Despite these visual cues, the engine is a ripper; pumping out a claimed 88-ponies at peak rpm. Polaris is also quick to point out that the new engine delivers a dynamic 100-ponies per liter of displacement, which in layman’s terms means the engine is both efficient, and based upon our oneday rally, has plenty more power lurking, waiting to be uncorked by some simple aftermarket modifications. Joining the new Prostar power is an allnew transmission that features no “rightangled” transfer of power. All gears in the new tranny rotate in the same direction, again for efficient power transfer. And the tranny is fed the goods from the Prostar 900 by updated drive and driven clutching that is borrowed directly from the Polaris snowmobile division, which is well versed in capturing power in excess of 150ponies through CVT technology.

The rear cargo box of the RZR XP has some new shapes associated with it, allowing for easy access to the air filter as well as this engine oil compartment.

Details weren’t left out with the new performance XP. Included in the tool kit is this handy oil catch that keeps oil off the engine while changing the filter and its associated spooge of crude. ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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DIMENSIONALLY SPEAKING With the big ticket items of suspension and power being addressed by much of the Polaris engineering team, the remainder of the RZR XP design minds turned their attention to other components that would further help put the driver in-tune with the terrain. First and foremost is a new steering rack that delivers 22-percent quicker steering than the previous design, which means you’ll spend less time sawing on the wheel and with less effort. While the new performance XP isn’t equipped with power steering (yet), the new steering system is a dramatic improvement, delivering desired results through more finite inputs. The other major driver input; braking, was also improved with new dual piston calipers up front and single bore units out back. The results are a claimed 55percent reduction in braking effort. And while the pedal effort was dramatically reduced, the overall “feel” was too vague for our tastes, especially considering the XP’s ability to charge into corners and terrain with greater speed. While the overall stature of the RZR XP looks much larger than any previous

RZR, the tale of the tape tells us the new buggy is only 4 inches wider than a RZRS, with a wheelbase just 4.5-inches longer. Unfortunately, while the chassis and wheelbase has grown, the same cab is used as all other RZR models, making for a cramped cockpit for larger framed drivers and passengers, especially in the area of foot controls, as well as elbow and forearm range of movement. SPOOKY FAST From almost the minute your strap yourself into the XP and ignite the new Prostar engine, you realize this is more than just another RZR. The exhaust note is more assured, and after encountering the first hints of terrain, the suspension is not just capable but authoritative, with take-charge trail manners. While Polaris boasts of much improved acceleration, (a claimed 29-percent faster than the closest competitor) it’s not so much the XP’s ability to gain speed quickly that impresses, but rather its ability to stay there. In terrain that previously would have most other sport UTVs beyond nervous and almost assuredly out of control, the RZR XP drives headlong into 3-foot, non-rhyth-

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Two springs with a “crossover” collar make-up the dual spring rate at the rear. In addition to the benefits of a dual rate spring design, the use of two separate springs will allow adept suspension gurus to tune just one spring or the crossover shim for more finite suspension control.

Hand model Rich shows off the new over-sized air filter that allows the new Prostar engine to breathe deep.

mic whoops with controlled reckless abandon. The suspensions capabilities, coupled with dramatically more power, allows acceleration to play a greater role in terrain navigation; getting the front-end “light” when necessary, thereby skipping over off-camber sections and square edged rocks. Calibrations were very good for the large amplitude, low frequency bumps that littered the Arizona trails we rallied for the day. In fact, the larger the holes, the better the XP performed. However, we were met with a tradeoff in braking bumps, stutters, and washboard trail sections that would transmit directly into the chassis with teeth loosening results. Of course, we suspect this can be remedied through altered pre-load and com-

pression settings. Unfortunately, the Podium X shocks only offer compression damping setting, and not rebound; an area where we would have liked to have seen quicker settings to avoid “packing-up” when slamming into multiple holes in quick succession. The wider stance and quicker steering ratio made for what we felt is the best handling stock UTV we have experienced to date, despite those rare occurrences where rear axle scrub forced the XP to “step-out” on whooped corner apexes. With the copilot gasping for air beneath his helmet, and a fingernail tweaking grip on the passenger T-bar, the XP keeps the driver at ease while negotiating twisted trail sections at what can be described as nothing short of spooky fast… it’s that good.

With 13.5 inches of front wheel travel, the FOX Podium X 2.0 shocks are long; reaching high into the new tubular chassis.

FAT MAN With the most expansive line-up of offroad offerings in the industry, it was already apparent Polaris was leading the industry, not just in terms of market share in the UTV segment, but more so in regards to technology, performance, and the all important metric of swagger. In less than 10 years, Polaris has entered the performance side-by-side arena and has one-upped existing competitors, created new market segments, and now has just dropped what could be likened to an atomic bomb onto the playing field. While it may sound cliché, the RZR XP not only raises the bar, but in some respects exceeds it. While rumors are already running rampant of coming soon competitive vehicles, and Arctic Cat going so far as to peek-aboo a concept over-the-top performance UTV during their winter dealer meeting; the Polaris RZR XP is a reality now - taking names and delivering a level of performance that doesn’t just tame terrain, but eliminates it. ✪ ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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YFZ450R

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S N O O G IN THE

BY NICK NELSON

THE CREW AT YAMAHA HAS BEEN HOSTING THE ANNUAL "GOONS IN THE DUNES" GLAMIS TRIP FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS NOW. THE "GOONS" TRIP IS USED NOT ONLY AS A PRESS LAUNCH FOR THEIR AMAZINGLY CAPABLE, SPECIAL EDITION SPORT QUADS, BUT ALSO AS A REMINDER TO ALL OF US MEDIA TYPES AS TO WHY WE STILL DO THIS. nstead of the usual hotel stay and rushed bike evaluations/photos, Yamaha invites us to Glamis to ride, camp and enjoy the whole dune experience, just like the millions of ATV enthusiasts and families do every chance they get. Luv 2 Camp had already delivered and set up a handful of their ultra-comfortable, rental Weekend Warrior travel trailers for us to stay in, and the Yamaha guys were busy mounting whips on an incredible looking stable of new Special Edition YFZR's and Raptor 700R's. Once everybody was settled in, Yamaha gave us a brief run down on the subtle differences and improvements that have been added to the special edition models. The most noticeable difference on the two machines is their appearance. Every winter Yamaha impresses us with an all new, ultra desirable SE color scheme that is sure to drive late season sales. 2011 is no different; the SE Raptor comes in Yamaha's "Ghost Black" with black plastic, black powder coated frame,

I

new black wheels with a new lighter weight rolled lip, and very unique silver graphics. Besides the cool color scheme, Yamaha throws in their black aluminum GYTR bumper and heel guards, as well as a rear wave rotor to help keep the brakes cool. The 2011 YFZ450R SE gets a killer black and red color scheme with an almost metallic look to it. The SE 450R gets a similar looking black GYTR front bumper, black frame and new black swingarm. The SE plastic is mounted with a new updateable tool-free, Zeus style mounting system. This tool-free plastic mounting design makes maintenance and cleaning that much easier and should be employed on every sport quad made. For an added bonus, Yamaha also lets their in house accessory guys hook up a 450 and 700 with a handful of GYTR performance accessories and then brings them out for comparison as well. After countless hours of testing exhaust systems on a range of new Yamahas, the GYTR guys have made a performance based decision to partner

>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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SE 450R

>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > with FMF Exhaust for their newest line of GYTR co-branded mufflers and full system exhausts. These products will be available at any Yamaha dealer as well as online and in their GYTR Yamaha catalog. The GYTR equipped Raptor 700 had the new FMF/GYTR exhaust; a Dynojet Power Commander, tuned to run with the air box lid off and GYTR's gauze type clamp-on air filter kit. The 700 also was upgraded to the same aluminum heel guards found on the SE model, as well as aluminum GYTR nerfs and bumper. The GYTR YFZ450R benefited from a similar list of bolt on upgrades.

While Yamaha is transitioning their entire exhaust line over to FMF, the YFZ450R GYTR exhaust is still produced by Dubach Racing "DR.D". The 450 also had a Power Commander tuned to match the exhaust with an open air box and GYTR Filter. Finishing touches include a flashy GYTR magnesium clutch cover and oversized "pro peg style" nerf bars with an incorporated net style heelguard. The riding/evaluations really proved to be a showcase of how well the Raptor 700R and YFZ450R work in the sand. While the 2011 SE models had some

great looking upgrades from the standard models, most of the changes are purely cosmetic and we would really be experiencing the dune worthiness of the YFZ450R and Raptor 700R's as stock

YFZ450R

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GOONS

YFZ450R



GOONS IN THE DUNES

units. After the Yamaha guys finished up their quick tech conference, we split up into two groups for the first ride. I grabbed a YFZ450R for the first ride, and while the 2011 model only saw visual changes, it is still a race-bred ripper like years past. The 449cc five-valve race engine puts down electric-like power off the bottom to mid, with an exhilarating top end pull. The dual overhead cam engine revs quickly, and the fuel injection keeps the power crisp and always on tap. The 42mm Mikuni throttle body surely has something to do with the YFZ's screaming top end performance. The YFZR is the most capable stock machine I have ever ridden when it comes to riding the huge bowls in glamis. Its aggressive platform and stellar power curve make it a blast to rip through the big dunes, transitioning from one to the next. The stock equipped, oversized Pro Taper handlebars seem to have a very comfortable bend and the thumb throttle action is comfortable and light. The stock mx width stance and long travel suspension found on the YFZ450R is stellar in the sand dunes. Big jumps, dune transitions, and power slides are child’s play on the YFZR. A good twenty minutes into our first ride, I found myself as comfortable on the stocker as I am on my race bike. The only thing that reminds you that you’re on a stock machine is a

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YFZ450R

slight lack of overall HP and lack of an obnoxiously loud exhaust system. Dropping into bowls or pinning it off a decent sized jump was fun and predictable. The oversized 44mm Kayaba shocks provide ten inches of travel, and proved to be great in the dunes. Regardless of how hard I pushed the YFZR, the suspension refused to get hot and fade.

We found our way through the dunes to China Wall; by far the steepest and tallest dune in glamis, and always a challenge. As all of us were riding with the stock Dunlop tires, China Wall turned out to be a very good test of skill and machine. Getting up the Wall on the stock YFZR required a knotsy run in, and precise shifts from start to finish. After barely conquering it on the third pass, it was time to give the other machines a stab at it. I saw my chance at the GYTR equipped YFZR and jumped on it. To my surprise it ripped up the Wall with ease, carrying an extra gear all the way to the crest. The extra pop of an open air box and free flowing exhaust turned out to be just what the doctor ordered when climbing the biggest, steepest dune around. As I headed back down to give the Raptor a shot, I couldn't help thinking that I really didn't want to give up the GYTR equipped machine that I was on. When you first sit on the Raptor, it exhibits a much different feel than the 450. It has a much taller and slightly narrower stance, with a very comfortable relaxed seating position. Being a monstrous 686cc single, the Raptor builds torquey, wheelie inducing power, right from the get go. The 700R climbs big soft hills with authority, after a third gear run in. It pulled the entire hill on the first pass and without a downshift. As the GYTR YFZR seat was occupied, I opted for the Raptor for the lengthy ride back to camp. Duning on the Raptor is a completely different experience than with the 450R. The ultra-plush suspension and very torquey, big bore motor requires a lot less effort to be rid-


YFZ450R

>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> den fast. When you are ripping on the YFZR, you know that you are ripping, whereas you can clip a pretty good pace on the Raptor and it feels more like you are out for a lazy Sunday drive. You could truly ride the Raptor for hours without feeling the usual fatigue or soreness associated with manhandling a four-wheeler. With that said, you might think that you can't ride the 700 aggressively, but that is not the case. The stock Raptor is a blast to jump; it could hang with the 450, even on the biggest hits. Even with how great and comfortable the Raptor is as a duner, there were a few situations where I really preferred the YFZR. With my size, any deep g out type holes or unexpected drop offs would cause the rear shock to bottom on the heavier, ultra plush Raptor. It did not exhibit any weird kicking; it just made you aware that you were using every bit of travel and then some. The other instance where the YFZR really shined in comparison was when hammering out berm shots for the camera. The low slung, MX width YFZR could be thrown into an impressive turn with little to no finesse. While the Raptor turns well for a big machine, it is definitely more difficult than the YFZR. The necessary skills to whip a berm shot on the big Raptor were very evident while watching Factory Yamaha racer Dustin

Nelson execute it perfectly, over and over while I flailed with the rest of the editors. When the sun dropped, we were treated to amazing outdoor cuisine cooked for us by the Camp Chef guys who had come out to demonstrate their awesome line of outdoor cooking equipment. These guys used their propane powered outdoor stoves and ovens to cook tri-tip, au gratin potatoes, cherry cobbler, pani-

nis, chocolate chip cookies and beef jerky. Everything they cooked was made fresh outside and was super delicious. You can check them out at www.campchef.com. Dinners were followed with horseshoe tournaments, campfires, and bench racing with good friends. This was definitely a trip I can't wait to repeat, and look forward to doing it all again next year. âœŞ

SE 450R

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GRIZZLY

BUILD BY NICK NELSON

IN ITS DAY, THE YAMAHA GRIZZLY 660 WAS A CROWD FAVORITE AMONG SPORT UTILITY ENTHUSIASTS. IT WAS AN ALL-AROUND WORKHORSE THAT WAS SUPER RELIABLE, COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO RIDE FOR HOURS, HANDLED DECENTLY AND COULD OUTRUN MOST OF THE COMPETITION.

> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >

MCR YAMAHA 660

> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > nfortunately for those loyal 660 Grizzly owners out there, that day ended in 2007. The 660 Grizzly’s dominance in the market was overstepped with the release of Yamaha’s fuel injected, 700 grizzly with power steering. Not only did Yamaha release a better handling Grizzly with more power; the rest of the OEM’s were busy dropping even bigger, and more high tech 4X4 ATV’s on the market as quickly as they could produce them. The Yamaha 660 Grizzly utilized a semi lowtech 660cc engine that was derived from the

U

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Yamaha Raptor sport quad, and goes even further back to being used in an overseas model; the Yamaha dual-sport motorcycle in the early 90’s. While this engine has been around for quite a few years now, its five valve head was almost revolutionary in its day, and very capable of producing a pretty decent power curve. So what do you do if you already have and love your 660 Grizz, but really want to be on par with the newer, updated machines? This was the question I was discussing with MCR Racing’s Mike Cafro a few months back. After a few cold ones and a few snide remarks, Mike claimed that he was going to update his “old” Grizz to better than new, and that it would be able to hang with any of the new machines. Mike has been building amazing BAJA and WORCS championship winning sport quads for many years, so I took him seriously and told him to have it done for the spring issue of ATV World Magazine. In typical racer style, just as our deadline was approaching, Mike came through with this completely updated, super functional Grizzly. Mike built this machine to out-handle the competition and here is how it went down.


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MCR YAMAHA 660

GRIZZLY

BUILD

>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > The first thing the older Grizzly needed was to handle better than the new updated, power steering equipped models. In order to do that, Mike leaned on our good friend Doug Roll of Roll Design ATV Suspension for a few custom parts. Roll Design built a custom, super strong 4130 steering stem, complete with Roll’s ultratrick 17-4 cast stainless upper and black anodized billet aluminum anti-vibe bar mounts. This trick stem accommodates the oversized, fatigue-reducing Fasst Company Flexx handlebar system and is way stouter than the usual generic, bigbar adapter method of mounting them. The Flexx bar system actually flexes in the plane of the suspension, like shocks in your handlebars. This Flexx bar relieves

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an amazing amount of vibration as well as shock from your forearms and shoulders, allowing the rider to ride longer and faster. Roll also built some incredible one-off, cast stainless foot pegs that are similar to sets of their sport pegs, complete with kick-ups and all. To further reduce shock and fatigue, and compete with the power steering equipped newer units, Cafro called on Precision-RP for the very best steering damper that money can buy. The Precision Stabilizer works amazing on the Grizzly. This is most likely because it is designed for an ATV, and not a motorcycle retrofit like most of the other steering dampers on the market. The Precision Damper absorbs bone jarring impacts

from trail obstacles such as rocks, tree roots, and ruts like you can’t even believe. Today’s current power steering systems also do a great job of limiting negative feedback to the handlebar, but the bottom line is; if you ride your non power steering equipped utility quad aggressively, a steering stabilizer will most likely benefit you more than any other product. Mike then called on his longtime sponsor, Elka Suspension for a set of fully adjustable Elite Series shocks to make this big utility quad handle the rough stuff better than most sport quads. Elka Elite shocks are valved specifically for the type of riding that Mike will be putting the Grizzly through, yet the multitude of available adjustments including high and low



GRIZZLY BUILD

speed compression, rebound, preload and ride height allow for simple adjustments that will perform in any condition. Mike rides his Grizz purely in CA, so it sees a lot more desert and mountainous conditions than it will ever see of mud, and this made his tire choice much easier. The Maxxis 4 Speed tires

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are a very tough, yet lightweight utility tire that uses their proven Razr sport quad tread pattern to provide excellent traction in drier terrain; whether it be hard packed trails or ripping up a sand wash. This radial tire provides reduced steering effort and excellent bump absorption. These tires were mounted on DWT’s new Sector three piece modular beadlock wheel. The Sector is a stylish, yet super strong heat treated wheel that is available in 12” or 14”, with a number of possible offsets to provide optimum handling in any situation. Definitely the trickiest thing about Mike’s tire set up is that he will never be stranded with a flat. Mike used the same BAJA and WORCS proven, run flat technology that has helped him win time and time again, south of the border. Tireballs were installed at all 4 corners. This sys-


tem fills your tires with multiple individual air bladders, or cells instead of just air. When a flat is acquired, it takes out one of 15 tire balls within the tire, and instead of riding home on a rim; you only lose the equivalent of about 7% of your air pressure. While this may seem a little extreme for your average utility quad; if you ride your vehicle way out into the back country, it’s nice to know that you will have the tires left to ride it back after you’re done. Once the 660 was handling as good as, or maybe better than the competition, the next thing it needed to be competitive was a boost in the horsepower department. For any of the 660 Yamahas, whether it is the Grizzly, Rhino or a Raptor, a 686 big bore kit is the most cost effective and reliable way to boost horsepower. The L.A. Sleeve 686 kit consists of a 102mm LAPC box forged 11:1 piston, L.A. Sleeve gasket kit and a bore job. The 686cc kit is very simple yet effective, bumping overall HP as well as a big improvement off the bottom end. Coupling the 686 kit with a free flowing Swamp Series HMF exhaust system and a high flowing, serviceable K&N air filter turns the 660 Grizzly into a whole new

animal. The modified Grizzly will lift the front end at will and accelerates with authority. Extra horsepower is especially noticeable when climbing hills on the now slightly heavier machine. The stock Grizzly protection was upgraded with a very solid Warn bumper and a complete set of HD Aluminum skid plates from Ricochet Offroad to protect the undercarriage. I did not witness the installation, but Cafro specifically mentioned that they mounted to the Grizzly like a dream. It’s not very often that we receive an extensive set of heavy duty skid

plates like these that are not a complete nightmare to install. The seven year old, wimpy stock seat cover was replaced with a hand sewn, super durable Quadtech ATV one, just like MCR uses on their pro level race bikes. While the project was definitely centered

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GRIZZLY BUILD

around performance and handling, Mike being a lover of the outdoors, plans on taking his Grizzly on deep back country trips to fish and camp. To provide the most useable storage for accessories, OGIO ATV rack bags were installed front and rear. The insulated, waterproof bags will hold just about anything, with over 4400 cubic inches of capacity in the rear and 2500 in the front. Sometimes there is just a little too much riding to be done, in order to finish before the sun goes down. This is why Ricky Stator HID replacement lights are used. These replacement bulbs and lightweight ballasts mount in minutes and

really throw out the light. The HID upgrade puts out three times the light, all while drawing less wattage than the stock set up, leaving plenty of power for the Warn RT2500 winch. The RT2500 winch is a very reliable winch with plenty of pulling power for many odd jobs, or even the next time Mike might miss a turn and needs to winch himself back up a cliff or out of a river. The Warn RT2500 even has a patent-pending brake system to hold the machine on a steep incline. Did he succeed? I would have to say yes. The new Grizzly is as fast as most of the big bore, newer machines. It handles great when driven aggressively or just cruising, and should still prove to be very reliable. On one side of the coin, buying everything to replicate the MCR Grizzly would cost much more than a new machine. On the other hand, a custom ATV is truly like a piece of art, and tough to place a value on. Any of these upgrades will help you improve the performance and ride-ability of your machine. It’s up to you as to just how far you need to go to be content. ✪ www.elkasuspension.com • www.rolldesign.com • www.lasleeve.com www.tireballs.com • www.warn.com • www.fasstco.com • www.maxxis.com www.precision-rp.com • www.hmfracing.com • www.ricochetoffroad.com www.rickystator.com • www.quadtech-atv.com • www.knfilters.com www.worksconnection.com • www.powermadd.com • www.dwtracing.com

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ATV WORLD MAGAZINE


MCR YAMAHA 660

GRIZZLY

BUILD

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4

PART 3

RZR

BUILD UP DOORS, LIGHTS, & FENDER FLARES PHOTOS & EDITORIAL BY CHRIS RADEMACHER

IN THIS ISSUE WE INSTALLED THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: 1) 2) 3) 4)

Asylum Extreme Fender Extenders Pro Armor Doors AMR Racing Door Graphics Kit Warn HID Lights

start, we installed the Asylum Hardware Extreme Fender Extenders. The reason we installed these flares is that back east, things get a tad muddy. After a full day’s ride, you can be completely covered in mud, even when you’re trying to avoid it. So, needless to say, the extra width that these Asylum fender flares provide will help to keep the rider and machine cleaner, not to mention look pretty cool too. So, to begin, Asylum’s instructions are pretty easy to follow, and the product appeared to be very well constructed, with a smooth finish inside the flare and a textured outside finish. They finished off the outer edges with a c-channel gasket to give it that finished look. So let’s jump into the install.

To

So, if you’ve been following our buildup, you’ve noticed that we’ve taken a stock RZR 4 to a pretty awesome and much more capable Polaris RZR 4, with products we believe are the best in the business. If you think we rave too much on the products we review, keep in mind that we do a lot of research ahead of time to pick the best products around, rather than choose just any off-the-shelf product. Our goal is to build the ultimate RZR 4, not an average one. But we also want to do it with practical and functional items first, and appearance items second. If we can make it look great with only a little bit invested, we believe it’s well worth it. And in this issue, we’ve done just that, while making our RZR 4 much more functional at the same time.

FRONT FENDER EXTENDERS First, remove the bottom two stock fender flare screws (A) facing the tire. Next, put the fender extender in place, aligning the two lower holes to the stock screw locations you just removed. Reinsert the two screws you just removed, but don’t tighten them yet. Next, loosen the existing flare’s front-most screw (1) while turning the inner fender speed nut to line up with the notch (1) in front of the new extenders. Starting at the hole toward the front of the vehicle, push the new extender upward on the inner side of the body, (B1) and pre-drill a 1/8” hole. Using the provided fasteners, insert one screw into the hole, without the speed nut on the back side for now. Complete these steps for B3 and B4, ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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RZR 4 BUILD-UP • PART 4 • Doors, Lights, & Fender Flares

making sure the tabs are located to the inside of the stock plastics. From here, instead of just screwing into the plastic, which is an option, we removed the fenders so we could use the provided speed nuts for a more secure mounting. Either way apparently works fine, but we opted for the slightly longer installation. Once everything is pre-drilled, pull away the stock flares from the body and install the speed nuts in all the locations. From here, just tighten everything up and you’re done with the first front fender. Repeat for the opposite side. As you can see from the pictures from the top, they definitely provide full coverage, hopefully deflecting all the junk that gets kicked up. REAR FENDER EXTENDERS

First, remove the bottom two stock fender flare screws (A) facing the tire. Repeating the same process you completed in the front, place the fender extender in place, loosely securing the two screws back in the stock location. By pressing upward near B3, clamp the fender to the stock plastics with the inside lip to the inside edge of the stock plastics. Next, pre-drill the fender using the marker holes in the extender with a 1/8” bit, starting with B1 up to B5. After drilling each hole, we removed the stock fender flare, so we could install the speed nuts on the back side for a more secure installa62

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

tion. Last, make sure the tab on the extenders is inside the stock plastics, then drill the hole and tighten it up. Repeat the same steps for the other side.

ASYLUM HARDWARE FENDER EXTENDER REVIEW In regards to the installation difficulty and time required to do so, it’s a very simple and quick install. The fit and finish of the product is top notch, and they look really sharp to boot. The bends they incorporate into each of the flares not only are functional, but also follow the stock lines of the RZR, resulting in a professional, factory look. Out on the trails is where they really shine. The day before we headed out, it rained for two days straight. In addition, it was also the coldest day we had in a long time at sub-30 degrees, so we were wondering how well the plastic would hold up if brushed up against the rocks. So we headed up to Windrock OHV area to ride a couple of our favorite trails, both of which


are very difficult to extreme, according to the maps. The trails were super muddy, slick, and had running water flowing down the centers, so we knew we had our challenges set out for us on this ride. However, for testing these flares, the conditions were perfect. Right off the bat, on off-camber, rutted out trails, you’re going to notice the extra width of the flares because you’re going to be worrying about ripping them off. We worried about this the first time we weren’t able to continue sticking to the high side of the rut and quickly slid down into the ditch, sliding on the flare the entire time. We immediately checked the flares, certain that they had ripped clean off, but to our surprise, they were still in perfect condition. Throughout the day, we bumped, scraped, and beat on the flares with no problems with them ripping off, cracking, or breaking. But in an attempt to climb an off-camber ditch, and not paying attention to the downhill side, we slid off our footing, straight into a sharp rock, which finally did put a slight crack in the front fender. To us, this was an extremely hard hit of nearly the entire vehicle weight sliding into a sharp rock, just in the perfect spot. So, although it did crack slightly, it could easily be super-glued to maintain its shape. The best part about the flares though, is that you no longer get covered in mud during your ride. We blasted through mud puddles faster than normal, just to see if we could get wet, and the only thing they don’t protect you from is water over the hood. Otherwise, these Fender Extenders work perfectly for keeping the occupants dry inside the cab of the RZR 4, not to mention keeping the bed clean as well. It’s pretty annoying to be out riding with all your high dollar camera gear in the bed, to have it completely covered in mud each time you go to grab some pictures. With these extenders in place, all our gear was clean and easily accessible. Overall, we’re very impressed with the Asylum Hardware Extreme Fender Extenders. After returning back home and washing off the RZR 4, we thought it might be interesting to add a new product to the Asylum line that would be a “high clearance” model. After discussing this with Asylum, they’re going to produce a third product for those that like to lay their UTV’s in ditches on their sides a lot, like us. Essentially, we looked at the pattern of the mud after our ride, on the inside of the fenders, and thought if it was trimmed up about halfway up from the bottom, you’d lose very little effective coverage, but have plenty of clearance to keep the rocks out of them. So, hopefully in the near future you’ll see a narrow, extreme, and high clearance model available from Asylum to fit whatever riding style you have. Outside of that, we’d highly recommend these Asylum Extreme Fender Extenders. PRO ARMOR DOORS One of the other items we wanted to install on the RZR 4 was a good set of doors, for a few different reasons. First and foremost, in our opinion the Pro Armor doors are the best looking doors on

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Phone: 1-800-557-0552 www.elkasuspension.com www.elkawebstore.com

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RZR 4 BUILD-UP • PART 4 • Doors, Lights, & Fender Flares

the market for the RZR 4. And we already confirmed that looks and appearance are number one, right? Okay, so although it’s important, it’s might not be the number one reason we chose these doors. The main reason we chose these doors is because AMR Racing has an awesome looking graphics kit that matches the stock colors and design perfectly, making the overall look, amazing. All right then; we cheated and selected these doors purely on looks! Well, in all seriousness, those were just side benefits to the functionality of these Pro Armor doors. The number one reason, in our opinion, to have good quality doors on your RZR 4 should be safety, and these doors definitely deliver. They’re constructed entirely out of aluminum tubing and aluminum skins, which produces a strong, yet lightweight door. The number two reason we chose these doors is that they provide a wider passenger compartment by flaring outward, freeing up space near your arms and knees. From there, if keeping the interior of your RZR 4 clean is something you’d enjoy, these doors help to prevent mud, dirt and debris from entering as well. Last but not least, they have vents in the top portion of the doors to keep the airflow moving throughout the cab. Otherwise, adding enclosed doors can increase the temperatures inside the cab. So let’s jump into the install of the Pro Armor doors. DOOR PREPARATION To begin, the parts included for the install can appear a little daunting, but the install is actually quite easy. In fact, there’s no drilling into your RZR 4 required, which was surprising to us. The only thing I’d say that would have been nice to have is color pictures to accent the instructions, because the black and white ones provided were basically black, and useless for the install. But luckily, the text portions of their instructions were relatively easy to follow. The first step is to remove all the seats from the RZR 4, along with all pieces of the side nets. At the A-Pillar, (forward, lowest tube of the roll cage) remove the (2) factory nuts and bolts that attach the factory roll cage to the vehicle’s frame. Repeat this for the other side as well. 64

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

Under the front seat, remove and retain the bolt that attaches the vehicle’s floor plastics to the seat mount bar. Repeat this for the other side as well. At the B-Pillar, (vertical roll cage bar next to driver’s seat) remove and retain the nut and bolt that attaches the seatbelt assembly to the welded upper B-pillar mounting plate. Repeat this for the other side as well. Next, remove the forward nut and bolt from the C-pillar (vertical roll cage bar next to the rear seats) mount of the vehicle’s roll cage. Retain the nut and discard the bolt, and repeat for the other side. DOOR INSTALLATION Position the right front door frame in place so that it’s A-pillar and under seat mounts are aligned to the vehicle’s A-pillar and under seat mounting points (These are the two bolts at the bottom of the roll cage and the bolt you removed under the front seat). Loosely install (2) 3/8-16 x 1.75” hex bolts and 3/8-16 nuts at the Apillar mounting points. Next, remove the

roll cage bar that goes from the middle of the C-pillar to the bottom of the B-pillar. This was one instance in the instructions, because of the lack of good pictures, where we weren’t sure if this was correct or not. Although removing the roll cage tube allows for easier entry and exit by the rear passengers, I’m sure it’s not quite as strong now. But we removed this bar, because otherwise, we couldn’t figure any other way to get the L-shaped bracket to work. So we inserted the L-Shaped bracket from the top, with the short side bent towards to the rear of the RZR 4, and the nut protrusion facing forward in the B-pillar. This will be the connection point for the front right door assembly’s lower B-pillar mount and the rear right door assembly’s lower B-pillar mount. Next, position the front and rear right door assemblies so that the front sleeve tube of the rear door assembly inserts into the lower rear tube section of the front door assembly. Adjust the (2) door assemblies so that their lower B-pillar mounts are aligned with one another. Align the front door’s upper B-pillar mount to the upper B-Pillar mounting point. Loosely

secure the mounting point by re-attaching the seatbelt assembly and re-installing the retained hardware from before, along with a (1) #17 washer on the front side of the mount. Next, position the #1 L-brack-

et from earlier, so that it is aligned to the lower B-pillar mounting brackets of the front and rear door assemblies. Loosely

install (1) M6 x 25mm bolt through the (2) lower B-pillar brackets, through the Bpillar into the L-shaped bracket. Next, position the rear door assembly’s C-pillar mount over the C-pillar mounting point of the vehicle’s roll cage. Loosely

install (1) retained factory nut and (1) retained factory bolt, (from A-pillar) along with (1) 3/8 washer from the hardware kit at the C-pillar mounting point.


One thing to note at this point is that each frame and vehicle is slightly different, tolerance wise. The instructions from Pro Armor recommended putting the vehicle on blocks to relieve any unnecessary binding or flex. But in our opinion, doing it as it sits on level ground is likely to reduce any binding once everything is installed. We’re not sure which way is better, but that’s just how we did it. Keep in mind though, that these frames definitely flex considerably, so keeping these doors shutting and lining up perfectly down the road, probably isn’t very likely regardless. At least there’s adjustment available if they get out of whack. The biggest factor though, is keeping them shut. A lot of inferior doors on the market fly open when the frames flex, which obviously, is not good. Next, it’s time to install the latches and drill the holes for the plungers in the optimal locations. Loosely thread in (1) #11 spring plunger into the front door’s latch tab. Fasten the plunger by loosely installing (1) jam nut as shown. Repeat the same procedure for the rear door. The plungers will need to be adjusted so that the doors are free to swing open and closed with the plunger handle pulled back. Keep in mind that you want the plunger to insert as far as possible into the frames, but not so close that the threaded portion hits the frame when the vehicle’s frame flexes. A hole needs to be drilled in the A-pillar and B-pillar’s mounting brackets. So using a ½” drill bit, we drilled the holes parallel to the latch pins. Next, we applied super glue to the nylon sleeves and inserted them into the (2) drilled holes. And finally, to complete the right side, using the supplied nuts, bolts, and washers, install the door skins with a washer under the bolt head and the locking nuts. Repeat the same process for the left side. Note: We installed the AMR Graphics kit to the door skins before installing them on the vehicle.

HOLD FOR ANDREW

PRO ARMOR DOORS REVIEW In regards to the installation difficulty and time required to do so, it’s a very simple install, but because of the many parts involved, it does take a decent amount of time. With two people installing a set for the first time, expect to spend roughly a half-day to install them. The fit and finish of the product is top notch, and they look really sharp; especially with the AMR graphics kit installed. One thing we did is have them powder coated instead of having the raw aluminum look. So we powder coated the tubing in a black textured finish, and the door skins in a smooth finish in the same color blue as the seats. In the end, they looked awesome. ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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RZR 4 BUILD-UP • PART 4 • Doors, Lights, & Fender Flares

driver’s side door with a simple adjustment of the doorframes. Overall, we’d highly recommend the Pro Armor doors for the RZR 4 for the ultimate in quality, function, and appearance.

they have great designs, they help to protect your vehicle’s paint job if ever removed, and did we mention they look awesome? Overall, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better combination of fit and appearance than a graphics kit from AMR Racing.

AMR RACING GRAPHICS KIT

The first thing you’re going to notice is that getting in and out of the RZR in the front or the back is definitely easier now with the doors over the factory side nets. The suicide opening setup makes it easy to get in and out and close the doors without having to reach up and behind you to latch the side nets. Once seated in the RZR 4, you’ll immediately notice that you feel like you have more room and less clutter. The reason for this is the way Pro Armor angles the doors outward from the A-pillar, then back slightly towards the Bpillar. This gives large guys like me, plenty of knee, hip, shoulder, and arm room. In addition, the added benefit is you have a great place to rest your arm now as well. The only thing we’d like to see is rubber or plastic bolt covers to prevent your knee from getting gouged in the event that you stop abruptly. We didn’t encounter this, but we think from a safety standpoint, maybe the five bolts closest to your knee area is all that would be needed; just to be safe. Out on the trails, we wish we had been able to test these doors without the addition of the new Asylum flares installed at the same time. But it’s our conclusion that with the doors and the flares, you basically stay clean during the entire ride. We can only speculate that the doors would obviously help in the absence of the flares as well, but would probably still get a little bit dirty from any dirt or mud that flies up and over the doors. Given that the temperatures were below freezing during our ride, I’d say it was very nice to have some of the wind blocked by the doors. It will be interesting to see how they do in the dead of summer, and whether we notice a dramatic difference in the in-cab temperatures. In the end, we got back to the truck clean and the doors worked flawlessly. The doors that we drilled the holes for that were tight originally, were now perfect. And the driver’s side door that was perfect originally, was now slightly off, all due to the frame flexing and the doors settling into place. Needless to say, this is to be expected, and we fixed the 66

ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

Having used AMR Racing’s products before, we were glad to hear they had already produced a great looking graphics kit for the Pro Armor RZR 4 doors that matched the existing vehicle’s graphics. To install them using two people, one person holds up one end and the other person slowly adheres the graphics to the door skins. We tried the first one with some soapy water, and to our surprise it wasn’t needed to get everything to line up easily. So, for the remaining 3 panels, we installed them without it, because they’re relatively small surfaces with only a slight bend in each of them. Before installing them, it’s important to remove any and all dirt or fingerprints, with isopropyl alcohol. From there, we started at the tops of the door panels, so we knew the holes would be lined up well. Essentially, that’s it. It’s really that simple. We didn’t have to use a blow dryer or let them hang out in the sun for hours to remove any bubbles; they came out perfectly.

Secondly, AMR includes graphics for the rearmost section and the B-pillar section of the doors as well. So we wiped them down with the alcohol, and applied those as well. We were slightly worried that the textured finish of the powder coating would prevent them from sticking well, but so far so good. The coating they use on these kits are unbelievably sticky, so keep that in mind when you start applying them. Once they’re down, they’re stuck for good unless you do opt to use soapy water in a spray bottle. In the end, the beauty of AMR Racing’s Graphics kits is that they’re easy to install,

WARN HID LIGHTS After installing our Warn winch and front bumper, it’s time to finally install Warn’s brand new HID lights. There are a lot of lights on the market as you probably know, so choosing which type and manufacturer wasn’t easy. We could have chosen LED’s, some other type of HID’s or good old Halogens. But in the end, we chose the Warn HID’s because we believe in Warn’s quality, fit and finish in all of the products we’ve ever tested from them. To say they’re the best of the best or the ultimate light money can buy, would be lying, because we haven’t tested or ever seen a test of all the available lights on the market. But we can say that we’ve always been impressed with the quality of products we’ve tested from Warn in the past. So, let’s jump into the install. WARN HID LIGHTS INSTALLATION The first thing you have you figure out when installing lights is where you want to install them. For most, the most common location is on the roof of the UTV, so the light projects far into the distance, with little to no glare off the hood. The concern with this location is the lights being ripped off by low hanging trees. So, just be careful if you install lights in this area that you don’t go romping through the tight woods trails and forget that these high dollar lights are sitting up above your roofline. For our application, and the way the Warn lights are designed, the easiest place to mount our lights was on the forward edge of the Dirt Performance Roof. We identified where we wanted to drill our holes, and then drilled them out using a 13/32” drill bit. After drilling the holes, we applied some silicone to the base of the nut and inserted them through the roof. The nice thing about these lights is that the wiring goes through the threaded mounting post, so wiring these up is simple and clean. There’s only a positive and negative wire off the lights, and the bal-


lasts are internal to the lights, making the install a cinch. Next, we only loosely tightened the lights so we could adjust them once everything was connected. For us, we didn’t want the wires zip tied around the roll cage, so we drilled holes and fed the wires through the cage, which proved to be the most difficult part of the install. Once the wires were fed through the cage, we installed the two switches on the dash. From there, you simply run the wires under the floorboard to the battery and connect the lights. It’s that simple and easy to do. All wires are color-coded, so it would be really hard to mess this up. Just be prepared, depending on where you install everything, that you may have to buy some additional wire and connectors to make it all fit. HID LIGHTS REVIEW Although we haven’t had a chance to test these lights on a real ride, we drove around the house to do our initial positioning of the lights, and all we can say is wow! What a huge difference these lights provide over stock. In fact, what’s funny is that you can’t even tell if you have the stock lights on or off, because the Warn HID’s overpower them completely. We’re looking forward to testing them and getting them positioned perfectly for optimal light spread and coverage. Overall, as usual, we’re impressed with the fit and finish of these Warn lights and how easy the installation is with the internal ballasts. ✪

$779 $79HUV 3DUDGLVH 9HUV HUVV 3D 3DDUD UDG UDGGLGLVH LVVH

One step away from ATV and Snowmobile trail. 3 Year old, custom built 5 Bedroom Bungalow on 1.24 acres. Fully finished walk out basement is perfect for Bed and Breakfast potential. 1813 sq ft plus 28’X 12’ sunroom overlooking lake. Attached 2 car garage as well as 1200 sq ft 2 storey detached garage with water, heat and 400 amp electrical service. Approx 300 feet of shoreline on Quirke Lake offers swimming, boating and fishing. Listed below replacement cost $479,000. For more details or to book a private viewing please call:

Debora S Patterson, Re/Max Blue Springs Realty (Halton) Inc 106 Main St. N., Rockwood, On N0B 2K0 • 519-856-4348 or Toll Free 888-656-4348

Asylum Hardware – 307-899-5335 – www.asylumhardware.com Pro Armor – 951-343-9270 – ww.proarmor.com AMR Racing – 702-312-2217 – www.amrracing.com Warn – www.warn.com ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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BUYER’S GUIDE QUADRAX 2500 WINCH A quality winch at a good price, The Quadrax 2500 winch kit comes fully equipped the remote control, a mini switch a fairlead adapter plate the roller fairlead a contactor the cable assembly and the hook. With all of these items installed on quads and side-by-sides, winching your way out of certain mishaps or task has never been as simple. With its capacity to pull up to 2500lbs (1134kg) with its 12 V 1.0hp permanent magnet motor. With its 136:1 gear ratio and cam activated clutch the Quadrax winch is a crucial item for all vehicles. For more information visit www.motovan.com

OGIO ATV BAGS The OGIO front and rear bags are good for all seasons. They have multiple uses and allow you to pack what you need for your riding adventure. These bags have it all from water resistant zippers to an oversized bungee strap system to make sure that everything is secure. With 2500 cubic inches of storage space you will make your ride that much more organized. OGIO also has a full line bags for all uses, for a complete listing of OGIO products visit www.ogio.ca

CURTIS INDUSTRIES SNO-PRO FAST- CAT 550E If you’re in the snow removal business or have a business where you need to keep your parking lot ice and snow free, then the new Curtis Industries Sno-Pro Fast Cast 550E should be on your shopping list. The new electric V-box spreader is lightweight, featuring a stainless steel carriage with an aluminum hopper that won’t rust and is unaffected by continued use of salt and sand. In addition, the new Fast Cast 550E spreader features a quiet and durable 12V 1/3 HP electric motor that draws less than 20 Amps, replacing a gas engine. It also eliminates the need for a noisy vibrator motor, allowing operators to work both day and night without disturbing customers or neighbors. For more information visit www.curtisindustries.net or call 800-343-7676

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MATTRACKS SPROSITIVE DRIVE Mattracks announces the Sprositive Drive option for ATVs and UTVs. The Sprositive Drive System has been specially designed to compensate for the miss match ratios on ATVs and UTVs using over running front differentials. By eliminating the slack in the front sprockets pitch and changing the pitch ratio in the rear, the Sprositive Drive allows your vehicle to stay locked in 4WD and helps keep all tracks pulling at the same speed. Mattracks offer Sprositive Drive options for Polaris, John Deere, Club Car, Bobcat, Case IH, New Holland and Cub Cadet UTVs, also some Polaris ATVs. Built for work or play, Mattracks currently manufactures 66 different Rubber Track Conversion Sys- tems for 4x4 ATVs, UTVs, SUVs, trucks, tractors and specialty vehicles. Mattracks LiteFoot can be utilized year round in mud, sand, snow, swamp, rough terrain or down the road. LiteFoot will get you there and back. For further information, check out www.mattracks.com or call (218) 436-7000

STI MUD TRAX This super-aggressive tread design features great deep, angled, grooved lugs to achieve an exceptional level of traction in those harsh wet soggy spring conditions. The tough 6-ply tire utilizes a new heavy duty rubber compound for unmatched durability, performance and treads life. The wide spaced lugs offer great traction and exceptional performance in the swamp and mud while the ‘’V’’ shaped center lug provides a surprisingly smooth ride on hard packed terrain and asphalt. Finally the aggressive shoulder lugs will help pull you through the deepest of ruts. It is safe to say that there is not a tire on the market offering a better price for the performance this tire can give. For more information visit www.motovan.com

MOTUL MOTOWASH Heavy duty cleaning with a showroom shine, just another great product offered by MOTUL is their MOTOWASH. The Biodegradable highly concentrated formula attacks the toughest of all kinds of mud, dirt and grime. Safe on all kinds of surfaces such as plastics, synthetic fabrics, paintwork and metals the MOTUL MOTOWASH with definitely get rid of the unwanted residues. Efficiently removes all traces of grease, dust, soil, mosquitos and other splatters. This product dries evenly leaving a nice dry anti-corrosion film giving your ATV or UTV that bright shiny look we all love. For more information visit www.motovan.com

AMSOIL QUICKSHOT SE FUEL ADDITIVE AMSOIL INC. now offers new Quickshot SE to address common fuel issues found in small engine and powersports equipment. Degraded fuel can cause carbon build up that can lead to rough idling and poor throttle response. Fuel related problems are expected to intensify in the coming years as the ethanol content in pump gasoline continues to increase. AMSOIL Quickshot SE is a premium fuel additive formulated to clean and restore optimal performance in small engine and powersports equipment fuel systems. Its revolutionary formulation focuses on three major fuel-related issues common in small engine equipment: ethanol, water and dirty gasoline. For more information call1-715-392-7101 or 1-800-777-8491 ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

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SPRING

BUYER’S GUIDE TRITON TC16 Fall of 2010, Triton Trailers began full production, offering their newest trailer the TC16 for snowmobile and ATV use. This innovative trailer has a covered area that is 7’ wide x 16’ long making for easy towing and great visibility, with extra room for transporting extra gear. The TC16 comes with all the quality components Triton is known for and a variety of accessories to tailor fit for each person’s individual use. Find out more information at www.tritontrailers.com or call 1-800-668-8757 to locate a dealer in your area.

RZR MASK Dust is one of the biggest problems encountered by outdoor sports enthusiasts. People who enjoy ATVs and dirt bikes often wind up covered with grime – and they are still coughing it up several days later. If you are at all concerned about your health while riding the dusty trails, the RZR Mask is a great tool to help keep your lungs safe. The new, strong neoprene RZR Mask has N99 carbon-activated, replaceable filters that filter out 99.9 percent of all airborne particles including: dust, pollen, toxic and hazardous fumes, and odors generated by pesticides, fertilizers and farm animals. RZR Mask’s specially designed discharge valves ensure the mask will not fog eyeglasses. The mask technology is comfortable with Velcro straps, looks sporty, fits easily inside helmets, is machine washable, and is available in colors: black, blue, silver, camouflage, red and pink. www.sledpro.com, In Canada please call: 1-877-397-3555 in the USA call: (888)777-9422 CONTACT: www.rzrmasks.com

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DURHAM REGION’S #1 CAN-AM ATV AND SKI-DOO DEALER


Say it isn’t so, I have woken up every morning for the last 2 weeks and have not seen a blanket of snow covering my lawn, I don’t know about you but this winter seemed to never end. The days are warming up and getting longer, the mild warm winds are drying the trails, and my dog is looking for every opportunity to get out the door and run the neighbourhood yup, spring is here! My ATV is out of storage and waiting in the garage for trails to open, I can hardly wait. Yes unfortunately most if not all ATV trails in Ontario are still closed, why you ask, they are great to ride, nice and muddy, a great challenge, and this is what ATVs are made for, I agree with you; however many clubs across the province are working hard to satisfy landowners, and other trail user groups expectations of keeping the trails maintained to a satisfactory standard and unfortunately few ATVs can create “much” damage on the

soft earth. The trickle down effect is that clubs need to use their limited dollars to repair early spring damage and that can leave the coffers to low to start and or complete other planned trail maintenance and construction projects. I am personally putting a call out to all ATVers asking you to heed the “Trail Closed” signs, and please check with the manager (local club) of your favourite riding area before venturing out to make sure that the trails are open and ready to be beaten up. The first OFATV sanctioned event of the year is the Annual ATV Ride in support of the Mike Holmes Foundation. The OFATV hooked up with the HGTV Television personality Mike Holmes five years ago and we have been partnering with his Foundation and Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP Can-Am) and their supporting dealers to raise money for Mikes Charity for five years now. The Ride will take place at CFB Base Borden at the Rod

and Gun Club on Saturday May 14th, starting at 9:00 am. For registration information or a pledge form please visit www.ofatv.org, or call the office at 705797-0797 and the forms will be emailed or mailed to you. THE BASE HAS GIVEN US PERMISSION TO RUN SIDE-BYSIDES THIS YEAR. The route for side-bysides will be modified slightly to accommodate the added width; but let me assure you that you will still have a great run. The Can-Am “The Ride Says it All Tour” will be onsite as well, so if a new ATV or side-byside is in your future, come on out and get on a Can-Am and take it for a spin. ATVing is growing more each year, I am once again calling on all ATVers to get involved, support your local club, if there is not a club in your area, start one and it will continue to grow.

Wayne Daub OFATV Executive Director

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OCTOBER 14, 15, 16, 2011 • INTERNATIONAL CENTRE

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CANADIAN OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLE DISTRIBUTORS COUNCIL (COHV)

INDUSTRY WATCH By Jo-Anne Farquhar In spite of this year’s unpredictable, frigid and blustery winter weather, over 187,000 motorcycle and ATV enthusiasts still managed to find refuge and a slice of spring at the seven MMIC & COHV Motorcycle and ATV shows across Canada. These shows in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Quebec City, Moncton and Montreal offered motorcycle, off-road motorcycle and ATV enthusiast an opportunity to check out what’s new for 2011 and chat about their passion with the experts on the show floor. But that isn’t all that these shows had to offer. There’s a grass roots component to the show that allows attendees to talk to fellow enthusiasts about the ins and outs of riding in that province. The men and women who volunteer their personal time to man these booths during shows BOOK YOUR OUTDOOR KITCHEN TODAY

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hours are avid riders who belong to provincial rider federations and local clubs. These people are passionate about their sport and recreational activities and they spent long hours during the show talking one on one with new and experienced riders about safety, education and the best places to ride. Adding to these discussions was the latest information on the benefits of riding all-terrain vehicles (ATV’s) and offroad motorcycles (ORM’s). Re-enforcing previous information published in 2010, more scientific proof was published in the January 2011 issue of the European Journal of Applied Physiology. The findings in this final phase of the study support earlier findings that riding ATVs and ORMs is good for your body, soul and quality of life. The Canadian Off-Highway Vehicle Distributors Council (COHV), its funding partners and Provincial ATV and off-road motorcycle rider federations reviewed the published results of the final phase of the ATV and ORM Health Benefit Study conducted by Jamie F. Burr, and his team at York University’s Physical Activity and Chronic Disease Unit. In this final phase of the study the York University team evaluated the fitness and health of individuals who participated in a six or eight week training program that involved riding ATVs and ORMs as the exercise stimulus. According to Burr, the primary purpose of this investigation on the “Physiological fitness and health adaptations from purposeful training using off-road vehicles” was to determine the fitness and health effects resulting from a structured program of off-road vehicle riding with inexperienced riders using ATVs and ORMs. Once more, the findings in this final phase involving a more controlled test environment confirmed what ATV and ORM vehicle riders already know! Important health benefits can be achieved by this type of non-traditional physical activity. Even more important is the fact that this type of physical activity can be used to target higher risk rural communities where exercise opportunities are limited. We know that inactivity puts a burden on Canada’s health care system. We also know that Canada is revising its national physical-activity standards in order to

make targets more attainable, to promote health and encourage exercise and fitness. The Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology, the central Canadian body for fitness research, has recommended that the physical activity guidelines for children, adults and older people in Canada be revised to harmonize with those set by the World Health Organization and other major developed countries like the United States, Australia and Britain. Off-road riding certainly represents an attractive unconventional physical activity to help combat preventable disease and premature aging. The ATV and ORM Health Benefits study indicated that 77% of rural Canadian residents have access to off-road vehicles (ORVs). These finding demonstrate that spending time on an ATV and ORM is a recreational activity that is appealing, readily available and a great opportunity for rural community residents to increase their physical activity levels. This is also a time of year when training and safety is more essential than ever and as ORV recreational riding hits its riding season, it is important for people to refresh their safety knowledge. That means choosing a motorcycle or ATV that suits your skill level, wearing protective gear and obeying on road and off-road traffic laws. For ATVers, the All-Terrain Quad Council of Canada’s (AQCC), CASI ATV RiderCourseSM, based on the well-recognized ATV Safety Institute (ASI) program, endorsed by the Canadian Off-Highway Vehicle Distributors Council and the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council in the USA provides a fun, safe and orderly way to learn proper ATV/Quad operation for both the novice and experienced rider. To find out more about the COHV, its member manufacturers and the CASI ATV Rider Course check out the www.cohv.ca website. Jo-Anne Farquhar is the Director of Communications & Public Affairs for the Motorcycle & Moped Industry Council (MMIC) and the Canadian OffHighway Vehicle Distributors Council (COHV) and can be reached at 416-491-4449 or toll-free at 877.470.2288 or by email at jfarquhar@cohv.ca or jfarquhar@mmic.ca. The COHV and its member companies: Arctic Cat, BRP (CanAm), Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Polaris, Suzuki and Yamaha are committed to family recreation and healthy, active life styles. www.cohv.ca


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Haliburton

3 Nicholsville Rd.,Deer Lake A8A 2E8 www.driftwoodinn.ca Res.: 1-888-635-5115 Phone: 709-635-5115 Fax: 709-635-5995 Located in central Newfoundland near the old railbed, which is the ATV Trail. The Driftwood Inn offers 24 newly renovated rooms and Executive Suite, restaurent and bar/lounge. Free wireless internet, laundry on site, and lock up area for gear. Call for ATV Rates. Guides are available.

242 Oastler Park Dr (Exit 217), Parry Sound, Ont. Resv: (705) 378-2441 Fax: (705) 378-2038 www.courtyardhospitality.com ellmarmotorinn@hotmail.com This 20 unit motor inn is located across from trails and close to all amenities. Some suites have sauna, spa bath or fireplace. We cater to ATVers with emphasis on "Do Your Own Cooking". We supply all cooking facilities, barbecues, etc. and our road into town is ATV legal. Home of "Rhino Tours". See you soon.

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Little Hawk Resort & Marina Algonquin Highlands, Ontario K0M 1J2 705-489-2158 www.littlehawk.ca • info@littlehawk.ca At the crossroads of Muskoka and Haliburton.

Rediscover, Reconnect, Re-establish, Replenish ~ Ontario waterfront resort & marina ~ Full service on site licensed restaurant ~ Haliburton cottage rentals ~ Lodge suites and meeting room facilities ~ ATV destination in the Highlands ~ Family vacations, romantic couples getaways ~ Fishing trips, winter snowmobiling ~ Only two hours from Toronto

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4660 County Rd #21, Haliburton Ont, K0M1S0 www.KashagaLodge.com 1-888-330-3746 • Email@ATVHaliburton.com HALIBURTON’S FAVOURITE ATV PACKAGE!! • Ride from your deck • 1 to 6 bedroom cottages with kitchens • Cottages in 2 different towns • Direct access to 2 different trail systems • Custom maps and directions provided • Free Thurs night with ATVing weekend • On-site pressure washer and repair shop www.ATVHaliburton.com

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Southern Ontario's Largest USED PARTS place is now even larger! We stock thousands of new & used parts for ATVs and sleds from 1964 to present. 20% off list of all new ATV tires and rims! Conveniently located just east of London on Hwy 2, only 8 min. off the 401. Open year round for your convenience. Summer: Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-1. Winter: Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-4. CALL US FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS! WE SHIP PARTS ANYWHERE!!!

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117 Port Severn Rd, Port Severn, Ont. L0K 1S0 PH: (705) 538-2527 • Fax: (705) 538-2577 sunnylea@csolve.net • www.sunnylearesort.on.ca Open all year long and conveniently located just 90 minutes north of Muskoka/ Georgian Bay region amidst the beauty of scenic lands, clean air and crystal clear waters of Little Lake in Port Severn. Cozy lakeside cottages with full kitchens and all the amenities & comfort of home. . Scenic ATV trails available nearby in Port Severn (Baxter ATV Riders). Go ATVing, play some golf, and enjoy some fishing (boat rentals available on site). Liquor/ groceries/ gas/ restaurant down the street. We our your perfect year round vacation spot!

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Turners Northwood Adventures

6 room B&B/ Lodge with home cooked meals. Complete Outfitter for ATV & Snowmobilers. Guided or self guided tours. www.turnersnorthwoodsadventures.com

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Durham Region's #1 Ski-Doo/Sea-Doo, Sportboat, Can Am dealer. Full line of Ski-Doo sleds, parts, clothing and accessories.Trail starts at our door. 3 Douglas Road, Uxbridge, ON L9P 1M7 (905) 852-5884 • 1-800-668-SLED uxbridgemotorsports.com

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> DETONATION PAT BOURGEOIS

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WORLD

recognizable hiss emanating from the left rear tire was an immediate telltale sign that the day’s riding was over. Suspecting the all too familiar pinched bead that is common on the sharp edged rocks that line the base of the popular northern Minnesota trail we were riding, I was surprised to find an unscathed sidewall upon removal. Grabbing the portable air tank, I overinflated the tire, hoping to discover a long lost screw or nail that had become acquainted with my tire. But after injecting 25pounds of container oxygen into the injured tire, the hiss persisted, but no puncture could be found. Instead, I discovered a hairline crack in what I had believed up to this point was a somewhat rugged, and knowingly expensive, cast aluminum rim. Immediately I began mental calculations of the cost of the weekend getaway now suddenly cut short. Aside from the fuel, meals, and night of lodging, the cost of a new rim and the downtime associated with it had me percolating just slightly below the boiling point. To make matters worse, during my trailside pit stop I noticed that the front rim on the same side had a noticeable “flat” spot on the backside bead. Now I had not one, but potentially two rims to replace, and the costs were escalating quickly on the ticker tape of my mental calculator. According to my neighbors, my three-car garage is sometimes affectionately referred to as the neighborhood tool and advice shed. Often times, before anyone makes a

The

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ATV WORLD MAGAZINE

trip to the local hardware store, they check with me first. Often I direct them onward to the hardware store with a detailed parts list. But on occasion, I have the “wingnut” or fabricated “foo-foo valve” to solve their problem. No matter, I’m always amazed at how often their response to their dilemma is always the same; “I’ll just get a new one.” Growing up on a small family farm in northern Minnesota, the words “get a new one” simply weren’t in my father’s vocabulary. Armed with some simple tools; a usedup, but still effective arc welder, and a pile of scrap iron from old farm implements and rusted out cars, my father, along with help from other neighbors, could seemingly fix or repair nearly every malady that ailed their equipment. Not surprisingly, that same attitude of fix-it, don’t throw it, has stayed with me, although admittedly to a lesser degree. After all, today’s modern world operates on the very premise of out with the old, and in with the new. From automobiles and lawn mowers, to hair dryers and kitchen appliances, the very notion of repair is often scuttled immediately in favor of buying a latest and greatest replacement. Even in our daily lives, one and done items are everywhere; from disposable cameras and lighters to single use toothbrushes and coffee cups… we live in a disposable world. Determined not to “dispose” of my virtually new, cast aluminum rims, I set out looking for a way to mend my damaged goods. It was during this search that I came to the realization that not only do we

live in a disposable world, but somewhere along the way, we’ve lost the appetite for, and more importantly the appreciation of the value and pride associated with repair rather than replace. Even in the world of powersports, where I’d argue that far more enthusiasts can spin a wrench and facilitate a repair, we’ve become more apt to buy new when the old gives way. From dealerships to aftermarket companies to manufactures, the urge to simply replace what’s damaged or suspect, versus diagnose and repair, has grown more and more prevalent. Not surprisingly, so too have the attitudes of powersports consumers, who have traded in their toolbox for a credit card. Fortunately for my own self-pride, my search to repair and not replace my damaged rims landed me inside the walls of a small fabrication shop in an adjacent town. Owned by a middle-aged gentleman who first and foremost fabricated aluminum tube chassis race cars, his shop was organized in what could be best described as orderly chaos, with select piles of scrap aluminum, steel, fasteners, and several old race car chassis arranged in a circular fashion around a large, well lit work bench that was smack-dab in the middle. After reviewing the rims with a suspect eye, he took them under his wing and set them atop the corner of the bench. Within one week, I returned to find a meticulous repair of the hairline crack as well as the secondary “flat-spot” having vanished. As he ran his work-worn hands over the now polished bead, he deemed the completed job, “better than new.” No question that the powersports industry, as does the entire industrial world, rely on the simple idea of buying new to replace the old. Without this ongoing cycle, many of us, myself included, would be without a job, and instead washing dishes at the local Moose Club versus riding and writing about the latest off-road vehicles. I went searching for a simple repair, and in the process I rediscovered that value and pride associated with the art of the repair, is often far more valuable than the item itself, and that’s something I hope I never dispose of. ✪


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The 50-hp* Gator™ XUV 825i. With its 812cc three-cylinder engine, dual overhead cams and mind-blowing acceleration, this is the fastest, most powerful Gator yet. Test-drive one today. Available exclusively at your John Deere dealer.

*Engine horsepower is provided by engine manufacturer for comparison purposes only. Actual operating horsepower may be less. John Deere’s green and yellow color scheme, the leaping deer symbol and JOHN DEERE are trademarks of Deere & Company. John Deere Utility Vehicles (UVs) are for the use only by those aged 16 and older. Users should however, respect any applicable law establishing a higher minimum age for operating an all terrain vehicle. Passenger must be able to hold handgrips and position feet on the Ơoor of the UV while seated against backrest. John Deere highly recommends that all UV operators take a training course and read owner’s manual carefully before operating vehicle. Contact your local John Deere dealer for safety and training information or contact the Canada Safety council at 1-613-739-1535. UVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: always wear a helmet, eye protection, and other protective clothing; always remember that alcohol/drugs and the operation of a UV do not mix; never operate on paved surfaces or public roads; never attempt stunts with your UV; avoid excessive speeds; and, be particularly careful on difƟcult terrain. 48286

JohnDeere.com/Gator


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