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Dirt Trax Television 2018 – Episode 6 Sneak Peek

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Coming up this week on Dirt Trax Television:

The long-awaited successor to our most popular build in Dirt Trax Television has arrived…

Following the disappointment of a mechanical DNF at last years Smoke ’n Spurs event; AJ and Graham return to a local mud bog race to shake-down and prove the reliability of our 2008 Can-Am Outlander Mud Build. This event only marks the start on their road to redemption. Stay tuned and follow their journey as they pursue their place atop the podium.

And CFMOTO goes all-in making a big impact to the sport side-x-side market as we review the 2018 ZFORCE 1000 EPS LX.

Watch this week on WILD TV and OLN in Canada and Outdoor Channel in the United States!

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2019 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE Walk Around & First Impressions

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Dirt Trax Co-Host Luke Lester is out filming Kawasaki’s 2019 4-seater Teryx and gives you some honest and unscripted first impressions of the vehicle.

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2019 Suzuki KingQuad 750 AXi SE Walk Around & First Impressions

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Dirt Trax Co-Host AJ Lester is out on site with Suzuki’s latest KingQuad 750 AXi SE+ and takes a break from being in front of the camera to share some of his unscripted initial impressions of the ATV and go over all its features.

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Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative Awards $120,000 in Grants and Scholarships

KENNESAW, Ga. – August 1, 2018 – Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, today announces the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative (OAI) awarded more than $120,000 in funds and equipment to eight grant and scholarship recipients from applications submitted in the fourth quarter of 2017 and first quarter of 2018. The combined funding cycle is highlighted by a wide variety of projects supporting access to trails and riding areas for off-highway vehicles (OHV) and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

“We continue to promote and see growth and diversity in the Outdoor Access Initiative, which now has a decade of supporting responsible, sustainable access under its belt,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV / Side-by-Side (SxS) group marketing manager. “These last two quarters have been a great example, with projects addressing a wide- range of use from single-track trails to sand dunes and back-country areas for the enjoyment of OHVs of all types: motorcycles, ATVs, Side-by-Side vehicles, and snowmobiles.”

As the powersports industry’s leading land access advocate protecting the interests of those who work and play outdoors, OAI supports off-highway vehicle riders, as well as those who rely on land access to camp, hunt, fish, farm, and more. The latest Yamaha OAI grant recipients are:

• The Capital Trails Vehicle Association, Helena, MT
• The Off Road Business Association
• Twin Cities Trail Riders, Jordan, MN
• Crested Butte Avalanche Center, Crested Butte, CO
• Wonders of Wildlife/National Hunting and Fishing Day Live It! Grant Program
• Range Riders A TV Club, Nashwauk, MN
• Save the Rider’s Dunes, North Bend, OR
• Voyageur Country ATV Club, Grand Rapids, MN

This latest funding also featured OAI’s continuing support of National Hunting and Fishing Day, as well as six scholarships to university students as part of the Yamaha Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) program.

“We believe everyone should be able to experience the outdoors and all of the incredible opportunities our public lands have to offer,” Nessl said. “Working through like-minded partners like National Hunting and Fishing Day, as well as seeding appropriate safety and land stewardship messaging with future influencers and professional communicators via the ACT program, helps ensure we’ll all be able to enjoy the outdoors for generations to come.”

Yamaha’s longtime ACT Scholarship Program was brought under the OAI umbrella as part of the program’s expanded mission to support those who work and play outdoors. Through the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative’s ACT Scholarship Program, Purdue University, Utah State University, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Kansas State students were awarded a combined $8,250 in scholarships. Recipients of this year’s Yamaha ACT scholarships receive financial assistance to attend the 2018 Ag Media Summit, and to continue promoting and encouraging safe and responsible use of ATV and SxS vehicles within the agriculture community.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2018, the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative is accepting qualified applications for consideration of support and funding. For more information on the Outdoor Access Initiative, or to submit a grant application, visit www.YamahaOAI.com. Follow Yamaha Outdoors online at Facebook.com/YamahaOutdoors, Twitter.com/YamahaOutdoors, and Instagram.com/YamahaOutdoors. #YamahaOAI #REALizeYourAdventure

About the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative
For more than a decade, the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative has led the powersports industry in guaranteeing responsible access to our nation’s land for outdoor enthusiasts. Through this program, Yamaha has directly and indirectly supported thousands of miles of motorized recreation trails, maintained and rehabilitated riding and hunting areas, improved staging areas, supplied agricultural organizations with essential OHV safety education, built bridges over fish-bearing streams and partnered with local outdoor enthusiast communities across the country to improve access to public lands. Each quarter, Yamaha accepts applications from nonprofit or tax-exempt organizations including OHV riding clubs and associations, national, state and local public land use agencies, outdoor enthusiast associations and land conservation groups with an interest in protecting, improving, expanding and/or maintaining access for safe, responsible and sustainable public use. A committee then reviews each application and awards grants to deserving projects. Examples of appropriate projects for grants include, but are not limited to:

• Trail development, restoration and maintenance
• Trail signage and map production
• Staging area construction, renovation and maintenance
• Land stewardship, safety and education

Updated guidelines, an application form and information on the Outdoor Access Initiative are available at www.YamahaOAI.com. For specific questions about the Outdoor Access Initiative, call Yamaha’s dedicated hotline at 1-877-OHV-TRAIL (877-648-8724), email OHVAccess@Yamaha-Motor.com or write to:

Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative Yamaha Motor Corp., USA 1270 Chastain Road Kennesaw, GA 30144

About Yamaha Motor Corp., USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the powersports industry. The company’s ever- expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATVs and Side-By-Side Vehicles, Snowmobiles, Outboard Motors, Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of dealers in the United States.

Headquartered in California since 1960, YMUS also has facilities in Wisconsin and Georgia, as well as factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. For more information about Yamaha, visit www.YamahaMotorsports.com.

2018 POLARIS RZR 900 EPS

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Standing ten feet away and squinting at it, the first thing you notice about the 900 is its length.

The RZR’s wheelbase is over 11-inches shorter than a Maverick Trail, which makes a huge difference in the way it feels when you’re driving it.

The RZR’s 875cc parallel twin claims to boast 75 horsepower. This Polaris-built 180-degree parallel twin is a throaty, snarly piece of work that tips in like lightning and spins those meats like pinwheels. The driver experience is nearly exactly like driving a big-inch, highly touted model.

Our advice to you: When you open the throttle way-wide, better hang on tight. On the gas in AWD on anything less than dry pavement this thing starts to get crazy. It yaws left, then right and back again and feels as loose as Kyle Bush’s Toyota in turn one. It’s here you reap the reality this vehicle is narrow and short.

Do we hate this? No way; we love it! This is what makes your blood pump until your forehead veins look like a corduroy hat. If you could live on adrenaline alone, five minutes driving this vehicle would give you a 6-month supply of the stuff.

We love the power steering on the 900 because, believe us when we say it, you’re going to be rotating that wheel a lot just to stay straight.

The RZR uses Polaris true 4WD which means you can operate it in 2WD, AWD or locked 4×4 by operating a switch. This is all good but honestly, with this power-to weight and the unending temptation to dip into the throttle, you’ll want to be in AWD all the time.

Handling is a Polaris specialty and the engineers love to brag about it. This 50-wide RZR can turn under and inside a rabid squirrel, responding telepathically to wheel inputs magnetically.

In rough and whooped-out trail spans the 900’s ZF Sachs-built gassers provide a genuine uptick in control. ZF Sachs isn’t a common SxS name yet, but the company is based in Utah and makes a lot of suspension components for the auto industry and torque converters.

Whatever. Combined with Polaris’ know-how and the expertise and quality production of this company, the 900 rides better than the Maverick Trail – particularly the rear suspension.

If we may access your mind for a moment, picture a set of gnarly whoops up ahead and you know you’re going much too fast. Your brain is telling you to back off and brake and it takes every ounce of pucker to stay in the throttle.

Actually, that’s probably the best thing to do: Pucker, stay in the throttle and hang on.

The 900 will track straight and suck the pain out of those bumps like a giant leech if you keep the power on evenly. In these situations you have to believe in the chassis and let it do its magic.

Bottom Line:

– An extremely high level of fun – almost like a midway ride you have to swallow hard to take a spin on.
– Short length with corresponding rapid reflexes.
– Feels and is very light. Handles like a go-kart on steroids.
– Lots of suspension compliance and a boatload of engine.
– Comparably equipped, leaves you with a couple hundred bucks in your jeans compared to the EPS Maverick Trail.

Dirt Trax Television 2018 – Episode 5 Sneak Peek

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Coming up this week on an all-new episode of Dirt Trax Television:

We make a return trip to Mercer County in West Virginia to ride the iconic Hatfield-McCoy trail systems. While there, AJ resides at The Mud Pit ATV Resort where they deliver a one-stop-shop for off-roaders; providing guests with riverfront cabins, RV sites and garages fully equipped for emergency repairs. Watch as AJ gets a little muddy in a Yamaha Wolverine R-Spec and then visits the abandoned and haunted Lake Shawnee Amusement Park.

Then, AJ is back at our home base installing a DiamondBack HD ATV & SxS Carrier on our brand new GMC 3500. If you’re looking for the easiest way to haul your ride – a DiamondBack carrier is it!

And Luke reminds us on just how incredibly well the RZR lineup has aged over the past ten years with his review of the 2018 Polaris RZR 900.

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FXR REVO JERSEY AND A.R.C. OTB PANT

Our crew is often asked what we prefer to wear when riding from jeans and a shirt to full on riding gear or any combination therein.

Truthfully you see us in all sorts of styles on the show from jeans and a jersey to over-the-boot riding pants and a T-shirt, but one brand we really appreciate for its durability and style is FXR.

FXR has over-the-boot riding pants and jerseys worth looking at. Its A.R.C OTB Pant 18 (#183311) and the Revo MX Jersey 19 (#193305) are some of the coolest and most functional in the industry.

REVO MX JERSEY 19

We actually prefer a long sleeve protection when riding and the lightweight polyester-spandex mesh design of the Revo MX jersey fits comfortably and offers superior air flow to allow wind to cool you down and won’t make you overheat while you’re sitting still.

It’s a slim fit design so the jersey doesn’t look ridiculously oversized as some do features a tapered cuffs your sleeve doesn’t catch on your hand grip when making turns.

The Revo MX line features fade-free sublimation so your jersey remains bright and colourful after each wash and looks cool tucked or untucked.

CLICK HERE for more information on this product…

A.R.C. OTB PANT 18

This durable over-the-boot design is made from 600D polyester fabric and features leather inner knee panels to protect your legs from abrasion and heat.

Rib knit stretch inserts at the groin and inner thigh as well as back yoke and leg areas as well as accordion stretch inserts above knees allow the pant leg to stretch in natural locations when your knee is bent or when you’re in a seated position. The knee area is also pre-curved to allow room for braces.

There are also zippered vents at the thigh and upper knee for ventilation and a large zippered pocket to carry whatever.

The upper portion of the pant is also lined with polyester mesh lining for breathability when vents zippers are open and also boasts inner removable hip padding you can leave in or take out depending on your riding style and desired comfort.

For more about this product, CLICK HERE…

Gear is so subjective and the right riding pant for one person might be completely different for the next guy. Luckily FXR offers a ridiculously wide range of products that will give you the opportunity to find the best combination for your next ride.

Visit FXRracing.com to check out these products and more.

2019 TEXTRON WILDCAT XX

The Wildcat XX was created with big-time input from former Indy Car, NASCAR and renowned pro off-road racer, Robby Gordon.

Putting Robby on this project netted much more than just having a famous celebrity endorsing a new product. This guy is extremely hands-on and when he says it’s good, he means he has tested it to the absolute extreme, made suggestions and pushed hard for them being carried out.

Just a side note: Talking to Luke Lester, who himself is a formidable off-road rider and stunt driver for our cameras, he related his experience with Robby Gordon while on a first-ever test ride of the XX.

In two sentences: “I have never gone that fast over such incredibly rough terrain at any time in my life. Not only was I white-knuckling it but I couldn’t believe how cool and at ease Gordon was riding at those speeds!”

Needless to say, any new vehicle that can pass the RG test, has got to be solid. RG is the moniker Textron uses to describe the Wildcat XX’s suspension system and naturally, RG stands for Robby Gordon.

Technically, Textron is using an unequal length A-arm front end. This tech is common in the snowmobile industry because it allows the suspension to cycle through its full travel, in this case 18-inches without altering the vehicle’s stance side-to-side.

This term is called “scrub” and when the upper and lower A-arms are the same length with the center mounting points directly above one another, makes the vehicle less stable and prone to bump steer which takes the vehicle off-course. The result is vague steering under extreme conditions as the stance changes throughout its travel.

The XX’s unequal length arms, with the upper and lower control arm mounts staggered, keep the wheels the same length apart all the way through the suspension travel and it means it tracks near-perfectly in corners and on high-speed straightaways. On landings, when all the travel is used up, the Wildcat lands straight every time.

Textron has gone with top drawer Fox 2.5 Podium QS3, 3-position compression adjustable gas shocks on all four wheels. There’s only three settings: Soft, Medium and Firm, so it’s super-easy to set up your level of compliance and get all four shocks set exactly the way you want them.

Robby is quick to point out that although this front end design is excellent there’s more required in an off-road vehicle at this level. Durability is key and races are never won without it.

Thus, the engineers have specified suspension parts be built in double shear, meaning the force required to shear the bolt, coupler, tie rod end, steering knuckle or ball joint in double shear is twice the shear force required in single shear since there are two shear planes (the total shear area is doubled).

Depending on the materials used for these parts there is a weight penalty, but, ask any off-road racer and they’ll tell you this is the best possible scenario. After riding with Robby, we believe it!

At the rear, the Wildcat XX suspension design is very similar to some advanced off-road racing trucks. Once again, the goal was to reduce scrub and the designers accomplished this by using a leading arm with two mounting points where that big arm attaches to the frame and pivots at the front.

With this setup, you don’t need another control arm at the side which tends to produce scrub as the suspension cycles. The wheel is unrestricted in its pure vertical movement and, in harmony with the front end, tends to track as straight as an arrow.

Textron did a good thing when it bolstered its relationship with Yamaha, established in 2013 by Arctic Cat’s snowmobile division. The result is a great engine became available for the Wildcat XX.

Yamaha’s 998cc DOHC triple is similar to the naturally aspirated one (EFI) found in the XYZ but there’s one big difference: Where the XYZ uses a gear-on-gear manual transmission, the Wildcat has a CVT with both the primary and secondary clutches built by TEAM Industries. Textron claims this engine makes 125-hp and Luke says it actually feels like more.

This triple is as smooth as silk and spools out incredible throttle response with a dash of exhaust sweetness thrown in. The CVT calibration is spot-on and it never feels like it’s running short of power. That being said, we can’t help but speculate there’s a turbocharged prototype somewhere.

As you may know, Yamaha’s 998 is already offered in Arctic Cat’s snowmobile division with a 180-hp turbo version. Talk about a bolt-in!

The engineers decided to mount the engine a bit higher in the chassis for added protection from projectiles underneath and have made it very easy to service with excellent accessibility to the engine, gear-case and transaxle and quick-remove technology built-in.

BTW, an all-new TEAM front gear case and rear transaxle combine to facilitate 2WD, 4WD and diff-lock. 15-inch wheels with aggressive 30-inch meats provide 14-inches of ground clearance – and plenty of bite.

From the ground up, Textron intended the XX to be the best off-road vehicle in the marketplace. Certainly, Polaris and Can-Am have set the bar high, but somehow, we can’t help but feel it just got raised even higher.

Discussing the Latest Sport Side-x-Sides

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AJ and Luke sit down to discuss the evolution of the latest sport side-x-side models including Polaris’ 2018 RZR RS1 and RZR XP Turbo S as well as Textron Off Road’s 2018 Wildcat XX. Stay tuned for our full coverage on all three of these vehicles as the season progresses.

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2019 POLARIS OFF-ROAD LINEUP

Polaris Off-Road Vehicles, the world leader in powersports and off-road innovation, introduced its all-new 2019 model year vehicles with significant upgrades and technology options across its RANGER, RZR, GENERAL and Sportsman lineups.

“We had a remarkably strong first half fuelled by the launch of RZR RS1 and the innovative RZR XP® Turbo S, as well as the RANGER CREW® XP 1000 and our most popular youth vehicle, RANGER 150 EFI. These vehicles set industry standards and gave us tremendous momentum,” said Chris Musso, president of Off-Road Vehicles, Polaris. “We plan to continue that momentum through industry-leading innovations and providing consumers the ultimate riding experience with our model year 2019 launches.”

Polaris RANGER is the industry’s best-selling utility side-by-side 10 years running, and it continues to advance the technical offerings and upgrade options across the 2019 lineup. For the first time, select 2019 RANGER XP 1000 EPS models are available with RIDE COMMAND technology as a factory-installed package and additional NorthStar Edition color options are available to choose from. The RANGER XP 1000 and RANGER CREW XP 1000 family also expanded to include the all-new High Lifter® Edition and the 20th Anniversary Limited Edition.  

Polaris RZR, the world’s best-selling sports performance side-by-side lineup, introduced a completely refreshed Xtreme Performance line with aggressive styling and performance upgrades proliferated through the entire offering.

For model year 2019, consumers can choose RIDE COMMAND, now available in all XP 1000 colors, or the new RZR XP 1000 DYNAMIX vehicles, formerly only available on select turbo models. To round out the 2019 line, the industry’s best and broadest trail lineup received a power up, boosting the RZR S4 1000 – the only trail-ready recreational four-seater – to 100 horsepower.

Polaris GENERAL, born from adventure, continues to grow its position as the No.1 best-selling sport utility vehicle. In addition to performance and technology upgrades, new colors and graphics are available across the entire lineup. Consumers have more choice than ever with multiple colors available for the GENERAL Deluxe model and a limited edition Breakout Camo model.

Polaris Sportsman continues to deliver the No. 1 best-selling automatic ATV in the industry with new colors on premium models and improved electric power steering on all EPS models. These improvements, along with the vehicle’s rider-inspired design and proven durability, allow consumers to ride harder, go further and do more. Sportsman is legendary tough.

2019 RANGER XP 1000 EPS High Lifter Edition – Starting at $19,999 MSRP
2019 RANGER CREW XP 1000 EPS High Lifter Edition – Starting at $21,499 MSRP

Purpose built for extreme mud performance, the RANGER High Lifter Edition is equipped with factory-installed industry-exclusive redesigned half doors with all-new one-inch water drains. The powerful machine delivers 82 horsepower and an unrivalled 11 inches of suspension travel for a smooth ride. Adventure-seeking mud consumers will experience a 20 percent increase in overall driveline strength and a new geared reverse transmission allowing for robust durability that will cut through the mud pits all day long. The 28-inch Outlaw 2 tires, arched A-Arms and 13.5 inches of ground clearance get riders through the toughest mud pits. The RANGER CREW XP 1000 EPS High Lifter Edition continues to stand strong as the industry’s only six-seat mud machine.

2019 RANGER XP 1000 EPS RIDE COMMAND – Starting at $17,999 MSRP
2019 RANGER XP 1000 EPS NorthStar Edition RIDE COMMAND – Starting at $25,999 MSRP

Polaris’ RIDE COMMAND technology is now available as a factory-installed package for RANGER XP 1000 EPS and RANGER XP 1000 EPS NorthStar Edition models for an improved, more refined riding experience. The seven-inch glove-touch display features built-in navigation and front and rear cameras. The system provides vehicle diagnostics, allows smartphone connectivity and factory-installed in-dash speakers. A topographical map allows consumers to better navigate trail overlays and drop waypoints to remember key locations such as a campsite or deer stand. An interactive interface gives every type of rider the freedom to stay connected while hunting, working on their ranch, or trail riding.

The 2019 RANGER XP 1000 EPS and RANGER XP 1000 EPS NorthStar Edition models are available in four new color options including Steel Blue, Pearl White, Magnetic Gray and Polaris Pursuit Camo.

2019 RANGER XP 1000 EPS 20th Anniversary Limited Edition – Starting at $16,799 MSRP
2019 RANGER CREW XP 1000 EPS 20th Anniversary Limited Edition – Starting at $17,799 MSRP

To commemorate two decades of innovation, Polaris RANGER is releasing 20th Anniversary Limited Edition RANGER XP 1000 EPS and RANGER CREW XP 1000 EPS models. The 20th Anniversary models offer the same durable design and owner-inspired improvements along with a special two-tone maroon and tan color option and custom embroidered seats. Limited quantities will be built and inventory will move quickly.

2019 RZR Xtreme Performance Lineup – Starting at $17,999 MSRP

The Xtreme Performance lineup has never looked so good. The 2019 RZR Xtreme Performance machines are cut more aggressively with a chiseled muscular stance, wicked LED accent lights and brand-new LED headlights. Inside, the cockpit features premium digital instrumentation, more storage and the XP 1000 lineup now offers all-new technology DYNAMIX active suspension and RIDE COMMAND. Formerly only available in the XP Turbo lineup, DYNAMIX is the world’s only off-road suspension smart enough to continuously adjust the shocks on the fly, giving a more comfortable and high performance ride.

2019 RZR S4 1000 – Starting at $18,999 MSRP

The industry’s only trail four-seater, the new 2019 RZR S4 1000 boasts 100 horsepower to make it the highest performing trail-ready recreational side-by-side. Polaris offers the best and broadest range of trail-ready machines in the industry with pricing starting as low as $10,299.

2019 GENERAL – Starting at $16,299 MSRP

The industry’s best-selling sport utility vehicle brings new colors and graphics for 2019 including bringing the first-ever factory-installed bronze wheels on the popular RIDE COMMAND edition.

2019 Sportsman – Starting at $5,999 MSRP

The legendary Sportsman 450 and 570 lineup delivers ultimate performance at an unbeatable price and brings new colors on premium models and improved electric power steering on all EPS models for 2019.

Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader that has been fuelling the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts for more than 60 years. With annual 2017 sales of $5.4 billion, Polaris’ innovative, high-quality product line-up includes the RANGER®, RZR® and Polaris GENERAL® side-by-side off-road vehicles; the Sportsman® and Polaris ACE® all-terrain off-road vehicles; Indian Motorcycle® midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot® moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK®, INDY®, Switchback® and RUSH® snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories, along with a growing aftermarket portfolio, including Transamerican Auto Parts. Polaris’ presence in adjacent markets globally includes military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. Proudly headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100 countries across the globe. Visit www.polaris.com for more information.

Find more information about Polaris’ 2019 model year Off-Road Vehicle lineup and other recently launched 2019 models at Polaris.com.