AJ gives us an in-depth look at the recently announced 2018 Yamaha Wolverine X4 SE and discusses why this vehicle should be on your radar next year. Full Test Ride to come on Dirt Trax Television later this season.
Luke coasts around in the incredibly refined and smooth riding 2017 Can-Am Defender HD8 DPS.
Luke gets help from ITP Tires as he gives you the low-down on what you should consider when choosing tires for your ride.
The Polaris Ranger is the most successful SxS product in powersports history. These miniature pick-up trucks are so versatile, so useful and so much fun – after having access to a Ranger youll wonder how you ever got along without one.
In an effort to keep interest and buyer enthusiasm high, Polaris regularly introduces new variants of the Ranger including the amazing mid-size line up powered by a 570cc single cylinder engine. Polaris almost always follows the introduction of a new Ranger 3-seater with a 4 or 6-seat model.
The launch of the fully enclosed, weatherproof cab kit for the XP series has been an incredible hit. So has the Polaris full roof kit – one of the companys hottest-selling accessories. Winches that mount in a snap because Rangers are factory prewired for their installation, has made a winch one of Polaris’ top-3 selling accessories.
There’s more: Snowplows are bought by a staggering number of Ranger owners who live in the northern states and Canada. Polaris builds Rangers set up so they easily accept Pure Polaris snowplow kits.
The amount of stuff you can add to a Ranger if catalogued would easily exceed the pages in this magazine.
Now, along with the ceaseless proliferation of accessories you can add to your Ranger, comes the most intriguing factory installed accessory to hit the off-road world.
Two years ago we tested the Polaris Northstar Ranger XP 900 with a factory-installed full cab that was heated – including heated seats and a bus-sized windshield wiper.
It was an immediate, season long hit here at Dirt Trax World HQ. The Northstar allowed you to jump in the cab on a snowy day in your shirtsleeves and spend hours plowing snow in complete, automotive comfort. Needless to say, the North Star is a huge success in northern climes.
If having a SxS with a comfortable, heated cab in the winter was good, wouldn’t a fully air conditioned cab be even better? Yes, my friends, it would be! Enter the Polaris Ranger XP 1000 HVAC; the first Ranger with factory air!
It’s important to understand this HVAC system is not an add-on, dealer-installed system. The complete AC compressor is built right on the side of the XPs Pro Star engine and is as compact a unit as youll ever see. The condensor is mounted below the drivers door. You have to really look closely to tell if an XP 1000 Ranger has HVAC.
This system was developed in tandem with a vehicle called the Rampage – a fully amphibious, tracked, 4-season army-spec Polaris vehicle commissioned for the Canadian military.
The Rampage uses a Pro Star 1000 engine and its design required a climate-controlled cab on certain variants. Thus, the Ranger HVAC project got a significant kick in the development process.
Clearly, there are other SxS vehicles with HVAC: The Kubota RTV has this option, too. However, the Ranger is the first truly sporty, sport utility vehicle selling at a mainstream price to come equipped with air conditioning.
The addition of AC to a vehicle that outsells every competitor by a wide margin, means a Polaris buyer has again been given access to an off-road feature not previously available at the MSRP level of the Ranger 1000 XP.
Think of the possibilities. In southern climates when summer SxS use slows simply because it gets too hot to perform farm chores or just to enjoy a recreational ride, the HVAC Ranger makes it possible to ride year round in comfort.
This is a Ranger XP, the definitive SxS. It can transport three people and a monster-sized load of gear just about anywhere, anytime. The XP 1000 is powerful, fast and nimble and taking a gang to a fishing hole couldnt be easier, even if the road is gnarly.
Polaris true 4WD with high and low range makes navigating the most ridiculous terrain simple. When it comes to ride quality and comfort there are only a handful of SxSs capable of covering rough, rutted, rocky terrain as quickly or as smoothly as this vehicle.
We gotta think showing up with a Ranger HVAC on a hot summer afternoon, when your friends are choking on dust and soaked with sweat, would be kinda cool!
We mean that literally.
KENNESAW, Ga. – October 10, 2017 – Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, today announces the all-new four- passenger Wolverine X4TM Side-by-Side (SxS) vehicle is shipping from its U.S. factory in Newnan, Georgia. To further aid customers in Realizing their Adventure even before purchase, they can now customize and tailor their Wolverine X4 with Yamaha Genuine Parts and Accessories using the “Build Your Own” (BYO) function found at www.YamahaOutdoors.com.
The Proven Off-Road Wolverine X4 delivers superior handling, especially on tight, technical trails, combined with legendary Real World Tough Yamaha durability and reliability. Powered by an all-new twin cylinder 847-cc engine, the Wolverine X4 sports a compact, nimble chassis featuring the most versatile cab in its class with industry-exclusive stow-away full-size rear seats for expanded cargo capacity on demand.
Yamaha Real World Tech driver-centric features include On-Command® four-wheel drive (4WD), ultra- reliable Ultramatic® continuously variable transmission (CVT) and industry-leading, speed-sensitive Electric Power Steering (EPS). Advanced self-leveling rear shocks provide a plush ride, and help maintain optimized ground clearance based on the terrain and cargo.
Understanding the varying needs for every unique adventure, the Wolverine X4 was designed with optimum accessory integration in mind. Yamaha Genuine Parts and Accessories offer a wide range of premium accessories including, mirrors, overfenders, brush guards, windshields, sound systems, tire and wheel kits, and more. The Wolverine X4 is also the only four-seat SxS to feature a true full hard cab accessory option available direct from the manufacturer. Learn more about all of the available accessories though Yamahas BYO site at www.YamahaOutdoors.com.
Standard Wolverine X4 color options include Graphite (MSRP $15,999), Yamaha Blue with overfenders and cast aluminum wheels (MSRP $16,499), and Realtree Xtra camo with overfenders and cast aluminum wheels (MSRP $16,899). Featuring overfenders, painted bodywork, color-matched interior and shock springs, and cast aluminum wheels, Special Edition (SE) models are available in Matte Silver and Matte Carbon (MSRP $17,249).
The Wolverine X4, along with all Yamaha SxS and full-size ATVs, are proudly Assembled in the USA at Yamahas state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Newnan, Georgia for worldwide distribution. Follow Yamaha on any of your favorite social media channels, including: Facebook.com/YamahaMotorUSA, Facebook.com/YamahaOutdoors, Twitter.com/YamahaMotorUSA, Twitter.com/YamahaOutdoors, Instagram.com/YamahaMotorUSA, and Instagram.com/YamahaOutdoors. #YamahaWolverine #REALizeYourAdventure #ProvenOffRoad #Yamaha #AssembledInUSA
If you work hard, you deserve to play hard as Luke finishes up a multitude of chores around the yard utilizing the 2017 Polaris Sportsman 450 H.O. Utility Edition, then demonstrates how this ATV is still fully capable for a fun day on the trail.
Coming up this week on an encore episode of Dirt Trax:
AJ travels to Saskatchewan to ride with the legendary Ostacruiser crew. While there, they venture deep into the muddy skeg and showcase some of the wildest mud ripping action weve ever been a part of.
In Test Ride, AJ pulls double duty and evaluates the small but mighty 2017 Polaris Sportsman 570 SP.
All this and more on this highly popular encore episode of Dirt Trax Television!
We got our first ride aboard Can-Am’s all-new and highly anticipated 2018 Maverick Trail this week and wanted to share our experience with you.
First off, this is Can-Am’s first entry into the 50-inch wide SxS market and they’ve done it right providing solid competition to the RZR and Wildcat Trail. Its radical styling reminds us of a downsized Maverick X3, while still carving out its own sporty and unique identity.
The Maverick Trail DPS is available in Country Camo, Can-Am Red or Sunburst Yellow with a 51-horsepower, 800-class engine or a 75-horsepower 1000 V-twin featuring beautifully crafted doors, 2WD/4WD and a locking rear differential. There are also very sweet wheels available and Can-Ams Dynamic Power Steering is included.
You can also get a base model in white in the 800 trim with steel wheels, nets instead of doors and no DPS or diff-lock.
The Ergo-Lok cockpit is surprisingly ample and, once buckled in, two full-sized adults fit comfortably with lots of leg and elbow-room. Storage is ample with a very deep passenger side container and a driver’s side goggle box and floor-mounted cup holders.
The rear rack features Can-Am’s unique LinQ attachment system that securely fits more than 100 BRP-designed accessories. You also get standard tie-down points to ensure your cargo makes it to your destination with you.
We packed on the mileage as we navigated the Wasatch-Cache National Forest trail system, riding over rocks, into mud, ice and, at times, over a foot of snow. Handling is predictable and accurate and the single-mode Dynamic Power Steering works as well as it does on the Defender, of which we are flag-waving fans.
Front and rear sway bars do an excellent job keeping the driver and passenger feeling balanced as we navigated tight corners at speed and the 50-inch width of the Maverick Trail allowed us to access all trails specified for ATVs. Come to think of it, one of the things we loved most was there was no compromise or limitations as to where we could travel.
Stay tuned for more about this vehicle coming up online, in DirtTrax Magazine and on the show. For more information about Can-Ams 2018 Maverick Trail, CLICK HERE
With Side x Sides, width is a much bigger deal than you’d think. Sure, if you’re running sand dunes most of the time or blitzing up and down fire roads, a wide vehicle provides maximum stability, keeping all four wheels planted when cornering or riding off-camber. Can’t deny it.
However, if you’re preference is trail riding, it’s really nice to have a narrower vehicle so you can get between rocks and trees without carving rims, tires and bodywork. Thus, the 50-inch wide SxS was born.
Only slightly wider than some ATVs, 50-inchers can go places you simply cannot go with a bigger machine.
We’ve been noticing the last few years how vehicles this wide are rolling out of showrooms in record numbers. Both Polaris, Arctic Cat and even Honda record significant favor with consumers buying the 50-inch RZR, Wildcat Trail and Honda Pioneer 500.
CFMOTO is a company that doesn’t stand still very long. The intro of the ZFORCE 500 a couple of years ago put them squarely in the running with those other competitors and then they started adding models and features – all at a ridiculously good price that simply put the others in the rearview mirror.
CFMOTO started with a Bosch EFI equipped 495cc parallel OHC single then stirred in a set of CVTech clutches. Although that combo isn’t mind-bending, the CVT clutches are smooth shifting and the engine’s 37.5-ponies are enough to create plenty of excitement when wicking up the throttle along with getting you up and over hills and obstacles without difficulty. In the mud, you can engage 4×4, low range and diff-lock with an electric switch on the dash.
Up front, the 500’s parallel A-arms are damped by a pair of compression adjustable gassers and at the rear there’s a set of rebound and compression adjustable gas shocks but without remote reservoirs.
Inside the cab of this Canadian model, you’re surrounded by creature comforts like 4-point seat belts, an excellent roll cage and seats that make for easy ingress and egress, and slanted at an ideal angle both for steering and aggressive driving.
There’s a well-featured LCD digital gauge in the center of the dash and the center-mounted shifter between the seats engages Park, plus there’s an external handbrake.
The 2018 pre-production WINDZONE concept tested here with Morning Dew water-dipped epoxy camo exterior may only be available in Canada for this model year but it constitutes the premium ZFORCE 500 and comes with upgraded aluminum wheels, better tires, a 3000-lb winch and EPS.
Riding the ZFORCE 500, we found it to be extremely stable when cornering under power and had enough get-up-and-go from the 495cc mill to break the rear wheels loose in corners to get the vehicle oversteering nicely on loose stuff.
While we think all ZFORCE models could use more aggressive damping profiles, the shocks are adequate over small jumps and rollers and the whole package feels pretty taut and responsive when out for a spirited ride.
Is it faster than some of the other 50-inchers on the market? Corner to corner, no. The fact is it gives up about 200ccs to the Wildcat Trail and about 70 to the RZR. Nevertheless, its engine tuning and clutching keep it in the hunt.
CFMOTO is addressing the meat of the marketplace when it offers a vehicle like this. Honestly, there are a lot of buyers looking for something in this price range that still stirs their hearts.
The ZFORCE 500 is very competitive at any price but the fact you can still hear change jiggling in your piggybank after you’ve bought it is a double whammy.
For as many years as the Grizzly was sold in the US, it was known as just that – the Grizzly 450.
In Canada the 450 was known as the Kodiak. Thankfully, Yamaha has decided on the Kodiak handle for this new ride on both sides of the border. The 2018 Kodiak is virtually all new and represents a significant investment in both development and tooling.
From an ergonomic perspective the new 450 will make you forget the original in one short ride. Yamaha didnt simply throw a smaller engine into the Kodiak 700 chassis. Nope, it was a complete re-do from right-sized chassis, seating position, tires, rubber engine mounts to redesigned handlebar positioning to give riders more comfort and confidence riding in different positions whether sitting or standing.
The wheel tread has been widened by 3-inches to offer even more stability and the larger floorboards do a fantastic job of protecting the riders feet from trail junk. The result is a compact and versatile ATV buyers can enjoy using for work and play and have complete confidence in.
The new 450 feels more substantial from the drivers seat, too. In corners its much more stable and is immeasurably more comfortable than the original as a result of its right-sized chassis and driver positioning. The good news is the new 450 feels narrower at the floorboards compared to its main competitors. Yamaha has done a remarkable job making the entire 450 package fit a wider spectrum of riders.
The tight, winding trails at State Capitol Forest near Olympia, Washington are extremely challenging and provided an ideal test for the Kodiak 450.
Hidden tree stumps, large rocks, seriously scary drop-offs and relentless weaving around trees and obstacles meant you needed to be able to maneuver the 450 like it was an extension of your body. The Kodiak fits like a glove, allowing this kind of agility without even thinking about it.
Even bigger riders in our group expressed how the Kodiak gave them a sense of confidence and assurance in this gnarly riding environment.
The original 450 was known for its tight trail nimbleness and this one is equally as capable in the tight stuff but it stays more level in off-camber situations.
Rough terrain had a tendency to confuse the original 450s limited suspension travel, knocking the chassis off-course and bouncing the wheels off the ground. Now theres a plush, well damped and bottomless suspension feel through the bars, seat and footboards.
Yamaha didnt stop there. Although powered by virtually the same 421cc single cam, single cylinder mill, the new Kodiak gets its own electronic fuel injection system and delivers responsive, smooth power.
EFI is commonplace in the off-road industry these days, however, the Kodiak 450s system is exceptionally well mapped, delivers quick, effortless start-ups cold or hot and consistent full throttle shift RPM.
The other area of improvement has nothing to do with power. Its about NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). The 450 engine gets redesigned rubber torsional engine mounts that nearly erase annoying vibes through the bars and seat – something the original 450 was known for.
The all-wheel engine braking also worked flawlessly in these extreme mountainous elevations.
We did find a few open stretches and managed to hit 53 mph. More importantly, the power is always right there when you want it in the mid-range and the time-proven Ultramatic CVT tranny provides silky-smooth automatic shifting.
The 450 is available with both electrically assisted power steering (EPS) and sweet black aluminum wheels. EPS is our favorite modern-day ATV invention, hands down.
If we hadnt been riding Kodiak 450s with EPS on this day in Washington, it wouldnt have been nearly as much fun.
The black aluminum wheels speak for themselves. You want them. Other important goodies on the new Kodie include shiftable on-the-fly 4×4, an upgraded digital display, large capacity wrinkle finish front and rear racks and a 2-inch hitch receiver.
No 4×4 diff lock on this one but Yamaha perhaps decided against it to keep the ticket price down as the Kodiak 450 is intended to be, and absolutely is, an affordable vehicle for work and play.
Yamaha has strategically attacked the 450 class with the return of the re-invented 450 Kodiak. This all-new ride demands 450 class buyers visit their Yamaha store and seriously consider the new Kodiak. Were not kidding!
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