It never ceases to amaze me how loyal some people are to a particular brand and it’s like a judgment against their soul to speak anything against it.

I read a blog recently about how much some guy loved his 2000 Yamaha Big Bear 400. It was the best thing since sliced bread to this guy and with many years of service on his little ranch he could never be convinced there was or ever will be a better machine.

I know there are certain ATVs I feel comfortable on. There are others that feel like riding a rocket ship through the woods and there are also a few that could be parked and never looked at again.

I remember when the Suzuki Z-400 came out in 2003 and I just had to have one. It was the new sport quad on the scene and with a few modifications I had it rolling through the pits at a local GNCC race.

I remember the engine felt like a rocket compared to anything I had ridden before and after many miles in the saddle I got the opportunity to ride the next big thing, but it just it wasn’t the same.

Why do we fall in love with a brand? Maybe it’s a positive experience we had with friends while riding. Without question this could trigger a bond between rider and vehicle. Maybe we rode it to a win at the local racing series or maybe it was years of trouble-free use. So we have to ask, why do you like your ATV?

In 2012 we noticed quite a few four seater side-x-sides hitting the dealer floors and with more likely on the way in 2013 the war of the battle-wagon is officially on.

With a longer frame and an extra row of seats to bring family and friends along for the ride, these models are becoming very popular. The kind of handling improvement that comes along with the extra length is attractive as well.

John Deere has had a multi passenger UTV for a while but in the spotlight this year the most radical of the offerings in our industry had to be the Polaris RZR4 XP900. This brutally powerful multi passenger machine made you feel like you could give every member of the family a ride of their life!

It wasn’t long until other manufacturers announced their high-horsepower sporty four-seaters like Can-Am’s multi seat Maverick due out in the early months of 2013. Arctic Cat also announced an extra row of seats in a stretched out iteration of the Wildcat.

Kawasaki unleashed what has been to most well received pure family adventure machine in the Teryx4 made for the more relaxed touring adventurers on your list.
It’s a great handler and ready to rip when you press the pedal.

The SXS industry is red hot right now and getting a great package for the entire family can be found virtually anywhere!

So the big question is, would you buy a four seater?

Dirt Trax got its official first ride aboard the all-new Arctic Cat Wildcat 4 this week and without question it lived up to the reputation achieved by the gen-one, 2-seater Wildcat introduced last season.

At first glance the WC4 looks simply like a stretched out Wildcat boasting the same mill and styling. That first impression might lead you to think there’s really nothing new to expect, but there’s so much more to this side-x-side than simply an extra row of seats.

The engineers at Arctic Cat have partnered with TEAM Industries to produce snappier, more responsive clutches for the Wildcat 4 that delivers stronger throttle response at all RPM ranges. The TEAM Industries clutch delivers better upshift and backshift over the clutch used on the previous Wildcat. Let off the gas as you enter a deeply rutted trail for just a second then stab the throttle again and there’s zero lag as the clutch backsifts and its power mashes you into your backrest.

Cat has added uber beefy Fox Float shox to the WC4 at all four corners to really soak up the bumps. Enter the moguls with confidence knowing your spine isn’t going to take a beating as the long travel suspension soaks up every hit.

Our riders were really impressed by how smooth the ride was in the WC4. At the initial launch of the Wildcat in November 2011 we thought for certain there was nothing that could beat what we experienced, however the combination of the 29-inch longer wheelbase with the Fox Float and 5-link suspension bridges every bump and carries the Wildcat 4 through the most rutted out sections with almost zero negative feedback inside the cockpit. We’d almost be tempted to sip a hot latte while in the passenger seat just to prove this point.

Worthy of mention is the Wildcat 4’s variable assist electronic power steering, which is available on all Wildcat models. The engineers at Cat have spent many sleepless nights dialing this system in so it responds to driver input and doesn’t feel too loose or erratic while driving like some other power steering units we’ve tested. This EPS may very well be the best system available on any side-x-side we’ve ever ridden. Our pilots could confidently maneuver the steering with one hand while meandering through long stretches of rock-strewn trail with no noticeable feedback up through the steering wheel.

The rear seats are the same as those found up front. They’re comfortable and supportive and sit up slightly higher so rear passengers are able to see up over the seat in front of them to see what’s coming up ahead and not just what’s passing by. There’s also a passenger grab bar, tube steel frame doors like the ones up front and Arctic Cat claims 10% more leg room than competitive 4-seater models. Don’t forget the cup holders and a 12-volt accessory to plug in a GPS, phone or even your iPad.

We were wowed after our first ride aboard the Wildcat 14 months ago and Arctic Cat has officially knocked our socks clean off with the WC4. Stay tuned for more about this SXS in an upcoming issue of Dirt Trax Magazine and on the next season of Dirt Trax Televsion!

Who would have thought that the technology in air suspensions would be so prevalent yet not widely used in the ATV market?

Sure, most of the sport riders have used the FOX air shocks, but I wonder why more utility quads don’t come with the ability to adjust the suspension via air.

There are many companies making air shocks but it seems that the UTV market is getting all of the attention, or at least for the past few years.

Can-Am has introduced a few new Sport Utility ATVs like the Max Limited that features FOX’s Air Control Suspension and unless I have missed something only Can-Am offers the ability to adjust the shock load features onboard without having to back up to the local gas station air compressor.

The onboard air compressor gives up six preset elevations for the shocks and the Mud monster Can-Am Outlander XMR also brings the height and overall ground clearance into play as it raises the front and rear simultaneously.

I am not really sure I would buy air shocks for my quad, but if they were available in a kit with an onboard compressor I might be persuaded.

Being able to adjust the weight capacity on the front or rear of my machine in an instant might be a nice feature and especially if I used my ATV for farm or general work purposes.

Just imagine how much more versatile your ATV would become when you have full control to adjust your ride quality without even getting up.