The sun was blazing on one of Ontario’s nicest days last summer as 165 registered riders turned out with trailers full of ATVs and gear for the 2nd annual OFATV ride in support of The Holmes Foundation.

Riders went out in four waves to tackle a 50km ride through the forests surrounding Canadian Forces Base Borden in Angus, Ontario.

Mike Holmes was in attendance walking through the crowds shaking hands and taking pictures then led the last heat of riders out onto the trails.

Riders were cautioned about a huge mud pit area used for testing tanks for the Canadian military. This all but guaranteed winches would be exercised and gave riders the chance to get dirty. Mud tires churned up the goo and an enthusiastic group had a blast supporting a good cause.

The Holmes Foundation ensures that residential renovation and construction across Canada is done right the first time. Relying on Mike Holmes’ reputation gained from his popular television show Holmes on Homes, the foundation partners with schools, businesses and government to encourage youth to pursue careers in skilled trades. The 2008 event raised more than $22,000 and attendance doubled from 2007.

Sign up now for this year’s event held on Saturday, June 13th, 2009 at CFB Base Borden in Angus, Ontario Canada (Base Borden Rod & Gun). Registration & Pledge Forms Will Be Available From Your Local Club, Participating Can-Am Dealers or on the OFATV website.

Visit www.OFATV.org contact the OFATV by phone at 705-797-0797.

By: John Arkwright

The 300 to 399cc Sport Utility class is growing quickly and there’s some very strong competition in this territory. Arctic Cat has been doing its homework and has jumped into the fray with a fresh, new 366 4×4 Automatic.

A few years ago Arctic discontinued its 300 4×4. This tough-as-an anvil Cat had been a huge seller to the sport hunting and fishing crowd and, even today, if one comes in on a trade it’s usually resold in a day or two.

Compare the old 300 to the new 366 and you’ll quickly learn there’s not much reason to compare the old to the new. Aside from its improved, modernized chassis design, the 366 has a CVT automatic transmission, far better plastics and protection from mud and debris and, most importantly, its ergonomics are an excellent fit for the young, the old, the short or the tall. Simply, the 366 has a good feel about it!

This particular engine range has long been a favorite of ATV consumers dating back into the 1980s when Honda first established its extremely popular 350 Foreman and 300 Fourtrax and, later, the huge selling Rancher 350. Soon following were winners like the Kawasaki 360 KVF, Yamaha’s Kodiaks and the Polaris 350 and 330 Explorers.

The history is strongly established here and will continue to attract hunting and fishing enthusiasts because of the class’s affordability and unique versatility. The 366 Cat slides right in there with the best of them – including many larger and much more expensive 4-wheelers.

To begin with, its physical size is nearly perfect. It weighs in at a feathery 545 lbs and is one of the lightest in this class, making for a light, nimble handling ATV. Combine this with its torquey SOHC 4-valve, 366cc powerplant and you have a great power to weight ratio. The result is an agile, quick handling ATV capable of putting a smile on the face of anyone who rides it.

This Cat’s continuously variable (CVT) transmission with EBS engine braking comes equipped with low range, neutral and reverse, is silky smooth with a low engagement and shifts as smooth as any CVT we’ve ridden – undoubtedly a result of Arctic Cat’s decades of experience with CVT clutch calibration in both ATVs and snowmobiles. 4WD can be engaged on the fly by selecting it with the switch mounted on the handlebars.

For towing and hauling loads the 366 is equipped with a man-sized 2-inch receiver and this little-engine-that-can delivers a 1500 lb. towing capacity. Unique to Arctic Cat, the rear mounted SpeedRack with its multitude of accessory attachments, will carry 150 pounds. Up front the rack capacity is 75 pounds.

We’ve had the opportunity to ride and evaluate the 366 in many different conditions, including some very formidable river crossings, without a hiccup. In months of use, other than a minor adjustment to the shift linkage, we have done absolutely nothing else to the ATV. The motor is quiet and smooth, admittedly not arm- stretching, but has a consistently strong power delivery while being stingy on fuel.

The 366 may be small in stature but it has plenty of soul! You’ll be surprised at the places you can take it and the places it’ll take you.

– BEST IN CLASS RUNNERS-UP: Arctic Cat 366 4×4

By: Matt Lester

Prime Rib in the Meat of the Market

The introduction of Yamaha’s new Grizzly 550 FI EPS fills a gap Yamaha hasn’t been filling in this segment with the Kodiak 450.

When you get your first glance at the Grizzly 550 FI EPS you’d swear you were looking at a full-sized Grizzly 700. Actually the new 550 is a spitting image of its bigger brother with the same frame, wheels, handlebars and lights. Get this: all 700 Grizzly accessories will fit the new 550 as well. Sweet.

Although it weighs roughly the same as a Grizzly 700, the 550 feels surprisingly light and nimble. Yamaha has also equipped the 550 with a super soft seat filled with high grade foam that won’t lose its density over time. Once your cheeks get cquainted with the new seat they’ll have a hard time parking anywhere else.

Five-way pre-load adjustable shocks now mounted to the lower A-arms and an under-seat fuel tank further add to the riding experience and with these additions, the lower center of gravity inspires riding confidence.

Both the 550 and the 700 feature new guards this year that completely cover the A-arms providing improved protection from rocks and stumps. Although the shock mounts have been moved to the lower A-arms, Yamaha claims five inches more useable ground clearance up front.

The ease of operation is so noticeably different with electronic power steering you really have to experience it to believe it. We’ll go out on a limb here and say Yamaha has nailed the power steering thing perfectly. It kicks in when you need it most, particularly at slower speeds and in tight turns.

If power steering doesn’t do it for you, you can opt for the more budget-conscious version of the 550 FI Grizzly without power steering for about $700 US less.

Fuel injection makes a noticeable difference in throttle response delivering consistent power at higher elevations. The fuel injection system on the Grizz can detect changes in altitude and temperature and compensate by delivering accurately metered burst of fuel during every stroke.

Yamaha’s Ultramatic transmission is one of the best in the biz and its constant belt tension translates to less heat, which ultimately means a reduced chance of breakage or wear from slippage.

Yamaha has delivered one of the best-equipped machines in the most important segment of the industry. No doubt the competition will be paying very close attention.

– BEST IN CLASS WINNER: Yamaha Grizzly 550FI
– Check out the Grizzly 500 photo gallery

Staff Report

While it’s no surprise the extremely popular Sportsman was due for an overhaul, there was a lot of speculation about when it would happen and if it was possible for the engineers at Polaris to make a Sportsman ride any better than it already does.

Polaris fans have been waiting with drooling enthusiasm for a new Sportsman, hoping for a hearty new American made powerplant able to give the Outlander 800 and T-Cat a run for the money. As soon as the sheets were pulled off the entirely new 850 and 550 EFI Sportsman models we knew the game had changed.

Refusing to pull any punches, the Polaris alumni told us this was a new rig from the dirt up. The only part making the transition was the good old black plastic shift knob.

The new 850 and 550 mills are not overbored versions of the old OHC single and OHV twin but entirely new overhead cam engines. The 550 is a single cylinder EFI unit cranking out 40hp while the 850 parallel twin thumps a whopping 70 hp, bringing it in line with the competition.

Similar to Honda, the new Sportsman turns the mill sideways but the CVT now rotates vertically. This new design puts your butt on top of the secondary clutch with the primary below that.

Although the CVT may be harder to access for a belt change, the drain plug is still simple to find in case you get wet. Reasoning for the radical repositioning of the mill is to narrow the Sportsman’s decade old wide foot stance on the running boards. The old Sportsman was wide in the center and difficult for smaller riders to straddle.

In 2009 models, the seat is five inches narrower. The same amount is added to the running boards making big, wide floorboards easy to get onto and a seat that’s svelte to straddle. Up front the radiator positioning gets a total overhaul, moved up higher to a less restricted area and easier to keep clean and gain access to.

A completely new dual A-arm front end delivering nine inches of travel exceeds the former McPherson strut design. The rear end uses the rolled IRS set-up similar to the current X2 and Touring models and it moves an amazing 10.25 inches.

As if that wasn’t enough, Polaris went for the competition’s throat offering available power steering, using a brushless, progressive motor. After testing it, we feel it works better than current offerings and Polaris claims the system will run longer than the competition’s.

On top of all this you now get 14-inch aluminum rims from the factory making room for four hydraulic disc brakes on the 850 and three on the 550. There’s all-new digital gauges, completely redesigned bodywork and myriad other cool features.

Suffice it to say, the ’09 Sportsman is a completely clean CAD screen.

Staff Report

So far, Suzuki has kept things fairly simple and, with last season’s bump up for its biggest KingQuad, the 700 became the 750. The jump was actually only 27ccs, gained with a crankshaft stroke increase, bringing total displacement to 722ccs.

Even with this upgrade, the KQ needed more neon to get consumers’ attention. We’d be dead wrong to imply the addition of power steering was just lo-cal dressing and not Grade A beef. It has made a significant and noticeable change to the KingQuad.

But first, the engine: Whenever there’s a stroke increase, even a small one like this, it changes the engine’s power curve so that torque numbers are enhanced.

The original 695cc single had a reputation as a low-end tugboat. By adding to the torque sum, the KingQuad’s personality changed from exceptional to incredible, especially on the trails.

Now, when the throttle is tipped-in off idle, the KingQuad feels more willing and delivers more immediate power to lift the front wheels over obstacles. Although top speed is pretty much the same, this EFI engine likes its clutches more and shifts up through the tranny harder – a really nice benefit, especially in the mid-range.

With its new power steering system, Suzuki has been able to soften the reaction to off-camber hits from rocks and deep potholes. The nice thing is there’s still ample steering feel and the often-numb handling of ATVs with power steering has been cancelled out.

Its electric motor driven steering ram and gear set is connected to an electronic control unit. This ECU receives signals from. It means, if the tire contacts an obstruction, one of the sensors, the Vehicle Speed Sensor, detects the change in wheel speed and sends the info back to the ECU. The ECU makes adjustments to the steering ram and the feedback is compensated for.

Same thing happens at the handlebars. If an impact is about to tear the bars out of your hands, the ECU picks up data from a sensor on a torsion rod inside the steering mechanism and makes adjustments.

Unlike some of its competitors’ EPS, this one is truly calibrated for the nuances of off-road riding and offers, not only the comfort of steering ease but, also, active protection from big hits.

The KingQuad AXi is one tight package and deserves serious ogling before you make a choice in this class.