ATV & SXS - UTV Product Reviews

Lead acid batteries aren't what they used to be. Before restrictions on the use of lead in many consumer products, we rarely replaced our powersports batteries. When we did, they would seemingly start a tractor in the dead of winter.Just like your glory days on the high-school football team, those days are long gone. There is an excellent alternative though; lithium-Iron batteries from Shorai.

At first glance most goggles seem pretty similar, and many riders don’t look for anything more than the ability to keep grit from the trail or track out of their eyes as their primary concern. If it fits in their helmet and doesn’t make everything in front of the bike look like a carnival house of mirrors, they’re good to go! Experienced riders want something much better however. Try a couple different goggle types and you’ll quickly come to appreciate the differences between brands. Recently we tried an all-new goggle technology and the performance is eye opening.

Lifted vehicles always get people’s attention and they’re common in the off-road world. Jeeps are lifted, trucks are lifted and so are ATVs & Side x Sides. There are two big reasons for lifting your ride; a macho, ready for anything style, and trail function. Lifting a vehicle gets about as much attention as anything else you can do, and huge tires, bead lock wheels, and a custom paint job always draws a crowd, especially when combined with a throaty sounding exhaust. It’s performance that counts most though.

Of all the ATV and UTV accessories, covers have one of the most important jobs but get the least amount of attention. They’re practically the Rodney Dan-gerfield of the powersports world. A good cover can make a huge difference in protecting your machine from everything from pesky birds, to road salt, and even sun fade. Recently we tried a cover called the GUARDIAN from DOWCO which, in our eyes, paints the impression of an armed sentry standing watch over our machine, ready to fend off all attackers.

Regardless of how much dust is on your dash, how many tools are rattling away in the door pockets, or important papers sprouting from the center console of your truck, when riding in nasty weather, it doesn’t take long to appreciate the comfort of a windshield and roof.  Side x Sides can be down-right miserable in cold or wet weather.  Unlike an ATV where body movement helps to keep you warm, with a Side x Side, you simply sit there and suffer through the misery as best you can.

Some of our favorite off-road accessories have nothing to do with more power, better suspension, or conquering extreme terrain.  They’re about comfort or convenience, or sometimes they’re just cool!  One unique piece of equipment we’ve been using lately is the UCLEAR helmet communication system and after trying it, we’re hooked!

This is a really great accessory! We were excited about installing Seizmik’s light bar on our Polaris RZR 570, but when the kit arrived and we could see the quality of components and the thought that went into this kit, we couldn’t wait to get it installed and try it later that night. It only got better!

Night Rider

We’re always looking for a way to get more out of every vehicle whether it’s an ATV or Side x Side or our truck.  The trouble is, with an ATV or Side x Side in the bed of our truck there’s barely any room left for any camping, hunting, or fishing gear.  While some of that can be jammed into the cab, a little more space in the back would be extremely handy.   The people from X-TREME GATE apparently had the same problem but they also came up with a unique solution.

Until you can open the shed door and ride right to the trails, your deer blind, or the work site, you’ll need to haul your ATV or Side x Side sometimes.  That puts you squarely in the same boat as almost every other rider, and nothing would end your next adventure quicker than having your machine unload itself onto the road.  Whether you ride a Polaris, Yamaha, Can-Am or Arctic Cat, the one thing you must do is fasten it down securely.

While western desert and dune riders rejoice as cooler weather creates prime riding conditions, the rest of the country prepares for Mother Nature’s worst as winter bites down. That doesn’t mean riding season is over for everyone outside the southwest though. There are still jobs to be done, wood to be hauled, hunting season is still open, and a trail ride through a white, wintery landscape reveals a quiet beauty all its own.