Our long-term LT-Z's Stage 2 transformation is two months, 150-plus phone calls and 33 parts suppliers into the process. Unfortunately, the quad is still in a few hundred pieces.
Ah, but they're a few hundred beautifully crafted, well-prepared, color-coordinated parts that are just about ready for a meticulous assembly by fabrication wizard, dyno dynamo and master mechanic Rob Barnum.
And what about those Stage 1 LT-Z pieces that got transferred to our KFX400 while the Suzuki went in for its makeover? They are still circulating the SoCal practice track circuit, racking up off-road miles and doing their share of duning on the Kawasaki, all with nary a failure.
The Durablue axle, as well as the White Brothers nerfs and bumper, have silently stood up to various levels of abuse, making their presence matter-of-fact. On the contrary, the wide, grippy IMS/Roll footpegs and TCS shocks make themselves known on every ride. Any time we ride a stock quad, we miss these wonderful platforms and are thankful for the properly sprung and damped aftermarket suspension componentry. The holdover Roll steering stem, Tag handlebar and White Brothers swingarm skid plate have yet to be installed, as the stock parts have held up well so far.
Mapping out Stage 2 of this project has been a fun and educational process. Look for a full report on the pieces that make up the whole in the next issue of the print magazine.
SOURCES: Acerbis; Alba Action Sports; ASV Inventions; Baldwin Racing; Barnums Pro Products; Braking; Douglas Wheel; Durablue; Edelbrock; Elka Suspension; Fastline; Four-Play ATV; Four-Stroke Tech; GPR; HardKor; Houser Racing; IMS; K&N Engineering; Maier; Maxxis; Motocross Plus; Pingry's; Pro Design; Russell; Spider; Suzuki; Talon; TAG Metals; TCS; UMI; White Brothers; Zing; Zip-Ty Racing.