Suspension And Handling
The Redline suspension is what really sets these machines apart from anything else on the market; it's really just awe-inspiring. There's absolutely nothing that we found in over 2000 acres and four motocross tracks that would make you hesitate hitting it at speed. Both units came equipped with Fox Air Shocks front and rear, the Revolt XL boasts 17 inches of true front wheel travel and 16.5 inches in the rear, while the Riot measures in at an astounding 18 inches of true front wheel travel and 16.5 inches in the rear. Let me make this clear, no other machine comes close (trust me, I currently own their competition) to handling the rough stuff like the Riot.
As far as steering goes, our first impression (from 0-5 mph) was that it was way too stiff; at anything faster than that it's amazing on either machine. These machines are in desperate need of power steering if you plan on lollygagging around, but the truth is, lollygagging isn't exactly in their DNA. Just to be clear: Low speeds = excruciatingly stiff steering; high speeds = spot-on.
The overall handling on either machine is great, but being that outside of my 20-year-old Honda Odyssey memories I have no single-seater experience, I'll focus on the Riot. In a word, it's fantastic. The Riot really will make you do dumb things. I've never been a huge jumper in my side-by-sides because of three things: the consistent nosedive feel, the feeling of my organs bouncing up into my throat upon landing and, lastly but not leastly, because they never really feel like they're intended to fly (except maybe for the Polaris RZR-S). The Riot, on the other hand, not only feels like it can fly, it yearns to. To make matters worse, it not only flies straight, the landings are downright smooth feeling. Like I said earlier, it'll make you do dumb things, thankfully there are no negative repercussions. High-speed handling was top-notch in the Riot; the rear end loved to break loose when entering sweepers, which gave you an almost quad-like feel. The single-seater wasn't nearly as comfortable in those situations, and due to its narrower footprint felt as if it might want to roll.
The Verdict
So by now I'm sure you're wondering whether the years of yearning and pining over the Redlines were worth it. Unequivocally, yes. Redline's Riot is probably the funnest machine I've ever ridden in or driven. The Revolt XL is fun, too, but just not really my style. At $17,499 for the Riot and $14,999 for the Revolt XL, the prices may seem pretty high, but when you factor in how much you'd really need to invest in one of their competitor's machines to make them comparable, the Redlines are pretty damn reasonably priced. Would I purchase one? If I lived out in the wide-open West, I'd buy two of them, but the truth is, the stiff steering and excessive width aren't really conducive to the tight woods here in the East. If I could convince the locals to start a SxS MX series, I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
All in all, the American-made Redlines are an absolute blast, and we can't thank Redline enough for the opportunity and the unforgettable experience. For more information, check them out at www.redlineperforms.com.
(Editor's Note: Since writing the article, we've been informed by Redline that it has made a running change to the steering post angle and position on the Riot model. Redline reports a significant reduction in low-speed turning effort without any negative repercussions at high speed. While we haven't tested the new and improved steering characteristics for ourselves, we're sure they're steps in the right direction.)