Photography Suplied By Kymco

Outside of the big four Japanese and the three large North American ATV manufacturers, it's nothing short of a difficult task to grab and maintain market share in the United States ATV market. Just getting off-road enthusiasts to consider outside of the norm machinery is as grueling as driving a nail into wood with your bare hands. But there is one company outside of the major seven that has defied all odds and has begun to develop their name as a household brand in the ATV community. This company is Kymco and for 2010, they continue to stay in the gas forcefully attempting successfully to take new ground. Starting this year the new Maxxer 375 will be the flagship for Kymco. This new ATV is a crossover ATV and is split between the utility 4x4 able trail hoss and a sporty looking fast machine that is sure to please the rider who is new to the adventure of ATV riding.inline_mediumwraptextright27556762/quads/1001_atvp_2010_kymco_maxxer_3751001_atvp_01_z+2010_kymco_maxxer_375+action_shot.jpgTrue

I've always been an avid fan of all aspects and disciplines of ATV riding and racing, but the core of my being requires regular doses of the woods-warrior style of riding. Maybe it's due to the fact that I was born and raised in the Southeast where the hilly and even mountainous terrains are littered with the ambient green of tightly nestled trees throughout the landscape. Regardless of the reason, there aren't too many things that I enjoy more than my addiction of dancing a finely tuned quad through the tight, winding, and technical trails of my region. Yamaha has recently further fed that need with yet another new intuitive quad designed specifically for this scenario: the YFZ450X.

Have you ever gone to a race and heard what sounds like a swarm of bees racing around the track? If you answered yes, then you saw one of many youth class races that seem to have an increasing number of entries at every event. If you are a parent of a kid who wants to be a part of that group, you have to think of the high price tag to build a competitive machine for them to race. The price tag on some of the machines you see kids racing around on could blow you away, as they could be comparable to the cost of building a full sized 450cc racer. With very limited option of race-ready mini ATVs, many parents need to start from the ground up to build a competitive machine. The Pitster Pro FXR Mini ATVs now expands their options. Pitster Pro has been building pit and mini moto bikes for quite a few years, noticed the demand for a quality ATV in the youth performance market and felt that they needed to step up to the plate. While there are a few companies that dominate this market, very few come off the showroom floor ready for competitive racing. Already having a solid engine package that has been proven in their pit bikes in both competition and recreational use, Pitster Pro started researching what they needed to do in order to fill the void. First on the list was a frame/suspension package that would hold up to extreme conditions and perform equally as well. This is why Pitster Pro turned to James Giddings at Giddings Machine Racing to design their long-travel chassis to maximize the FXR handling.

Whether you go to the track and watch a race or catch a game at your local football stadium, there is one thing that each superstar player has in common. They more than likely started their bid for greatness at a young age. In the ATV racing world, I've been following the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) for quite a few years now and have seen the entry numbers in the youth classes climb every year. I've seen quite a few young kids make the transition from beginner to national champion, and most don't start their racing career on a 450. If you question this, just attend a competitive ATV event and see for yourself.

As a boy I was told on countless occasions that if I continue to make goofy faces I could be stuck with that look forever. After wearing a smile that stretches from ear to ear for the past week I can confirm that this statement is strictly a myth. My Colgate smile is the direct result of watching our 2009 Kawasaki Teryx EFI being molded into an extreme off-road terror. We began this project like any other by determining the intended use of the machine, terrain that would be encountered and the degree of powerplant modifications that would be necessary. We then devised a detailed plan and set it in motion. Our expectations were high, and our results were even more spectacular than we could have ever imagined.inline_mediumwraptextright27005197/quads/0911_atvp_kawasaki_teryx_off_road_terror0911_atvp_01_z+modified_ride+kawasaki_teryx.jpgTrue

One of the great perks to this job is the availability of a wide variety of machines to ride, ranging from showroom stock to factory race-ready quads. When I walked into the shop at the ATVR headquarters and saw a brand-new customized 2008 Honda TRX450R, I was both surprised and anxious to give it a try. Longtime bike builder Jay Clark had contacted Editor Thad Josey about a new project quad he was working on which he thought our readers might enjoy checking out. He also wanted our feedback on the overall performance of this quad. Before I threw a leg over the shiny new Honda, I contacted Clark to find out what his objective was with this build. According to Jay, his goal was to create an all-around, do-everything ATV that offered a substantial power increase and improved handling on a reasonable budget.

The Suzuki KingQuad has been around for a long time. Growing from a minuscule 250cc four-stroke in a meagerly suspended chassis with a very cantankerous shifting system into the 750cc monster it is today. All of its original features made it a capable little quad that could outwork seemingly stronger and larger units with efficiency and a usable and durable package. Smart on Suzuki's part to make the selling features actually work as opposed to just seeming like a good idea at the time of purchase.inline_mediumwraptextright31161354/quads/0911_atvp_suzuki_kingquad_7500911_atvp_01_z+Suzuki_KingQuad_750AXi+lead_shot.jpgTrue

Who in their right mind could turn down an offer to test Teixeira Tech's freshly developed 540 Polaris Outlaw IRS? Not us! If you're not familiar with Teixeira Tech, founder Ed Teixeira is a hard-core desert racer who competes in the SCORE off-road racing series and has won the Best In The Desert Expert Championship in 2003 and 2007. Teixeira Tech is best known for its extremely tough ground-clearance-styled, high-performance A-arms.

Upon arrival to Wyoming, Minnesota, home of Polaris Industries' impressive R&D facility, I've just got to come out and say this: I was intensely overwhelmed by the sheer number of updated and brand-new units Polaris had unveiled for its 2010 ATV and side-by-side lineup. From an economic standpoint, it's certainly exceptional and worthy of applause that Polaris is staying on the gas and powering through with innovation in these most difficult times. The downside? How do I even begin to cram all of this information into six pages? For obvious reasons that's just not going to happen, which brings me to my next bone of contention. Exactly which models are most deserving of the spotlight from the Polaris camp?

There's no disputing the overwhelming popularity of Yamaha's almighty Raptor. Its aggressive appearance and 700cc powerplant are just a few of the reasons the Raptor ranks number one as America's top-selling sport ATVs. Its smooth power delivery and overall ease of operation have given the Raptor the reputation of being the perfect machine for enthusiasts, but what you may not realize is that like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Raptor also has an inner monster that's just waiting to be unleashed.

When we first stumbled across the Redline booth at the Indianapolis Dealer Expo a few years ago, we never knew it would change our lives. After years of yearning for a ride in one of its unique machines, we finally got the opportunity to put the Riot and Revolt XL through their paces at Georgia's Broad River Adventure Park. To say we came away impressed would be a huge understatement; Redline's products have set the bar so high for us that nothing else really seems adequate anymore.

With news of an approaching Can-Am 2010 product introduction words couldn't possibly express the anticipation felt by the ATV Rider staff. A rumor has been spreading of Can-Am UTV development, and this could possibly be the moment we've all been anxiously awaiting. I'll spare you the suspense and tell you the UTV was nowhere to be found, but I have a growing suspicion that the grueling wait is almost over. Can-Am is known to be one of the world's most innovative ATV manufacturers, and remaining true to this reputation, its new model releases were quite impressive. While numerous changes have been made to the 2010 lineup, there are three distinct features that drew my attention.

Brute Force 650i
If you need a trail machine that not only can get you through the back 40 but also cross deep creeks with ease, then we have something in common. Looking through the garage we selected a very capable 2009 Kawasaki Brute Force 650i as the base for our latest swamp buggy build. If comfort and reliability are on your mind as well as stout stump pulling, then we can agree on at least two things now. Our goal is to get the ride height up and-- with power adders, some waterproofing and sticky ground-gouging tires--send our latest 4x4 submarine to the deepest creeks we could find.

Test Riders: Johnny Jovanovic, Dale Batson, Brad Skelton, Mark Batson, Jorge Cuartas

In recent years the UTV has left the farm and secured its place among ATVs in every form of off-road use. Their large size and stature can falsely give these vehicles the appearance of being limited strictly to utility use, but this is certainly not the case. They can be found with hunters behind the wheel conquering treacherous terrain or going to extremes and braving the Baja 1000. If you haven't experienced the excitement that UTVs offer, seize the moment when the opportunity presents itself. I promise you won't be disappointed.

We've been tossing around the idea of a "This Old Quad" feature for months now; the idea was to take applications from our readers, review which project had the most potential, and help one lucky soul bring their beat-up ATV back to life, kind of like "Extreme Home Makeover" or "Pimp My Ride" but for ATVs. Unfortunately, the economy, gas prices and procrastination have kept it at just that: an idea. The thought of taking some poor soul (like you) and helping them bring their old beater back to life was intriguing, and would allow us to bask in the rare "good guys" light for a while, but the logistics were too much of a hurdle, essentially putting the idea on "indefinite back burner" status.

The Can-Am DS 450 is one of the most innovative sport ATVs to hit the market in a long time. The weld-less aluminum frame, inverted front brakes and amazing power-to-weight ratio are just a few of the features that caught everyone off guard when it first dropped. But the DS wasn't perfect; the power was very top-end heavy, and we felt like the handling was compromised by a tall ride height and excessive body roll. But with the right parts, those problems are easily corrected. So we became convinced we could build a project bike that would use all the strengths of the stock DS 450 while ironing out some of its kinks.

FST Kawasaki V-Force
It's been a frequent occurrence throughout the years. I'll find myself hanging out along the tight, technical and green-canopied sections of the Grand National Cross Country series racecourse in order to capture all the action on my camera. All of a sudden, an orange streak of lightning blazes past before my camera has the chance to lock in and focus. This streak of orange light hits and vanishes so quickly that I'm often left with nothing more than an orange blur captured by my camera. By no means do I believe this to be some spooky orb or strange phenomenon (OK, maybe a little); this occurrence is nothing less than the passing of the blistering fast and talented GNCC racer Mike Benson.

In recent years the level of competition in ATV racing has increased at an astounding rate. Changes in ATVA regulations such as the mandatory use of stock frames and engine cases paved the way for major manufacturers to get involved and produce highly competitive machines. There's no manufacturer that wouldn't like to be on top, and it's this battle for the number one plate that brought new career opportunities to the top racers. Corporate paychecks now allow competitors to spend their days training and practicing, unlike their predecessors who had to work a nine-to-five to make ends meet then prep mind, body and machine on what time they could squeeze out.

Suzuki Z400
Back in June, Suzuki made vast changes to the already popular Z400 sport ATV. When we had our chance to look at it for the first time, there were plenty of reasons for us to be impressed. The biggest and most notable change was the introduction of a fuel-injected powerplant that caused many heads to turn. Suzuki claimed the engine put out a significant amount of power across the board, which left it beginner-friendly with options of upgrading in the future.

People will do almost anything to get their most recent ATV or side-by-side creations featured in our magazine, and we love how crazy it gets! Becoming jaded by the status quo or what many of us would consider average, we seem to be drawn toward those rare exotic and simply amazing rides that leave us dragging our jaws back to our trucks. Nestled deep in the thick wooded hills of North Carolina, there is just such a creation, and with our curiosity piqued, we not only wanted to view it with our own eyes, we wanted to pilot this beast.

2009 Arctic Cat 700 H1 EFI MudPro
Have you ever pulled up to a deep nasty mudhole and were dared to sink your quad, but you knew if you did, that would certainly be the end of your finely tuned motor? But if you didn't, your buddies would get endless laughs for the rest of the day at your expense. It's happened to most of us at least once or twice in our lives, but from now on this won't be a problem as Arctic Cat has come to the rescue with the release of its new mud-ready-right-from-the-factory ATV, the MudPro 700 H1 EFI. When we got the invite from Arctic Cat to not only grab our first ride, but to actually put it to the ultimate test by competing on it at the last round of the Championship Mud Racing Series, surely you can imagine just how excited we were.

2009 Kawasaki Teryx 750 FI 4x4 SportHaving become more of a UTVer than ATVer in the last couple of months, I was unimaginably excited to be invited to the intro for Kawasaki's 2009 Teryx 750 FI 4x4 Sport. The prospect of getting out of the freezing rain of Georgia and into the mild desert climates of Arizona was enticing enough, but add to that the idea of spending a day riding in the desert and you could very well call it a dream vacation. Having spent limited time on the '08 Teryx and zero time in the desert, I was curious as to how the Teryx (not to mention myself) would handle the terrain and yearning to log as much seat time as possible during the brief mid-week trip.

Yamaha YFZ450R
In 2004, Yamaha took the sport ATV world by storm with the release of the YFZ450. This was the first true sport-performance ATV in its class that featured technology straight from the popular YZ-F dirt bike. Soon after the debut, many other manufacturers joined the bandwagon with their own versions of high-performance 450cc-based machines and tried to compete for this extremely popular market share. Not only did this machine attract many of the top ATV racers in the nation, but it also drew a huge customer base that wanted a high-performance machine. Since its release, it has been the hottest-selling sport-performance ATV on the market.

Kawasaki KFX 450 R
Over the past year, we've had quite a bit of seat time aboard Kawasaki's latest sport creation, the KFX450R. Other than some cosmetic updates, the KFX has been virtually unchanged since it's 2008 release. And if you're familiar with our past comparisons of the seven 450-class ATVs in early 2008, you're already aware the KFX didn't fare well. In fact, it actually landed near the bottom of our seven sport quad shootout and was in fact last among the Japanese entries. On paper the KFX looks as if it should be near the top of the pile and perhaps first for some applications such as XC-type racing. After all, it possesses some unique and high-performance features such as an aluminum frame, fuel injection, a great handlebar and a whole list of things that somehow just didn't end up panning out on dirt.