ATVConnection.com

Warmer weather is arriving, riding facilities are opening by the day and your loyal ATV Connection editors are still scouring SprocketList in the hopes of finding someone a sweet deal on a previously loved ATV.

That said, this week’s ad takes us to a place called Carver, MA.

According to the listing this is a 2007 Yamaha Raptor 700 boasting such goodies as a cold air kit, exhaust, programmable FMV, and less than 50 hours on the clock.

It is white in color and according to the seller, in excellent shape. Asking $4300 and not currently looking for trades.

Dear ATVC:

I have heard that my 450 pops when decelerating on account of a mesh screen in the airbox. Is this possible and would removing the screen be harmful to the machine?

It is possible that restricted airflow through the airbox is responsible for causing backfires during deceleration but it’s highly unlikely that factory mesh screen is the culprit. The reason such screens are included on modern 4-strokes is that there is a legitimate chance of a flame-out/ fire reaching the interior of the airbox from the engine.

The mesh of these screens is treated with flame retardant materials so as to prevent your air filter from becoming a fireball should this happen (this is why cleaning one’s filter with gasoline is highly frowned upon).

A freer flowing lid, or even light tweaking to your air/fuel mixture would likely be all it’ll take to eliminate this popping. Though slim, there is the possibility of an intake fire if your quad’s engine backfired. That screen serves a purpose.

Got questions for us? Ask them here!

Warmer weather is arriving, riding facilities are opening by the day and your loyal ATV Connection editors are still scouring SprocketList in the hopes of finding someone a sweet deal on a previously loved ATV.

That said, this week’s find takes us to a place called Morrison, IL.

According to the listing, this was a good running 1986 Suzuki LTR250 QuadRacer 2-stroke with a new clutch installed a month before the rings went.

The seller states that it simply needs a new of rings to be back to running condition but that he doesn’t have time to do it with college obligations.

Also includes headlight, new front plastic fenders, manual etc.

The seller is asking $500 but goes on to say, “MAKE ME AN OFFER because I need this gone!!”

Dear ATVC:

I’ve noticed that running my ATV without its air filter in the air box results in a noticeable increase in power. When I ride alone on days that aren’t overly dusty or muddy, am I risking damage?

Absolutely. The dust your filter is catching before it can enter your engine is often so fine as to be invisible to the naked eye. Over time, thanks to the patterns of airflow within your airbox, the dust builds up into a visible layer of dirt.

The process of increasing your engine’s power by reducing the filter media’s ability to catch dust and dirt particles is legitimate but doing so is asking for trouble.

This is why companies like K&N, Twin Air and Uni offer higher-flowing filter elements that don’t compromise the protection of your engine’s internals.

We would strongly recommend going that route and making sure your filter is cleaned and properly oiled before getting out on the trails; even if it doesn’t look like a sandstorm out there!

Got questions for us? Ask them here!

As far as we can tell, there are two types of people in the world: UTV racing addicts and those who haven’t tried it yet. There is just something about the combination of open-air competition reminiscent of ATV racing coupled to the interior security associated with auto racing that makes taking a side-by-side to the track absolutely infectious.

We wanted to assemble a little guide to make your first UTV race the start of something very special. The trouble is UTVs come from the factory in many shapes, sizes and styles and lately you can add “many different states of tune” to that list as well. In other words, while our guide offers some generalized modifications you may wish to target to maximize your UTV’s performance potential, realize that some editions of popular models actually come stock with more than what you would need to get underway. Use your own judgment on which, if any, mods apply to you.

1) Exhaust

We almost always begin with exhaust when looking for performance gains. Why? Well a few reasons. First of all most factory stuff is restricted to meet stringent sound requirements. A choked up exhaust robs an engine of performance by restricting its ability to breathe. Additionally OEMs have to try to meet a price point when selecting materials with which to build components. You can often save precious pounds by simply switching to an aluminum or carbon exhaust. It is not uncommon to gain an additional 5-horsepower and a speed advantage of 4mph just by going with a slip-on system.

2) Intake

Just like with the exhaust side of things, gains that can be made by simply allowing an engine to breathe more effectively are not to be taken lightly. If you can swing it, aftermarket intake/ airboxes are literally designed to flow more air. However, even in keeping a tight budget, simply tossing the stock air filter in favor for an aftermarket unit from the likes of K&N or Twin Air (to mention a few) can often yield healthy power gains while cutting down on servicing in the process. Combine this mod with an aftermarket exhaust for maximum performance potential.

3) Shock Treatment

Fortunately these days more and more UTVs are wisely coming from the dealer with quality suspension from the likes of Fox and Ohlins. However, this wasn’t always the case and there are many that still use generic coil-overs. Performance riding/ track use can find the limitations of such shocks real quick! Fortunately the aftermarket UTV suspension scene is alive and well. Fully adjustable units from companies like Elka allow you to dial in the performance you seek for the individual track conditions in question.

4) Clutching

Getting off the line is a very important factor in all racing and in the case of an automatic UTV, a clutch kit can be invaluable. It can also be crucial in keeping your engine from staying buried in the rev limiter especially after having made other modifications.

5) Gearing

Unless you’re doing some wide-open desert racing, you may find it very beneficial to gear down your UTV. Just how does one gear down an automatic CVT transmission? The easiest way is to run slightly smaller tires believe it or not. However, since some tracks require more ground clearance than others, you may want to mount smaller tires on a spare set of rims so that swapping to meet race-conditions is a possibility.

6) Beadlocks

If you’re considering doing any sort of tire/ wheel modification, beadlocks are a good place to start. Not only are they better able to withstand harsher impacts, they offer protection against pinch-flatting while allowing you to run tire pressures way lower than normal.

7) Safety Bits

This one has all to do with the requirements of the sanctioning body in question and how your machine came set up from the dealer but fire extinguishers, 5-point harnesses, reinforced roll cages: check out your race organization’s requirements for participation.