ATVConnection.com

You can’t help but appreciate a video that opens with the photographer saying, “He says every time he’s on camera or around women, he crashes.”

We didn’t see any women in this video but there definitely was a camera present. Fortunately it doesn’t take long for this rider to live up to his reputation.

Anyone familiar with the Travel Channel’s “No Reservations” with Anthony Bourdain can attest: shows about eating can be pretty interesting. However eating dirt (or in this case sand) by getting in over your head on an ATV is truly an event that requires no reservations. Bourdain demonstrates while the show’s cameras roll.

Travel Channel profiles the host with the following: Besides the chef’s hat, Anthony Bourdain wears many others: TV personality, best-selling author, public speaker, weary world traveler, gourmand, punk-rock aficionado, proud New Yorker and, most recently, doting father. He’s even kicked his lifelong smoking habit.

And now he can add ATV crash survivalist to that list.

Dear ATVC:

I have a Honda 400EX that serves as my single all-conditions quad. Trouble is I often find myself alternating between technical trails and wide-open dune riding within a matter of days. Is there some magic gearing combination that offers the best of all worlds?

Generally speaking, stock ATV gearing choices are going to offer you the greatest range of conditions because after all, Honda has no way of knowing if your definition of fun involves tight technical trails, wide open dune riding, or carving laps on a track. They remedy the sheer number of possibilities by offering a sprocket combination that can do a bit of anything. That said if you’re the type of rider who likes to “set it & forget it”, your best bet would be to simply stick with the stock gear ratios.

If however you find you want to spice up a specific area of your quad’s power spread, here’s what you need to know: Additional low-end torque for conquering rocks, logs and steep climbs, reduce the number of teeth on your front sprocket or (since its typically easier to access, we would) raise the number of teeth on the rear sprocket.

Conversely if it’s top end gains you seek, raise the number of the teeth on the front sprocket or reduce the number on the rear.

When it comes to your sprockets, the general rule is that for every tooth you drop or add to the front sprocket is equivalent to 2.5 teeth in the rear.

Got questions for us? Ask them here!

Dear ATVC:

Am considering having a Pro Charger supercharger installed on my UTV for duning but fear that doing so will destroy my machine’s trail-friendliness. Is the horsepower increase enough to make most machines too much to handle in technical terrain?

The short and easy answer is “possibly”. In reality, it depends on what model and size UTV you would be modifying, whether or not you were going any further with your build (fuel mapping, exhaust system, big bore kit, clutching and so on) and just what you consider technical trails.

Typically adding 30-40 pounds to the UTV, a supercharger can produce unrivaled horsepower gains. Just how much are we talking here? Well 40 to 50% gains on high quality pump gas! No other single mod delivers as much power per dollar as a supercharger. On the flip side at $4000- $5000 for the kit alone (plus installation), we can’t exactly call it “cheap horsepower” either.

Superchargers work on the concept of forced air induction: specifically through an impeller connected to the engine’s crankshaft (unlike a turbo, which relies upon exhaust pressure and hence delivers power with a deliberate lag).

As far as power-spread goes, you do have some control of how the increased power is distributed; namely in the form of your fuel delivery and ignition mapping. It’s not that far fetched to imagine tuning your UTV to deliver maximum top-end (aftermarket ignition box to raise the rev limiter) for long days out in the dunes and to then detune the maps for meatier bottom end delivery for the trails. Just expect increased throttled response in all situations!

Got questions for us? Ask them here!

Moose has a long history with off-roading and the editors of ATV Connection can certainly appreciate that when it comes time to trust our collective nether-regions to a pair of pants. Think about it for a minute: All that separates one’s manhood (or womanhood) from the venerable war-zone that is ATV-riding comes in the form of a little nylon & polyester. Choose wisely!

We selected a pair of 2012 Moose Sahara pants in effort to determine whether they were up to the task. Here’s what we discovered:

What Is It?

As the name implies, the Sahara line of Moose’s race-wear catalog represents the warm weather set with emphasis on ventilation/ breathe-ability. As such, the Sahara is constructed of highly ventilated nylon/polyester and boasts the following features:
· Oversized knee area with perforated genuine leather inner panels
· Removable vented hip pads
· Reinforced high wear areas, knees and seat
· Pre-bent pant leg design
· Strategically placed badges for roost deflection and durability
· Integrated dual waist cinch straps, with grip tabs, allow you to fine tune fit
· Available in even waist sizes 28″-48″ and colors blue, orange, red, stealth, yellow and red/white/blue

We picked up a pair for $119 and more info can be found here.

Fit

Not that we expect you to follow the year to year sizing changes that across the various brand offerings, but we think you’d be pleased to know that for 2012 Moose focused on making their off-road gear fit and feel a bit more like street clothes. How did they accomplish this? By boosting their size scale by a half size across the board. Since we rarely come back after a long off-season skinnier than we started, this is much appreciated.

In action, you get a pair of cinch straps (one on each side of the waist) that offer about 2-inches of adjustability both ways. Even with the adjustable straps, you should considers ordering a size smaller than you currently wear if you’ve somehow managed to come out thinner than you were in the fall.

In Action

We can attest that the Moose Sahara pant flows some serious air. How can we be so sure? We had a chance to test them in sunny 45-degree days, sunny 60-degree days, and then finally on a sunny 83-degree day. We went from cold, to cool, to just right in that order. Another way to put it: The hotter the conditions, the more you’ll appreciate the Sahara.

Durability

We certainly applaud Moose for reinforcing the high wear areas like the knees and saddle region. Triple stitching in these regions is also appreciated. We suspect the pants will last multiple seasons with ease.

Complaints

Not too much to report here, except riders who typically rely on a single pair of pants for all conditions may want to consider checking out Moose’s XCR, M1, or Qualifier line as the Saharas are truly deliver as a warm-weather only affair.