The quintet. Dear ATVC: I just picked up a Yamaha Raptor 660 and it’s the first Yamaha I’ve ever owned. I am really surprised to hear they ran 5-valve heads. Why not the standard 4? It seems like nothing but more complexity. Even though four valves is the commonly accepted norm (two intake and two […] More »

What’s in a name? Dear ATVC: Is it true sintered brake pads use metal shavings? Wouldn’t this damage metal rotors? KRand It is true that brake pads are often sold under two banners: Sintered and organic though the labels can be slightly misleading. Organic pads are made from a mix of fibers and fillers bound […] More »

Dear ATVC: I have a question related to the ATV industry. Have ATVs always had thumb throttles? Did the early ATVs have twist grip throttles? I was wondering when thumb throttles came to be and why? dbj216 Believe it or not, the very first ATV to be manufactured using motorcycle controls (unlike earlier ATVs, which […] More »

Things happen fast atop the saddle of an ATV. Take this week’s video for example: One moment he’s chasing a helicopter down a high-speed fire road. You won’t believe your eyes the next moment.

We all know that everything we hear about on commercials can’t possibly be true. We also know that company marketing teams can make a whole lot of promises; oftentimes superseding the capabilities of even the best possible product. Yet when it comes to the fluids in our ATVs, we’re generally presented with the option of […] More »