I just got done reading the funniest and perhaps the wierdest test I've ever read. In the June issue of Dirtwheels, they had a test of the Artic Cat 250 4x4, the Suzuki 250 4x4 and the Polaris Xplorer 250 4x4. As usual the Polaris came in last. What I thought was funny was that the Suzuki came in first. Here is a machine that basically doesn't have enough power to get out of it's own way, lousy brakes, NO suspension to speak of and it won! If you read the article (I was supressing my gag reflex with every sentance I read) it started off by saying something like, "The Polaris didn't get good traction on the up hill test because it spun it's wheels." DUH! At least it has the power to spin it's wheels, the other two didn't spin because they didn't have the power to. The article just went down hill from there.

The test was conducted in a manner to highlight the utility aspects of these machines. Well, I have some news for the crackheads at Dirtwheels, the Polaris is a SPORT/UTILITY machine. The other two are just UTILITY machines. These are two different classes here folks. It's like comparing apples and oranges. Sure both are fruits, but they are completely different. Using their testing standards, the Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O. should remain king because of it's IRS and lower power output than the Kawasaki Praire 650.

I can't wait for the up coming issues, there is bound to be a test between the Yamaha Banshee and the Honda Rancher 2x4 350. Why not, both are 350cc two wheel drives? Of course the Banshee doesn't have a chance because of the Rancher's all important "lower center of gravity" and much vaunted "Honda reliability". Not to mention that the Banshee has no racks and chain drive (try making a shaft drive work with 9"+ of suspension).

I thought that with the change of editors at this magazine, things MIGHT get a little better. It seems to me to be the same old *$%& different year.

 

I AM SUPRISED IT WOULD SPIN ITS WHEELS.. THOUGHT SUZUKI'S ARE KNOWN FOR NOT HAVE POWER AND SPEED. NOT TO DOWN SUZUKI BUT LAST WEEK A FELLA GOT STUCK ON HER RANCHER 4X4 AND MIKE ON HIS KING QUAD 300 WHEN IN THE PIT PUSHED HIM OUT AND THEN WENT THROUGH IT AGAIN! THERE LIMITED SLIP DIFF. IS AWESOME. VERY MUCH LIKE ALL THE 4X4'S OF POLARIS TRUE 4WHEEL DRIVE.

 

did not get good traction? hello Dirt wheels you have to turn on the 4x4! My Xplorer 250 4x4 would climb like a goat. Dirt Wheels sucks it is by far the most biased ATV magazine I have ever read.

 

I have a Canadian ATV Mag that the did a test between a 300 Artic Cat, 300 Kawasaki and 250 Xplorer 4x4s.They gave the win to the Polaris because the 2 stroke had more power than the 300 4 strokers,had longer suspension,was the only bike with low range option and had the Polaris true 4wd set up. I would like to read how it lost to a couple of under powered 250 4 stokes with 3wd!

 

I agree. Dirtwheels mag. is junk. If Honda would have had a machine in the test, it would have won.

Remember....money is power!

The Xplorer 250 is by far the best ATV that was in the shootout. But since it says Polaris on the tank, the test riders forget how to ride it.

Ever notice how Dirtwheels does so very few Polaris hop-up articles? Just a thought.

'96 Scrambler w/RCR Stage 1 Kit, K&N filter, and Boyesen Power Reeds.

 

That is why I never renewed my subsciption. Unless it is a Rancher or a all out racing machine, they simply do not like it. Sales speak louder than those oxygen thiefs at Dirt Wheels and Polaris is doing VERY well!

 

I'm not sure if they are on drugs, it could be to the exhaust fumes!

I'll admit, I have purchased a few copies of DWM and have even attempted to order a few backissues. I thought the magazine would be an excellent resource for information when I was quad shopping.

However, since I've been on a few quads and know the quad lingo, it is easy to see that DWM quad reviews and shootouts are extremely biased.

It never fails, they compare 2 or 3 quads, and one seems to significantly out do the other/others. But never-the-less, the "outdoer" never wins. That is of course unless the "outdoer's" mfg has 3 or 4 full page ads in DWM. Which should answer adam's issue about Polaris being in DWM. I think I recall one big add from Polaris in the last three issues, it was on their new Handwarmers, and the product actually got space on the cover. Other than that, they've (Polaris) just been shotdown in the shootouts.

No, I'm not crying cause Polaris doesn't get pubbed up in DWM, or any other brand that's not "ad heavy". It's just a shame that one of the most respected ATV mags out there is playing its readers short.

If one didn't know better and relied on DWM as far as learning about what is so-called the "best", this world would be full of nothing but Honda and Yamaha riders, with FMF pipes, dressed in nothing but O'Neal gear.

Thank goodness for forums and message boards.

 

Mike,
It's how Dirtwheels keeps the sales up. It's like watching the Vanilla Ice movie "Cool As Ice." You watch purely for the stupidity level just to laugh.

 

Its not just the DirtWheels magazine that does this. In R/C Car racing the same thing happens. The company that is the biggest and spends the most in their mag. gets the best reviews. Actually they never say a bad word about the big company. It is like the Honda of the R/C world. They are called Trinity.

It is probably the same from all magazine companies. Cater to the biggest spenders. IT is the standard in the this world. Forget about the little guy.

 

We do have to remember though that DirtWheels gave the Polaris Sportsman a large win over the Rubicon and the other large bore 4X4s in there last shootout.