After reading about a certain friend of ours (581?) having mech woes after “hotting-out” his sport/ute, I got to thinking “What would the ultimate sport/ute consist of?” Before you Scrambler fans chime in; the Scrambler is NOT what I’m talking about, although the concept is close. Being that the BF is an infant, and the KQ hasn’t been flogged by us mortals, I’m excluding them too. I’m also wondering what you folks would like, if the factories asked for suggestions
My idea of the ultimate PERFORMANCE SPORT/ute would be along these lines: Penland’s Comp. Prairie is a start……
Power-right out of the crate! No fussing with jets/cams/pipes-POWER. Being that Kawasaki has proven the V-twin to be a monster, something like that. Except……more. If Sea-Doo can make a 215hp PWC, 80+ should be obtainable. If EFI is the future, give it a port for a tuning module-they’re inevitable.
Suspension-Long travel, jumpable, “able to take a major G-out and not throw you off, on the rebound” suspension. If the side roll can be all but eliminated, IRS would work, for ground clearance. Desert trucks have LT with shaft drive……..Make it able to be tuned for the addition of a winch too.
Transmission-The Autos are tough now, but offer the shifter too. Make the front dif. a locker. If you need 4wd, make it 4WD.
Comfort-keep ‘er narrow in the middle, and have PEGS that are “curled” on the ends to keep your boots ON the pegs in the corners. Make the seat narrow enough to slide back on, without dislocating your hips.
Do-dads-Those LCD’s are nice, but…..a TACH/speedo combo, a fuel gauge and a temp light are all that is needed. If auto, make the shift lever gated and marked.
Racks-Easily removable. And easily re-attachable. Ever try to put the front rack back on a Vinson? Capped square tube posts with those spring loaded “bullet” type releases would be an idea.
Lights-3 on the front, but include screens/covers that snap on/off.
Brakes-discs all the way around. And don’t link ‘em Polaris!
Tires/wheels-Gives us some 6 ply with stiffer sidewalls, and a couple of options as OE. Same with the rims. Make 12” bead-locks an OE option.
Maint.-Make stuff-oil fliter, air filter, plug(s), etc. easier to get to. Use quick release alum fasteners for the shrouds, fenders, etc.
Skid plates/bumpers-Aluminum, from the factory. Make the frame skidder with a cap that covers a bigger hole below the oil plug. Dump the cheesy plastic nose too, or at least put a contoured alum bar in front of it. The alum includes rear dif and a-arm/CV guards too.
I know most of this stuff would cost extra, but doesn’t it cost more when you add it anyway? This would be a quad that could be an “all-arounder”, with the emphasis on SPORT, but the capabilities to be utility.
Just a thought………….or 11!

 

The "sport/ute" thing is mostly marketing hype! Lets face it, even todays newer crop of "sport/utes" are based in an old concept of the (heavy!) farm work machine, and are more ute than they are sport. Most riders are recreationalists, and don't need anything close to a work quad. So, if anybody wants to build the true sport/ute, we are going to need a paradigm shift at the manufacturers R&D departments!

For me, a "true" sport ute is a "GO ANYWHERE SPORT BIKE", that has selectable 4X4, but not saddled by any of the old HEAVY work machine concepts. Something along the lines of the Wolverine, but taken to the next level with modern engines and lightened up into the sub 400 lb. class.

Rumor is, Honda is working on a water cooled, light, high-performance 250 cc, 4X4 machine. Before you laugh, dirt bikers are getting 30 hp out of little 250 cc mills, so it isn't impossible to get big hp out of a little engine. The old concept of cc = horsepower, doesn't apply anymore. And WEIGHT will always be the opposite of performance. I hope this will be the first of a whole new generation of machines! The market for machines like this should be huge.

See my post:
http://forums.atvconnection.com/mess...y&keyword1=4X4

 

Selectable 4wd is a given. The "secret" Honda sounds interesting. He11, look at what Honda did w/ the CRF 250(?), supposedly a BLAST to ride. I still want something w/ mucho torque. CC's, IMHO, are needed there. The Wolverine, along w/ the Scrambler, was a good concept. The Wolverine needs a new engine. Donor YFZ 450, perhaps? Therein lies the next dilemma-Chain, or shaft. For min. power loss and quality suspension action, the chain(rear, obviously) would seem to be the way to go. But, as with the afore mentioned desert trucks, great suspension IS possible with shaft drive. It's more of a reliability issue, to me.

 

reconranger, I know you're probably about tired of hearing from me. I'm in no way whatsoever trying to bash on you, but I'm sure you know Honda as well as I do. They just don't seem to be the company that would make this kind of giant leap like introducing a whole new radical product line like this. I'd say the odds are definitely against it, but I'm not saying it won't happen for certain. KNOWSALOT is the inside source on this and he never seems to want to say much when he's asked about this. You run into technical problems I can't see Honda wanting to deal with like chain or shaft-drive. A shaft will be needed for the Honda reliability, but it will drain HP. Those 250 four-stroke dirtbike engines are great performers, but the rebuild intervals are rediculous for a 50% utility quad from big red. All the lightening of components to keep weight down definitely cannot help the build quality either. Please don't think I'm trying to be a jerk to you because I would absolutely love it if Honda did this. I would sell the Rubi tomorrow and be on the waiting list for one of these things. I just don't see Honda making this kind of innovation. I know opinions are like ***holes in that everyone has one, but there's my $0.02.

 

Goblin-Several of the magazines have mentioned that this bike is in the works. From July Dirt Wheels----

"Word is that a new sporty 250 4X4 will debut later this year from Big Red. A prototype has been seen at various secret test locations about the country. Spies say it uses a competitive new motor configuration that incorporates a new liquid-cooled four-stroke power plant. The handling is said to be much sporitier than its larger 4X4 cousins, and it is said to be very lightweight."

I hope they take the concept as far as they can, and don't just give us another "cookie cutter" ute, and then they follow right behind it with a 450.

 

Do you think the yfz engine could be tuned to give us a motor for one of these crazy sport utes? my question is based on the fact that they put the rappy engine into the grizzly frame. Im not exactly sure if they did something different to it, so it could fit into the grizz. (correct me if I am wrong) Even if they did, couldnt the 450 yfz be converted over to sport ute????? with more emphasis on the sport side of it?

 

To me, "sportiness" is more SUSPENSION, HANDLING, and LIGHT WEIGHT, than it is speed or motor. I'll sacrifice a few mph, for handling that will carve a trail, anytime.

The CRF/YZF 250 and 450 class of engines are all rev, and I wouldn't think they would do well in this kind of application. A revy engine with a light flywheel, can be miserable when the trail turns technical. But, who knows what modifications can be made to these engines to better adapt them for trail riding???

 

well here is my opinion, for what an opinion is worth.

I would keep the basic rincon, with a few refinements.

1. Way more horsepower. Forget the lawyers and just flat open this thing up. maybe 750cc with fuel injection and a programmable computer chip. I love the torque converter/automatic tranny. This setup with twice the horsepower would be great!!

2. four speed tranny with first gear being very, very, very low. This gear would be for pulling loads, or for going down steep grades where engine braking is required. Very low first gear.

3. Make the shocks all the way around adjustable for preload, compression, and rebound. Sure it works well as is, but................

 

I would prefer a Hondamatic tranny over anything else in the ATV world for a sport/utility. It's the most power-efficient shaft system in the business. I would prefer a SRA with the Hondamatic and the refinements you mentioned over IRS, but if they made the IRS REALLY sporty with almost no body roll, I wouldn't complain.

 

i would say that the perfect sport/ute would be a 400 cc liquid cooled engine with selectable 4 wheel drive. would weigh around 400 lbs like some one said earlier. has a hi and low range. and even a quick switch rear sprocket and a chain storage space so you could change your gearing easily depending on what you are going to be doing when out on the trail. would come with some really bright head lights. could have electronically controled shocks so you could adjust them just by pushing some buttons. would have a locking front diff. ok i just ran out of ideas. but a quad with all this would be awsome even though some of it will never happen