Who rides there utility atv at the dunes? Do they get around okay?

 

In the sand, weight it your enemy! The idea is to float along on top, and NOT attempt to graple for traction like you would on a hillclimb with a big heavy 4X4. Still, I have friends who occasionally ride their big horsepower utes in the dunes, and some of them do reasonably well enough that they can have fun out there.

 

The dunes are more for sport quads, which are lighter, and more agile to float ontop of the sand. The utes are better for rough trails, mud, snow and other 4x4 riding.

 

Momentum is key as well as ability.. You can put a rookie on the best sport quad and get stuck alot.. They will do just fine if you keep the momentum going.. I've seen older couples 50+years riding them in the huge dunes Saint Anthony has to offer.. You won't be climbing steep hill climbs know as hillshooting but who cares, you're having fun on your quad..

 

Don't be afraid to take your Ute to the dunes. Ute's do great at the dunes. The softer suspension and 4 wheel drive makes it a blast. Look at my pictures and you'll see my wife getting about 5 feet of air on a Grizzly. They wont carve like a 450, but your rear end and back wont hurt at the end of the day either. My BF750 can hang with most riders on 400EX and Z400 quads and it will beat both of these in a 200 foot drag race. So far I have not found any sand hills my BF750 can't conquer. It's been all over Glamis and those dunes are supposed to be the biggest in the US.

 

Alot of it is tire selection and air pressure. ITP now makes a paddle tire where before you had to have custom built ones made or run mud tires backwords. Besides I have yet to loose a drag race to a sport quad in the dunes, of course that is in reverse up a hill[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] I sometimes like ridding a 4x4 better because of ease of operation and ease of gear you can pack. But if all you plan on doing is sand you might as well buy a sport quad. I have noticed lately that at the Oregon Dunes there are more and more folks out riding utility bikes. Do what is fun for you and not what is mainstream or popular.

 

Well we went and it was pretty good! I have rode the sand a few times years ago back when people were hopping up ATC 185S's but it my wifes first time. She did awesome on my sportsman and her trail boss was a blast to ride. It was challenge and I had to chose my path carefully. I ripped around on my sportsman hard as it would go and it got hot. Had me worried some about belt heat? The ride was very cushy. Other than the flat on the truck it was a good trip.

Thanks for the replies,

Moosedog

 

Cool. I love riding the dunes I think because it puts a challenge to a lot of the hills that are a breeze with my z 400.

 

Not sure about actual desert sand dunes but I've ridden in large sand pits that resemble sand dunes. You can ride a utility in deep sand. It's all sorts of fun and you can have a great time. Now a sport quad is a totally different beast and is totally in it's element in the sand. It is where they really come into their own and shine. By all means though take your utility ATV! You'll have loads of fun with it as long as you ride within it's limits. ( don't try to jump it like you see the sports doing and break stuff)

 

i take my king to silver lake mi. several times a year and its a blast. i think aa heavy, powerful 4x4 is more fun. i rode my friends raptor for about 15 minutes and it was faster, but not as much fun for me.