SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1508148
2024 SXS BUYERS GUIDE A bumper crop of new side-by-sides (SXS) deliver power upgrades, improved suspensions, and greater versatility Story by Stuart Bourdon Photography courtesy of the manufacturers It seems like every year more side-by-sides are showing up on off-road racing entry lists. Some Powersports category manufacturers and their associated off-road racing teams have achieved spectacular successes with side-by-sides in the circus-like atmosphere of short course racing, the carnage-filled arena of rock racing, as well as the rugged endurance desert races of the Baja California-based SCORE World Desert Championship Series. Derided as “golf carts with shock absorbers” at one time, the high-tech sport-oriented side-by-sides bursting onto the market today offer more power than ever before, with upgraded transmissions, locking differentials, and high-tech tunable suspension systems achieving ever-greater wheel travel capabilities. Modern electronically controlled drive systems, passenger-oriented interiors, and navigation technology features have created a new generation of exciting recreational and competition-level side-by-sides. Racing, however, isn’t the only thing that side-by-sides are good for. The utilitarian side-by-sides have their origins in hard work and remain valued members of the family on ranches and farms. Recreational models share the lightweight, nimble handling, powerful drivetrains, and high-tech suspension systems of race-bred side-by-sides, making them good off-road trail-riding adventures. We feature some of all three side-by-side configurations in this buyer’s guide. For more details and up-to-date pricing, check out the manufacturers’ websites. PolariS Polaris RZR Turbo R The 2024 Polaris RZR Turbo R is one of our favorites among the company’s numerous side-by-side offerings. It can be built in a four-door or two-door configuration. We’ll focus on the two-door RZR Turbo R in the top-of-the-line Ultimate trim. It’s just 128 inches long and 74 inches wide and sits on a 96-inch wheelbase. The lightweight yet powerful Polaris roars with 181hp from its turbocharged 925cc four-stroke DOHC twin-cylinder engine feeding the automatic PVT transmission and on-demand AWD/2WD drive system. FOX 3.0 Live Valve X2 internal bypass shocks steady the boxed dual-A-arm front and gusseted-trailing arm rear suspension system. Polaris’ Dynamix DV electronic suspension control system offers preset ride modes including Comfort, Rock, Track, and Baja. Although the RZR Turbo R is most certainly a sport-oriented side-by-side, Polaris has maintained the UTV’s utility with a bed box rated for 300 pounds of gear. 2024 Polaris XPEDITION ADV Looking more like a small SUV than a side-by-side, the 2024 Polaris XPEDITION ADV “Adventure Vehicle” is in a category all its own. Available in three trim levels (two-seat Premium, Ultimate, and Northstar) and offered in two- or five-seat configurations, the Polaris ADV features an enclosed cab and large rear cargo box. It’s loaded with standard features like a 114hp ProStar 1000 Gen 2 engine, on-demand AWD/2WD driver system, and a high-clearance dual A-arm suspension system with FOX Podium QSE shocks. The ADV Northstar 5 (five-seater) trim includes heat and air conditioning, lockable full doors with power windows, front, and rear cameras, a tip-out windshield with washer/wiper, and a rear compartment hatch. A ProFit sport roof provides occupants protection from inclement weather, and a full-coverage skid plate shields the ADV Northstar 5 underbelly from trailer hazards. Arctic Cat Wildcat Arctic Cat Wildcat XX The name Artic Cat is synonymous with powerful snowmobiles, but the company also builds some exciting off-road side-by-sides. The 2024 Arctic Cat Wildcat XX is one of its off-road models and it comes in three trim levels (XX, XX LTD, XX SE), and all feature a double A-arm front and trailing arm suspension in the rear with FOX 2.5 PODIUM QS3 shocks on all four corners for a total of 18 inches of wheel travel. A 998cc electronic-fuel-injected three-cylinder engine produces 130hp. Power gets to the standard 30-inch off-road tires mounted to 15-inch wheels through the Wildcat’s 2WD/4WD electric-actuated shift-on-the-fly APADT CVT drive system with a selectable front differential locker. The Wildcat’s 136-inch overall length (64 inches wide) rides on a 95-inch wheelbase. Its rear bed platform measures 34x32x9 inches. Arctic Cat Prowler Pro Crew The 2024 Arctic Cat Prowler Pro Crew is a six-passenger side-by-side (available in five trim levels) that’s designed with a utilitarian vibe rather than the race-ready build of the company’s Wildcat. That doesn’t mean it lacks a performance spirit. The double A-arm suspension system features gas-charged twin-tube shocks, delivering 9.5 (rear) and 10 inches (front) of wheel travel that can clear all the most extreme trail obstacles. The 812cc electronic fuel-injected four-stroke three-cylinder engine produces a modest yet suitable 50hp, the front differential is 2WD/4WD open, and the rear differential is a selectable locker. Proof of the Prowler Pro Crew’s work ethic is a cargo dump bed with a 1,000-pound capacity on all models and a 4,500-pound capacity Warn winch standard on XT and LTD trim models. Can-Am Can-Am Maverick R Can-Am offers six SXS models and one of our favorites is the 2024 Maverick R. Within the Maverick R model there are three trim levels available. All three feature the same 240hp three-cylinder 999cc turbocharged Rotax engine that makes this off-road ready side-by-side feel like it has rocket boosters in its tail end. A Rotax DCT transmission provides seven gears with high- and low-range. The Maverick R features a forged aluminum tall-knuckle double A-arm and anti-sway bar setup in front, and a rear four-link trailing-arm system with forged aluminum tall knuckles. FOX shocks on all four corners help deliver 25 inches of stable wheel travel. The Maverick also offers a locking front differential. The 138.7-inch long (X RS trim level is 140 inches) by 78-inch-wide Can-Am Maverick R has a wheelbase of 108 inches. Can-Am Commander The 2024 Can-Am Commander is available in eight trim packages that include four single- and four double-row models. Our pick of the litter is the Commander XT, a two-seater that’s loaded with aggressive off-road standard features like an A-arm front and trailing-arm rear suspension with FOX shocks, 30-inch off-road tires, cast-aluminum beadlock wheels, and an auto-locking front differential. Its 976cc 100hp V-twin Rotax 1000R engine, CVT tuned for quick response, selectable multi-mode 2WD/4WD drivetrain, 13.5 inches of ground clearance, and electronic hill-descent-control mode, combine to create a side-by-side designed for effortless trail adventures. The Commander XT also brings features like a 7.6-inch digital display with a keypad, LED headlights, full side plates, mudguards, and premium half doors along for the ride. Honda Honda Talon 1000R-4 FOX Live Valve The hottest new thing in the Honda Powersports category is the Talon 1000R-4 FOX Live Valve sport side-by-side. Featuring a roomy four-person cabin on a chassis designed for high speeds over rugged terrain (17.7 inches of front and 20.1 inches of rear wheel travel), the Talon 1000R-4 Fox Live Valve offers an energetic power plant and drivetrain. Power stems from its 999cc four-valve Unicam parallel-twin engine and is passed to the wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch DCT and Honda’s i-4WD traction system. The i-4WD system combines brake control and a torque-biasing limited-slip front differential to optimize four-wheel-drive and differential-locking performance. Like all Honda FOX Live Valve versions, the 1000R-4 comes standard with electric power steering, full-coverage doors, and aluminum wheels. Hill Start Assist and electronic Launch Mode are two of our favorite things about the new Honda Talon 1000R-4 FOX Live Valve side-by-side. Honda Pioneer 1000 While not an off-road ripper like the Talon 1000 sport line of side-by-sides, Honda’s new flagship multipurpose side-by-side Pioneer 1000 is endowed with the same powerful engine, transmission, and i-4WD system found in its sporty Talon cousins. The Pioneer 1000 blends performance and utility into a vehicle that’s fun to drive and carry a load. A Pioneer Trail model is set up for backcountry adventure with FOX Quick Switch 3 shocks, the Pioneer Forest is designed for outdoor interests like hunting or fishing, the Pioneer Deluxe offers an in-bed accessory power outlet and self-leveling rear suspension, and the Pioneer EPS gets back to basic with things like steel wheels. All four trim levels are offered in three-seat and five-seat configurations. A Pioneer 1000-6 Deluxe Crew (a six-seat version) is also available. Kawasaki Kawasaki KRX 1000 The 2024 Kawasaki Teryx KRX 1000 sport side-by-side is available in four trim levels. The Teryx KRX 1000 (base), SE, Trail Edition, and ES offer varying levels of interior and exterior equipment, as well as enhanced performance management, but they all share similar power, drivetrain, and suspension features. A 999cc parallel-twin engine and CVT transmission with centrifugal clutch provide the power to handle twisty trails and technical rock crawling. The Teryx KRX 1000 has an on-the-fly electronically selectable 4WD and front differential lock, as well as two power modes (Full and Low). FOX 2.5 Podium LSC shocks and long suspension arms are on all, except for the ES which gets a Kawasaki electronically controlled suspension with FOX 2.5 Live Valve internal bypass shocks. Beefy 31-inch off-road tires on 15-inch aluminum bead-lock rims get power to the ground. Teryx KRX4 1000 The four-passenger 2024 Teryx KRX4 1000 comes in three models – SE, eS, and SE eS – and is similar to two-passenger Teryx KRX 1000 with a 999cc parallel-twin engine and CVT transmission with centrifugal clutch, on-the-fly electronically selectable 4WD and front differential lock, and two power modes (Full and Low). The Teryx KRX4 1000 SE runs the FOX 2.5 Podium LSC shock-damped suspension system, while the KRX4 1000 es and SE es trim levels are upgraded with the Kawasaki electronically controlled suspension system with FOX Live Valve internal bypass shock absorbers. The larger KRX4 1000 four-seat cabin offers ample legroom and high-backed bucket seats with adjustable driver and passenger seats in front with a forward-rearward range of 6 inches. The roomy, rear carrier space is large enough to accommodate up to a 32-inch spare tire and has a load capacity of 350 pounds. SPEED UTV SPEED UTV Baja Bandit, El Diablo, and El Jefe SPEED UTV offers three different models for 2024: Baja Bandit, El Diablo, and El Jefe. The two-seat Baja Bandit and El Diablo are built on a shorter (95-inch) wheelbase, while the four-seat El Jefe rides on a 120-inch wheelbase. Three trim levels are available for all three SPEED side-by-sides. The Base trim has simulated beadlocks and base-level seats. Carbon fiber race seats, beadlock wheels, roof, and five-point harness come with the LE trim. The RG edition includes window nets, orange, carbon suede seats, a suede steering wheel, a radio intercom kit, an upgraded positive flow roof, beadlock wheels, and an orange powder-coated roll cage and suspension. They all share the turbocharged 999cc dual-cylinder DOHC four-valve engine that produces 230hp. The top-of-the-line SPEED UTV El Jefe in Team RG trim (pictured) also offers a three-speed CVT, double-plunge axles (300M stars), and an A-arm front and trailing-arm rear suspension with 3.25-inch adjustable IBP shock for a whopping 22-inches of wheel travel. Yamaha Yamaha YXZ1000R Yamaha’s YXZ1000R Pure Sport lineup for 2024 received some significant improvements, including a new close-ratio six-speed manual transmission across the board and Yamaha’s all-new Auto-Shift Technology (paddle shift with auto clutch) in the SS variant of YXZ side-by-sides. The new six-speed transmission features optimized gear ratios for better performance over a wider variety of terrains and a 40 percent lower first. Reduced “shift-shock” offers smoother driving and increased clutch life. The YXZ1000R carries Yamaha’s 998cc DOHC 12-valve inline three-cylinder engine ahead of the manual foot-clutch six-speed sequential transmission with reverse, and On-Command selectable 2WD/4WD system with shaft drive and three-way locking differential. An independent double-wishbone suspension system with adjustable FOX 2.5 Podium RC2 dual-spring shocks offers 16.2 inches of front and 17 inches of rear wheel travel and 12.2 inches of ground clearance. Yamaha Wolverine X2 1000 Between the Pure Sport and Utility categories of Yamaha side-by-sides, a Recreational line offers models with serious off-road equipment and functional utilitarian features. Think suitable for work and adventure. All new for 2024 is the X2 1000 model in the Recreational line of Yamaha side-by-sides. It combines the compact and nimble Wolverine X2 platform with some enhancements borrowed from the RMAX 1000, creating a side-by-side with the necessary handling and power upgrades to easily navigate twisty technical trails as well as wide-open terrain. The X2 1000 features Yamaha’s powerful 999cc DOHC, eight-valve, parallel-twin engine, Ultramatic V-belt transmission with all-wheel engine braking, On-Command three-way locking differential, and an independent double-wishbone suspension system with SACHS ZF adjustable piggyback shocks. Two X2 1000 trim levels (R-Spec and XT-R) offer varying levels of available standard and optional equipment. SJ