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ravencr
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| Posted: 24 June 2010 at 6:45pm | IP Logged
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Hey guys,
Here's the initial test review of the Polaris RZR 4 Robby Gordon Edition in
ATV World Magazine: ATV WORLD
MAGAZINE - North America's Best ATV/UTV Magazine
Here are copies of the actual pages in the magazine:
You can download the complete article pdf here:
f">http://www.utvreport.com/pics/atvworld/rzr4/initialtest/i nitialtest.pd
f
Here's the article in text form with larger pictures:
 pg">
When Polaris first introduced the RZR in 2008, the recreational UTV and
Side x Side industry was changed forever. As if that wasn’t enough,
Polaris introduced the RZR S in 2009, which was leaps and bounds ahead
of the competition with a high output factory long travel equipped sporty
side x side. For 2010, Polaris has gone above and beyond once again with
the release of their all-new RZR 4 Robby Gordon Edition.
So, if you’re like us you’re probably wondering some of the following
whether you own an existing UTV or not:
- Does the engine have enough power?
- Does the extra wheelbase cause you to high center or hang up more?
- Can you really fit 4 people comfortably for an entire day’s ride?
- How is the turning radius?
- How well does it fit in tight woods trails?
- How well does it rock crawl?
- How does it do in the sand?
So, to begin, let’s jump right to the things we love about the new RZR 4
Robby Gordon Edition:
- Similar fit, finish, and comfort level of the existing RZR and RZR S
- Tilt Steering Wheel
- Digital Dash
- High & Low Beam Lights
- Simple 1-position On-Demand AWD System
- Comfortable bucket seats front and rear
- 4 cup holders
- 12v power sockets front and rear
- RZR S Suspension with heavier duty Fox Podium X 2.0 shocks
Here’s what we’d like to see updated for next year’s models of not only
the RZR 4 but also the regular RZR and RZR S:
- Parking brake
- 6 tie down points in the bed
- Integrated hard sided lockable glove box
And, specifically for the RZR 4, we’d like to see Polaris utilize the
additional space under the rear driver’s side seat for added storage,
because you can never have enough space to store stuff when out riding
the trails. And, last but not least on the RZR 4, we’d like to see a quicker
steering ratio and power steering due to the extra length and additional
weight on the front end.
But, we know what you’re really wondering is how it drove out on the
trails, right? But, before we jump in with our full test, we’re happy to say
the new Polaris RZR 4 Robby Gordon Edition is an all around amazing
sport side x side. As you can probably imagine, the extra size has its
limiting factors, but it also has some very beneficial factors, as well. So, to
begin our test, we headed out to the Brimstone Recreation area in
Huntsville, TN to test its prowess in tight woods trails.
 pg">
Part of what we were wondering is how many times we’d have to do 3-
point turns to make it through the trees. We were wondering if we’d get
hung up making hard off-camber turns by catching trees on the roll cage.
We also wanted to see just how often we’d get hung up on steep water
breaks and big rocks. And, finally we wanted to get the feedback of other
riders on the trails with us that had other brands and models of UTVs for
some honest comparison feedback.
 pg">
In the end, we were pleasantly surprised with the way the RZR 4 handled
tight woods trails. We had folks with existing RZR’s, RZR S’s, Rangers,
Prowlers, and Rhinos drive and ride in it, and their responses were all very
similar.
Engine
The engine is peppy when compared to non-RZR machines, and although
not as fast as the RZR or RZR S, it seemed to have plenty of power to
everyone that drove it. And, for those power hungry folks, there are plenty
of options to increase the power of the High Output (H.O.) 760cc engine
ranging from turbos to all sorts of bolt-on parts that can fit within your
budget.
Extra Wheelbase
It didn’t get hung up on the tall and steep water breaks like everyone
expected. Although you could feel it drag the undercarriage at times,
there always seemed to be tires on the ground that were able to pull you
through without getting hung up. The positive attribute to the extra
wheelbase is that it rides very smooth, soaking up the bumps at both high
and low speeds with little to no feedback through the steering wheel.
When compared to the other 2-seat UTVs, some even mentioned it was
possible to get hung up easier on the steep faced water breaks in their
shorter wheelbase UTVs because their tires would be off the ground
more.
Comfort Factor
Although we didn’t test it with 4 adults in the tight woods, we did put 3
adults in to drive it. Three of them currently drove Rhino 450’s, and they
were pleasantly surprised at how well it rode, how comfortable the back
seat was, and how much quicker it was when compared to the Rhino 450.
Upon initial inspection we originally thought the rear seats would only be
comfortable for small adults or children. But, after spending hours in the
back seat, it’s truly as comfortable as the front seats with a nice grab bar
running the entire width of the RZR 4.
Turning Radius
Our initial assumption was that we were going to have to constantly stop
and make 3-point turns to make it through the tight woods trails. But, to
our surprise, we only had to do this a couple of times in a full day’s ride.
And, for comparison sake, the one guy with a Ranger XP had to do it in
the same places we did. But, you will find yourself working the steering
wheel more because of the added weight of the machine and what
appears to be the same steering box ratio as a regular RZR. We’d like to
see a quicker steering box ratio and power steering on next year’s models
to make weaving your way through the woods a much more enjoyable
experience.
Overall Tight Woods Impression
The astounding response we received from everyone that rode or drove
the RZR 4 was “Wow, I didn’t expect that!” I think what we all realized is
that our assumptions were nearly all wrong and that Polaris has really
done their homework with the new RZR 4 Robby Gordon Edition. It’s
obviously not as nimble as a 2-seat UTV or ATV in the tight woods, but
for most people wanting to take their families out trail riding, the
positives far outweigh the few times you’ll have to back up or slow down
to weave your way through the trees.
Continued below...
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ravencr
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Location: Arizona
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| Posted: 24 June 2010 at 6:46pm | IP Logged
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Next, we took the RZR 4 out to Moab, UT for the 4th Annual UTV Rally.
Our goal was to test the RZR 4’s ability to rock crawl and run through the
sand. Although there’s not a ton of sand dunes in Moab, there are some
areas we were able to get a feel for the RZR 4’s ability to power through
the soft sand. And, of course, Moab, UT is most well known for its
abundance of slick rock crawling, big ledges, and steep climbs and
descents. There’s a big difference running on tight woods slick and
muddy trails versus the famous slickrock in Moab, UT. Plus, with the
added sections of sand in Moab, we’re able to give you well rounded
picture of the RZR 4’s capabilities and limitations.
Steel Bender
When we first arrived in Moab, we took the RZR 4 out on Steel Bender,
which is rated as a heavy moderate, light difficult trail for UTVs. It
consists of loose rock ledges, choppy exposed rock, jagged rock faces,
and some of the most scenic views in all of Moab. With the backdrop of
the snow covered LaSalle Mountains and Ken’s Lake, we headed into the
trail wondering how the RZR 4 would do on all the ledges, considering the
longer wheelbase.
 pg">
To our surprise, the RZR 4 conquered all the major obstacles on Steel
Bender with no trouble at all. What was nice is that the steeper the
obstacles were, the more at home you felt driving the RZR 4, because you
never felt like you were going to tip over backwards.
 pg">
Through the choppy terrain, we realized at times a little more ground
clearance would be helpful and possibly no rear swaybar, as well. While
dropping off some of the ledges, we definitely hit bottom, but never got
hung up.
Hell’s Revenge
One of the most famous trails in Moab is Hell’s Revenge, so we had to
take the RZR 4 out to test its capabilities on obstacles referred to as Hell’s
Gate, Escalator, Tip-Over Challenge, and the famous hot tubs. In short,
the main part of the trail proved to be no problem for the RZR 4 making
short work of steep inclines, declines, and off-cambers. When we came to
Hell’s Gate, we looked at it, picked a line, and headed down and back up
with no problem at all.
 pg">
But, like anything, if you get offline a little bit, the obstacles on Hell’s
Revenge can definitely create some pucker factor.
 pg">
We did both routes up and down Hell’s Gate, and we found the extra
wheelbase was very confidence inspiring.
Next, we headed towards escalator, which is the hardest obstacle on
Hell’s Revenge. It’s a combination of a v-notch with extremely steep rock
faces to climb up at the same time. Having watched plenty of 2-seat UTVs
attempt it with little to no success often times resulting in rollovers, we
had to see if the extended wheelbase of the RZR 4 would either prove to
be too long and cause us to high center or be just enough to make it up
safely. The first face was no problem. The second bowl is nearly straight
up with no real place for your right side to grip to, because it’s a sheer
wall. We picked our line and slowly attempted to climb up. To our
surprise, it walked right up without even spinning a tire or dragging the
undercarriage. Right after us were some 8” over long travel RZR’s that all
needed a strap to keep it safe and prevent them from rolling over
backwards. On this obstacle the extra wheelbase definitely proved helpful.
Next we headed to Tip-Over Challenge, which although it is tall, steep,
and off-camber, it proved once again to be no problem for the RZR 4’s
vertical and horizontal stability.
Next, we headed out towards the famous hot tubs.
 pg">
We did the first one without any trouble for any of the UTVs with us and
decided that having to strap off for the other two didn’t really prove
anything. So, we resorted to the fact that we didn’t have big enough
nerves to conquer the remaining two hot tubs and completed the rest of
Hell’s Revenge without any trouble.
Fins N Things
One of the coolest trails in Moab is Fins N Things with its combination of
slickrock and soft sand. Here, we took 4 adults out in the RZR 4 to see just
how well it did fully loaded down on a moderate trail. Once again, we
conquered all the obstacles on the trail with no trouble at all. But, this is
where we did notice a difference in power. With the added weight of two
more riders and the deep soft sand, more power would have been
welcomed. But, regardless, we were able to speed through the whoops
and high-sided berms with finesse. Once up to speed, maintaining it
didn’t seem to be a problem at all. Surprisingly, we expected the
suspension to bottom out and high center a lot more often, but we didn’t
notice a huge difference in the way it handled. And, all the folks riding
with us were amazed too, because they all had families and were
interested to see how it did fully loaded down, as well.
Cliffhanger
Of the difficult trails in Moab, Cliffhanger is one where you quickly
become acquainted with steep loose ledge off-camber climbs and
descents. Once again we wanted to see if the additional wheelbase of the
RZR 4 would prevent us from completing the trail. With us we had other
RZR 4’s and lots of other 2-seat UTVs for comparison. We finally got hung
up, but it was the harder alternate route that caused us to stop dead in
our tracks.
 pg">
Otherwise, in comparison to the other 2-seat UTVs, we were now
convinced that there’s very little if any detriment to having the extra
wheelbase. Outside of a worse turning radius and being slightly harder to
steer due to it’s weight, the added vertical and horizontal stability was
gladly welcomed on Cliffhanger.
Hurrah Pass/Chicken Corners
This trail isn’t known for it’s hard obstacles, but rather it’s draw dropping
views and high speed runs through the soft sand and whoops. With 3
people in the RZR 4, it was a blast to bomb through the whoops wide
open, catch some air, and carve through the high-banked turns. As
mentioned before, acceleration is definitely slower than a regular RZR or
RZR S, but it’s definitely on par with the other available 2-seat UTVs with
similar sized engines. What we also found on this trail is that it’s a lot of
fun to be riding with more than one other passenger. We all took turns
driving and laughing at how smooth the RZR 4 handles the whoops and
small jumps. If big jumps are your thing, our recommendation would be
more compression dampening by adjusting the stock shocks. Otherwise,
once up to speed, it’s a blast to carve through the sand.
Poison Spider Mesa
If you only have the chance to ride one trail in Moab, our recommendation
would be Poison Spider Mesa because of its variety of terrain and jaw
dropping scenery. But, it’s also a 4/5 difficult trail with non-stop action
along the whole trail.
 pg">
It includes steep rock faces, ledges, soft sand, slickrock, and excellent
backdrops for amazing pictures against the LaSalle Mountains.
pg">
Without boring you with a play by play of each obstacle, the RZR 4
definitely proved worthy of tackling any section of this trail with
confidence and ease.
 pg">
In fact, many of the Jeeps out on the trails were amazed at how easily it
went up some of the steeper rock faces that often times cause Jeeps and
other fullsize rigs to flip over backwards or merely not have enough
traction to make it up.
 pg">
Final Impressions
Overall, the RZR 4 proved to us that its extended wheelbase, RZR S
inspired long travel suspension, extra 2 seats and really cool looking paint
scheme far outweighs the slower than desired steering ratio and extra
weight. The back seats are just as comfortable as the front seats, which is
mainly due to the stadium style seating and plenty of space to slide your
feet up under the front seats. By no means do you feel cramped in the
back of the RZR 4. As mentioned in the beginning, a parking brake, some
tie down points in the bed, a lockable glove box, quicker steering ratio,
and power steering would all be welcome features for 2011, but they’re
definitely not required to have a great time in this machine with 3 of your
friends or family. The Polaris RZR 4 Robby Gordon Edition is definitely the
ultimate family sport oriented side x side on the market today. No more
do you have to put seats in the back of your existing UTV to bring your
children or friends. The RZR 4 is capable of safely taking you and your
family and friends anywhere you want to go more comfortably.
Continued below...
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ravencr
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Location: Arizona
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| Posted: 24 June 2010 at 6:46pm | IP Logged
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2010 Specifications
Engine
- 4-Stroke Twin Cylinder
Displacement
- 760cc High Output (H.O.)
Top Speed
- 61 mph (98.2 kph)
HP
- 55
Fuel System
- Electronic Fuel Injection
Cooling
- Liquid
Drive Train
Transmission/Final Drive
- Automatic PVT P/R/N/L/H; Shaft
Drive System
- On-Demand True AWD/2WD
Suspension
Front Suspension
- Dual A-Arm, Fox Podium X 2.0 (Comp. adjust./res) 12 in (30.5 cm) Travel
Rear Suspension
- Dual A-Arm, Rolled with Anti-Sway Bar Fox Podium X 2.0 (Comp. adjust./res) 12 in
(30.5 cm) Travel
Brakes
Front Brakes
- Hydraulic Disc with Dual-Bore Front Calipers
Rear Brakes
- Hydraulic Disc
Tires & Wheels
Front Tires
- 26 x 9-12; Maxxis Bighorn
Rear Tires
- 26 x 12-12; Maxxis Bighorn
Wheels
- Cast Aluminum Black Bruiser
Dimensions/Capacities
Wheelbase
- 103 in (261.6 cm)
Dry Weight
- 1,255 lbs
Length/Width/Height
- 130 in/60.5 in/75 in (330.2 cm/153.7 cm/190.5 cm)
Fuel Capacity
- 7.25 gal (27.4 ltr)
Bed Box Dimensions/Capacity
- 42 in x 22 in/300 lbs (106.7 cm x 55.9 cm/136.1 kg)
Hitch Towing Rating
- 1,500 lbs (680.4 kg)
Cargo System
- Lock & Ride
Ground Clearance
- 11.5 in (29.2 cm)
Hitch/Type
- Standard Receiver
Features
Instrumentation
- Digital Gauge, Speedometer, Odometer, Tachometer, Tripmeter, Hour Meter, Gear
Indicator, Fuel Gauge, Hi-Temp/Low-Batt Lights, DC Outlets (2)
Seating & Ergonomics
- Interchangeable bucket seats with 4 inches (10.2 cm) of adjustability
- Class-leading tilt steering with 10 inches (25.4 cm) of range
- Front and rear passenger handrails
Colors
Colors
- Painted Boardwalk Blue/Pearl White w/ Robby Gordon Off-Road Graphics
Accessories
Factory Available
- Over 80 accessories to choose from
Miscellaneous Pictures From Poison Spider Mesa
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Midwest Trail Riders : General Forum
Topic: ATV World Magazine Polaris RZR 4 Review
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