With a price tag in the $15,000 to $20,000 range, you might think that today’s high-performance UTVs should come pretty will equipped direct from the factory. Still, fab shops and aftermarket suppliers abound for virtually every kind of bolt-on goodie you can image, from tires and wheels to performance upgrades and body armor. While most machines will allow for endless hours of fun in stock form, depending on the type of driving you do there are a few modifications we feel will make the experience that much more enjoyable. These are our top 10 favorite UTV modifications.
Tires and Wheels
Technically tires and wheels are two individual products but they are often sold as a set, so for the purpose of our list we’re including them together. Stock tires and wheels are typically a good “middle ground” combination, but depending on the type of riding you do you will want to find a set of tires specifically designed for that terrain. If you primarily ride sand dunes, a lightweight spun aluminum wheel and paddle tire combination is a must. If you tend to ride more trails or rocks, we recommend a beadlock wheel and at minimum, a six-ply tire. For those of you that are fortunate enough to live in UTV friendly states like Utah and Arizona, a DOT-approved version is always a good choice like this eight-ply DOT-approved tire from GPS Offroad Products mounted on a Method Race Wheels beadlock wheel.
http://www.gpsoffroadproducts.com/
http://www.methodracewheels.com/
http://www.fullertonsandsports.com/
Exhaust
Probably the quickest and simplest means of squeezing a little bit more horsepower out of your stock side by side is to add a high performance exhaust. Most aftermarket exhausts not only increase performance but typically weigh less than the factory system. A couple great options for increased horsepower as well as an improved look and sound are Muzzy’s Performance and Sparks racing.
http://www.muzzys.com/
http://www.sparksracing.com/
Roll Cage
If you’re the aggressive driving type and there is even a remote chance that you could end up on your lid, we highly recommend an aftermarket roll cage. Manufacturers are required to meet specific requirements for cage strength and durability; however, we’ve seen UTVs take some pretty nasty spills and destroy stock cages. If you know you plan to ride extremely hard, an upgraded cage will provide added safety for the crew, and there are a ton of aftermarket options when that not only improve the safety but also give the vehicle a custom look. Check out http://www.sdrmotorsports.com/ for some trick cage designs.
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