The 4×4 Guys
Small Packages – RZR XP
Posted by John on May 28, 2013 in Events	Comments Off on Small Packages – RZR XP
They say that good things come in small packages and if you ask Greg Robertson he'd probably agree. He has a highly modified Polaris RZR XP 900 Side By Side and it's a small package when it comes to a 4×4, but that's where small ends. The modifications are impressive and he has made it an extreme off road machine.
In fact there is not much more you could possibly jam into this Polaris RZR. It has a Luke Beechey Motorsports low boost turbo and puts out a staggering 125hp and in such a small vehicle it is definitely 'fat'.
But it's not just built for speed. This four wheel drive is running two Optima batteries supplying power to a Warn 9.0RC Winch and with the added air free spool, it makes this RZR a very capable winch event competition contender. The winch is running 36:1 gears and boasts a 6hp motor which can pull the RZR out of nearly any situation.
Other features of this Polaris RZR include Electronic Power Steering, Dragonfire Racing seats, harnesses, roll cage, front and rear bars, Pro Armour doors and bash plates, 30″ ITP Baja Cross tyres on 14″ bead locks and 30″ Ridged Industries Dual Light bar. In the future, Greg wants to fit Gorilla axles and CV's plus some HD dual stage progressive springs.
The RZR is not stock by any means, it's set up to be a competitive winch vehicle, something few thought could be done. Greg had been racing a previous model RZR S and the XP was built from scratch with knowledge and experience gained from the work done on the original vehicle. The biggest issue with the XP is the axles as the standard ones twist after about ten minutes of use. They were replaced with much stronger aftermarket versions but these still only last about five hours which needs to be addressed. Luke Beechey Motorsports is sourcing the Gorilla Axle shafts and high excursion CV's which should hopefully fix the problem.
He chose the RZR because he used to ride ATV's and SxS's were a natural progression from there. When Greg was looking around for a vehicle, Polaris was the only manufacturer who was making a sport SxS so the choice was made for him. Since that time, other brands like Can Am and Arctic Cat has started to produce sports versions of their SxS's and whilst he seriously considered changing brands, he has decided to stick with the Polaris Machine.
At this stage Greg's competition outings have been limited to the ARB Xtreme Winch Challenge, however he also plans to compete in the Springs Side by Side (SxS) race series starting this year.
Greg would also like to do Cliffhanger in the RZR in the future, but a spectator trip is more likely to be the case first to get the lay of the land and determine the suitability of the terrain to the RZR. King of the Rim has also been considered but being on the same track as full sized vehicles may be a bit too daunting and for that matter dangerous for such a small vehicle.
But in round one of the ARB Xtreme Winch Challenge, the team finished sixth overall, which wasn't a bad effort considering that they had a few DNF's and mechanical mishaps. They managed to win SS7 and SS9 with a second in SS8. This was the first time that the team had won a winch challenge stage.
Winch stages are Greg's favorite events especially when there are tight turns and small spaces to move around in where they can take advantage of the agility and small size of the RZR. All in all this Polaris packs a big punch for a little unit and here's hoping we see it out on the tracks again soon.
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