Eager to take a slice out of the RUV pie, Kawasaki has released an all-new player in the side-by-side game - the 2008 Teryx 750 4x4. (Photo: motorcycleusa.com)
It's a mild, moonless February evening. I'm miles from anywhere in the star filled expanse otherwise known as Glamis-Southern California's sandy remnants of an ancient sea. The bright 40-watt halogen headlamps cut through the pitch black night, but do nothing to illuminate the dark, bottomless drop-off directly in front of me. I can't see where I'm going and under normal circumstances I would be wary of treading any farther. However, I've spent all sunny afternoon on the newest entry into the burgeoning Recreational Utility Vehicle (RUV) market and have yet to run into an obstacle that I couldn't surmount. So I mash the gas pedal. 'Here we go,' I say to myself right before my stomach drops and I'm pitched forward, blasting down a wall of sand.
So just what is a RUV? It's the latest rage in the recreational powersport industry. A basic Cliff Notes-worthy definition would be if a contemporary 4-stroke utility ATV and purpose built 4x4 off-road truck got boozed up during Karaoke night at the local dive bar, with the end result being a two-seater, half-scale trophy truck.
The concept, however, is nothing new, as desert rats and garage mechanics have been making their own freakish creations out of golf-carts for as long as they've been around. Even so, the market evolved into what it is today when Yamaha officially minted the niche with their Rhino in 2003.
Since, Rhinos have become the de facto standard - as any desert enthusiast will surely confirm as there are literally hundreds littered across Glamis' sandy expanse on any major winter weekend. Eager to take a slice out of the RUV pie, Kawasaki has released an all-new player in the side-by-side game - the 2008 Teryx 750 4x4.
Our two-part ride began at Ocotillo Wells OHV Park, near Brawley, California. Ocotillo is known for its diverse terrain - everything from sand washes, hills, steep climbs (as well as descents) and wide-open stretches of rocky, treeless expanse. As soon as the sun dipped below the horizon, we packed up and headed for the dunes of Glamis for part two of our ride where we learned just how good the Teryx is in the sand - and how much fun it is to play with at night.
