2016 Glamis UTV Industry Ride: 20 Custom Builds

Posted on March 8, 2016
12:38 pm

The 2016 Glamis UTV Industry Ride brought approximately 20 custom side-by-sides to the Imperial Sand Dunes for three days of riding, photography and product testing. UTVGuide.net and Fullerton Sand Sports organized the fifth annual gathering, with NASCAR driver and UTV enthusiast Greg Biffle opening his Glamis facilities to the group.

Pace Offroad, Biffle’s high-end off-road shop, allowed us to turn its large steel building into a temporary photo studio. You would never know from the finished studio images that hundreds of acres of freshly blown sand dunes were waiting just outside the door.

Pace Offroad Z1-powered Polaris RZR XP 4 conversion at the 2016 Glamis UTV Industry Ride — Pace Offroad’s Z1-powered Polaris RZR XP 4 conversion.

Twenty Custom UTVs Take Over Glamis

This year’s group included approximately 20 built UTVs. Standouts included the TMW Offroad and Wolf Designs “Werewolf” V8 RZR, ProLine Wraps’ “Atomachrome” RZR XP Turbo and Pace Offroad’s 280-plus-horsepower Z1-powered RZR XP 4 conversion.

In2Dirt Media’s “Rat RZR” sat at the opposite end of the styling spectrum, wearing a convincing rust-and-copper patina. Three Yamaha YXZ1000Rs also made the trip, including two turbocharged machines and one wrapped in gray carbon-fiber-pattern vinyl.

With a belly full of chorizo and eggs, we started our first morning shoot in the tall dunes behind Oldsmobile Hill.

After two solid days of riding and photography, a severe windstorm sent everyone rushing back to camp to secure awnings, chairs, tables and anything else that weighed less than a generator. Winds exceeding 60 mph howled through camp and sandblasted a few powder-coated finishes.

The payoff arrived the following morning: cool temperatures, virtually no wind and dunes wiped clean of tracks overnight. It was difficult to ask for better Glamis riding conditions.

In2Dirt Media Rat RZR at the 2016 Glamis UTV Industry Ride — In2Dirt Media’s Rat RZR.

In2Dirt Media helped document the trip with studio photography inside the “Biffledome,” Greg Biffle’s enormous steel shop building. We also hauled the studio equipment into the dunes for nighttime shoots highlighting LED lighting from Rigid Industries, Lazer Star, Vision X and other manufacturers.

Turbocharged Yamaha YXZ1000R Builds

TMW Offroad turbocharged Yamaha YXZ1000R at Glamis — TMW Offroad’s turbocharged Yamaha YXZ1000R.

TMW Offroad arrived in force, but two of its most memorable machines were a turbocharged, long-travel Yamaha YXZ1000R and a big-turbo RZR XP Turbo. Both builds demonstrated how quickly performance UTV development was progressing in 2016.

Wolf Designs and TMW Offroad Werewolf V8 Polaris RZR at Glamis — Wolf Designs and TMW Offroad’s V8-powered “Werewolf” RZR.

The Wolf Designs and TMW Offroad “Werewolf” RZR was just as striking as the first time we saw it. It arrived in Glamis with a newly installed, stroked and cammed LS2 V8 occupying the rear half of the chassis.

With more than 400 horsepower, nothing else in the group could match the Werewolf at high speed. Fourth-gear pulls reportedly carried the car beyond 110 mph in the sand. See our complete TMW Offroad Werewolf feature for a closer look at this extraordinary build.

Race Proven Motors turbo Yamaha YXZ1000R running through the Glamis dunes — Race Proven Motors’ turbocharged Yamaha YXZ1000R.

Race Proven Motors brought a white wide-body YXZ1000R with a large turbocharger. It may have been the quickest car in the group. During several high-speed whoop passes, the RPM Yamaha blew by us as though we were standing still, its three-cylinder engine screaming across the dunes.

For more model history, reviews and project vehicles, visit our Yamaha YXZ1000R guide.

Chrome RZRs, Lighting and Practical Accessories

ProLine Wraps Atomachrome Polaris RZR XP Turbo in Glamis — ProLine Wraps’ Atomachrome RZR XP Turbo.

ProLine Wraps demonstrated its expertise with chrome vinyl by bringing two Polaris RZRs that could best be described as rolling suns. Both cars used long-travel suspension, with one representing HCR Racing and the other Madigan Motorsports.

XTC Power Products Polaris RZR XP 4 with Rigid Industries LED lights — XTC Power Products showing off its extensive Rigid Industries lighting package.

XTC Power Products brought one of the most practical machines in the group. Its RZR XP 4 1000 featured a complete plug-and-play electrical system incorporating turn signals, a horn, hazard flashers and strobes.

The RZR also carried more Rigid Industries lighting than almost any UTV we had seen, including fender lights, rock lights, interior dome lights and multiple forward-facing lights.

Assault Industries Yamaha YXZ1000R with KC HiLiTES Pro6 light bar — Assault Industries’ Yamaha YXZ1000R.

Assault Industries’ YXZ1000R featured numerous billet components and accessories, along with a KC HiLiTES Pro6 light bar. The Pro6 used six-inch reflector housings connected by a billet backbone, combining long-distance illumination with distinctive retro styling.

A gray carbon-fiber-pattern wrap from ProLine complemented the billet components, while a prototype Burns exhaust gave the Yamaha a suitably aggressive sound.

GBC’s RZR XP Turbo on 32-Inch Mongrels

GBC Motorsports Polaris RZR XP Turbo running 32-inch Mongrel tires in Glamis — GBC Motorsports running the dunes on 32-inch Mongrel tires.

GBC Motorsports brought a new RZR XP Turbo fitted with white Lazer Star marine-grade lights that matched its plastics and graphics. Its DesertWorks cage incorporated a fully enclosed cargo area and aftermarket taillights mounted in the sheet-metal rear bodywork.

The most surprising feature was its set of huge 32-inch GBC Mongrel tires. With Kory Ellis behind the wheel, the RZR proved that a large all-terrain tire could still throw plenty of sand.

HiPer DM58 Wheel Honors Dalton Millican

Clay Millican with the HiPer DM58 wheel at the Glamis UTV Industry Ride — Clay Millican showing the HiPer DM58 wheel.

Fullerton Sand Sports and HiPer Wheels displayed a new wheel on the FSS Can-Am Maverick. Known as the DM58, the wheel was developed through a partnership between HiPer and WELD Racing.

WELD President and CEO Norm Young first presented the DM58 at the 2015 PRI Trade Show. Its name honored Dalton Millican, the 22-year-old son of NHRA Top Fuel racer Clay Millican, who died in a motorcycle accident on August 13, 2015.

Clay joined us in Glamis and drove a UTV in the sand for the first time. The smile on his face when he returned to camp made it clear that he had an unforgettable ride.

UTV Tech and SDR Motorsports RZR Builds

UTV Tech turbocharged Polaris RZR XP 1000 throwing sand at Glamis — UTV Tech’s turbocharged RZR XP 1000 throwing sand.

UTV Tech’s relatively stock-looking RZR XP 1000 concealed several interesting upgrades from the Idaho company. These included a hard roof with a glass sunroof, steel cargo box, extensive underbody protection and flared rock sliders. A turbocharger provided enough additional power to produce a substantial roost on demand.

SDR Motorsports Polaris RZR XP Turbo with HCR Racing long-travel suspension — Brian Bush’s SDR Motorsports-built RZR XP Turbo.

SDR Motorsports brought Brian Bush’s RZR XP Turbo, which featured a GlazzKraft fiberglass body, HCR Racing long-travel suspension, Rigid Industries lights and SDR cage and door components.

We also brought our own SDR Motorsports-built RZR XP 4 Turbo. It was equipped with SDR’s Hi-Bred long-travel suspension system and nearly every SDR accessory available at the time.