Off-road Super Bike v Polaris RZR: DRAG RACE
It’s time for an absolutely incredible off-road race!
We’ve got our hands on a Polaris RZR off-road buggy, and it’s going head-to-head in a series of off-road challenges against a Suzuki GSX-R that’s been modified to help it leave the tarmac!
So let’s see how the two compare. Starting with the Polaris, it’s powered by a 1-litre 2-cylinder engine that can deliver 112hp. It comes with four-wheel drive, weighs in at 745kg, and all-in costs around £29,000.
As for the bike, it’s a whole lot lighter than the Polaris, weighing only 198kg. It’s still packing a bit of power, mind, being able to put down 140hp. It was one of the most sought-after super bikes back in the early 2000s, and it's now had several mods added to it including off-road tyres and armour plating!
So can a superbike actually beat a buggy that's been built for off-roading? You’ll need to stick with Mat and see for yourself!
We’ve got our hands on a Polaris RZR off-road buggy, and it’s going head-to-head in a series of off-road challenges against a Suzuki GSX-R that’s been modified to help it leave the tarmac!
So let’s see how the two compare. Starting with the Polaris, it’s powered by a 1-litre 2-cylinder engine that can deliver 112hp. It comes with four-wheel drive, weighs in at 745kg, and all-in costs around £29,000.
As for the bike, it’s a whole lot lighter than the Polaris, weighing only 198kg. It’s still packing a bit of power, mind, being able to put down 140hp. It was one of the most sought-after super bikes back in the early 2000s, and it's now had several mods added to it including off-road tyres and armour plating!
So can a superbike actually beat a buggy that's been built for off-roading? You’ll need to stick with Mat and see for yourself!
Transcript
00:00Can a Polaris off-road buggy beat an off-road modded superbike in a series of off-road races?
00:20The first race we're going to run is an uphill drag race. Whichever vehicle wins
00:24gets two points, the loser gets one. If it fails to make it up the slope,
00:28no points. I have my two riders, well and driver. So this is Chris Northover from BikeWorldTV on
00:35the bike. What is this? It's a bit of a frankenbike Matt. In 2002 when it came out it was the pinnacle
00:40of superbikes. GSXR 1000 from Suzuki, 140 horsepower, 198 kilos and then someone clearly
00:47after some alcohol put some different wheels in it. So it's now got off-road front tire,
00:51loads of underbody protection, a few other mods to help it survive the day. Yeah. We'll see what
00:55happens. So how much did this cost all in, like the bike and the mods? So the bike, these things
01:00cost between two and three grand depending on the state of the one you get and then we threw a load
01:04of over-the-top mods at it and a load of hours into it so it's about probably five grand all in.
01:09So let's move over to the Polaris. Sam, tell me about this. So this is a lovely little Polaris.
01:13Can we see your beautiful eyes? There they are. This is a lovely Polaris. It's a one litre two
01:18cylinder. You know, pretty much the same size as Chris's Suzuki. It's got 112 horsepower,
01:23much less than Chris's Suzuki. Not much less, come on. It's much less. It weighs 750 kilos,
01:28which is much more than Chris's Suzuki. It is. And it was for a bargain price of 29 grand.
01:34But this is brand new. This is brand new. And you've got four wheel drive, he's got rear wheel
01:38drive. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't mind that. Okay. Anyway, shall we get on with the race? Three, two,
01:45one, go!
02:03That was so close.
02:08That was epic.
02:10And I love just how competitive it was. Sam, how do you think you did?
02:16I don't know who landed first. I think that's who went.
02:19No, unfortunately, who crossed the cone first? I don't know. Well, it was actually.
02:28The bike won that one. Well done, Chris. I was trying hard then.
02:32Utterly amazing. So close. Bike won it. Two points to the bike, one to the car.
02:37This next challenge isn't just about performance and traction. It's also about agility,
02:42because we're going to race through the woods here, go around a tree, then through some divots
02:45and back across the line, and I'll be timing them. Fastest vehicle wins. You ready? Three, two, one,
02:53go! That is no joke.
03:12Whoa! I forgot to stop it. Sam, can you go again? I forgot to stop the
03:23timer. Really? Yes. Do you reckon you can go quicker? I can try. You look quite wet.
03:34Sorry. Poor Sam. Ready? Three, two, one, go!
03:48He's going to go quicker, I bet.
03:53Whoa! Whoa! I'm not going to reveal the time until Chris has gone.
04:10Chris is looking nervous. That's what's happening here.
04:15Chris, no pressure, yeah? I'm quite nervous. Three, two, one, go!
04:23Whoa! Come on, Chris.
04:41Come on, come on. Keep me up in agony. That was amazing. Right, so you ready for this?
04:49Go on. You've got a time of 12.8 seconds. That is so quick.
04:54It wasn't as quick as Sam. Yes! I did 12 seconds flat. No! I can't believe it.
05:020.8. Yeah, so 0.8. How am I wetter than you? I don't know, but that's what costs a 0.8 of a
05:08second. I should be wetter. Yeah, you should be wetter. So there we go. You get one point,
05:12you get two, so it's three points apiece. Want to sell your car quickly, easily,
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06:22easily, and for a fair price. On with the video. For this next race, they're going to drive or
06:28ride up this slope, turn around at the top, and then come down these steps here while we're
06:33timing them. Let's find out which is quickest. You ready, Chris? Three, two, one, go.
06:48Chris is a nutter. Here he comes.
06:5012.06. Wow. Good luck, Sam. Three, two, one, go.
07:12Sheep. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Ah, I got soaked.
07:34That was awesome.
07:35I wish I hadn't been standing there. I really wish I hadn't. You just did. No, let's do you
07:45first. You did a 12.06, which is really, really quick. Why are all the challenges 12 seconds?
07:54Or are they? Or are they more? Are they 11? Sam, you did an 11.21. And as an added bonus,
08:01you got me at the same time. Fair play. This doesn't feel comfortable. Anyway,
08:09two points to you. One point to you. Five, four. If he wants to make adjustments,
08:13he can make adjustments. He's making his suspension softer, isn't he?
08:18What are you doing? Stiffening the dampers. Stiffening? Okay, I thought you were making
08:22it softer. It's too soft. Oh, is it? Okay. Is this going to make all the difference?
08:26Ow. Oh. I cut my thumb. Oh, no.
08:36Ow. Ow. Will he live? I don't know. Ow. Ow.
08:52Shut up. It hurt. The next challenge is to race through here, slalom through the cones,
08:57around the top, back, slalom through those other cones, over this jump, through the water splash,
09:02U-turn, then back over this jump, across the finish line. Sam is going first in the Polaris.
09:07Three, two, one, go. Oh, good. Click the cone. Rip the reflector off it.
09:23This is really impressive. Wow. Oh, yes.
09:41Come on, here he comes. Across the line.
09:46What will Chris do? Three, two, one, go.
10:01He clipped a cone as well.
10:08Oh, he's going to be close. Where is he? He needs to come fast. He needs to go fast.
10:32So sketchy. You look smug.
10:36I have no idea. Chris? Actually, no. Sam, you did a 26.89.
10:44I don't know what that means. No, very well done.
10:48You did a 27.77. Oh, that was so close.
10:56Two points to Sam, one to you, Chris. Seven, five.
11:00Now we're going to have a simple drag race. Let's find out what happens.
11:05Three, two, one.
11:23Whoa. It was close for a very short period of time, but Chris absolutely destroyed him.
11:31Clear, clear win. Two points to Chris, one to Sam.
11:34That means the scores are eight points to Sam and seven to Chris.
11:39All to play for as we're going to the last challenge.
11:41What we have here are two hills. There's one there, it's pretty steep,
11:45but there's a steeper one just over here. They're going to get to choose which hill they go up.
11:49If they go up this hill, there's a maximum of two points if you win the challenge.
11:53If both go up the same hill. However, the fastest up that hill, you get four points.
11:58I don't know who is going to choose to do what. Maybe they'll do that hill.
12:02Maybe they'll both do that hill. I don't know. Let's find out.
12:05Okay, Sam, so what you decided to do?
12:07I've walked it and there's a kicker at the end. It goes up by about another five degrees.
12:12The thing is, I know I can bag points in that, but I know whether I barrel roll down it or don't
12:20make it up, it's zero points. This is a strong thing. It's got a good roll cage, so it doesn't
12:25matter, but I don't want to lose. I think this is the option. I think Chris has to try and go for a
12:31win and I don't think he can get up there. Okay, right. You're playing it safe. You're
12:36going to just fly up here, hopefully be able to be quicker than him up here. We will see.
12:41Let's get on and I'm going to time you up here, see how quick you go. Good luck. Three, two, one,
12:48go. That was bloody quick. 3.92 for Sam. Can Chris get up there quicker? I doubt it.
13:05He's got to go for that.
13:06He's going to have to go for it. Chris, Sam just did a 3.92, which is blowing quick up there.
13:12He's one point ahead of you now. If you can go up there quicker, it'll be a dead heat you will draw.
13:18If you can make it up there, you get four points, which means you win.
13:22So the best I can do is a draw on that hill, but I still might not beat him.
13:26You still might not beat him.
13:28Got to be all or nothing, hasn't it?
13:30Are you sure you really want to go up there?
13:31Not really, but...
13:33You don't have to do it.
13:34Do I have to do that at any particular time?
13:36You just have to get up there, I think.
13:37Just have to get up. How many attempts?
13:39That's fair enough, Sam.
13:40Formal protest.
13:42How many attempts do I get?
13:43You've got to do it in 3.92 seconds.
13:44One attempt. One attempt, no practice, straight up.
13:47Yeah, I think that's fair.
13:50I'll say what's fair.
13:52We've taken the power away.
13:53Basically.
13:54Sorry, Dad.
13:55If you can get up there, you win in the first attempt.
13:58If you can do it on the second attempt, it's a draw.
14:00All right.
14:02Yeah, come on, because I mean...
14:04All right.
14:04Yeah?
14:05Good, let's do it.
14:06Is it, little GSX-R?
14:17Go on, go on, sunshine, go on.
14:29Everything we've done has been the sketchiest thing I've done all day.
14:32But that takes the biscuit.
14:34You deserve that.
14:35Four points, and look, I timed it.
14:374.51, so...
14:40Like, that's just less than a second slower than he went up there.
14:45Is that really you?
14:46Yeah.
14:46Is that real?
14:47A little bit of adrenaline going there.
14:49Bloody heck, you nutcase.
14:54Matt, we've done a lot of these drag races and it's been a lot of fun,
14:57but can I just say, this has been the best day ever.
15:00Oh, man, I'm so impressed with your riding skills.
15:03This is not supposed to do this.
15:05No, no one told it, though, did they?
15:08Wow, what a machine.
15:09Seven plus four, 11 points to you.
15:11Sam, eight plus two, 10.
15:14I can actually hear him crying down there.
15:16Sam!
15:20That was really scary.
15:21And do you know how quick he went up there?
15:23So you did a 3.9.
15:26Yeah.
15:26He did a 4.5.
15:29That's only because I didn't want to be on the hill any longer than necessary.
15:32Completely insane.
15:34So unfortunately, Sam, it was very close.
15:36You are never going to make it up there.
15:38No.
15:38But do you know what?
15:40That Polaris proved what a proper off-road vehicle can do
15:43because everywhere else, it's been phenomenal.
15:46I think it's been really blooming close, to tell you the truth.
15:48That machine is absolutely nuts.
15:50But I think it goes down to your riding skill.
15:52See, Chris is, you know, he's really kind of like modest about his riding skill.
15:56He does a lot of off-roading.
15:57He's a proper racer.
15:58He's got such incredible skills.
16:00And I think he's demonstrated it today by off-roading like a lunatic
16:03on a road-going superbike with some knobbly tyres and a skinny front wheel.
16:07And look what he's made it do.
16:09And no front brake.
16:10And no front brake.
16:11Well done.
16:16Listen, I hope you all enjoyed the video as much as I did.
16:18I'm so glad that no one died.
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16:26See you later.