SAFETY

ADVANTAGES

TECHNOLOGY






 
By Paolo Rossetti, Correspondent

With the SAND-X T-ATV, traversing impassable terrain is a breeze, says Paolo Rossetti

There's a new kid on the block when it comes to performance on sand - yes, we have a few models of 4x4 vehicles which will take you up some dunes; and we have a good selection of ATVs, known as quads, which can conquer most dunes, but up until now there were always some climbs a bit too steep, or a bit too risky to negotiate.

Today, in its second generation, the sands are owned by SAND-X T-ATV! Imagine this: parked at the bottom of the steepest, softest slipface in the Salamat area of Al Ain (close to where the annual Al Saad Hill Climb Challenge takes place), looking up this incredible sheer sand dune of mountain proportions, you give the SAND-X T-ATV some gas and before you know it you have reached the peak, and you now tower above all things visible - you feel like a falcon so high up there over the dune ranges.How did you get up there, you wonder. Well, if you had blinked, you would have missed it!

The SAND-X T-ATV  is capable of reaching 100 kph in 2.8 seconds! Read that again, no mistake: 2.8 seconds! Ah, the danger, I hear you thinking! Don't we have enough injuries due to insane idiots tumbling down dunes on their quad bikes to warrant yet another instrument of death?I'm afraid, in this case, you are mistaken. As strange as this will sound, the SAND-X T-ATV not only out-performs quads (and I mean making the most powerful quad appear like a tortoise) it is also safer by miles.

The sensation you get from that machine is incredible and defies all of what you've previously experienced on the sand.

Let me explain. The challenge of riding the dunes is one of negotiating the inclines. A regular 4x4 vehicle has a side roll-over angle of around 30 degrees - on a slipface, if parallel to the dune crest, you will roll over.

A quad bike is a bit better, but still, because it requires adequate ground clearance, it sits high on its suspension, and the centre of gravity dictates that a roll is quite possible, and almost certain if riding regularly.All it takes is a misjudgment of speed, a badly-placed bush, a patch of softer-than-normal sand - then you are head-over-heels with a big heavy chunk of angular metal for company.The SAND-X T-ATV is totally different in design. It does not require ground clearance; in fact, the rear track hugs the ground. It is solidly attached to the sand, so much that turning it over to see what's underneath requires a hoist.The entire weight of the SAND-X T-ATV is down low and the two front wheels are far apart. There is no way, even intentionally, that you could roll it down a hill.The best thing to happen to the offroading scene here
That is great news! Leaving aside the astounding power for the time being, the SAND-X T-ATV is the best thing that could happen to the off-roading scene in the UAE!

I had the chance to do that Al Salamat climb I mentioned in the opening, and as I became more familiar with the capabilities of the SAND-X T-ATV, I began to try trickier side slopes, steep tight bowls, and sharp crests - it is unbelievably stable.Towards the end of my ride I was tranquilly climbing over impassable terrain, actually aiming for the nastiest spots I could find, where, by experience, I would have definitely rolled with any other vehicle.So the SAND-X T-ATV is safe - safer than any other sand vehicle I have tried.

 

True, I suppose you could fly off the top of the dune if you didn't slow down, and you could also smash into another vehicle, but that's not what I'm talking about.The driver will always remain responsible for choosing the appropriate speed and line; I'm talking about the innovation of design and how it affects safety capabilities. Absolutely incredible! Why have we not had SAND-X T-ATVs years before?!

Now, onto the power side of things. Did you know that an acceleration of 0-100 kph in 2.8 seconds is faster than a Ferrari Enzo? Can you imagine how that feels when going up a dune? I doubt you can - I was in shock for a few minutes, just resting up there, basking in the view and thinking: did that really just happen?

 

Adrenalin junkies, take a deep breath and close your mouths; because what I'm about to describe will get you salivating. You sit squarely on the long and wide seat of the SAND-X T-ATV.It's very comfortable, actually, and you could ride long-distance no worries. You fire up the 1200cc Rotax engine with its electric start. The centrifugal clutch means there's no gear levers to mess with, and so you accelerate with the thumb-lever.

 

The sensation you get from that machine is incredible and defies all of what you've previously experienced on the sand. There is no slippage of the wheels - the full amount of torque transfers directly to the seat of your pants.It is simply a huge rush of adrenalin, a shot that hits your brain and bounces off the inside of your skull, ricocheting around as new hits just keep on coming in.It is undoubtedly a high, a machine-induced high that will keep you gunning for those precipitous climbs over and over again, until basically the muscles in your arms give way, and you reluctantly tear yourself away.Triers, believers. Urs Eiselin is the man behind the SAND-X T-ATV - a professional competitive snow boarder, he has now set up shop  to make this amazing machine available to motorsports enthusiasts worldwide.

 

Liquid-cooled, marketed by one of the main distributors of jet-skis (meaning they can offer solid after-sales support), and just plain one of the most fun sand machines ever invented - and safe, too - the SAND-X T-ATV is revolutionising dune riding the way we know it!





IDEX 2009 Abu Dhabi, UAE: VIP customers at Inovex / SAND-X Motors stand:

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces) , His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs), H.H.Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon al Nahyan, Brigade His Highness Sheikh Taleb Bin Saqr Al Qassimi (Director General of Ras Al Khaimah Police)