Many people want to spend the money to upgrade and go faster or bigger while leaving protection as a secondary thought. I am going to give a few factors as to why safety should be the first money spent on a Side by Side. First and foremost is what we call a Roll Cage (Polaris refers to it as ROPS, RollOver Protective Structure). Two main reasons to upgrade one the Stock tubing is very thin, secondly a quality Roll Cage tubing will add strength to the chassis of the SXS. Below we will talk about some of the additional must haves for your vehicle to keep your family safe.
Use a helmet and Buckle up
Congratulations you just bought a SXS. Let me tell you why your first $2000 should be spent on safety and not a Stereo, Light bar, or go fast goodies. Here is quick list below of the first items I recommend you purchase to enjoy the Dunes safely.
- Get rid of your stock Can Am or Polaris Roll Cage, Purchase a reputable aftermarket unit
- Upgrade to a 4 or preferable 5 point restraints
- Make sure you have full doors on your vehicle.
- Purchase a quality Helmet preferably full face.
- Buy a fire extinguisher (hopefully to use on someone else’s car)
- First aid kit with basic survival items
Don’t be an idiot use your seat belt every time your in the vehicle. Seat belts are the first tool to save lives and prevent major injuries. All UTV and SXS come with at least a traditional Seat belt. One of the first and most important upgrades should be installing a quality 4 or 5 point harness.
Seat Harness-A quality restraints has always been the first upgrade to every SXS I have owned. I have always taken the stock seat belt or 4 point harness out and replaced with a 5 point restraint system. A 4 point harness is one that just has the belt across the hip and then up and over each shoulder. A 5 point harness adds in the submarine belt that come up between the legs and latches to the harness. This will prevent you in a crash to not slide under the hip belt and move forward. It is designed to keep your hips deep in the seat and spread the load evenly. I have always used products like PRP and Pro Armor for my belts because of their ease of use and leading industry standards for safety.
Get rid of your stock Cage!! The smartest and best money spent on a SXS has to be a new Quality DOM tube Roll Cage. Factory cages on the RZR and X3 are made with a thinner wall tubing that provides minimal strength. I have seen many a cage crumble from a roll over. This usually impedes on the driver and passenger space as it crushes in on the driver and passengers space. A quality cage will cost you money but could save your life in the event of a bad crash. I have always used SDR Motorsports cages on all my cars. They do quality work and the styling that looks good too. But many of my friends have used companies like Madigan Motorsports, IMG motorsports, TMW Offroad. The secondary effect of adding a quality cage over stock is the rgidity of the cage helps to stiffens the chassis preventing flexing usually associated with a thin walled stock cage that is connected in several places by bolts. All these companies offer a structural 1 piece cage that provides additional structural stability , improving driving experience, while adding safety. You can see images below of manufactures taht offer cages with doors also.
Full Doors– is important when a roll over happens it will help to keep your feet and arms inside the vehicle. The worst thing that can happen when the vehicle is rolling over is to have leg or arm get outside of the vehicle. Many manufactures are now offering some style of door, but it may still have a lower opening. There are many aftermarket companies that offer Lower inserts for a RZR or CanAm that can be purchased to make sure there is no openings. When you purchase an aftermarket roll cage look at that company to supply doors to match.
Helmet– all SXS besides the Polaris Pro R is required to wear a helmet in the vehicle. Any SXS that has a engine under 1000cc is required by law in California all passengers to wear a helmet. This is an item that may save you life if an accident happens. There is 3 basic helmet styles that people wear, a skull cap to be legal, A motorcycle style with goggles, and a Full helmet with face shield. There are benefits to all 3. The main focus of the helmet to purchase one that is certified and is comfortable. you will wearing this helmet for long periods of time and over rough terrain. Fitment should be snug on the cheeks and around your head, this is the key for comfort and wearing for long duration. The Skull cap style may be most suited for people that get car sick easily and cant handle a heavy helmet. For some the fresh air on their face help minimize car sickness. Down sides to this open face style is minimal protection to dust, dirt, and debris, and a limited amount of protection in the event of an accident. The next style is a motorcross style helmet that requires goggles. I have utilized this Helmet as I still have several helmets from when I use to ride my dirt bike in the dunes. The last style, that many friends use, is the full face helmet. This pairs really well with a pumper that moves filtered fresh air into the helmet as you drive. This style is nice as it keeps all debris and dust off your face, while providing maximum protection in the event of an accident. Down side is that they can be heavier and bigger in size. Here is an example of a RaceQuip with top air inlet that many of friends use. Many times in a roll over accident there is a great chance that the side of your head will come i contact with the ground and you roll on that side. That is why it is important to have protection on the side of your head from a full or moto style helmet. If you have small children they must wear a helmet also to help a product like Helping Hands will aid support their head while in the vehicle.
Fire extinguisher- Is a piece of mind item. depending on the severity of a fire on your rig or someone else’s it might be able to save the vehicle. If all the vehicles traveling with you have one you may be able to stop a total loss from happening. Most easily accessible extinguishers are usually ranked by 1 and 3 lbs. This refers to the amount of retardant in the canister that can be used. here is a similar fire extinguisher to the one I have mounted on my car.
First aid kit– this is a something that most people dont carry on a regular bases. I have a small one that has basic items in it. It is nice to have when someone gets a simple wound that you can grab a band aid. If major trauma was to be needed it is better to call the Rangers or 911 if you have service in the dunes. Here is an example of a Survival first aid kit that has more that just a couple band aids.
Safety comes down to you
When in the dunes many people may think they are Robby Gordon or BJ Baldwin but your not. I have seen so many people try to out drive there own or the vehicles abilities that leads them to making poor decisions. Operating a vehicle in the dunes requires the up most attention and ability to keep the rubber side down. Making proper line choices and riding within ones ability is the key to a great time.
