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RISE OF THE MACHINE

Let the "Revolution" begin. One seat at a time.

Once in a while, a new vehicle comes along that is truly innovative, a vehicle that emits coolness in its looks and digs in to your deepest desire to drive. Redline is a start-up OEM that caters to that craving with its new vehicle, the "Revolt". Last year we were first introduced to the Redline Revolt. This single-seat concept vehicle looked like the rebirth of the Honda Pilot.

Just a year later, we had a chance to test drive a production unit in Glamis, CA with two of Redline's employees. Their mission was to log on 75 hours of ride time in the blistering heat (110° to be exact) of the brutal sand dunes. We were anxious to get in and see what this unit had to offer. After all, any unit weighing in at 750 lbs with 72hp has to be fun, right? Right indeed! Take into consideration your typical UTV averaging at a weight around 1000 lbs, give or take, with horsepower ranges around 24hp up to 52hp. The Revolt's power-to-weight ratio is impressive for sure. Before we get into our test, let's throw out some statistics.

On board, the Revolt's power comes from a 749cc, liquid-cooled, 4-cycle, parallel twin cylinder, SOHC pumping out 72hp from an MPE Weber motor. The Weber 4-stroke engines have a power-to-weight ratio similar to that of 2-stroke engines. The only difference is the Weber's fuel consumption, noise, emissions and easy serviceability is far superior to that of a 2-stroke. The weight of the engine is also significantly reduced compared to your standard 4-stroke v-twin with weight around 110 lbs. This engine has been used for snowmobiles, motorcycles and ATVs, as well as passenger cars. The best part is that they plan to offer a turbo charged version that will come in handy for the scheduled two-seat version of the Revolt later in 2008 and will easily adapt to the current Revolt. Feeding fuel to the engine is port injected EFI with a Walbro EMS.

The Revolt comes with a constant variable transmission (CVT) that we are all familiar with. It's equipped with a proprietary Redline gearbox that is selectable from forward, neutral and reverse. No low/high gears or 4-wheel drive is needed for this beast, as it has enough power and acceleration to get you through the roughest terrain and deepest sand or around the racetrack in record time.

The Revolt gets its aggressive look and great handling from the front chromoly double A-arm suspension with 10" stroke Fox air shocks, and a trailing arm design with 12" stroke Fox air shocks in the rear. The front suspension is 17 inches of true travel, and the rear suspension comes in at 16-1/2 inches of true travel.

The Redline Revolt uses 1-1/4" chromoly tube for its cage design to protect the driver. Inside they include a 5-point harness to keep the driver planted and wrist restraints to keep your arms inside the vehicle in case of a rollover. Sitting inside on the comfortable race style bucket seat, the driver has easy view of the gauge cluster that includes a tachometer, digital speedometer, odometer and a 12v accessory outlet. Located on the right hand side is the gear selector for easy access. The 5.5-gallon fuel tank is located in front of the driver seat and extends up between the driver's legs, with the accelerator on the right and the brake on the left. For easier entrance and exit of the vehicle, a quick disconnect steering wheel is standard and comes in handy for deterring thieves and joyriders.

Moving at speeds of 60-70 mph, stopping is just as important. Redline equipped the Revolt with Wilwood hydraulic disc brakes in the front and a single disc in the rear for maximum stopping power. For gripping traction, whether stopping or accelerating, a set of Carlisle All Conditions Tire (ACT) are standard with 23 x 8.0 - 12 in the front and 26 x 10.0 - 12 in the rear.

It was a hot Sunday afternoon by the time we reached Glamis, and for this spur-of-the-moment trip I grabbed one of our new editors, Damon Flippo. Damon has raced in the BITD series, mainly Trophy Trucks and Pro Quads, so I knew he would be up to testing a new vehicle since he lives and breathes everything to do with off-road. Anxious to climb in and take the Revolt for a spin, we decided to venture out in the big dunes and drive behind the Revolt to learn a little about abilities and handling characteristics. Deep in the dunes, we stopped to snap some still photos and then some action shots. Tyler Disse and his coworker had been testing out in the dunes for a week, which gave them ample time to get familiar with the Revolt and the terrain. We looked to Tyler to give some of his best moves. After picking out a nice ridge for him to hit for some photos, the action began. Immediately taking off, you can tell the Redline has plenty of power to get the job done. Tyler approached the ridge at a good speed, and to our surprise and amazement, he launched the acrobatic Revolt skyward with a perfect landing. Launch after launch he just kept getting bigger and bigger air. All right, that's it -- let me at it.

Climbing into the Revolt is like climbing into a racecar. A snug fit for sure. But at 6'3" and 220 lbs, the vehicle fits like a glove. Everything is the right distance away with easy view of the instruments. The bucket seats are comfortable, the 5-point harness puts you at ease, and you don't even notice the wrist restraints. Drivers sit lower than your typical UTV, which is great to lower the center of gravity. The Revolt has great ground clearance with 17" in the front and 14" in the rear. Okay, turn the key on, push the start button, and go. Acceleration is instant and smooth. Just like any new vehicle, it takes a few minutes to adjust to driving. But once you do, you won't want to get out of the Revolt. If you have ever driven in the sand, there are certain areas you might avoid in a smaller vehicle, like transitioning over sharp razorbacks or hills that might seem just a little too soft and steep to climb over. This is not the case with the Redline. The power is just short of amazing. You will find yourself looking for such obstacles that you can conquer, and the Revolt will handle them all.