Bread 'N Butter - full service shop

Who doesn't like to play with fire? Especially when that fire wields the power to mold metal...

At Tarantula Performance Racing, we provide a host of services designed specifically for the casual ATV rider and the full-on racer. In several posts, I'll be explaining in detail some of the products and services TPR offers to ATV owners as a full-service ATV aftermarket parts manufacturer.

For this post, we'll start with frame repair and gusset installation.

Want to learn how to make your quad's frame look like this? Read on to find out how.

'What's a gusset?' ... you might ask. A gusset, when properly installed, can significantly prolong the intervals between when you are forced to repair cracks in your frame or replace the frame and subframe altogether.

Here are just a few pieces in one of Tarantula Performance Racing's many gusset kits offered for sport ATVs.

TPR gussets are manufactured pieces of steel 1/8-inch thick that are designed to fit precisely into nooks and crannies of your ATV frame. At TPR, each gusset is precision cut on a laser bed for the same exact fit every time.

The top picture shows the TPR gussets installed for the lower frame shock mount on a Yamaha Banshee. Below is a picture of the same gusset after the frame has been powdercoated.

A certified welder installs each gusset at TPR by welding the part into the frame rail. The end result is a much stronger-than-stock frame joint. And that means your quad's frame will hold up to more abuse longer without showing signs of stress.

Here, a TPR gusset was installed where the lower frame rail meets the front of the frame by the lower a-arm mount.

Multiple gussets are included in each gusset kit and vary in number depending upon the quad model. On average, gusset kits for sport ATVs range between 15 and 20-plus pieces. TPR offers gusset kits for a variety of performance ATVs, including the Yamaha Raptor 660R, Blaster, Warrior and Banshee, the legendary Honda 250R and TRX450R and Suzuki's LTR450 and Z400 among other models.

Pictured is the TPR gusset kit for the legendary Honda TRX250R.

The first step to installing a gusset kit is to completely strip the paint off the frame by sandblasting or media blasting the metal. As a full-service shop, TPR can take your frame, sandblast it and install the kit. After the kit is installed, the next step is to have the frame powdercoated to protect the welds and frame rails from corrosion. TPR also offers a nearly unlimited number of options for powdercoat colors and styles, including metal flake and texture finishes.

Some gusset kit makers cut their gussets on a band saw, or worse, with a plasma cutter. Those methods can result in an imperfect gusset, which leads to an incorrect installation and can result in a frame failure. At TPR, each gusset is precision laser cut and installed by certified welders before your frame receives a powdercoat treatment that will make your quad the envy of all your riding pals.

Want to get creative? The sky's the limit at TPR, as shown by the gussets installed on the 'Spyder Quad' frame.

Need to strengthen your new frame? Want a trick-looking finish? The next time you experience a frame failure, make it your last and contact TPR at http://www.tprusa.com/

Factory Yamaha YFZ450R

The Tarantula Performance Racing project Yamaha 2009 YFZ450R may not be a Factory Yamaha quad, but this project will certainly rival the quads of the motocross racers pitting out of the Yamaha trailer at the AMA ATV nationals.

Between Yamaha's two riders, the TPR quad will share many parts in common with Yamaha's factory motocross race quads. With that in mind, I thought I'd share some of my photos of the Factory Yamaha motocross racers, Pat Brown and Thomas Brown, in action on this year's national circuit. Enjoy!

Pat Brown airs out a table at Unadilla.

Thomas Brown charges out of a corner at Unadilla.

We have to try and convince Thomas Brown to start running TPR nerf bars and bumpers. The TPR project YFZ450R will premiere TPR's line of Race Safe nerf bars and front bumpers for adult sport ATVs and are a much safer alternative for the rider than any other quad body components. Brown retains most of his sponsors from his championship season last year in the Pro-am class, including Fox Shox and Maxxis.

Pat Brown primarily runs Genuine Yamaha Techonology Racing (GYT-R) components on his motocross-prepped YFZ450R, including engine, exhaust and body components.

In the pits, Paul Turner spins the wrenches for Pat Brown. Here he's in the middle of an axle change.

Pat Brown runs an Ohlins/JB Racing front end. The TPR project YFZ450R will be more like Thomas Brown's set up with Fox Float X Evol's up front and a Podium X rear shock. The TPR YFZ450R will run ATV Four Play a-arms and, like the factory racers, a stock swingarm with an RPM axle.

This picture shows two of the sponsors the TPR project YFZ450R has in common with Pat Brown's quad - CV4 hoses and Maxxis tires. Like the factory racers, we're also running a Quadtech seat cover.

Check out the Sponsor Links on the right side of the blog for a full parts list on the TPR project YFZ450R.

TPR Young Guns on Top

Three Tarantula Performance Racing sponsored youth racers are currently sitting in the top three in points in their respective classes in the national motocross and dirt track ATV series.

Six-year-old Trevor Thatcher of Swanton, Ohio, is currently leading the points race in the 70cc production class in the 2009 Duro Extreme Dirt Track ATVA Nationals. Thatcher is leading after taking the overall class win at the first two rounds.

Thatcher powers through a corner on his flat-track prepped TPR/Fierce Powersports DRX ATV.

Thatcher also is leading a local series on his Fierce Powersports/TPR DRR DRX 50 and 70cc quads. In the OMI Outlaw series, Thatcher is in first place in the 50cc stock, 70cc stock, 70cc production and 51-90cc modified classes.

At the motocross nationals, two young TPR riders are in contention for class championships as the series begins to wind down.

Seven-year-old Hunter Skladzien, of Wadsworth, Ohio, is currently third in points in the 70cc CVT class in the ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Nationals. Skladzien took the overall at the start of the amateur season at the Mill Creek Spring Nationals in Pell City, Ala., in March on his ATV Four Play/TPR DRR DRX 70.

Skladzien hammers it past the starting gate at Unadilla.

Hunter has battled an arm injury for several rounds, but he remains just nine points behind second place and 16 points back from first with three rounds left to go in the series.

Anderson, Ind., youth racer Caston McConnell sits in third in the 90cc CVT class in the AMA ATV Motocross Nationals. McConnell took the overall at the fourth round race at Sunset Ridge in Walnut, Ill., and finished second overall at the second round race at Balance Moto X in Bowling Green, Ky., on his ATV Four Play/TPR DRR DRX 90.

McConnell blasts a berm at Unadilla.

All three riders are running TPR’s Race Safe front bumper and grab bar, which are designed to reduce the risk of serious injury to a rider during a crash. Both McConnell and Thatcher also run TPR’s Race Safe nerf bars, which help protect a rider’s lower body from competitors’ wheels while improving their grip on the quad.

TPR's private test facilities

We're getting close to wrapping up our TPR project YFZ450R motocross quad. But while we've got some down time, I thought I would give you a peak at our private test track located in an undisclosed area somewhere in the Ohio wilderness.

We did some work to the track Monday in preparation for the completion of the TPR project YFZ450R. The track is 12 years old and hadn't undergone a major overhaul in a few years, so the jumps were fairly small in comparison to today's race tracks.

Needless to say, we wanted to give the TPR project YFZ450R a challenge worthy of its capabilities.

This uphill jump looks intimidating, but wait until you see the finished TPR project YFZ450R! We reconstructed this jump at our practice track to help test the new Fox/ATV Four Play/RPM suspension we'll be running on the quad. Below is the view of the landing from the take-off of a small downhill double.

Last year, we used a Bobcat S250 skid steer to give the existing jumps some new faces and to build a new berm. ATV.com ran a feature story on the track maintenance, which you can read about here: http://www.atv.com/features/reasons-to-ride-your-utility-900.html

This year, we opted to rebuild one of two uphill jumps, shown above. We also took the liberty of turning an existing 45-foot table top into a step-on jump.

This table was our favorite jump on the track, but it quickly became too small. This year we extended the jump by a total of about 10 feet.

I have to give a big shout out to the guys at Handy Rents in Kent, Ohio. They gave us good deal on a rental Bobcat T180 track loader with a smooth scoop bucket and tooth bar. The teeth proved essential in clawing up new dirt and for digging into the old tabletop. The tracks helped pack everything in to keep our jump faces from eroding.

In addition to the jump work, we re-worked an existing bermed corner that liked to hold water.

This berm should be water-free from now on.

The only thing missing from these photos is a quad! Keep checking back, as we're getting ready to pull the covers on the TPR project YFZ450R and release the build to the public.

Parts continue trickling in

Each new part we receive for the TPR project YFZ450R is just another clue as to how trick this motocross-specific quad is going to look and how smooth a ride it will be.

Hinson Racing signed on to help rein in the thoroughbred motor ATP Racing Engines built for the quad. Like their packages say, Hinson has been there for more championships than any other off-road component.

Our Hinson clutch components should help keep the power from our ATP engine where it should be - on the ground!

For this quad, we opted to go with Hinson's standard clutch pack, which includes the fiber plates, steel friction plates and springs. Their heavy-duty, billetproof clutch cover will keep those critical power transfer components safe from errant rocks and debris while adding some bling and letting our competitors know this quad is the real deal.

Hinson Racing. Need we say more?

CV4 hooked the TPR project YFZ450R up with another stylish, yet functional, engine component . CV4's pure-silicone coolant hoses will help keep our ATP engine cool.

CV4 makes their coolant houses out of pure silicone. This aids in coolant flow and heat dissipation.

The hoses' cool, blue color matches the Yamaha-blue quad and the rest of its color scheme.

Every sponsor part we've added so far has been chosen with the single goal of making the TPR project Yamaha YFZ450R as fast as it can be.

But some times, in order to go fast you've got to slow down. And when it comes to stopping, Galfer has us covered with a complete kit of stainless steel brake lines for the front and rear of the quad.

Galfer's stainless lines, front and rear, will help give our project quad smooth style lines in addition to helping squeeze the twin-piston Yamaha calipers around our stock rotors.

We have years of experience with Galfer lines and rotors on Yamaha and other sport quads. These lines are by far the best performing, most affordable option when you need longer lines and better performance than stock.

As we get closer to launch date, we're able to add sponsor parts here and there to the TPR project YFZ450R. This week we installed the Quadtech seat cover on our stock Yamaha seat. This is our first test with one of Quadtech's covers, so we were curious to see how it installed.

The Quadtech cover fit like a glove on our Yamaha YFZ450R stock seat.

This cover looks amazing! The sizing was perfect and the cover practically slid on like a glove - no wrestling or extended stretching needed here. In our combined 45-plus years of riding here at Tarantula Performance Racing we've installed a lot of seat covers, but Quadtech's cover is by far the best.

The extra padding, combined with the super-tacky gripper material, makes this one hell of a racing saddle. We'll never buy another seat cover brand again.

Floating on Air

The last big piece of the puzzle has fallen into place for the TPR project YFZ450R. Fox Racing Shocks has signed up to sponsor the TPR project motocross quad with a set of Float X Evol front shocks and a Podium X shock on the rear.

For this build, we had two primary concerns. Our top priority was boosting our power without sacrificing reliability, and that's how we partnered up with ATP Racing Engines, which you can read about in the post "ATP Powers the TPR project YFZ450R." Our second concern developed after we took our first short ride on the ATP engine and we realized the factory YFZ45oR shocks might not keep pace with the 20 percent power increase ATP provided us.

Up front, the Float X Evol AirShox will match up to our ATV Four Play MGC Series long-travel a-arms. The Floats shave weight due to their elimination of the standard coil springs and feature a main air chamber for ride height settings and the Evol chamber for bottom-out settings. Fox worked with TPR for the Spyder Quad and provided the same shocks. Like most of our sponsor parts, Fox shocks helped Dustin Wimmer win the championship last year. And Yamaha Factory racer Thomas Brown has proven their capabilities on the YFZ450R with some impressive finishes this year.

Fox's Float X Evol front shocks weigh in at a mere 4.6 pounds.

Fox's Podium X, like the front shocks, features a dual-speed compression adjustment along with rebound and preload settings. The Podium X features a 47 mm durable steel body and a 5/8-inch hardened chrome shaft.

The Podium X rear shock helped Dustin Wimmer capture the pro class title last year in the AMA ATV Motocross Championship.

ATVRiders.com has a great video of Factory Yamaha racer Thomas Brown pounding Chad Wienen's private practice track on his YFZ450R and showing what these Fox Shocks are capable of. You can check that video out here: http://www.atvriders.com/articles/kawasaki-2009-chad-wienen-thomas-brown-atv-motocross-videos.html

To learn more about arguably the industry's top shock, check out Fox Shocks online at http://www.foxracingshox.com/atv

Sponsors continue signing up

Several new sponsors recently signed on to support the TPR project YFZ450R.

CV Powersports, the maker of CV4 coolant hoses, is sponsoring the project YFZ450R with a set of blue hoses. The hoses are manufactured from pure silicone to aid in coolant flow, and they hold up to temperatures of up to 420 degrees Fahrenheit.

Here are some shots from Pat Brown's factory Yamaha YFZ450R while it was in the pits at Unadilla. Brown keeps his engine cool with the aid of CV4 hoses.

Galfer USA Performance Braking Systems is building a custom stainless brake kit to work in conjunction with the extended ATV Four Play a-arms we'll be running. Galfer also is sponsoring the project with a rear stainless brake line.

Racing Armor is going to give the TPR project YFZ450R some style with one of their full graphic kits. Racing Armor provides the graphic kits for ATP Racing Engines' sponsored riders, who stand out on the race track with their signature checkered flags.

Racing Armor's graphic kits help riders like ATP's Devin Heimes stand out from the field.

And, to handle the power of our TPR project YFZ450R's engine mods from ATP, Hinson Racing clutch components is supporting the build with a clutch kit and heavy-duty clutch cover.

Also, Btek Performance is sponsoring the build with a chassis skid plate to protect the undercarriage and help the quad glide over track obstacles.

Last but not least, Capital Powdercoating, based in Suffield, Ohio, is going to aid in the style department by powder coating some key parts of the build, including our ATV Four Play a-arms and the beadlock rings for our DWT rims. Capital isn't online, but you can contact them at 330-388-2597.

You can check out all the project sponsors by clicking on the links at the right of the blog under 'Sponsor Links.'