2021 Yamaha Wolverine RMAX2 1000 XT-R RTI Score

The 2021 Yamaha Wolverine RMAX2 1000 XT-R sits near the top of Yamaha’s new 1,000cc sport-recreational class of side-by-sides. It’s built for getting work done, with its hydraulic-assist tilting bed, and hitting the trail thanks to impressive Fox suspension and 30-inch Maxxis tires. With a starting price of $22,499, we wanted to know if the little bruiser really has the chops to tackle it all. Our UTV Driver RTI ramp offered the perfect controlled test to measure how the RMAX’s suspension handles technical terrain.

We have all been impressed with the RMAX platform, new for 2021. Fit and finish is high, performance is sophisticated, and the utility has impressed us. Thanks to our RTI ramp test, we are starting to see just how well engineered this new Wolverine platform really is.

On paper, the RMAX2 1000 XT-R has 14.2 inches of suspension travel up front and 16.9 inches in the rear. Trail flex results in jaw-dropping amounts of wheel travel from a UTV with a front anti-sway bar and utility bed. It wasn’t until we drove the RMAX up our RTI ramp that we realized how astonishing the articulation really was.

The RMAX managed to climb 56.25 inches up our 20-degree RTI ramp before lifting its opposite front tire off the ground. Given the RMAX2′s 86.7-inch wheelbase, that nets the Yamaha an RTI score of 648.8. Impressive considering the rear still had more flex to achieve. No wonder the new RMAX platform is so confident on the trail. It’s truly a weapon.