The Build – Making a RZR-S Expedition Ready – The Fourth in our Borneo Expedition Series

Shannon Bushman | November 12, 2009 | 1 Comment

Borneo Equator Expedition

When I first started investigating the Borneo Equator Expedition I thought “Maybe the RZR needs some work before we do this.” As it turns out these expedition guys have been around the block and have pretty stringent set of rules and requirements for any rig that wants to participate in their events. I quickly realized we had a LOT of work to do and a short period to get it done. These were serious requirements and if the RZR doesn’t pass scrutinizing then the whole trip could be off and I’d be sitting in Jakarta wondering what to do with myself while the expedition left me behind. They are deadly serious about the requirements since one defective rig could hold up the whole show and with thirty vehicles in the parade a few poorly equipped rigs is a big problem.

Here is what we thought we needed:
Cage, strong with roof rack
At least two sources of lighting
Beadlocks and rugged tires with a Spare
Strong front bumper
Chassis stiffening
Doors
Upgraded Hubs
Upgraded Front Diff Sprague Carrier cage
Front Winch, plus spare solenoid and winch motor
Full Skids and A-Arm guards
Seats and Harnesses
Street Legal
Windscreen
Dual Batteries
2M band Radio
Winch Anchor
Hi-Lift Jack
Full Size Shovel
Spare Belts, Filters and Oils
Spare parts and tools
10 Gallons Spare fuel
5 Gallons water
Helmet and multiple pairs gloves
Rain Gear
Camping (in the rain) gear
First Aid and survival kit
Food for minimum of 15 days

As you can see its a long list and while it might look simple just the process of collecting the requisite parts could take weeks and cost quite a penny.
We had only two weeks and no budget. After talking it over with Jon and Charlene here at UTV Weekly we decided we needed to get some help. These are tough times and a lot of our industry is hurting so with more than a little trepidation we began asking for freebies. Hey without them there was no way this was going to happen and we’re not above begging for what we need. To make a long story short the idea of outfitting a RZR to go on a real expedition through the jungles of Borneo seemed to strike a chord and in short order we had a lot of support and for that we are extremely grateful.

We need to thank Warn Industries, Twisted Stitch Seats, Holz Racing, ThunderHawk Performance, Marshall MotoArt, iTi Performance Motorsports, Rugged Radios, Trail Armor, BulldogATV, ITP, MTA and Rigid Industries.