That’s the problem and unfortunately not so easy to solve. Say you add an inch bar to both sides for protection, well now you’re 3 inches wider including 1/2 spacing on both sides. Then there’s the issue that you need to do that across the sides evenly. Anything that sticks out gets caught on or ripped off.
3 inches greatly reduces your pathways through. I think most people are use to trails, our fun a lot of the time is making them or running a single track, 3 inches is a killer!
The design of the pioneer is really about the best out there because if you can wiggle the front end into something you throttle up and the rest of the machine will eventually get through without breaking the important stuff. 700 was like that too. The wheels don’t stick out and everything is smooth sided.
The Wolverine being skinny in the nose but same as pioneer in the back becomes a problem unless directly following the pioneer. The tree kickers and narrow roof give it hell sometimes.
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Most people don’t understand but sometimes we like doing our own thing, I like being where a 1000 Sxs’s haven’t previously been, it’s much more rewarding and simple things like added nerf bars or tree kickers don’t work out so well, when we’re riding with people that have them we try to take easier paths.
That’s why I was hoping for 60” Talon, because of the roof design it’s already at a disadvantage, then you have tires sticking out past the body. Now add width and we will really have to choose lighter stuff, Yami yxz is same way though. Width is a killer when not on regular Jeep trails.