Polaris RZR/S/4 Rear Bumper Spare Tire Carrier Review

Rear Bumper Spare Tire Carrier

Whenever I go shopping for anything, the number one thing on my mind is getting the most for my money. In looking for parts for our long-term test Polaris RZR 4, I wanted to get a rear bumper that offered good rear impact protection and is pleasing to the eye. When I came across this unit from HRP I was pleased to see that it not only offered everything I was looking for but even went a step further. As a person who sits behind the wheel of a UTV on a regular basis in some treacherous terrain, I've found that most of my flats are more severe than what the average tire repair kit can handle. Simply stated, I put holes in the sidewalls of tires more often than the traditional nail through the center.

The rear bumper/spare tire carrier lets me mount an extra front tire to the rear of my machine, allowing me to swap it out almost quicker than it would be for me to pull out a plug kit and repair a flat—if the tire was still in good enough condition for me to do so. I recommend a front tire because it can work on the rear of the machine as well. The rear bumper/spare tire carrier comes with any and all mounting hardware you might need and takes under a half hour to complete your install and give your machine a completely different and, in my opinion, very sporty look.

After installing this on my RZR 4 I took it for a 233-mile adventure ride in the Nevada desert where I ran at extremely high speeds in rough terrain and must report that the setup worked perfectly. While I didn't encounter any flats, it was nice to know that I would be able to get back on the trail quickly if I did. Just note that you're putting more weight on the extreme rear of your SxS, so you might need to compensate by adding some preload into your rear shocks and adjust compression and rebound settings accordingly. While priced higher than most other rear bumpers on the market ($389), I feel the Holz bumper is well worth the money and piece.-Eli Madero