Stampede

     Notes: The Stampede is typical of a number of ATV-type vehicles that have proliferated on the world market, particularly in the past ten years.  Consumers in the US and Canada will generally see the Stampede’s manufacturer as Bag Boy Off Road, of which Textron is its parent company, and the name often used in its advertising. Such vehicles are also known as, (rather generically, along with a number of other vehicles designed primarily for use on terrain or limited road use) as offroad vehicles, 4x4s or, as in the case of the Stampede, a Side-by-Side, as it has two seats at the front of the vehicle and a small cargo bed behind it.  The Stampede and similar vehicles are quite common in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Europe, on farms and in areas were people hunt or camp, as they are sure-footed on rough terrain (though not fast by automobile standards) and can carry a decent load for their size.  The Stampede models shown below have typical features sets, though a great deal of customization is available when ordered.  It is rumored that the special operations forces of some countries, most notably the US, Canada, and UK, have been testing the Stampede (and a large number of other ATVs) for use in their operations, particularly in Afghanistan.

     In general, Stampedes are small, compact – jeep is not really the word, though ATVs generally fill the same role in a smaller form factor.  In general, Stampedes use an 80-horsepower two-cylinder engine coupled to an automatic transmission and power steering; controls are generally like those of a conventional automobile.  Their engines, while not flat-out powerful, can produce a great deal of torque (0.8 kW), which allows for large loads and even towing good-sized trailers (towing capacity for all models is 907 kilograms).  The front differential has an Automatic Locking Overrunning clutch, and the rear differential may be locked by the driver’s wishes. They have on-demand all-wheel drive, as well as four-wheel double A-arm suspension with front and rear sway bars.  Ground clearance is also quite high. They have a roll cage above the front compartment, which also doubles as a secondary cargo stowage point.  On the hood is another cargo stowage rack, sort of like a high-sided tray (alternatively, a spare tire may be mounted there).  The engine’s crankshaft and connecting rods are forged from billets, and the Stampede uses a dry sump oil system, greatly-increasing the life of the oil in the system.  In most cases, the Stampede carries the load-carrying tray on the hood, though it can also carry a spare tire or larger, flatter cargoes by removing the tray and using the included tie-down spots.  The cargo tray itself is able to carry up to 0.08 cubic meters, while the rear cargo area can handle a little more than 2 cubic meters (assuming only the actual rear cargo box is used, with all items contained within it; the actual volume of cargo is considerably higher using tie-downs and suchlike).  An additional cubic meter can be carried in a space between the rear carbo box and the cab, in an easy-to-reach section; this space is often used by users to carry water, snacks, or radios. It closes on the sides with aluminum panels. Alternatively, the rear cargo area may mount a rear bucket seat. The cab is completely enclosed, having Individually-contoured bench seats with headrests.  The cab of Stampede is well known for its spaciousness, and has a tilt steering wheel. The driver, passenger, and any rear-seat passengers are buckled in through three-point harnesses, but there are no airbags. Electronics included with the Stampede include a decent-sized monochrome (blue and white) screen, which shows the driver the fuel remaining, engine temperature, RPM when traveling, gear engaged, and a few other vehicle diagnostics.  The LCD screen has an internet connection and can download additional applets to increase the capabilities of the device. The bed tilts if necessary, allowing it to transport loose bulk items and materials.  There are considerable small stowage spots around the vehicle, particularly in the cab and behind the seats.  A variety of tool racks, gun racks, and other specialized stowage is available.  Most Stampedes do not have winches, but do have a length of tow cable extending from the front of the grille, the hook of which normal clips to the bumper when not in use.  This standard Stampede uses 26-inch Kenda tires and black steel wheels.

     Other included vehicular gear includes a set of tools and an FM radio; many users also connects a CB or Ham radio in the cab, though it is more of an accessorization standard rather than equipment that comes with the vehicle.  It is, however, included with the cost of the vehicles listed here as it is so common.  The standard Stampede is colored Jet Black with Earth Blue plastic parts.  Most construction, such as of the body and frame, are of aluminum alloy.

     The Stampede X model is similar, but has 14-inch aluminum wheels mounting 27-inch Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 tires.  The seats are premium quality, with more ergonomic shaping, better padding, and some adjustable features such as height and backrest. There are full doors for the sides of the cab. It also has a CD player and charging ports for cell phones, computers, etc. and standard wall-type sockets situated in the dash.  Standard coloration is charcoal metallic with lime accents.

     The Stampede Hunter Edition is colored in the True Timber Strata pattern, which is charcoal metallic with a True Timber camouflage pattern for the accents and hood.  Perhaps the most notable addition is the front-mounted WARN 1.81-ton compact winch (though some dealers sell the Hunter Edition with a 2.04-ton WARN winch, and both are possible accessories for other versions).  Part of the winch installation is a power take-off to use the total engine power for the winch operation and incidentally locks the wheels and differential, though this may be manually overridden. It has most of the added features of the X Model, with the exception of the fancy seats and the CD Player (though it retains the USB connectors and outlets), and also has a full windshield for the front of the roll cage, standard, as well as a roof. (For that matter, the roll cage is shaped differently and is actually stronger than a normal Stampede roll cage.)  Behind each seat is a locking rack suitable for most rifles, shotguns, and carbines on one side of the seat, and a locking handgun rack towards the inside of the seat.  There are spaces suitable for boxes of ammunition between the long gun and handgun behind each seat.  The suspension is beefed up, improving off-road mobility and ride, but it does not have the larger wheels and larger, heavy-lugged tires of the Stampede X.

     The big difference for the Stampede 4 model is the extended cab, seating a total of four.  The seats are standard-type seats for the Stampede, and the space (now behind the second-row seats) and the same cargo box remain. The Stampede 4 has full-sized doors for each passenger, and the top of the roll cage has lock-down and tie-down fixtures.  The feature set is otherwise primarily the same as the Standard Stampede.  The Stampede 4 is basically the four-seat version of the Standard Stampede.  The Stampede 4X is the sort of “deluxe” version of the Stampede 4, and not only has the feature set of the Stampede Standard, but the extra features of the Stampede X.  This includes the same wheels and tires of the Stampede X and the same improved suspension.  The USB connectors and power outlets are duplicated in the rear seats. The Stampede 4X also includes the top-of-the-roll-cage lock-down/tie-down points. The Stampede 4 uses a black base color with bright red accents, while the Stampede 4x uses the same base color with lime green accents.  The Stampede XTR is also a four-seat version, and has the addition of storage space inder front seats.

     The Stampede 4 Hunter Edition is the four-seat version of the Stampede Hunter Edition above, and has the same feature set and accessories as that version, including the roof with rack, and the gun racks behind the rear seats.  However, the racks behind the rear seats have two longarm racks and two pistol racks, and double the space for ammunition boxes on the floor behind the seats.  The coloration scheme remains the same, as does the beefed-up suspension, and front-mounted winch.  Like the Stampede 4 and 4x, the USB connections and power outlets are duplicated in the rear seat rows. 

     The Stampede XTR EPS has selectable all-wheel drive instead of full-time all-wheel drive, which by a small amount increases its on-road and off-road mobility. It also has electronic power steering rather than the hydraulic power steering of other models (though there is no difference in game terms except perhaps less driver fatigue). It has several Fast-N-Latch equipment attachment points around the cargo box, rear-of-seats space, hood rack, the roof and roll cage, and a few other points around the vehicle. (These can be used to haul cargo on the outside of the Stampede XTR EPS, while keeping the cargo box clear for any game that may be killed in hunting). The LCD Display is enlarged to 13.34 x 8.26 centimeters. Other features and accouterments are the same as on the Stampede 4X. Basic color is black, with Electric Blue accents. There is also a Stampede XTR EPS+ version, which uses a slightly upgraded suspension along with 14-inch alloy wheels under 27-inch Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 tires, and has somewhat better off-road performance.

     Common accessories includes the earlier-mentioned third seat, communications, GPS, a roof for the roll cage, full doors, a dual-row variable-brightness LED light bar (for the top of the front of the roll cage), and an actual windshield in the front of the roll cage.