From a distance it may just look like a tame all-terrain golf cart, but as it veers closer, it's clear the Yamaha Rhino could really put the jitters up your caddy and playmates.
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My instructor, Saeed warned me of the dangers of toppling one of these bad boys at high speed; about the risks of soft sand slides and the perils of meeting a dune's trough directly after its peak. He also added that no matter how well you think you know the area, overnight, it could all change.
The pep talk is wasted though. After all that blub, you're inevitably itching to take this 700cc monster up to its 65kmph limits. It's only after moments of sheer panic however, usually while air-borne, that you realise the briefing was justified.
Scenes reminiscent of Jackass the Movie where Johnny Knoxville escaped a mid-air golf cart collision with concussion ensure that you'll take the next dune a little more softly, but you just can't, something inside screams faster and you duly oblige.
The Rhino won Side X Side Magazine's SUV of the Year award with five stars for safety in 2008, a puzzling accolade for something that has plastic doors that flap in the wind and large vacuous gaps between the roll bars to fly through. Granted if you drove like a Benedictine monk during test stages safety would score high, but there's something about the freedom and fun of roaming the sands in one of these, that brings out the nutcase in you.
Onboard it's noisy, gutsy and soaked in sand and adrenaline. Easy to drive, but easier to roll, this is the ultimate boys' toy. After a few beats around the block, (there's a 2km squared stretch of land at Banshee, Umm al Quwain) you'll master your landings, weight distribution and choice of dune. By then, you'll be cautiously addicted.
The lowdown
Where to go
Banshee Bike Rental, Umm al Quwain, is easily spotted once you come off interchange 96 off Emirates Road, driving toward Ras al Khaimah. Dhs500 buys you one hour of ride time, but there are cheaper alternatives if you fancy quad biking instead for about Dhs200. Always call ahead to check availability. Contact: 050-8673339 or 050-7183092
Equipment and safety
Helmets are provided and seat belts are installed. If you want to look into buying your own buggy, prices range from Dhs5000 second- hand to around Dhs54,000 brand new.
