Two-Minute Test Drive: 2016 Yamaha YXZ 1000R

"In Canada," says Russ Bond, "we have winters."

Winters, he notes, come with snow, rendering racetracks useless for almost half the year.

Unless, of course, you had a Yamaha YXZ 1000R side-by-side.

Powered by a 1,000cc inline three-cylinder that makes 110 horsepower, and featuring an industry-first five-speed sequential gearbox, the YXZ 1000R is about as close to a car as a side-by-side can get.

Add in an uncanny suspension setup, electric power steering, four-wheel disc brakes and Yamaha's On-Command four-wheel drive system with a locking centre differential, and it's more than capable of tackling any racetrack in the wintertime.

But don't take it from us—Russ has the answers to all your burning questions as he hits Sunset Speedway in the YXZ 1000R.

This segment originally appeared on Episode 11 of Motoring 2016.