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For Terry Alveshere, Lee Agri-Media online manager, motorcycle racing with his nephew was one fun pastime in his earlier years.

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He still enjoys snowmobiling, riding ATVs, and off-road driving in a Jeep, so he was very pleased when Yamaha offered him a trip to test out their 2008 Rhino 700 model side-by-side (SxS) vehicle.

Alveshere flew to Knoxville, Tenn. in early November along with other media for a day of riding in Brimstone Recreation, L.L.C.

Located just an hour from Knoxville in the Cumberland Mountains of northeast Tennessee, the park offers 45,000 acres and 320 miles of open trails for off-highway vehicle fun.

Over the course of a week, Yamaha invited three separate groups of media representatives from across the nation to try out 12 new 700 model Rhinos.

Alveshere's group worked the Yamaha Rhinos hard.

"Performance-wise, it was just unreal," he said. "We beat on them, but they all made it back to camp. We thrashed them, and they came out smiling and asking for more."

Just a four-year-old product, Yamaha introduced the 660cc four-stroke/five-valve Rhino 660 as a 2004 model. The new and more powerful 686cc four-stroke/four-valve Rhino 700 is available for 2008.

Yamaha's goal for the Rhino is to provide two-person capacity with room for cargo in a vehicle that acts more like an ATV than any previous vehicle the company had built.

"We have tried to address a variety of situations, terrains and uses, to make the Rhino the most versatile workhorse out there," said Steve Nessl, Yamaha marketing manager for ATVs and SxS.

"With that cargo bed, it's definitely a work vehicle, but it's also something that you can get out and go trail ride with your family on the weekend. You can spend some time in a Rhino in an OHV park or on private land."

In Tennessee, Alveshere had the chance to drive a Rhino 700 4x4 Sport Edition ($12,099 retail). He rode out with a couple other members of the media and a Yamaha leader.

The trails were mapped out with GPS and designed specifically for the 54.4" wide by 113.6" long Rhinos.

"In the morning, we drove and stopped and talked about the obstacles when we got to them," said Alveshere. "Our leader would drive up, and then we were supposed to follow them."

There was a learning curve to driving the Rhino through creeks, over muddy tree roots and downed trees, and through narrow crevices.

"There was a vertical wall that was nearly 4' high and you'd just get the front tires over it, and claw the rest of the way up," he said.

Perhaps most exciting ? it rained 2" the night before the ride. Creeks were flowing.

"The river swelled a little bit. It was a little higher than we liked. We didn't have any problems, except for some wet feet," said Nessl. "There was never any threat of the Rhinos taking in water, but there was some threat of wet ankles."

The Rhino features a sealed drive case that keeps out water, along with a cover drain to remove water. The drive system air intake vent is designed to keep water and mud out of the drive case.

According to Alveshere, the water was "two and one-half feet deep," but his feet didn't even get wet. The water was lapping up the sides of the doors.

Yamaha designed the Rhino 700 with removable blow-molded tight doors.

At 6'3", Alveshere said he'd probably take the doors off unless he knew he was traveling through water or mud.

"It was easier for me to crawl over the door than open it," he said.

The ride became more and more challenging as the day went on.

"We went through tight corners and a lot of mud. We went up crazy huge rocks that I would have been hesitant to take a Jeep through," said Alveshere. "We just climbed right over."

If someone did get stuck or caught, people didn't have to come and help push.

Instead, the driver just used the On-Command In/Out 4WD control. The driver could switch between 2WD, limited-slip 4WD and fully locked differential 4WD, with the push of a button.

"I preferred having the control of when I turned it on and when I turned it off," said Alveshere. "We would get stuck in the rocks. We could stop, turn the differential lock on, wait five seconds, hit the gas and drive right out."

Alveshere appreciated having a 153.5" turning radius available all the time, with 4WD just when he needed it.

The group sped over basins, and made it up cubes of granite rock sitting like a giant staircase. Alveshere slid off a rock and bent a rim, but he just kept going.

He appreciated the full skid plate across the bottom of the Rhino.

"You accidentally land on something, you don't bust anything up," he said.

Alveshere thought the Rhino would be the perfect assistant for fencing, especially in remote areas.

"You could get to places where you wouldn't have been able to get with a horse or on foot," he said. "Section lines, ruts?not a moment's hesitation. You go through a slough. They are just unstoppable."

He liked the Rhino cargo bed too. There are many toolboxes and over 100 accessories for the Rhino models.

He was also impressed with the 400-pound cargo bed capacity. There was plenty of room to strap spare tires, towropes and coolers for off-road travel.

"It's got air assist on it ? just like the lift on the minivan," Alveshere said. "You pop that, and it dumps itself."

Yamaha organizers planned a three-hour afternoon trail ride, and 20 minutes into the ride, Alveshere's group realized someone was missing.

"We had lost him on the road, and he turned around and went back to camp," he said. "We got him and we had two hours and 15 minutes to run the trail."

The group decided to run the trail wide open with their rev limiters keeping it safe.

"We were ripping down these logging roads wide open and you get up to 42 mph," he said. "We just ripped full speed and full brake, going through obstacles wide open. It was crazy, crazy fun. It was a two-hour-and-15-minute adrenaline rush."

Alveshere made it through the entire trail ride. Most importantly, the Rhino kept him safe while providing lots of fun. He had plenty of time to catch his plane back to the upper Midwest.

"A big thanks to Yamaha for taking me down there," he said. "It was an absolute blast."

Side bar

Here are the Rhino 700 model features from Yamaha's website:

-Comfortable interior with automotive-type controls: A new steering wheel, left-side foot brake pedal/right-side foot accelerator pedal, center-mounted console shifter and parking brake lever, turn-to-start ignition switch, indicator lights and 12-volt accessory outlet

-686cc liquid-/oil-cooled, four-stroke engine and lightweight for an excellent power-to-weight ratio and great performance. New four-valve head with 9.2:1 compression bumps power and efficiency.

-Electronic fuel injection ensures peak performance in nearly all conditions and elevations, along with instantaneous cold starts.

- Aluminum cylinder with 102mm ceramic-composite lined bore reduces weight and enhances cooling and reliability.

- Forged aluminum piston with increased compression means more performance and durability.

- New, four-valve head with roller rocker arms reduces friction and weight.

- Heavy-duty crankshaft with large pin diameters increases durability and running smoothness.

- 41mm throttle body with Idle Speed Control System provides instant cold starts and great performance at nearly any altitude.

- Big new radiator with cooling fan and oil cooler means more cooling capacity and durability.

- All-stainless steel exhaust system with aluminum heat shields and screen-type spark arrestor lets the engine live up to its full power potential while it keeps things quiet.

- New air filter design: Underhood location reduces intake noise; larger element increases service life approximately three times. No tools are needed for maintenance.

-Industry-exclusive fully automatic Ultramatic? transmission with dual-range (Hi/Lo) drive and reverse is the most advanced drive system available. Maintaining constant belt tension reduces wear, gives instant throttle response and provides industry-exclusive all-wheel downhill engine braking.

Improved Ultramatic? automatic transmission uses a larger, 150mm centrifugal clutch and six-shoe design for increased durability. Lower gear ratios provide more low-end response and smoother delivery, and a new low-ratio gear-driven reverse gives more backing-up power too. A strengthened drive belt handles the new engine's power.

- Fully independent four-wheel suspension: Double-wishbones front and rear deliver 7.3 inches of wheel travel and 12.1 inches of ground clearance; five-way preload-adjustable shocks provide maximum tire contact and amazing comfort while navigating rough terrain.

-Thick bucket seats and suspension system. Operator and passenger seat belts and handholds.

- Tough, blow-molded doors keep mud, water and dirt on the trail where they belong.

-Two cup holders

- Sealed drive case keeps out water and debris, and a hand-operated side cover drain lets out what little gets in.

- Specially designed drive system air intake vent helps prevent overheating and keeps water and mud from entering the drive case.

- Low-maintenance front shaft drive features gear case and electronic servo-activated 2WD/4WD/Diff Lock via the On-Command? system. Direct rear shaft drive eliminates the U-joint for greater durability and more efficient power transfer at all rpm.

- Big axles and CV joints?72.6mm joints and 21mm front axles?deal with the new engine's power. Tough new boot CV boot covers resist tearing, and new A-arm protectors prevent debris from damaging the CV boots.

- Standard center-mounted, heavy-duty 2-inch receiver-style hitch can tow over 1,200 pounds.

- Stamped steel dump bed is rated to haul 400 pounds of gear, with a latch that opens from either side.

- Aggressive Maxxis tires offer great traction, longer life and a comfortable ride.

- New digital instrument panel incorporates self-diagnostic capabilities for easy troubleshooting. A new voltage meter allows easy monitoring of battery condition, and a new hour meter keeps track of engine running hours for accurate service intervals.

- Integrated, easy-to-read fuel gauge makes it easy to keep track of your fuel supply.

- Dual 30-watt multi-reflector Krypton bulb headlights with high/low beams; dual 5-watt/21-watt tail/brake lights.

- Large, 7.9-gallon fuel tank for long rides.

- Maintenance-free battery provides power, even in cold weather.

- Built in Newnan, Ga.