Riding ATVs means getting the machine to the dirt and a major step before heading out is loading the ATV. Putting the vehicle in the back of a truck takes loading ramps, something most ATV owners need. ATVs have been increasing in size and weight, especially when adding in the rider's weight and the pounds of the all accessories they add on. The old wood planks or worn and aged ramps may need replacing to safely handle the extra load. This month's Market Report focuses on what ATV loading ramp companies are offering to help.

AmeriDeck offers the “ultimate” ramp, one that loads the ATV itself, according to spokesperson Misty Henry. She said the new SuperDeck has a loading deck, where riders drive the ATV onto it, then a hydraulic system lifts the deck and 2,000 pounds of payload into the back of a pickup truck. AmeriDeck is promoting the SuperDeck as a safe method for loading ATVs. No vehicle modification is required in using the SuperDeck, it fits any full-size pickup truck and does not interfere with trailer hitches, Henry noted. She reports the company sees a trend in ATV owners seeking safer methods to load their rides and they are trying to capitalize on it.

Ethan Wendle said he sees trends in ATV loading ramps moving towards demand for longer ramps and, as president of DiamondBack Truck Covers, he introduced their 12 foot long DiamondBack ATV ramps to go with their truck covers. The ramps are hinged in the middle, constructed of aluminum to reduce weight and are built to hook into the company's truck covers, Wendle noted. He declared the truck covers support 1,600 pounds over the bed of the pickup truck, open from the front and back of the bed, are removable in pieces for easy installation by one person and can be locked to secure gear. “Safety is the key. Our ramps hook into a bar on the cover so there is no kick out issue,” said Wendle. He states dealers should inform clients how the ramps have a wide wall to keep ATV tires safely on the ramp and how the length makes the incline of loading on top of a truck cover the same or less than loading onto the tailgate of most pickups.

Larger and heavier ATVs require bigger and better ramps, according to Five Star CEO Jim Woodward. To meet the trend of bigger rides, Five Star offers the H Models of bi-fold and tri-folding ATV ramps. Woodward notes they have a loading capacity of 1,500 pounds distributed weight and widths measuring 44 inches to 51 inches. To keep a steady climb in sales, Woodward said retailers should be familiar with the products they are selling along with the safety of how to use them. “A lot has changed in the past 20 years we have been in the ATV ramp business. ATV's have increased in size of the horsepower and the width to the weight of ATVs. There are consumers wanting the H Model ramps to fit the sizes of the ATVs they are using,” he said.

The new lightweight aluminum ATV loading ramps offered by Fly Racing feature a wider design for bigger ATVs, fold in half for easy storage, rungs with extruded surface grooves for traction, construction of 6061 T6 aluminum and a combined load rating of 1,500 pounds, according to exclusive distributor Western Power Sports' Chris Harris. He reports the company sees a trend in owners seeking ramps to handle bigger ATVs and keep them safe during the loading procedure. According to Harris, sales are up over last year for Fly Racing. “We made this ramp with the large displacement ATVs in mind. This lightweight aluminum ramp is the widest ramp we offer. The traction bars extend all the way to the outer edge of the ramp. With larger quads getting wider, you need traction to extend wide enough for the tires to use. So we made this new ramp for all ATVs while keeping the ramp strong and lightweight,” he added.

Great Day released five models of aluminum ATV loading ramps to meet any customer's need, company President Ilar Meeks reports. These ramps are lightweight, store easily, have a safe load capacity, shippable by UPS, come with safety straps and the ramps are multipurpose, he proclaims. “Most people want a lightweight dependable ramp that is affordable. More hunters are becoming interested in ramps. Recreational riders are also taking an interest in ramps,” Meeks said. Sales have reportedly increased for Great Day as more ATVs and UTVs are sold. He suggests stores sell customers the ramps at the point of purchase and match the ramp with their need. “Not all ramps are the same, some are for specific loading purposes,” Meeks stated.

Ross Graham of HandiRamp declares the latest trend is consumers seeking smaller, lighter ramps with high weight capacities. “Most people want a ramp that fits in their back pocket with a 10,000 pound capacity,” Graham jokes. To meet the trend, HandiRamp produced the M100 loading ramp for pickup trucks. The ramp replaces a pickup tailgate and extends for loading or unloading the ATV. He divulges sales have remained the same from 2005 to 2006 with spikes and drops according to weather, but they expect them to rise over the next year. Graham recommends dealers help educate potential customers to the durability and ease of the M100 ramps, as well as the versatility of having the ramp on their pickup. “Customers are price sensitive and are looking for a solution that will last. They weigh out the options of buying a ramp that is lower cost versus a ramp that will last them 20 years,” Graham said.

Moose released four new ATV ramps this year to offer end-users: a 46 inch tri-fold aluminum ramp, with a 42-52 inch adjustable version, 48 inch bi-fold aluminum ramp and an arched version, according to spokesperson Kyle Phillips. He said the ramps are durable, lightweight, weather resistant and come with nylon safety straps and EZ Grip rubber truck rests. Phillips declares he didn't know about the direction of sales, but he said the bi-fold ramps seem to be popular. “Everybody who buys an ATV with a pickup truck needs to have a loading ramp. Have them finance the ramp along with the purchase of the ATV,” Phillips suggested to dealer/retailers.

"Size seems to be one of the biggest influences on ramp demands in our market. With ATVs ranging up to 800cc and the market growing in the utility division, a standard 40 inch by 70 inch ramp is no longer the norm," said Motorcycle Stuff Product Manager Scott Williams. He said weight and wheelbase must be considered with ramps to promote safety. "We know this is a factor and we have the right ramp and perfect match to accommodate this dealer and consumer need," Williams states. To meet these needs Motorcycle Stuff reportedly offers the folding arched ATV ramps, which feature crossbar and side extrusions with a ribbed surface to provide optimal traction. The ramps are constructed with 7/8 inch square-tubing with top and bottom lateral welds for strength and square-capped, extra wide rubber tip fingers set to secure the ramp and prevent tailgate damage, Williams noted. He added the ramps come in two models bearing payloads of 1,000 pounds and 2,400 pounds, and measure 12 inches and 18 inches wide respectively. Williams reports with the features of their ramps, the company sees sales remaining the same as last year regardless of increased competition.

Ohio Steel Industries unveils their new aluminum telescoping loading ramp for ATVs, according to National Sales Manager Frederick Feeney. He said the ramp is ideal for ATVs, extends to 81.5 inches in length, is easy to carry with the nylon handles, bears a unique anti-skid surface, capable of 1,250 pounds distributed weight and is built from .10 inch thick lightweight aluminum. Feeney extols the trend in ramps is people seeking the Ohio Steel solid body, punched tread ramps over rung style and it is the reason their sales continue to climb steadily. He suggests dealers look at safety and query if their customer plans to use the ramps for more than ATVs. The solid body may be safer if they plan to use them for such things as lawnmowers with smaller wheels that could become stuck between rungs. “Fit the right ramp for the right application,” Feeney said.

Oxlite Manufacturing reports the company sees a trend in riders seeking a set of ramps that are as easy to store, as they are rugged. To help retailers provide the perfect ramp for a customer's needs, Oxlite offers the new E series of bi-fold ramps, which come in either the 44 inches wide by 71 inches long ramp or the 48 inches by 77 inches long version, according to the company. There are two tri-fold models measuring 46 inches wide and 71 inches long, and 50 inches wide and 81 inches long, he added. “As consumers replace their aging ATVs, most likely they will soon be replacing their ramps, looking for better ways of storing the ramps not only for convenience but for security,” states a spokesperson. They suggest dealers look at the total product range when choosing which ramps to inventory. “Oxlite prides itself on having the broadest range of product, offers selling tools for their dealers, all the products come in four-color packaging, national advertising for better brand recognition, co-op advertising programs and, most important, product liability insurance,” adds the spokesperson.

QuadBoss offers their latest ATV bi-fold ramp, which is 44 inches wide by 71 inches long and has a 1,250 pound load capacity, through exclusive distributor Tucker Rocky, according to Tucker Rocky's Glen Urquhart. He exuded the ramp is constructed of 6005 T-6 aluminum, features five inch rung spacing and carries a two-year warranty. For dealers, the ramps also carry liability insurance, notes Urquhart. QuadBoss sales are up and Urquhart reports the company feels it is due to dealers and riders finally realizing the need for a ramp with higher load capacities. “They are getting wider and longer due to ATVs getting bigger. Weight capacities are also increasing because of the size of the units, the amount of accessories being installed on them and the weight of the rider,” said Urquhart. QuadBoss suggests dealer/retailers make sure ramps are wider than the outer edges of the customer's ATV tires and long enough so the angle is not too steep. Urquhart adds stores should also take a moment to educate consumers on how to use the straps to secure the ramp to the vehicle.

The trend in ramp sales seen at RampAge Ramps is ATV riders are looking for higher quality ramps with a minimum payload rating of 1,500 pounds distributed weight, according to spokesperson Gene Freeze. To meet this trend, Freeze reports RampAge offers their newest ATV bi-folding arched ramps, measuring 12 inches wide by 85 inches long when extended, only 44 inches long when folded. “They feature a unique hinge design that, when extended for use, gives the ramp an arch in the middle, which alleviates the steepness of the incline during the loading process,” said Freeze. Sales of the wider and longer ramps are 20 percent higher while sales on the lower priced models are level with last year, he divulged. Freeze recommends dealers point ATV owners towards higher capacity ramps to avoid potential litigation, which can occur if lower rated ramps are sold and collapse under the weight of the ATV and the client. “The retailers need to think hard about recommending the correct ramp to the customer at the time of the sale,” he said.

Ready Ramp offers a unique solution for ATV riders using a full-size truck with the new two-piece ATV Ready Ramp, according to Owner Cord Bauer. He noted the biggest feature is the patented bed extender function, which connects easily to the truck to keep gas cans and valuables inside the bed when transporting an ATV, and disconnects to make two 80 inch long ramps with a combined load rating of 1,200 pounds. The ramps also reportedly feature a rubber coated ramp lip to protect the truck and a pair of mini tie-downs for securing the ramps. Bauer stated it's too early to tell on how sales will go with the ATV Ready Ramp, but based on the past four years of sales of a motorcycle version, it should do well.

Safety is the top priority with Ultimate Racks' Uni-Loader Safety System for loading ATVs into the back of a pickup truck, proclaims spokesperson Kurt Klev. “It is by far, the safest, the easiest and least expensive way to load a single ATV in the back of a truck,” he said. The Uni-Loader was designed to make existing ramps very safe by having owners bolt four brackets to their ramps, which fit over the Uni-Loader system installed in the truck, notes Klev. The ramps are reportedly attached to the safety system with a spring pin being inserted into the brackets. “We have all heard the horror stories of ramps sliding or slipping off the tailgate, or coming out from underneath the ATV while loading the machine. It's because of these stories that the Uni-Loader Safety System was developed,” said Klev.

Safety appears to be one of the main focuses of companies producing new ATV loading ramps. With the bigger and heavier ATVs, the ramps are increasing in size and payload rating to match and keep consumers safe. A variety of features from easy storage to increased security offer additional incentives for consumers to look at replacing their old worn ramps. The combination can lead to dealers helping customers while generating new sales. New ramps can help all riders load 'em up safely.