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Photo courtesy of SnowBear Limited By Bill Stevenson, Managing Editor Getting an ATV from the garage to a place where it can be ridden is getting tougher. More areas are closing, causing owners to ferry their ATVs father away from home. Riding from home to the trails or open areas is becoming harder as police across the country have increased enforcement against ATV riders. Some customers are finding it hard to ride on their own property. Riverside County, Calif., made it nearly impossible to ride an ATV on private property and Cathedral City, Calif., went so far as to make it illegal. These changes are pushing ATV owners farther away from home and make using pickup trucks and trailers to transport ATVs more appealing. A few trailer companies offer new products aimed at helping get the ATV to the fun.
SnowBear Limited built the M400ATVK trailer from heavy-duty welded steel rung runners and built-in flip around tailgate to make loading and unloading ATVs easier for riders, said spokesperson Heidi Miller. She said it is a Quick-Time bolt together kit with a 1,195 pound payload riding on 8 inch premium highway rated tires, a black powder coat finish and multiple tie-down locations. Sales are up for SnowBear due to the ATV sport becoming more mainstream than extreme sport and the trend in people being more willing to travel with their ATVs, Miller said. “(Dealer/retailers) need to know the severity of growth and most importantly, the size of the aftermarket sales within the industry. Constantly consumers are adding additional parts and equipment to their ATV's and knowledge in this industry is a must,” she said. Trailers can be more than flat platforms to haul things on. The featured companies have designed trailers with ATV riders in mind, whether they are looking for something compact to haul a pair of ATVs to the trails or a trailer that doubles as a camping unit. One even folds up the sides to make it easier to haul through the woods. Manufacturers suggest stores learn more about their customers and these trailers, to help educate riders when they are looking for the best way to haul ATVs.
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Featherlite Trailers offers their latest in the Sport Utility Recreational Vehicle (SURV) trailer line with three new models capable of storing ATVs and provide living quarters at the same time, according to Communication Specialist Nicole Ausdemore. She said the trailers offer a kitchen with a refrigerator, cook top stove, sink, bathroom, bed, dinette, sofa, closets and cabinets. New features for the 2007 line reportedly include six tie-downs in the garage area, standard 100 gallon fresh water tank, external porch lighting near the ramp area and Gripstar ramp lining. Ausdemore said options available include a 15 inch flat screen television, electric double queen-sized beds, cargo netting, 20 gallon fueling station, exterior speakers and exterior grill. Featherlite reports seeing trends in people choosing more enclosed trailers to protect their ATVs from weather and use them for various outdoor recreations. Ausdemore said sales are up due to the mild weather last winter, which helps increase people's desire to get outdoors and enjoy themselves. “More people than ever are traveling to different parts of the U.S. to enjoy outdoor activities such as ATV riding, thus creating the need for trailers,” she said. Dealer/retailers need to know their customers and their hauling needs to place them with the right trailer, Ausdemore added.
For ATV riders wanting to get as far away from civilization as possible, Haultent Expedition Trailers hopes to have the product for them. Owner Arne Martin said their trailer is small, tough, simple, lightweight and can withstand the toughest offroad terrain. The trailer reportedly carries up to 2,000 pounds inside the storage area and on top, including enough room for two ATVs. The tent trailer also features a counter and drawers and it folds out into a tent with roughly 8 feet by 9.5 feet of living space with a 7 foot ceiling, Martin extols. He said sales in 2006 for his company remain the same as the year before and he hopes they will increase as more people become aware of the Haultent Expedition Trailer. “Some folks like to get far from the civilized world with their ATVs, but can't get their camp there too. But with the Haultent, everything can go as long as the tow vehicle can get there,” Martin said. Stores could increase sales by learning what their clients do while riding ATVs, such as hunting or camping, and help educate them to the Haultent Expedition Trailer.
Sales are increasing for the Hiniker Company with their Dual Track folding ATV trailer, as ATV owners are looking for a more economical way to haul their rides, said Hiniker's Lyle Krebs. He reports the Dual Track trailers can transport ATVs on the 96 inch aluminum diamond-tread bed and two 24 inch sides can fold up to make the trailer fit narrow roads and trails. The trailer reportedly features rubber-mounted torsion axels that can adjust from a 64 inch highway mode to a 40 inch offroad mode and handles hauling up to 2,000 pounds of weight. Krebs noted the trailer has a retractable tongue with a 2 inch ball hitch, is pre-wired for flush mounted rear-lights with four flat-prong connectors and rides on Sport Trax highway tires. “Dual Track gives you more bang for your buck,” he said.
Kendon Industries released their new Stand Up UTILITY Trailer for ATVs, according to Sales Director Buck Lovell. He said the unique Stand Up storage feature saves space at the campsite or pit area. The trailer is reportedly capable of hauling 2,000 pounds with room for two ATVs and rides on torsion bar suspension for a smooth non-jarring ride and predictable tracking. Lovell notes optional rails can be added. “Most ATV trailer customers want a trailer that looks good, is easy to load and tracks safely. Anything else is a headache. Trailers need to look as good as they function simply as a sales point,” Lovell said. He said Kendon has not compared sales between 2006 and 2005 because “we are too busy shipping trailers.” Dealers are suggested to have sufficient Kendon trailers in stock for riders to look at. “Kendon trailers virtually sell themselves when viewed on a sales floor. They are attractive and do the job with little fuss. They also take up a minimum of storage space on the sales room floor,” Lovell said.
For ATV owners needing a lot of enclosed room, Legend Manufacturing offers the new 2006 Legend trailer line, reports Manager Jason Beck. The new trailers range in width from 6 feet to 8.5 feet wide and in lengths of 29 feet, 31 feet and 33 feet, he adds. The trailers are reportedly all aluminum and are constructed without screws leaving the sides smooth. The trailer line also features smooth aluminum fenders, continuous rear ramp door hinge, heavy duty mating on the ramp, torsion axels, radius side door with flush lock, electric brakes, LED lights and comes in seven colors: black, white, pewter, silver frost, metallic charcoal, Chevy Green and Victory Red, according to Legend. “ATV trailers are becoming more popular every year,” Beck said.