Jan 2007 ATV-Industry News

The Montgomery, AL, Advertiser reported the theft of 4 hunters' ATVs out of the woods. The thief or thieves unknown allegedly used the hunters' 16-foot trailer for the dirty work. The paper reported the Autauga County Sheriff's office was familiar with the scenario: “We tell people to put a mark somewhere on the frame with an electric pencil or grinding tool,” Sheriff Herbie Johnson told the Advertiser. Johnson also said it was difficult to trace stolen ATVs because they are not required to be registered with the state. Multiple sheriffs' departments in the area reported to the Advertiser they see a spike in ATV thefts in hunting season, owing to the presence of the machines unattended in remote spots. “Most of the time people just ride the roads looking for ATVs,” Rick Lowery, chief deputy of the Elmore County Sheriff's Office, told the paper. “It doesn't take long for two men to put one in a pickup truck and leave the area.” Lowery recommended keeping ATVs out of sight and secured, plus locking gates and fence gaps.

The Fond du Lac (WI) Town Board recently turned down a proposal to build a new ATV/snowmobile track at the local Fondy Sports Park, according to the Fond du Lac Reporter. Board Chairperson Harold Manske cited incorrect zoning at the sports park, the paper said. Park owner Mike Maly told the Reporter most who opposed the track did so based on the perceived noise issue. But Maly asserted the idea is not dead: “I think we need to talk to the neighbors and find out what they think is feasible,” he said, adding that noise from the track would not be a nuisance.

The West Virginia State Police ATV Committee is recommending banning ATVs from paved state roads and replacing a 2004 “complex, convoluted, inept law” with a new vision, according to the Bluefield (WV) Daily Telegraph editorial page. According to the newspaper, the committee also recommends mandatory helmets for all riders, upped penalties for fleeing on an ATV, plus title and registration for ATVs with the registration displayed. Opposition to the suggestions surfaced from committee co-chairman delegate Dale Martin (D-Putnam) who expressed concern about what the proposals would mean for activity on the Hatfield-McCoy Trails in southern West Virginia, the Daily Telegraph reported. The editorial page endorsed the police recommendations, citing rider safety.

Police in Wichita Falls, KS, recovered 10 ATVs recently stolen from D&D Enterprise, among other items, but the story did not have an entirely happy ending, according to the KSWO TV News Web site. The station reports the vehicles' keys were missing and new ignition systems will be required. No dollar amount was placed on the work. The station reports, however, that police were closing in on the thieves.

West Virginia state legislators convened recently to review two proposals to tax and regulate all-terrain vehicles, according to the West Virginia Gazette. One proposed bill would fine-tune the state's safety regulations, and the other would require ATV owners to get permits for the vehicles. Legislators had previously agreed to study West Virginia's two-year-old ATV safety law after 40 people died in 2005. Fifty-four people have died on ATVs in West Virginia in 2006, the paper reported. No action had been taken as of presstime.

A former star ATV rider has fallen from the winner's circle and now battles to make a comeback. And whether he succeeds or not is in the palm of your hand. SONY has released ATV Offroad Fury 4 for its new PlayStation console, according to Internet sources. There are several races to compete in, reports Daily Game, a Web site devoted to computer gaming. “The different track terrains are rendered with a good amount of detail and come across as impressive in this age of next-gen hardware and software,” reports Daily Game. Courses feature arena style, dirt, mud, pavement and elevation changes, Daily Game says, opining, “The courses, in fact, are the real fun of this game.” Visit www.dailygame.net for the full review.

A Billings Gazette blog, GazOutdoors, recorded 41 answers to its online poll question: Should stricter rules be drawn up for ATV use on both public and private lands during hunting season? The blog reports 68 percent were in favor of tighter regulations, while 32 percent said “no.” One rider told the blog, “It's not the ATVs that are the problem, it's the riders.” Said another: “I think most of the existing rules are fine; they just need to be enforced. It is not going to matter if the rules get stricter if there is no one to enforce them.” And a third weighed in: “ATV use should be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for game removal only on all secondary roads on public land.”

Polaris Industries announced organizational changes that mean a staff reduction of 53 salaried positions and 24 temporary slots, as well as intern and contractor positions around the world, or 2 percent of the company's workforce. Polaris said the move will help the firm “strengthen performance in the increasingly competitive ATV category.” The changes are slated to take place over the next 12 to 15 months. “This was not an easy decision,” said Polaris Industries CEO Tom Tiller. “However, we're facing a tougher external environment in the ATV, international and snowmobile markets and need to realign resources throughout the organization.”

Motorcycle Stuff announces it is now marketing Universal Metal (UM) Racing products. UM specializes in aftermarket products and manufactures a variety of ATV products, including wheel spacers, says spokesperson Ashlie Smith. According to Smith, UM Wheel Spacers give quads more stability and better handling “without breaking your wallet... a low-cost alternative to swing axles and A-arms.” The wheel spacers are reportedly made from urethane elastomer with titanium and graphite and are available in 1 1/2- and 2 1/2-inch widths.

Arctic Cat has released its 2007 catalog online. The site is consumer-friendly, with plenty of big pictures of the merchandise, plus the data consumers and retailers need. The list of offerings includes cargo trailers, winches, windshields, brush bumpers, cargo boxes, gun scabbards, rack baskets and more, including hunting blinds that quickly conceal both ATV and hunter. The Arctic Cat Speedtrack brand is well represented, along with other manufacturers' products. For more information, visit www.arcticcat.com.

KYMCO USA has introduced its downloadable ATV product line on the Web in a new detail-rich format. In addition to pictures and descriptions of the KYMCO Mongoose and MXU ATV lines, the site offers an easy-to-scan technical readout at the bottom with information on brakes, electronics, dimensions, suspension, instrumentation and load capacity, etc. The address: www.kymcousa.com.

Field & Stream, which bills itself as the worlds leading outdoor magazine features “One Wild Ride: Fishing Alaska by ATV,” in a story it published online in November, written by Kirk Deeter with photos by Keith Mulligan. Deeter writes, “A quad can be your ride to an incredible amount of pristine fishing in Alaska. But if you're going… Be honest with yourself. Know what your skills are, and don't get in over your head. The Alaska wilderness is a bad place to break down, and a worse place to get hurt. Backcountry ATVing takes experience and technical skill and can at times be physically challenging. It is, however, very possible for a novice to tackle this adventure, as long as she or he has an experienced companion.” The magazine devotes 17 pages to the adventure and there's how-to-do-it help, as well.

The River Falls (WI) Journal reports that, having missed the boat on its own ATV association until now, Pierce County is making strides to join the club. “Surprisingly,” the paper reports, “until recently, Pierce County was one of three area counties (also including St. Croix and Pepin) not to have one [an ATV association].” The Journal reports through the new association's founders the number of ATVs registered in Pierce County surpassed the number of snowmobiles for the first time in 2006. The goal, according to association organizers who spoke to the paper, was to have a winter trail up-and-running by 2007. For more information, visit: www.piercecountyatv.org.