July 2006 ATV-Industry News

Updated 8/01/06

Archives: Jan 06, Feb 06, Mar 06, Apr 06, May 06, June 06

NORTH CAROLINA PROMOTES SAFETY

North Carolina announced a statewide ATV safety campaign to educate parents and enthusiasts about recent ATV legislation, according to a press release. More than 400,000 educational brochures are reportedly being distributed to inform owners: children must be 8 years old to operate an ATV appropriate in size to their age, adult supervision is required for children under 18 riding ATVs, no passengers are allowed unless the ATV is designed for passengers, all riders must wear helmets and face protection, ATVs are not allowed on public streets or roads except to cross and, starting Oct. 1, all riders born after Jan. 1, 1990 must posses a safety certificate from a course sponsored by the ATV Safety Institute. Failure to meet the conditions set in the new law could result in a fine of $200, unless the ATV is being used for farming or hunting, according to the media.

Don VanderMey was selected as the new president of Floe International, manufacturer of ATV, snowmobile and recreational trailers, reports the company. They tell us VanderMey replaces Bob Jordan in the day-to-day management of the company. For the last ten years VanderMey has served as manager, territory sales consultant and director of sales and marketing for Floe International, they add. CEO Wayne Floe stated, “Don is a very bright person who can see the big picture and fulfill Floe Internationals mission statement.”

Arctic Cat announces that former Vice President of Sales and Marketing Robert Bonev decided to leave the company. According to Arctic Cat, Bonev replaced Mark Blackwell in 2001, and reported directly to company President and CEO Christopher Twomey. Twomey said, “We appreciate Robert's contributions during his tenure at Arctic Cat and wish him well in his future endeavors.” He adds that until a replacement can be found, the marketing department will be under his direction.

The Daily & Sunday Review newspaper reports the town of Armenia, Penn., is working on a proposed ordinance to allow ATVs to be driven on specific town roads. Mallory Babcock, township secretary said, “The Recreational Vehicle Ordinance is now being reviewed by the township solicitor and will hopefully be voted on at the next township meeting.” She added, if the ordinance passes, the next step would be for the supervisors to decide which roads would be approved for ATV use.

After New York Governor George E. Pataki signed a series of reclassification plans for the lands in Adirondack Park, environmentalists raised concerns regarding the damage ATVs can do to more sensitive areas, reports LegislativeGazette.com. According to the site, environmentalists are concerned because while some of the land was classified as primitive, others were labeled as wild forest, which allows use of motorized vehicles. They add the ATVs can easily transcend the boundaries and get into more sensitive areas, like the area east of the Carry Falls Reservoir, which is home to a rare boreal forest. The river made the reservoir difficult for people and vehicles to access, but if a local government builds a bridge it would be possible for ATVs to reach the forest, explains environmental organization the Adirondack Council. The council stated they want the land protected because it is home to a number of rare plants and animals.

Houlton, Maine, ATV users may get the chance to use two secluded roads if their proposal is approved by town officials, reports the Bangor Daily News. According to the newspaper, a panel has been working for almost a year to come up with a way for ATV enthusiasts to enjoy riding while also maintaining the peace and quite of local neighborhoods. The paper adds the ATV riders have stressed that the town would benefit economically if they could be allowed to ride their ATVs to stores and restaurant areas. However, some of the town's residents objected to the idea, expressing concern about safety, speed and noise, the paper explains.

As the summer gets hotter, firefighters are being called on to put out brush fires. According to television news channel WTRF, many fire departments in the area around Wheeling, W.Va., use ATVs to reach areas their trucks have a difficult time in. They add the Reedsville Volunteer Fire Department received a donated ATV from a former volunteer firefighter to make it easier to reach the brush fires. Reedsville Volunteer Fire Department President Bo Ward explains, “We put a 30-gallon pump on it. It pumps one gallon per minute and we can use it to fight the fire.”

Gibbs Technologies announces their prototype of an amphibious ATV they call the Quadski. According to the company, the new ATV is powered by a 140 British horsepower gasoline engine and is capable of traveling up to 50 mph on land and water. On land the vehicle moves by wheels and has a range of 600 kilometers, while in the water a marine jet pump propels it, and the fuel tank enables a travel time of up to two hours, they add. The flick of a switch retracts the wheels into the body of the vehicle, allowing a quick transition from land to water, the company explains.

The WPSA PowerSports ATV Championship Tour announced the addition of two new classes for 125cc youth riders. The two new classes are the Class 13, a 90cc-125cc 4-stroke Senior class for ages 12-15 and the Class 14, 90cc-125cc 4-stroke Junior class for ages 8-11. The new classes were reportedly put into effect at the PowerSports Peach State ATV Championships in June. ATV Tour Director Tes Sewell explained, “We received an overwhelming amount of feedback from our youth riders to create these new classes … We think this will only add to the show, and is a good move for many reasons.”

Cobra Powersports announces a partnership agreement with GE Capital Solutions to provide wholesale financing to its authorized dealers. According to Cobra, the company currently supports 145 authorized dealerships in North America and any of them interested in establishing a floor plan account for their inventory are asked to contact their Cobra Powersports representative or GE's Commercial Distribution Finance representative.

Children in Virginia under the age of 12 are allowed to ride ATVs under 70cc due to an amendment of Virginia's ATV law, reports the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA). SVIA adds they have strongly advocated the state to enact safety legislation to include prohibitions on riding inappropriately sized ATVs, operating on paved roads and operating without proper safety gear, as well as requiring rider training and adult supervision for children. They explain the Consumer Product Safety Commission has found 95 percent of children under age 16 were injured while riding ATVs larger than the recommended size for their age group.

A federal Senate Commerce Committee subcommittee held a hearing to discuss the number of children killed while riding ATVs and listen to the proposals of representatives for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), ATV makers and consumer groups, according to The Wall Street Journal. The CPSC's proposal reportedly includes limiting the number of foreign models that do not follow the same voluntary standards as the domestic manufacturers, installation of an engine switch allowing parents to limit the maximum speed of the ATV, the production of bigger models of ATVs for larger teenagers and a ban on headlights to discourage minors from riding at night. The paper adds, the domestic ATV makers want Congress to speed the rule process along because they say the cheaper imports are gaining market share. Some consumer advocates were seeking a ban on sales of ATVs aimed for children under the age of 16, the paper explains.