Just off the unprecedented Solo win at the 46th annual Baja 1000 Michael Swift of Team UXC announces that Team UXC Racing will be joining forces with Factory Polaris for 2014 to run a multitude of off road events.

Team UXC’s six-time National champion Michael Swift inked a deal with Polaris to ride the highly touted Scrambler XP 850 H.O. EPS sport utility ATV.

Swift will be defending his number one plate from the 2013 GNCC race series and looks to repeat his success in the Pro 4X4 class.

“We will be competing in all thirteen rounds of the GNCC cross country series as well as additional events as time allows. We are excited to join forces with Polaris and look forward to putting the Scrambler on the podium time and time again. Our goal is to add the number one plate to this Scrambler XP 850 this time next year.” Stated Swift.

Driven PowerSports of Casper Wyoming will also be leading the charge on the brand new recently announced Polaris Scrambler XP 1000 as a part of the west coast Team UXC racing.

Don Higbee as well as Michael Swift will be competing aboard the Scrambler XP1000 in the Best In The Desert series as well as other west coast events.

Higbee will also come back to the GNCC racing series for select events in the 4X4 senior class where he scored an impressive second place overall for his first full year of GNCC racing in 2013.

Don will be heading up the West Coast duties for Team UXC racing as Michael Swift carries the east coast. Swift says that Team UXC racing also has plans of adding additional riders including Texas Utility racer Chris Robinson.

We all know the advent of the SXS to the cross country and desert racing world has been huge and Polaris has lead the charge so for 2014 the Team UXC/Driven PowerSports race team will also be fielding the Polaris RZR 900XP in the GNCC race series.

The Team UXC/Driven PowerSports partnership will also step out of the traditional bounds for their SXS effort and compete in other select events with the Polaris RZR 900XP, which will be announced at a later date.

“Team UXC racing focuses on building high performance, reliable race machines, both ATV and UTV, to do the primary objective and that is to win races. If we do not finish we cannot win so details and great equipment are key to this success. We are honored to have Factory backed support from Polaris in 2014 and look forward to an awesome year!” says Swift.

Stay tuned to Team UXC racing as it only gets better from here!

For more information on the 2014 Polaris Scrambler 850XP, 2014 Polaris Scrambler 1000XP – 2014 RZR 900XP machines we will ride to victory check out www.polaris.com.

Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) today announced the company is donating two RANGER 800 full-size, side-by-side vehicles, equipped with TerrainArmor Non-Pneumatic Tires (NPT), to help with the tornado disaster relief effort in Washington, Illinois.

The units will be donated to Team Rubicon, a non-profit disaster relief organization that unites the skills of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams worldwide.

“Off-Road Vehicles are a great ally in disaster relief due to their ability to traverse the difficult terrain usually found in these situations,” said David Longren, vice president of Polaris’ Off-Road Division. “Our thoughts go out to the people of Washington, IL and we hope the vehicles serve them well.”

The RANGER 800 full-size side-by-sides are outfitted with TerrainArmor NPTs to prevent down time. NPTs are built to never go flat and are virtually indestructible which is highly beneficial due to the terrain obstacles normally encountered in catastrophic situations.

As part of their disaster relief effort, Team Rubicon will use the vehicles to assist with debris removal and transporting supplies and resources across affected communities.

“Team Rubicon is committed to helping communities rebuild in the immediate aftermath of disasters, and we’re thankful to have the support of Polaris in providing relief to the residents of Illinois whose homes were destroyed during last weekend’s storms,” said William McNulty, co-founder, Team Rubicon. “Polaris’ generous donation allows us to be more efficient in providing aid to those who need it most.”

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2012 sales of $3.2 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER® and RZR® side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and on-road electric/hybrid powered vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris and KLIM branded apparel and Polaris accessories and parts. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PII, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Team Rubicon is a nonprofit organization that provides military veterans the opportunity to continue their service through disaster relief and humanitarian assistance. By rapidly deploying teams of veterans in response to emergency situations, Team Rubicon implements lessons learned in war for the greater cause of helping those in need. In turn, working with Team Rubicon helps give veterans a renewed sense of mission, community and self.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

On the 17th of October, KTM and CFMOTO officially announced the launch of their cooperation in China with KTMR2R trademark.

Mr. Trunkenpolz (KTM CSO) said “The rapid development of the Chinese economy is giving rise to a new type of Chinese customer, one who demands product differentiation. KTM has the product to fill this gap in the market and the perfect partner in CFMOTO to see the process through for the long-term.”

KTM was founded in 1953 in Mattighofen, Austria. Since its inception, KTM has won many world championships including a streak of 12 consecutive wins in the world-famous Dakar Rally, which they will defend in 2014.

Recently, KTM has stepped into the street bike arena and is encountering success at every corner. The entrance into China was logical and is an extension of the globalisation strategy of the company.

When asked about the timing of KTM’s entry into China, Mr. Trunkenpolz explained, “KTM is experiencing greater success in emerging markets than we ever thought was possible. Considering the current economic development of China and how the motorcycle market is maturing here, we feel that this move fits our globalisation strategy right now.”

Mr. Lai (CFMOTO president) mentioned that CFMOTO has many similarities with KTM and that their partnership was a natural fit. Both CFMOTO and KTM emphasize high-end performance motorcycles that form part of the rider’s lifestyle. Based on this shared philosophy, KTM and CFMOTO will cooperate to promote the orange brand in China.

CFMOTO was founded in 1989 and teaming up with more than 1500 companions. It has developed various differentiated products distributed in over 70 countries and regions. CFMOTO is edging into the advanced ranks in the world in the powersports industry and aims at supplying super products to dealers and fans globally.

In answer to many of the media’s questions, Mr. Plöckinger (KTM COO) contributed, “after this Chongqing show, we will immediately open our first dealers in Shanghai and Beijing, and then going into 2014 we will continuously be expanding the dealer network in China. In order to offer a competitive price to the customer in China CFMOTO will import the 200 & 300 DUKE on a CKD basis.”

The press conference was the first KTM activity in China and is tangible proof of the transformation that is occurring in the Chinese motorcycle market.

Chinese motorcycle association chairman Mr. Li developed on this point, “The Chinese motorcycle market is going through a structural adjustment and the products on offer are being updated as a result. The rise of the motorcycle as a lifestyle is upon us, which highlights the potential need for companies such as KTM and CFMOTO. So personally I have a lot of confidence in this cooperation between CFMOTO and KTM, one is an internationally famous brand, the other is a local firm that insists on a differentiated development strategy – I believe this cooperation will be a breath of fresh air in the Chinese motorcycle market and provide Chinese customers a higher quality product and service.”

Two dealers are already open in Shanghai and Beijing and the full KTMR2R product range will arrive in store early 2014.

Founded in 1989, CFMOTO is a company that has been designing, developing, producing and exporting motor vehicles internationally for more than 20 years. They are a leader in the field of liquid cooled engine design and production for motorcycles and quads in China and throughout the world. CFMOTO possesses an annual production capacity of 800,000 engines and 600,000 vehicles. In Canada, CFMOTO products are imported by CMI who has developed an extensive network of dealerships throughout the country. To provide outstanding service to its many dealerships so that they may, in turn, cater to the needs of their many customers, CMI has established a number of vehicle and parts warehouses in several provinces across Canada. CFMOTO is distributed not only in Canada, but also in more than 70 countries throughout the world.

www.cfmoto.ca

Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), the leading manufacturer of off-road vehicles, today announced that Polaris RANGER XP 900 EPS vehicles will be used as part of the DARPA Robotics Challenge to be held December 20-21, 2013, at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Fla.

In the early stages of a number of recent disasters, it was clear there were limitations to what mitigation steps humans could take due to dangerous conditions.

The DARPA Robotics Challenge was created to spur development of advanced robots that can help humans to better respond to future disasters.

The Challenge includes eight tasks that simulate the duties a robot might have to perform in such a situation. DARPA will use the RANGER XP 900 EPS in one of the eight tasks to help demonstrate robots’ ability to operate vehicles, since they are among the tools commonly on hand in disaster zones.

The PolarisRANGER XP 900 is the best-selling vehicle in its class and widely available across the U.S.

“We have found off-road vehicles are some of the most useful vehicles in disaster relief due to their ease of transport and ability to traverse challenging terrain,” said Patrick Weldon, product manager for Polaris Defense. “Our specialized vehicles are designed to the end user’s specifications. For the DARPA Robotics Challenge, the RANGERs were built to accommodate the robots and provide mobility at the mock disaster site.”

The RANGER XP 900 EPS was customized for the Challenge with a remote SafeStop Electronic Throttle Kill and Brake Actuation technology. A 1000-lb./453 kg. capacity bed provides space for the robot’s power supply, and inside the cab, the bench seat and tilt steering provide ample room for robots to operate the vehicle.

The driving task requires the robots to drive the RANGER XP 900 EPS through a 250-ft/76-m course with obstacles and varied widths, and exhibit the ability to turn the vehicle in a full circle.

In the future, the versatility of the RANGER platform would allow a robot to transport tools, equipment, supplies and power around a disaster site, while traversing the difficult terrain often found in disaster situations.

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2012 sales of $3.2 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER and RZR side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles and small vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris and KLIM branded apparel and Polaris accessories and parts. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PII, and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

Can-Am ATV and side-by-side racers competed in the 46th Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert endurance race over the past weekend in Mexico, and came away with one class victory and an impressive third-place finish it the UTV class.

Team UXC Racing / Can-Am racer Michael Swift rode the entire 833-mile course alone to win Class 26 aboard his Outlander 4×4 ATV.

Cory Sappington also finished the race, earning third overall in Class 19 (UTV) with his Desert Toyz / Can-Am Maverick™ 1000R side-by-side vehicle.

“I’m very pleased with Michael Swift’s Class 26 win, considering the fact that he raced the entire Baja 1000 solo and it was said to be one of the most grueling courses in the history of the race,” said Jeff Leclerc, Racing Project Leader, Can-Am. “Despite a few challenges in the UTV race, I was thrilled to learn Desert Toyz driver / owner Cory Sappington earned the first Baja 1000 podium for the Can-Am Maverick 1000R side-by-side.”

Three Can-Am Outlander ATV and Grand National Cross Country racers made up the competitors for class 26. They consisted of Team UXC Racing / Can-Am team members Michael Swift and Don Higbee, who each raced alone on separate ATVs, as well as Penland Racing / Can-Am pilot Mike Penland and his squad.

Swift, who won the 2013 GNCC U2 class championship on an Can-Am Renegade 4×4, held the lead for much of the race and finished with a total official time of 33:12:39.176, averaging 26.6 mph. Higbee, who reached the finish almost seven hours behind Swift, earned the second-place award and both a finisher’s medal and iron man recognition from SCORE.

“I had a flawless race on my Can-Am Outlander 1000 XT,” said Swift. “It was a long race and a huge challenge to the Outlander and myself. Crossing the finish line was a great accomplishment for our team and the companies we represent.”

Nineteen side-by-side vehicles entered Class 19 (Limited, Stock Four-Wheel Utility Vehicle) at the 2013 Baja 1000. Only five vehicles finished the 833-mile event, with the top finishing Can-Am Maverick 1000R side-by-side being the No. 1904 Desert Toyz / Can-Am of Cory Sappington.

The side-by-side racing pioneer, along with co-driver Eric Fitch and the rest of the team, made history, earning the first Baja finish and podium for the Can-Am Maverick 1000R side-by-side. Sappington’s team finished the race in a little more than 28 hours, averaging 30.4 mph, on its way to earning third place.

“We had four flat tires and, other than putting gas in the car, no other problems. It was the roughest Baja I’ve ever been in,” said Sappington, who also took second at the Baja 500 earlier in the year. “The Can-Am Maverick just powered through all the silt beds. My appreciation to Can-Am for building such a great machine that’s so fun to race. Our Can-Am Maverick is a stock machine, other than the exhaust and the air cleaner, so you can buy it right out of the box, race it in the Baja 1000 and finish on the podium.”

Derek and Jason Murray in their brand new No. 1917 Murray Racing / Can-Am Maverick MAX also competed in the race. They started last in the 19 class, but moved to within five minutes of the leaders at mile marker 350.

However, a mechanical failure ultimately ended their race. Also racing for Can-Am was the No. 1905 Monster Energy / Can-Am of Marc Burnett.

He was competing in the top three early on, after starting near the back of the pack, and reached checkpoint four before having to drop out due to a mechanical.

For more information on Can-Am racing, the ’13 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, visit www.can-amxteam.com.