Our last poll asked you how you ride your ATV. Out of 419 participants, the results were as follows:
38.42% – Ride right from my door. (161 votes)
23.39% – Ride illegally to get to a trail. (98 votes)
20.53% – Trailer 5 – 50 km. (86 votes)
17.66% – Trailer over 50 km. (74 votes)
Scroll down the page and cast your vote in our latest poll!
Question:
My first choice for an ATV accessory is:
1. Aftermarket Tires
2. Aftermarket Wheels
3. Winch
4. Camo
5. Engine or Clutch Mods
Question:
I have a 2004 Honda Rubicon 500 and I want to put a 2-inch high lifter lift kit on it and also upgrade the tires to 27 or 28 inch.
My question is will the ATV be able to turn the tires well without power loss or will I have to put dyno jet kit mod on it to maintain power?
Nick Ackerson
Response:
Thanks for your email!
Anytime you install larger diameter tires on an ATV there will be a noticeable loss of initial take-off power in high range. It’s all about ratio’s relating to tire diameter.
If you start with a healthy, powerful ATV you won’t notice much loss, however, if your ride is marginal in the power department with stock wheels, you’ll find yourself needing to use low range in tight, low speed running or tranny problems will crop up.
A jet kit for your Rubicon is a good idea under these circumstances but it will not replace the low-end snap you’ll loose from the bigger wheels and tires.
Good luck!
Motorhead Mark
Press Release –
The 12th and final round of the ITP/ATVA GNC Championship Series rolled into the beautiful Loretta Lynn’s Dude Ranch in Hurricane Mills, TN this weekend. Team Rockstar/MSR/Suzuki/Yoshimura/Pro Taper’s Chad Wienen used the break in the WPSA Championship Series schedule to head down and do some extra-curricular racing.
The first Moto saw Chad and defending ATVA champ Joe Byrd dicing heavily for the lead through much of the race. At one point Byrd’s head pipe cracked and then fell off thus robbing Joe’s machine of power. From there Chad motored off into the sunset and left the rest of the pack far behind.
“I was pushing Joe pretty hard and was really enjoying the race,” Chad said after Moto one. “All of a sudden his bike started to sound like a popcorn machine and I knew he had issues with his pipe. From there it was an easy ride.”
At the start of Moto two, Chad put the pedal to the metal on his Suzuki QuadRacer R450. He grabbed the holeshot and with Joe close behind, Chad never looked back went on to finish at the top of the podium.
“It was a pretty easy race really, I got a great start and the bike just flew,” Weinen said after the race.
Just like teammate Dustin Wimmer at the last Unadilla ATVA race, Wienen came to the race in his own trailer without the team support rig. Ryan Cox, his mechanic, flew in and prepped one of Chad’s old race bikes from the beginning of the year. “It was fun to be there. The crowd was really cheering me on when I passed Joe in the first Moto.”
Chad will join up with the full complement of the Team Rig and his other two teammates at the next round of the WPSA SuperQuad Pro 450 Series in Englishtown, NJ this upcoming weekend.
Press Release –
Competitors on the WPSA PowerSports ATV Tour will have another source to hear breaking information about upcoming races after the Tour unveiled its toll-free information line today.
Competitors need only dial 1-888-616-6509 to receive updated information about upcoming races, parking and other pertinent details.
The message will be updated on a regular basis, so WPSA stakeholders are urged to check the message frequently.
Question:
We just returned from a trip to Wisconsn with our new RZR to go trail riding and guess what?! The RZR cannot be ridden on trails there trails because it doers not meet the definition of an ATV.
What about all the people who have purchased these side-by-sides? We traded a 500 Polaris and a 700 Polaris for the new RZR and now We find out it has limitions where we can ride.
Is All-Terrain Vehicle aware of this problem? If so, are you involved in negotiations to change the laws so we may continue to ride and support your company as we have in the past? What other states are we going to encounter problems?
Please send us any information you have.
Thank you,
Concerned Enthusiast
Response:
Thanks for your email!
No matter what type of off-road vehicle you operate you should check to see if it is legal in the places you intend to use it – first.
There are many jurisdictions which have not passed legislation to accommodate 2-Up ATV’s and side-by-sides. There are some jurisdictions which have myriad limitations on who can operate off road vehicles and what is required to do so – requirements for issues like licensing, insurance, drivers licenses or off-road licenses are different from state-to-state and province to province.
We know BRP has been active in changing laws across the US and Canada relating to the legalities of 2-Up ATV’s – and they’ve had success in many places. However, there’s more work to be done.
It would be a good idea for you to become involved in your state ATV association and find out how you can help lobby for legislative changes to accommodate side-by-sides.
With the dramatic increase in sales of side-by-sides legislators across North America will ultimately have to deal with this issue – we think it’ll be sooner rather than later.
Good luck!
Motorhead Mark
Press Release –
The WPSA PowerSports ATV Tour announced its season finale will take place Sept. 15-16 at Field of Dreams Motocross Park just outside of Pittsburgh. The event marks the first for the Tour in the Keystone State.
“We’ve long known Western Pennsylvania to be a hotbed of ATV racing, and we’re pleased to name Field of Dreams as the site of our season finale,” said Scott O’Malley, president of PowerSports Entertainment, Inc. “Field of Dreams represents exactly what we look for in a venue: great facilities, close proximity to a large metro area, and an experienced staff that’s willing to go the extra mile to make an event successful. We’re looking forward to an exciting event weekend.”
The weekend will also feature the 2007 Awards Banquet, scheduled for Sunday night following racing action.
Press Release –
For over seven years, KYMCO USA has been the exclusive distributor in the United States for KYMCO brand ATVs, scooters and motorcycles manufactured in Taiwan by Kwang Yang Motor Company, Ltd. (KYMCO).
The company has established itself as a serious player in American motorsports, with a reputation for reliable, affordable and well-styled products.
Now, as a result of signing a new, expanded joint venture agreement with its Taiwanese manufacturing partner, KYMCO USA will have access to even greater levels of factory support.
Most notably, key personnel from Taiwan will join the KYMCO USA team in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where they will contribute their expertise and participate in new product development specifically driven by the needs of American customers.
Under financial terms of the joint venture, Kwang Yang Motor Co. has taken a 50% stake in KYMCO USA. This is expected to provide increased involvement in marketing as well as increased support programs for a growing dealer network that already includes over 600 locations in the United States and Puerto Rico.
“We are making this announcement to let everyone in the industry know how committed KYMCO is to success in the United States over the long haul,” said Eric Bondy, President and CEO of KYMCO USA. “Our year-over-year sales have continued to climb. We are signing up new, quality dealerships and this investment by our partner in Taiwan is a vote of confidence as we expand our product line.”
KYMCO was founded in Taiwan in 1963. Long a leader in quality, fuel economy, and versatility, today the company manufactures motor scooters, motorcycles, and ATVs at five plants in Asia, including the main facility in the city of Kaohsiung.
Question:
Hello I have a 2004 Honda Rubicon 500 and I want to put a 2 inch Highlifter kit on it and upgrade the tires to 27 or 28 inch.
My question is will the bike be able to turn the tires well without significant power loss or will I have to use a dyno jet kit to get power back?
Nick Ackerson
Response:
Thanks for your email!
Anytime you install larger diameter tires on an ATV there will be a noticeable loss of initial take-off power in high range. It’s all about ratio’s relating to tire diameter.
If you start with a healthy, powerful ATV you won’t notice much loss, however, if your ride is marginal in the power department with stock wheels, you’ll find yourself needing to use low range in tight, low speed running or tranny problems will crop up.
A jet kit for your Rubicon is a good idea under these circumstances but it will not replace the low-end snap you’ll loose from the bigger wheels and tires.
Good luck!
Motorhead Mark
Can Honda continue to be competitive in the upper end of the marketplace with only one IRS equipped ATV? Dealers and consumers are asking big questions about what Honda might be up to.
We hear rumors of a new side-by-side and stories of more IRS in the 500 and 400 segments of its line-up. However, less than eight months ago the Honda marketing team stated the company had no intention of introducing an ATV with a motor larger than the current 680cc mill used in the Rincon.
This one has us confused.
Press Release –
Women’s Pro Motocross proved to be one of the most exciting parts of the weekend as WMA Round Five took on Washougal, July 28, 2006.
The pro women were subjected to a last minute schedule change and had to practice at 7:00 am, immediately followed by Moto One at 8:00 am – all of this occurring prior to the morning arrival of the weekends’ other participants in the Men’s Outdoor National Motocross Series.
This didn’t stop them from delivering the kind of action that later kept the crowd cheering long after the men’s pro qualifying and practice were over.
Race one saw an aggressive Sherri Cruse grab the Girlyz sponsored Hole-Shot award but Jessica Patterson and Tarah Gieger were hot on her tail along with Ashley Boham.
Tania Satchwell and Vanessa Florentino were also in the hunt. Honda’s Patterson and Yamaha’s Gieger made the pass on Cruse, but Gieger soon slid out in a corner allowing Satchwell to move in past her. Satchwell made the best of it, closing the gap by lap six. Kawasaki’s Tania Satchwell was able to take the lead away from Patterson briefly as Patterson made a mistake in the whoops.
Patterson charged hard getting the lead back, holding on for the rest of the race. Satchwell did not give up however. She dished out relentless pressure, all the way to the end. Meanwhile, Mariana Balbi made her way up through the pack to claim yet another third place finish.
By the end of the race, she had closed the gap on the leaders, again showing her ability to fight her way to the front. Balbi was followed by Elizabeth Bash and Sherri Cruse who were in excellent form the entire weekend.
Moto Two was held at the end of the day. Scheduled for 5:15 pm, it was also delayed, as the men’s pro qualifiers and practices ran late. The pro women had a nine hour wait between Moto One and Moto Two. Not to be deterred, the women still put on a fantastic show for the enthusiastic crowd that stayed for the entire race as well as the podium celebrations.
Elizabeth Bash was hot off the start, winning the Girlyz Sponsored Hole-shot Award. She was followed by Jessica Patterson and Mariana Balbi. Patterson made the pass, taking the lead on the big downhill.
Tania Satchwell was all over the back wheel of Fox rider Mariana Balbi while Brazilian rider Balbi pursued Kawasaki’s Elizabeth Bash. Balbi was able to get by Bash in the back section but Bash reclaimed her position in the whoops. Meika Cornelius went down in the whoops in the first lap. By the end of the lap one, it was Patterson, Bash, Balbi, Satchwell, Cruse then Gieger.
On Lap Two, Mariana Balbi went down hard on the steep downhill, letting Satchwell, Geiger, Cruse, Florentino, and Whitmore get by, but quickly got back in the race. Tania Satchwell and Elizabeth Bash were in a heated battle by lap three with Geiger all over the back of Satchwell, making it a three way fight. While the competition raged behind her, Jessica Patterson pulled away gaining a 15 second lead.
Tania Satchwell finally got the jump on Elizabeth Bash on Lap Four Gieger also made her move, passing Cruse and Bash as well as she started her inevitable charge to the front. Mariana Balbi put the pressure on Sarah Whitmore on the big uphill, blazing by her in the woods, moving in behind Vanessa Florentino. Gieger and Satchwell then fought it out for the second spot, with Gieger finally getting the best of Satchwell, and setting her sights on Patterson who was still holding a 14 second lead.
Lap five saw the field start to spread out. Patterson was in the lead, then Gieger, Satchwell, Bash, Cruse, Florentino, Balbi and Whitmore. Patterson finally made a small mistake in the whoops, giving Gieger an opportunity to start decreasing the gap, reducing it to seven seconds. Bash and Cruse fought it out on the big uphill. Bash managed to hold of an aggressive Sherri Cruse as Mariana Balbi was finally able to get by Vanessa Florentino to pull in behind them.
By Lap Six, Gieger had shortened the gap to Patterson with only four seconds between them. She then reduced it to only a couple of bike lengths as they descended the big downhill with Gieger almost landing off the track in her aggressive pursuit. Gieger was unable to close the final gap however, as Patterson dug in and upped the pace, holding her off all the way to the checkered flag. At the finish line, it was Patterson, Geiger, Satchwell, Cruse, Bash, Balbi then Florentino, giving the overall win to Jessica Patterson with Tania Satchwell and Sheri Cruse in 2nd and 3rd.
A large crowd of excited spectators gathered around the podium as the women’s pro riders made their way up for interviews and trophy presentations. Champagne sprayed and teams and spectators enjoyed the post race celebrations in almost perfect weather.
With one race remaining in the championship, Jessica Patterson is 16 points ahead of Tarah Gieger, followed by Elizabeth Bash who is 39 points behind Gieger with Mariana Balbi and Tania Satchwell only 2 and 3 points behind Bash, respectively.
It all comes down to the last round to see if Patterson can hold on to the lead to take another championship. The last round will also decide who will take the 3rd, 4th and 5th positions. Girlyz racer, Alisa Nix, currently in sixth, was unable to race the second moto after giving it a try in moto one.
Nix dislocated her shoulder in the last round, taking her out of contention for the championship. The decision was made not to race and to try to return for the last race. This is a disappointing finish for the extremely competitive youngster who had some great battles and podiums this year, most recently winning the Mammoth Motocross race.
Don’t miss the final showdown at Steel City, Pennsylvania, August 25th. It is sure to be a memorable race as these brave women put it all on the line for WMA Championship finale.
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