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Eli MaderoThe last few weeks for me have been overwhelmingly exhilarating in many ways.Attack of the Ambulance Chasers! The last few weeks for me have been overwhelmingly exhilarating in many ways. It all started with my adventure to the 2008 High Lifter Mud Nationals, then off to the East Coast to race my first ever GNCC and rounding it all off with a long journey to Washington State for the most recent WORCS race. But even with all of these great experiences, I could not seem to escape something that was truly bothering me. It actually irritated me to the point that I asked Thad to let me have this column for the August issue. In my time here at ATV Rider, I ve become the resident side-by-side guru by many in our office. By no means do I think I am the side-by-side authority, but I do have more seat time than most and have a true passion for driving them. With that said, I am greatly affected when I see commercials and ads by random legal offices seeking out those who have been injured due to rolling a Rhino. Have you seen these, they are everywhere? Every time one of these devious commercials roll on TV, it painfully shifts my thoughts back to those horrifying days of the mid 1980 s when shows like 60 Minutes and 20/20 would attack the infamous 3 wheeler. What grieves me most are those irresponsible riders who respond to these advertisements. I m not saying that people don t get hurt at times while riding in vehicles like the Rhino, but probably more times than not, the injuries are due to a lack of skill, not wearing proper safety gear and even carelessness. I have been in situations myself when I have felt over confident because of the cage that surrounded me. Now, if I crashed and injured myself because I was over confident of my ability, does that give me honest reason to hunt down the manufacturer and say they ve built an unsafe product? Absolutely not! That s like buying a brand new car, driving it irresponsibly, crashing it and getting hurt. Was it the fault of the cars manufacturer or was it your lack of common sense telling you Hey, you re going a little too fast and driving recklessly. People must learn to accept the consequences for their own actions. An even larger concern is people that allow their kids to drive these machines around. I ve heard numerous stories whether true or false of small children being seriously or even fatally injured in rollover incidents. These machines are nothing more than scaled down sport vehicles. A 10 year old child has no business hauling all of his or her friends around either in the passenger seat or piled in the bed for that matter. Would you allow them to take off in your car or truck while you sit around chatting with friends? Do you really think they have the experience and even a developed sense of responsibility at this age? I don t think so and unleashing them in a vehicle like this should be no different. Most states do not allow people to drive an automobile until they are at least 16 years of age. Even then, there are limits as to how old their passengers can be until they have so many years of driving experience. Side-by-sides have a warning label that encourages parents not to allow anyone under the age of 16 to operate these vehicles. Do you think they spend the time and energy to put these labels on just because they feel like it? It s scary to think of kids getting hurt or killed because of driving accidents. Why don t people comprehend these warnings? I ve heard rumors of families suing the manufacturers for the harm or death of loved ones. My deepest sympathy goes out to these families for their loss, but whose fault is it really? My intentions of writing this are not to upset our readers (even though I know some will be), but rather to shed light on an increasingly horrible situation. Companies like Yamaha, Kawasaki and Polaris have spent many years of research and design to bring us the greatest machines ever. If enough of these bloodthirsty ambulance-chasing lawyers lure in clients through these commercials, the side-by-side world could come quickly crashing down. How do I know that this could happen, well, look to the 3-wheeler market that was completely wiped from existence in the 80 s. It s happened before, and you can bet that it could happen again. So what will we be left with if that happens? The good news is that the solution is actually simple and easy if we all band together. We all should learn to drive within our means. Take time to figure out the handling of your machine and even make upgrades that can make it safer at higher performing levels. Second of all is to keep the kids out of the drivers seat. I know many kids out there are not going to like me for this one, but it sure beats more injured kids and loosing side-x-sides forever. Lastly is to take responsibility for your actions. It s too easy now days to put the blame on someone else for our own lack of good judgment. To those who are fuming from my words, I apologize if I come across as the side-by-side police. But I do want to bring a sense of awareness to all enthusiasts and try to stop this snowballing affect before it s too late. The more widespread these commercials become and the more people respond to them trying to make a quick buck, the worse things will get for the sport we love and are so passionate about. After manufacturers did away with 3 wheelers, they also agreed to stop making high performance ATV s for over 10 years. Luckily, those of us who loved this sport spent 10 exhausting years nurturing it back to health. Do we want this same kind of agreement to happen again? I know for a fact that I don t. And if you want to continue enjoying your weekends on side-by-sides, you should join me in fighting for our right to continue. I think there are already enough Rhinos on the endangered species list. Until I get cranky about something else and need to rant again, keep the rubber side down! And do it with responsibility please. EliAssociate EditorATV Rider MagazineRead More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us
Suzuki employees celebrate the winning of 5 championships this year
Suzuki employees celebrate the winning of 5 championships this year With 5 championships in different disciplines, the powers-that-be at Suzuki felt the need to show their appreciation to the riders and all the employees that made it happen with a luncheon at their corporate headquarters.The racing world is a very competitive one and when a manufacture can win 5 championships in one year all in different disciplines, it is definitely something to be celebrated. This is exactly why American Suzuki Motor Corp. (ASMC) celebrated by holding Championship Day at their corporate headquarters in Brea, Ca. To represent ATV Rider Magazine, I attended the event where all of the companies employees were given a break from work and had a chance to show their appreciation to the professional riders that helped put their company at the top. The riders in attendance were 2008 and 2009 ATV Motocross Champion Dustin Wimmer, 7 time AMA Superbike Champion Matt Mladin who earlier in the year announced his retirement from racing, ’09 450 Motocross Champion Chad Reed, ’09 SX Lites and 250 Motocross Champion Ryan Dungey and finally the ’09 WERA Endurance Championship team of Vesrah Suzuki Endurance Racing who had riders Trey Batey and Mark Junge on hand.For the ATV race program this year, the #1 plate was well deserved by Dustin Wimmer as Rod Lopusnak explained to everyone in attendance how Wimmer broke his shoulder earlier in the year and was expected to sit out the remainder of the season and watch his early point lead disappear. In Rod’s words, “Dustin went to doctor after doctor that told him his race season was finished until he found one that said we could screw your shoulder back together.” This determination is what won Dustin his second consecutive MX championship and the second for Suzuki. Each rider was given a special plaque in recognition for their hard work over the season by the President of ASMC. Superbike Champion Matt Mladin was also given a special framed picture that was surrounded by signatures and well wishes by many Suzuki employees in appreciation of his many years and hard work over the years racing out of their semis. After the presentation was over, a lunch provided by Chronic Tacos courtesy of team sponsor Rockstar Energy Drinks was served and followed by an autograph session for all to have memorabilia signed as well as posters and special pennants made just for this occasion. Seeing a company like Suzuki put on an event like this accomplished two things that I thought were great. The first was to let the employees of the company meet the riders that help keep the company at the top of their respected sports, and secondly the riders get a chance to interact with the people that handle the day-to-day tasks of the company that lets them do what they love. Everything was appreciated on both sides and i’m sure that they’re ready to do it all over again next year, or at least they’re hoping for it.*note: At this time Chris Borich, who also rides a Suzuki LT 450R is currently leading the points in the GNCC ATV series and could potentially add a sixth championship to their list for the year. Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us
ATV Rider Mag – Special Mud Edition
ATV Rider Mag – Special Mud EditionIf you like to get dirty, or better yet muddy, you re for sure not going to want to miss out on the September issue of ATV Rider Magazine.Yo ATV Riders,If you like to get dirty, or better yet muddy, you re for sure not going to want to miss out on the September issue of ATV Rider Magazine. Hitting newsstands now, we ve dedicated this complete issue of ATV Rider to the Die Hard Mud Rider. Here s a little taste of what you can expect to see:ATVR MUD SPECIAL DIGGING DEEP AT TEXAS MUDFEST: KICKING OFF THE CMR SERIESWe hit up Texas Mudfest to dig deep at the first round of the CMR series. You don t want to miss this one! MASSIVE MUD BUILD: We transform a mild Outlander 650 into 800cc s of pure fury. Mounted up an 8 Gorilla lift, tacked on some new Silverback meats, snorkeled it, and did we mention the Nitros? Be sure to check out this massive sweet mud build. BUILD YOUR OWN SNORKEL KIT: We ll show you how for $30.00 MUD TIRE BUYERS GUIDE: Which mud lug is right for you? We have them all! 900CC BRUTE FORCE MUD MONSTER: FST builds one of the trickest mudders that any of us have ever seen.This is only a taste of what you can expect in the September issue of ATV Rider Magazine. Hope you guys enjoy!ATV Rider Magazine Staffwww.atvrideronline.comRead More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us
Can You Afford To Ride?
Can You Afford To Ride?In our Country right now, we are battling through a difficult debate about the best way to lower the price of oil.Can You Afford To Ride?In our Country right now, we are battling through a difficult debate about the best way to lower the price of oil. In fact, many politicians are just acting down right childish in their efforts to come up with real solutions to a problem in which I think is fairly easy to solve. Surely you ve been affected in some way or the other by high fuel prices. When I was in high school, I remember gas prices being in the mid 80 s per gallon. Yes, that s less than a dollar per gallon and hard to believe, I know! In fact, I used to put three to five dollars of fuel in the tank of my car and could be content for nearly a whole week in those glorious days. Furthermore, you could fill up your ATV and go ride from sun up till sun down for less than $4.00 total. Those were the good ole days indeed and we may never see them again unless we wake up as a Nation and do something about it.Today as I write my column the circumstances seem bleak and appear to be getting worse by the day, as fuel prices have risen up to and even over $4.00 per gallon. The rise in the price of fuel is causing all kinds of issues here in the United States for families who are just trying to get by. It s not just affecting the liquid that makes your car, truck or ATV combust and run, but it s affecting the price of groceries and any other products a person might need for survival or for carrying on life, as we ve always known it. And as you might have guessed, it s hurting the ATV enthusiast in devastating ways as well. And my larger concern is that it could get worse.Maybe this will sound selfish to some, but I m extremely aggravated at how this is already hurting the ATV community. It s costing us an arm and a leg to transport our machines to riding areas or events in our haulers, it s costing approximately $16.00 just to fill up one tank in the ATV alone and as a result many of us are forced to stay home rather than getting out and experiencing life in the ways in which we enjoy. And the interesting part about it all is that it does not have to be like this. There is a solution to this problem, but many of our politicians are sucking up to environmentalists who are just distorting the truths for their own personal agendas. In the meantime, we the people are the ones that are suffering and being punished.I among many others believe that the solution is to drill here and drill now! This would lessen our countries dependency on foreign oil and would allow the price of fuel to drop tremendously. Many specialists claim that we have a ton of oil in the U.S. just waiting to be extracted. A study recently completed by Rand Incorporated states that the U.S. Oil Shale Resources are three times larger than the current oil reserves in Saudi Arabia, yet we are not allowed to touch it thanks to our Congress. Here is another little known fact that might get you a bit angry; I know it did for me! Cuba and China recently agreed to work together to drill for oil on the waters that surround Cuba. That s just 90 miles off the coast of the United States. As of the time I am writing this, the drilling has not started, but the preparation to do so is already underway as China has been shipping the equipment over to Cuba. The part that really infuriates me is that our own United States Congress will not allow us to drill off the coast of the United States, which would really help relieve our own citizens from needless suffering. These politicians and nut job environmentalist argue that it will destroy wildlife and such, but that s simply not the truth. Just about every country on the planet earth that has oil reserves and the technology to drill do so. Now how is it right that we do not have the right to extract our own resources and are left to the mercy of purchasing from other countries that most often do not consider us their friends?Ok, so what s the truth about all the destruction talk that some claim will be caused if we were to drill here at home? Some politicians and environmentalist would like for you to believe that drilling for oil will eventually cause an oil spill, which will in turn kill helpless animals. But when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast States, it destroyed all of the oil rigs in the Gulf without any significant damage from the spilling of oil. The truth is that we ve become better at extracting and refining oil in the last thirty or more years, and the slight possibility of killing animals should not keep us from seeking to be energy independent from Nations who literally hate America (which is another issue for another day). We are only punishing our own selves by doing so, and America will continue to suffer if we can t learn to wean ourselves off of foreign oil. And yes, that means us ATV guys will be greatly affected in the long run. After all, ATV s are powered by gas burning engines and so are the vehicles that transport them. So call your Congressman and let him know you want to drill here and drill now!But before I leave you, let s set the record straight for the future. I totally believe that while we drill responsibly, extract oil carefully and bring the prices for fuel back to an affordable amount, we should continue seeking out new ways and sources for energy. It makes sense to me, and will only improve our lives in the here, now and the future. Wouldn t you agree? I hope all of you can still afford to ride! Let me know what your thoughts on this subject are by sending them to atvrider@sourceinterlink.com.Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us
Off-Brand ATV’s
Off-Brand ATV’sWhen certain subjects begin to work on my nerves, I m usually not quick to speak my mind about them. I m a fairly calm and collected personality and will wait to determine whether a subject needs my attention or not. Well, I ve allowed a certain subject to work its way deep into my head, and now I feel that it s my duty to warn unsuspecting buyers about a growing epidemic in the ATV industry.How often do you take a cruise in your car on a Saturday afternoon with your family and notice a pile of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs as well as some other unusual contraptions that you ve never seen before on the corner of a gas station parking lot? In fact, it looks a lot like an off-road dealer has set up shop without a building. So you get out of the car to check them out and realize with amazement that these machines are priced at about half of what you would pay for them at your local dealer. For those who think that seems a bit fishy to me, you re on the right track! For the rest of you, please read this warning very carefully. As an editor who is very informed on ATVs and cares deeply about this sport and its enthusiasts, this is a steal! But the problem is that those who purchase them will be the ones taken, not the roadside dealer. These dealers purchase these machines overseas in bulk without any sort of license or warranty. Reading through our forums on www.atvrideronline.com is what really got my helmet lining in a wad. We ve had post after post after post by those who have bought an off-brand ATV, had nothing but trouble with it since the day of purchase and are begging for parts, solutions and help. New posts of this nature are added literally every single day. If you don t believe me, just go take a peek for yourself. I know it s too late for many who have already made this type of purchase, but for the rest of you, please be careful buying these off-brand ATVs. They will more than likely cause you more trouble than if you were to just go ahead and pay a little more for a brand-name ATV. Yes, there are occasions and certain circumstances when people can come out on top with the purchase of an off-brand ATV, but I would bet that is a rare experience. Or at least I rarely hear of them. The differences between an off-brand ATV and a name-brand ATV are important. I totally understand that many people are looking for a low-priced unit, but buying a quality ATV will more than likely save you money in the long run, or at least allow you to come out even with much less hassle. Off-brand ATV companies are cutting huge corners on these machines. Cheap materials are used to manufacture them in order to keep the costs minimal. How can you be sure that these manufacturers over in China properly torque the bolts? Remember, they are cutting corners to cut cost! The stories that we ve read on the forums are downright scary as people have gotten home and started them with no oil in the motor. Clutches burn out in an hour, parts fall off on the first ride the list goes on and on. If you end up buying one of these machines, you re likely to be left with one huge hassle. Personally, I m frustrated with these careless dealers and manufacturers as I feel they are giving ATVs and ATV enthusiasts a bad rap. New buyers buy, then get frustrated and end up leaving the sport forever because they ve been met at the starting gate by a slick car salesman who has ripped them from the joy of the sport. It s up to you to do the research, but we would highly recommend going with manufacturers that have a good track record, develop quality products, stand behind warranties and have parts readily available when you are in need of them. Oh, and an R&D department would be a good sign as well. ATVR Things You Should Know Before Purchasing An ATV: Quality and service count. If you purchase an ATVfrom a parking lot or a local hardware store, where will you find repair manuals and replacement parts? Make sure your purchase is warranted, you can contact the manufacturer and you ll be able to purchase replacement parts. Safety counts. Name-brandATVmanufacturers spend millions of dollars on R&D, strict manufacturing guidelines and safety features on their products. You ll want your youngsters to have brakes that work and properly fitted parts that won t fall off after the first turn. Looks aren t everything. Most all of the off-brandATVs on the market are a carbon copy of the popular name-brandATVs. But just because it may look like a Raptor does not make it a Raptor. That goes for handling, quality and safety. I m sure that this editorial has made a few angry, but my goal is to inform those who might be considering a futureA TV purchase. My advice is not to trust everything I say, but research the information for yourself. The proof and ridiculous amounts of bad experiences are on our forums. So go check it out: www.atvrideronline.com.Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us
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