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April 2, 2007 – ATV Report

Trinity Racing Moves To New Headquarters
Anaheim, Calif.,-based Trinity Racing will be moving its headquarters to a new 13,000-square-feet facility in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
The parts and accessories manufacturer’s new building will have increased sales, office staff, warehouse and manufacturing space. As part of the move, Trinity will also be adding to its sales and manufacturing staff and introducing a new line of slip-on exhaust systems for the ATV market.
The company cited a demanding market and expanding product lines as reasons for the early April move.
“Business is great, that’s why we’re moving to a bigger and better place,” said Fred Eslao, Trinity’s marketing director.
Suzuki Recalls 3,500 Quadsport Z90s
American Suzuki Motor Corp. has issued a recall for one of its ATV models in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
About 3,500 2007 QuadSport Z90 ATVs were involved in the recall. The voluntary recall was posted on the CPSC’s Web site in March.
The vehicle’s bushing pivot mount boss on the left and right suspension arm might not have been welded completely and could break off during riding. If this occurs, the rider could lose control of the ATV and crash, risking serious injury or death.
No injuries have been reported related to this recall.
West Virginia ATV Tax Bill Fails to Advance
A proposed bill to require a privilege tax, permit cards and identification for all titled and non-titled ATVs used in West Virginia failed to gain support in the state’s House and Senate.
According to Kathy Van Kleek, vice president of government relations at the Motorcycle Industry Council, the House bill, WV H 2915, was an attempt by legislators to collect a 5 percent tax when titling a new ATV.
Lawmakers criticized the bill, saying it infringed on citizens’ rights and would discourage hunters from staying in West Virginia.
Bill Requiring Youths To Wear Helmets Clears House
Oklahoma’s House of Representatives passed legislation in March that requires children who ride ATVs to wear helmets while riding on public land.
The bill, which received strong bipartisan support in the House, applies to children under 18 years old. The legislation now moves to the state Senate.
House lawmakers say the bill will prevent deaths and injuries in young riders. Eighteen people died on ATVs in Oklahoma last year, including six under the age of 18.
AMA Names ATV Series Manager
AMA Racing has appointed Harv Whipple to the position of series manager for AMA Racing’s newly created Pro ATV Championship.
Steve Whitelock, AMA supercross and motocross director, said, “Harv has done a great job as our Toyota AMA Arenacross referee. We believe that his professionalism and experience will be a perfect fit for the new AMA Pro ATV Championship.”
Whipple is a former racer and held a position with Live Nation Entertainment prior to joining AMA Racing.
Whipple’s duties will include overseeing race procedures at events, as well as developing and applying pro racing rules. Whipple will also be instrumental in the future development and direction of the sport.
Motormax Unveils XRail Buggy Lineup
Motormax USA Inc. has released its XRail series of “all-terrain” buggies. The buggies have been in development since the summer of 2004.
The research, development and design of these vehicles centered around offering consumers the ultimate buggy product that was affordable for the general public without losing quality.
The company’s three XRail models include the X1 Single Seater, the X2 two seater, and the XTR two-seat trail model. The vehicles are powered by the Kohler Command Pro Engine series. Parts for these engines are available at NAPA stores, and the engines come with a two-year warranty. The buggies also feature Fox Off-Road Racing shocks. For more information on Motormax, call 866/668-6629 or visit www.motormaxpowersports.com.
BRP’s Can-Am Partners With Cross-Country Series
Racer Productions, the Grand National Cross Country Series producers, and BRP Can-Am have signed a three-year agreement for title sponsorship of GNCC racing. The Can-Am title sponsorship provides an unprecedented level of support for one of America’s largest off-road racing series. Through 2009, the series will be named the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series.
The 2007 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series is the beginning of the three-year sponsorship agreement. BRP and Racer Productions will focus on long-term goals to benefit the series. The resources BRP provides will help support the Racer TV package on the Versus Network (formerly OLN), which includes weekly coverage of GNCC racing starting this spring.
Look for Can-Am banners, signage and ATVs at all GNCC races this season, including demo rides and product displays on vendor row at select events. There will also be significant coverage on GNCCRacing.com and the Racer TV show on the Versus network.
Polaris Announces 2007 ATV Racing Sponsorships
Polaris Industries announced its 2007 ATV racing sponsorships and the continuation of the industry’s largest contingency program for Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) ATV classes.
Along with the recent announcement of Doug Eichner in the World Off-Road Championship Series, other new Polaris racing team members for 2007 are GNCC Pro Bryan Baker and Pro Jeff Hancock for SCORE International and Best in the Desert. Returning racers include GNCC driver Stephanie Parton, Super Senior John Gallagher and the Wilson Racing Team. Most riders will race the new Outlaw 525.
In the Grand National Cross Country Racing Series, top 10, pro racer Bryan Baker joins the Polaris roster in 2007. Baker finished eighth in the 2006 meet and has finished in the top 10 most of his GNCC career. Polaris also re-signed Parton, who finished third in the women’s class for 2006, her second year racing the company’s Outlaw sport quad.
Goodyear Crafts Camo ATV Tire
Goodyear has developed a camouflage ATV tire for 2007. The Rawhide Camo ATV replacement tire is for recreational and utility use.
The Rawhide Camo utilizes six-ply, bias-type construction that is optimized for durability and riding comfort. An open-block tread pattern performs well in sloppy conditions. The three-quarter inch deep, self-cleaning tread blocks provide the rider with added confidence when the mud gets deeper while maintaining traction in challenging terrain.
Goodyear says the new tire’s durable four-color camouflage pattern molded into the sidewall and tread is an industry first. To produce the Camo’s pattern, Goodyear’s engineers developed a proprietary process that molds a three-color paint veneer into the tire during the curing stage. Together with the rubber compound’s natural black, the resulting four-color pattern blends subtly into natural backgrounds.
In the development stage, the Camo was tested by Goodyear’s engineers for normal wear, endurance, abrasion toughness and resistance to UV-light fade. Under normal riding conditions, the high areas of the tread will wear down over time to the black rubber, but the sidewall remains essentially unchanged. psb

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