ATV – ATV Digest

Suzuki Celebrates 100,000 Quads
Suzuki celebrated the production of its 100,000 ATV in Rome, Ga., this month. The delegation of onlookers included Suzuki corporate officials and area lawmakers.
The plant was established in 2001 as Suzuki’s first ATV manufacturing facility in the United States, and the company poured more than $30 million into it. The factory built its first quad in May 2002.
Next month the 235-person facility is expected to undergo an expansion to accommodate for production of the King Quad.
Suzuki Manufacturing of America Corporation currently builds the 400cc Eiger and 500cc Vinson at its state-of-the-art plant in Rome in about 160 seconds per machine. And the workers there will start building the 700cc King Quad beginning this year.
In 2002, the plant produced 46,225 machines. That number jumped to 103,091 in 2003, which was the first full year of production, and was projected to churn out some 137,423 machines in 2004. Suzuki expects tp produce approximately 45,000 King Quads there this year.
Most of the quads built in Georgia are sold in the United States and Canada, but some also are exported to Australia, New Zealand, France, Great Britain, South Africa, Sweden, Finland, Spain and Norway.

Brister’s Devotes Efforts to UTVs
Brister’s Design & Manufacturing Company, Inc. is focusing its manufacturing capabilities on side-by-side utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) and plans to begin phasing out go-kart and mini-bike production.
“Pressure on production caused by sales of our highly successful Chuck Wagon and Boss 390 4X4 forced us to concentrate on utility vehicle production,” said President and Owner Chuck Brister. “We will certainly keep our go-kart and mini bike options open, but for now we are focusing on our utility vehicles.”
The company will continue to provide go-kart and mini-bike parts and service.
Brister’s, Roseland, La., currently offers two models of UTV: the Chuckwagon and the Boss 390 4×4.
The Chuckwagen features a 340cc OHV electric start Honda engine delivering 11 hp, a Dana transaxle with reverse and locking differential, full suspension, parking brake, full “tilt” dump bed, rack and pinion steering, powder coat paint, double seat with headrest and headlights.
The Boss 390cc 4×4 features a Honda GX390 four-stroke delivering a maximum 13 hp and 19 lb. ft. of torque, a Hillard Drive automatic front differential, an electric 4×4 selector switch, Dana/Spicer rear transaxle, disc front and drum rear brakes, and a dual strut front and articulated swingarm rear suspension.
Rolling on 22×9-10 front and 22×11-10 rear tires, the 4×4 has a 8.25 cu. ft. steel 400-lb. capacity bed offers 1100 lbs. of towing capacity.
Both fit in a standard size pick-up truck and both come with a full one-year warranty.
Brister’s Chuck Wagon also offers a selection of add-on parts and accessories for their UTVs, including a 60-inch plow for snow removal and grading, a 2,000-lb. winch, electric bed lift, grab light, front two-inch receiver, brake light kit, polished 10-inch wheels, and 25×12-10 Dirt Dog tires.

OHV Groups Call for Oversight
A coalition of major off-highway vehicle (OHV) organizations sent a letter to California State Senator Bill Morrow requesting post-audit hearings, oversight, program reform, and possible criminal prosecutions regarding the Bureau of State Audits Report 2004-126: Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program.
The recreation organizations are calling for legislative hearings conducted by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee and the Joint Boards, Commissions, and Consumer Protection Committee on the conduct of the California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division and Commission. Additionally, the groups state that current and former state officials and contractors – who, they say, participated in illegal “contract splitting” to avoid oversight by control agencies – should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Other issues that should be addressed include return of misappropriated monies to the OHV Trust Fund, reform of current buffer land purchase policy, and introducing legislation to prevent mismanagement by state parks of the OHV program.
Roy Denner, executive director of the Off Road Business Association, first called for the audit. “I think this audit gives the OHV community a golden opportunity to demand that their program – which derives its funding from user-supported fees – be held accountable to those who recreate on public lands,” he said.
“I believe this audit shows the OHMVR program has been robbed by environmental extremists and state bureaucrats who have misused the fund to further their own personal or political anti-OHV agenda,” said Don Amador, western representative for the BlueRibbon Coalition.
The groups signing the letter include American Sand Association, Off-Road Business Association, San Diego Off-Road Coalition, American Motorcyclist Association, American Motorcyclist Association – District 36, American Motorcyclist Association – District 37, BlueRibbon Coalition, California Association of Four-Wheel Drive Clubs, California/Nevada Snowmobile Association, California Off-Road Vehicle Association, Desert Vipers Motorcycle Club, Duners, American Motorcyclist Association District 37 Dual Sport, and United Four Wheel Drive Associations.

ATV Rally in Utah, Oct. 8-10
Bryce Canyon Resort announced its annual “Bryce Canyon Country ATV Rally” will be held October 8-10 (Columbus Day Weekend) in Bryce, Utah.
Daily Rides will take place on the Paunsagaunt Trail, Mt. Dutton and the Blacks (Fremont & Great Western Trail), Cato Canyon (where Butch Cassidy used to hide out), the Aquarius Plateau and Pine Lake. Events include mud bog, an ATV pull, ATV drag races, dirt track races and more.
For registration or booth space information, contact Chris McCormick at 800/834-0043.

2005 ATVA GNC Nationals Awards Banquet
The 2005 ATVA GNC Nationals awards banquet will take place November 5 at the Drawbridge Inn in Fort Mitchell, Ky.
Sharon Taylor and Mark Baldwin, the banquet organizers, have changed the meal from a traditional buffet-style to a more elegant sit-down style dinner.
Besides the dinner banquet, the event will feature the awarding of top-10 trophies in the ATVA/ITP/Moose Grand National Championship Motocross Series and the FMF Extreme Dirt Track ATVA Nationals Series.
Voting will take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. prior to the banquet for the ATV Sport People’s Choice awards. Banquet doors open at 5 p.m. for a Happy Hour Raffle.
Dinner is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; the awards will be presented from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; and an after-banquet party that begins at 10:30 p.m. and continues until the wee hours of the morning.
Tickets for the 2005 ATVA Awards Banquet are $35 for adults and $18 for children up to 12 years old.
Make room reservations at The Drawbridge Inn, 800/354-9793. Tell them you are with the ATVA Banquet to get a special rate of $85 a night.
To reserve your banquet seat, send check or money order to Sharon Taylor/ATVA Banquet, 2762 Gingertree Drive, Ashtabula, OH 44004. RSVP no later than October 14.
Questions? Call Sharon Taylor at 440/224-2734, or 440/224-0445.

Team Green Announces ’06 Rewards Program
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC), Irvine, Calif., announced a $12 million Team Green 2006 Race Rewards Program. Beginning November 1, Kawasaki is increasing payouts at major events across the country, including the Advanstar Arenacross series and the AMA National Hare Scrambles series.
“This year’s Race Rewards posting is the largest in Kawasaki history,” said Reid Nordin, Team Green manager. “With 2006 models hitting dealerships, it’s the perfect time to check out the Kawasaki line-up and sign up for Race Rewards. Getting registered in the program is the only way to take full advantage of our lucrative contingency program.”
The new program is effective November 1, 2005 through October 31, 2006. To register for the program and get complete details on how a rider qualifies to win Kawasaki Rewards, visit a participating Kawasaki dealer or go to www.teamgreen.com.