June 4, 2007 – ATV Report
Proposal Calls For 190-Acre ATV Park in Wisconsin
Although it’s still just a proposal, the wheels are in motion to bring a 190-acre ATV park with a hotel, restaurant and convention center to western Wisconsin’s Jackson County.
The large-scale park, expected to employ up to 70 people if it opens, is being pushed by developer James Weiner of Farm Urban Realty in cooperation with the state’s Department of Natural Resources.
Preliminary plans call for a 15,000-square-feet convention center, restaurant, ATV dealership, campsites and a 125-room hotel. The developer says all plans hinge on a land trade with the county, which has not been completed.
The site for the proposed park is located a quarter mile off Highway 54 in Black River Falls, Wis., which is approximately two hours from St. Paul, Minn.
Can-Am Renews Sponsorship of ATV Racing Series
In the fall of 2006, Rock Maple Racing tested the waters of ATV racing with a six-race mini-series sponsored by Can-Am ATVs. The feedback was positive, and for 2007, it’s continuing on with a 10-race, points-paying schedule.
Can-Am has returned as title sponsor, and the series will now be known as the Can-Am RMR Series, presented by the New England Dodge Dealers.
Based on the format used by the World Powersports Association’s Powersports ATV tour, RMR’s Can-Am Series offers riders two separate divisions of competition. The popular MX division is for rear wheel-drive, race-bred machines, while the Utility division is for entry-level riders with 4×4 or utility-style ATVs. A separate course is built at each event for 4×4 competition, known as the QuadTerrain Challenge.
RMR says one of the most appealing aspects of the Utility division is racers can take everyday, stock machines and compete without modifications. Rock Maple has a class for all engine sizes and ability levels, offering the average consumer a chance to compete in a challenging yet safe environment.
The 10-race series began May 6 at Crow Hill Motor Sports Park in Templeton, Mass. The tour will visit eight tracks in four states before concluding the season Oct. 6-7 at the NHSA Grass Drags & Water Crossing in Fremont, N.H.
Hutchins Motor Sports Opens New Store
In mid-May, owner Chris Hutchins and General Manager Ed Bilby celebrated the grand opening of the new Hutchins Motor Sports facility at 58325 Twentynine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley, Calif., just a few miles east of the dealership’s current Harley-Davidson store and Route 62 diner.
Specially constructed to house the dealership’s Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha motorcycle and ATV franchises, the new facility provides Hutchins Motor Sports the ability to offer more vehicles and accessories and greatly expands the offerings at Hutchins Harley-Davidson.
Both dealerships can be reached at 760/365-6311, or www.hutchinshd.com.
Idaho Attempting World’s Largest ATV Parade
First it was Hurley, Wis., then it was Evarts, Ky., and now St. Anthony, Idaho, hopes to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest ATV parade ever.
The goal is at least 2,276 participants for an ATV and sand rail parade in St. Anthony this June. If that many riders show up, it would double the record set last summer in southeastern Kentucky that attracted 1,138 riders.
David Loomis, a St. Anthony resident and city council member, said the idea first came up at a St. Anthony City Council meeting with Fremont County Economic Development Specialist Cathy Koon. Loomis is promoting the parade through his company, Bent River Productions.
The parade route will tentatively stretch five miles from St. Anthony to the Desert Oasis RV Park at the St. Anthony Sand Dunes, a popular ATV riding area.
Following the parade, the Chamber of Commerce has planned a trail ride to take riders back into the city and its Street Fest 2007. The chamber hopes the route will become a permanent ATV trail between the dunes and the city. The proposed parade might not stay in the record books for long, however, as Hurley is rumored to be planning a record run of its own.
Honda Gets New ATV Media Rep
American Honda Motor Co. announced that Tim Patnode has been appointed ATV and PWC media coordinator for the company’s motorcycle division effective May 1.
Patnode joins Honda’s press department after eight years as a district sales manager in Honda’s motorcycle field sales department.
Prior to his tenure with Honda, Patnode spent six years in dealer sales in Washington state.
“Tim’s 14 years of powersports industry experience will be a great asset in helping provide optimum communications and product information to our dealers, customers and media partners,” said Jon Row, Honda’s press department manager.
Recreational Groups Seeking to Join Montana Lawsuit
The Treasure State Alliance led a coalition of recreational access groups in seeking to join a lawsuit challenging mechanized vehicle access to the Gallatin National Forest in Montana.
In particular, the lawsuit focuses on whether the forest’s December 2007 Travel Management Plan allows too much, or too little, motorized and mechanized access to the Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area along the Gallatin Crest north of Bozeman.
The recreational groups filed a motion to intervene in the case on May 9, in U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. The groups joining in the motion include the Montana Trail Vehicle Riders Association, Montana Snowmobile Association and the BlueRibbon Coalition. In addition to seeking to intervene and defend against the anti-access claims of the Montana Wilderness Association and Greater Yellowstone Coalition, the recreational groups seek leave to bring a cross-claim against the Forest Service, asserting the new Travel Plan illegally restricts motorized and mechanized access relating back to use of the area in 1977, when the Montana Wilderness Study Act was passed.
“In recent years, large areas of public lands in Montana have been placed off limits to motorized and mountain bike use,” said Craig Osterman, TSA’s executive director. “We believe it’s essential to have a formal role in this litigation to represent four-wheelers, snowmobilers, ATV riders and mountain bikers that the anti-access plaintiffs wish to exclude from the WSA.” psb