September 24, 2007 – ATV Report

Distributor Diamo USA Adds Side-By-Side, ATV
Distributor Diamo USA has added two vehicles, the Diamo Scout UTV and the Diamo Adventure ATV, to its product lineup, the company said in a press release Aug. 30.
The Scout is a 300cc UTV while the Adventure is a 550cc ATV.
The Diamo Scout 300 is an entry-level UTV currently available through Diamo dealers. The Scout uses an air-cooled, four-stroke engine and hydraulic disk brakes on all four wheels. It has a payload capacity of 400 pounds and a towing capacity of 1,000 pounds.
The Adventure 550 can tow more than 1,000 pounds and uses hydraulic disc brakes on the front and rear tires. It has a 4.75-gallon gas tank and two racks that can carry up to 250 pounds. The Adventure will be available at Diamo dealers in 2008.
Ehlert Publishing Starts Magazine Devoted to UTVs
Minnesota-based Ehlert Publishing, publishers of Powersports Business, ATV Magazine and ATV Sport, has launched its inaugural issue of UTV Magazine.
With dedicated coverage for the work and recreational sides of the budding side-by-side industry, each issue of UTV Magazine will feature news, racing coverage and feature articles relevant to the market.
“We have an enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff of editors who will inform and entertain in each issue,” Editor Chris Vogtman said. “We will be the side-by-side authority.”
The first issue of UTV Magazine will be available to consumers on newsstands later this month.
BRP Launches Can-Am Technical Riding Gear Line
BRP is aiming to enhance the experience of its Can-Am ATVs with its 2008 line of Can-Am riding gear, the company said in a press release Sept. 5.
The line, which includes technical riding items, protective gear (including helmets) and casual wear, will be available in Can-Am dealerships this month.
The line includes the new over-the-boot X-Team Cross Pants, specifically designed for performance ATV riding. The mesh-lined, water-resistant fabric is breathable.
A molded rubber kneecap and perforated leather reinforcement are positioned on each leg matching the ergonomics of Can-Am’s DS 450 sport quad. The stretch crotch panel is waterproof and the entire pant weighs less than 2 pounds.
The X-Team Hybrid gloves have seams around the fingers, which are inverted, giving them a seamless feel, increasing handlebar feedback and the Can-Am logo on each index finger adds grip.
Vento Introduces Three-cylinder ATV Engine
California-based Vento Motorcycles USA has completed development of a new, three-cylinder ATV engine and has plans to install the 400cc, 30 horsepower engine in its 2008 ATV and motorcycle line.
Vento Motorcycles, manufacturer of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and off-road bikes, said the engine is the company’s first American-made engine to be designed and used by Vento.
Scheduled to be released in a variety of new 2008 Vento ATVs and middle-weight motorcycles, the new air/oil-cooled engine, which is designed for sport and recreation vehicles, was engineered for Vento by an Australian motorcycle engine company, styled by Vento’s U.S. design team, and will be assembled in the company’s Laredo, Texas, assembly plant.
“The launch of the new engine is a major accomplishment for Vento in that it represents our shift from importing engines to designing and building our own,” said Mario Cisneros, marketing director for Vento Motorcycles. “By bringing the design, manufacturing and assembly of our engines in-house, we’re bringing to market a quality, reliable, powerful engine that will power a variety of new products in our growing family of motorcycles and ATVs.”
Eldorado Extends Deadline for Public Comment
The Eldorado National Forest in the Sierra Nevada has extended the public comment period by 45 days for the controversial planning process that proposed to close more than 75 percent of historic roads and trails in a popular California recreation area.
The BlueRibbon Coalition, the national trail riding advocacy group, is urging the agency to take advantage of the additional time to issue supplemental environmental analysis to address substantive procedural problems and so-called fatal flaws in the forest’s current planning documents.
BRC said it believes the Eldorado National Forest’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement has misinterpreted direction in various agency documents, including its Forest Plan, the National Travel Management Rule, Roadless Area management and a federal court order to create a perfect storm of “regulatory gridlock.”
Over the last few weeks, thousands of concerned forest users, recreationists and government officials have voiced their opposition to the Eldorado’s proposal to restrict vehicle access to most hunter camps, close historic jeep roads and prohibit vehicle use on about 75 percent of their National Forest System roads and trails.
Yamaha Sponsors Best in the Desert Series
The Best in the Desert racing series announced Yamaha Motor Corp. has signed on as a sponsor of the truck, utility vehicle, motorcycle and ATV racing series.
In exchange, Yamaha’s Rhino has been named the official UTV of the series.
Casey Folks, director of the Best in the Desert racing series, made the announcement, following the “Vegas to Reno” event, which attracted more than 320 cars, trucks, motorcycles and UTVs. Yamaha’s first opportunity to take advantage of their new sponsorship will be Oct. 5-7 at the Las Vegas 300.
Longtime California Riding Area Reopens
A long-used California off-road area that had been shut down for riding is reopening, according to a press release from the Off-Road Business Association.
In January, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Desert Protective Council filed a lawsuit, claiming the California Department of Parks and Recreation purchased the property, located in eastern San Diego County, without completing the necessary state environmental reviews.
As a result, the special permits required to use the property for events were suspended. Now, an agreement has been reached by the parties involved that will allow State Parks to issue event permits in this area as long as the appropriate environmental reviews are completed.
This area has been used by off-roaders since the 1950s. It is also the location for California Off-Road Vehicle Association’s annual “Truckhaven Challenge.”
California Route Workshop Planned in October
The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, Region 5, is conducting a Motorized Route Designation Workshop in October for agency personnel and other stakeholders.
The event will be held Oct. 11-14 in McClellan, Calif., at the Lions Gate Hotel.
The purpose of this workshop is to assist the Forest Service and other stakeholders in effective implementation of the USFS Travel Management Rule in their state. psb