What to look for when purchasing an ATV Tire
If you are in the market for purchasing tires for your all terrain vehicle (ATV), there are several factors for consideration. There are a great variety of tires on the market and it is quite easy to become overwhelmed at the sheer number of choices available from different brands. In order to find the best tires for your specific ATV that meets your needs, consider these three points:
1.) Tread:
When it comes to tires, the most important attribute is the tread. Different tires have different types of tread that make the ATV appropriate for navigating different types of terrain. If using the improper tires, accidents are more prone to occur, so ensure you seriously contemplate the uses of your ATV in order to find the appropriate tire tread.
For individuals planning on spending time in the mud, it is strongly recommended that you purchase mud tires. These tires have a unique tread that is angled from the inside to the outside. The tread itself is quite large, usually measuring about one inch high, and allows the ATV to better grip muddy ground, so the vehicle is less likely to become stuck. Mud tires also work well on different types of terrain, but the tread is more prone to become worn quicker if driven on hard surfaces, including concrete, asphalt, or hard packed dirt. Furthermore, due to the tire tread, the ride is not nearly as smooth as with other tires.
Generally speaking, most ATV owners choose trail or all terrain tires. These tires are most likely to handle all types of terrain while allowing the rider a stable and smooth ride. However, these tires are not designed for one specific type of terrain and are not used for muddy environments due to their tread. However, these tires offer the most stability, so they are the safest and should be chosen if the ATV rider will mainly stay on hard trails.
If you plan to spend exorbitant amounts of time in the sand, choose a sand tread for your ATV tire. These tires have a unique tread that uses a scoop to funnel the sand beneath the tires so that the ATV does not become stuck. Keep in mind that sand tires cannot be used for any other purpose except sand, as they have minimal stability on other terrains and will rapidly wear on hard surfaces.
The final option for tire tread is the knobby racing tires designed to take high speeds on flat, hard surfaces. These tires should only be used for racing, as they are inappropriate for any other type of riding due to their lack of stability and flat top tread.
2.) Size
Tire size is measured three ways: width, height, and height of the sidewall. All of these sizes should be taken into account depending on your wants for a ride. Tires with too small or too great a diameter should be avoided, as the ATV is under the most pressure, so there is a greater potential for damaging the vehicle. Furthermore, narrow tires tend to sink in mud, but may provide you more stability on hard packed ground. Finally, the height of the sidewall should depend on the type of terrain over which you plan to ride, as short sidewall tires have a greater ground clearance, but are less flexible.
3.) Shape
It may seem strange to look at the shape of the tire, but there are two options: round or flat. Generally, sport ATVs come with flat tires, while utility ATVs come with round tires. The difference is the stability and the speed. Usually, ATV owners choose round tires, since the ride tends to be softer and the shape tends to perform better in muddy terrain.
By: bill carmel
visit: www.Free-Articles-Zone.com/
1.) Tread:
When it comes to tires, the most important attribute is the tread. Different tires have different types of tread that make the ATV appropriate for navigating different types of terrain. If using the improper tires, accidents are more prone to occur, so ensure you seriously contemplate the uses of your ATV in order to find the appropriate tire tread.
For individuals planning on spending time in the mud, it is strongly recommended that you purchase mud tires. These tires have a unique tread that is angled from the inside to the outside. The tread itself is quite large, usually measuring about one inch high, and allows the ATV to better grip muddy ground, so the vehicle is less likely to become stuck. Mud tires also work well on different types of terrain, but the tread is more prone to become worn quicker if driven on hard surfaces, including concrete, asphalt, or hard packed dirt. Furthermore, due to the tire tread, the ride is not nearly as smooth as with other tires.
Generally speaking, most ATV owners choose trail or all terrain tires. These tires are most likely to handle all types of terrain while allowing the rider a stable and smooth ride. However, these tires are not designed for one specific type of terrain and are not used for muddy environments due to their tread. However, these tires offer the most stability, so they are the safest and should be chosen if the ATV rider will mainly stay on hard trails.
If you plan to spend exorbitant amounts of time in the sand, choose a sand tread for your ATV tire. These tires have a unique tread that uses a scoop to funnel the sand beneath the tires so that the ATV does not become stuck. Keep in mind that sand tires cannot be used for any other purpose except sand, as they have minimal stability on other terrains and will rapidly wear on hard surfaces.
The final option for tire tread is the knobby racing tires designed to take high speeds on flat, hard surfaces. These tires should only be used for racing, as they are inappropriate for any other type of riding due to their lack of stability and flat top tread.
2.) Size
Tire size is measured three ways: width, height, and height of the sidewall. All of these sizes should be taken into account depending on your wants for a ride. Tires with too small or too great a diameter should be avoided, as the ATV is under the most pressure, so there is a greater potential for damaging the vehicle. Furthermore, narrow tires tend to sink in mud, but may provide you more stability on hard packed ground. Finally, the height of the sidewall should depend on the type of terrain over which you plan to ride, as short sidewall tires have a greater ground clearance, but are less flexible.
3.) Shape
It may seem strange to look at the shape of the tire, but there are two options: round or flat. Generally, sport ATVs come with flat tires, while utility ATVs come with round tires. The difference is the stability and the speed. Usually, ATV owners choose round tires, since the ride tends to be softer and the shape tends to perform better in muddy terrain.
By: bill carmel
visit: www.Free-Articles-Zone.com/
Lifeguard patroli on ATV
Learn More About atv parts and atv information here...
Fishermen were up to late last night counting their losses after several boats were destroyed and damaged in Tobago by huge waves which continue to pound the country.
Damage was expected to run into millions of dollars.
Allan Stewart, assistant coordinator of the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) in Tobago, told the Express that waves from 15 - 20 feet high continue to lash the shore, reaching as far as the roads in some areas.
Beaches from Store Bay to Parlatuvier Bay remained closed until further notice, because of the conditions.
"We had a number of boats and pirogues that were damaged and destroyed in the Mount Irvine, Black Rock and Plymouth coasts," he explained.
The wall of a private property in the Black Rock area belonging to Lorraine Brooks was also washed out to sea, Stewart said.
"The wall which was adjacent to the sea was totally washed away leaving the swimming pool open to the sea," he added.
Stewart said a value could not be placed on the losses as yet but it could range in the millions.
And at north coast beaches in Trinidad as waves more than 10 feet high continued to pound the beaches a Lifeguard Patrol Captain said Government should have closed the beaches.
Up to late yesterday the huge waves continued to come in land reaching past the lifeguard towers at Maracas, Tyrico and Las Cuevas beaches.
Parts of the nearby water, which are usually light in colour, bore a deep blue as the waves continued to plunge and remove the sand.
Mukesh Jodhan explained that lifeguards have no authority to remove people from the beaches, but could only give caution and advise.
"This morning the conditions of the water did not change," he said.
"Lifeguards keep warning members of the public to be very cautious about venturing into the water. Some people listen but others don't, especially when they drink alcohol."
Tyrico Bay camper, Vena Lutchman said the waves became "very rough" in the wee hours of yesterday morning causing her group and other campers to flee their campsites.
"The night started out normal we even helped a Leatherback Turtle return to the water after she laid her eggs. But then after 2 this morning (Friday) the waves were very loud as they crashed and the water started coming into our tent. It was very frightful," she said.
"The beach, river and road were like one. You could not see anything because the water was everywhere. It reached as far as the road by the Tyrico Bay sign."
Her group moved to higher ground just before the entrance to Tyrico Bay.
Fourteen lifeguards, 12 trainees and two patrol captains kept a constant watch over both Tyrico and Maracas Bays.
As one lifeguard patrolled the area on an ATV, two jet skis and two ambulances were on stand by in case of any emergency. Police and fire officials were also seen monitoring the beach and campsite areas.
Some people headed into the water, not heeding the red flags - which were placed throughout the beaches - but the majority of Trinidadians and tourists soaked in the sand. Those close to the shoreline kept moving in land as the waves came in further after noon.
At Las Cuevas Beach the story was not different, the waves continued to pound the shores. Campers were also forced to leave the lower area and head for higher ground early yesterday morning.
Bathers were disappointed but surfers were in their glee heading out to the rough seas to catch their ultimate waves.
"We are here to ensure that people do not go far into the water but we cannot stop them, we can only advise them," explained trainee lifeguard Sheldon Francis.
As high tide came in the group of 12 lifeguards patrolled the beach, cautioning bathers. Again some took their advice but others insisted on staying in the water.
with reporting by Elizabeth W Allard
Fishermen were up to late last night counting their losses after several boats were destroyed and damaged in Tobago by huge waves which continue to pound the country.
Damage was expected to run into millions of dollars.
Allan Stewart, assistant coordinator of the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) in Tobago, told the Express that waves from 15 - 20 feet high continue to lash the shore, reaching as far as the roads in some areas.
Beaches from Store Bay to Parlatuvier Bay remained closed until further notice, because of the conditions.
"We had a number of boats and pirogues that were damaged and destroyed in the Mount Irvine, Black Rock and Plymouth coasts," he explained.
The wall of a private property in the Black Rock area belonging to Lorraine Brooks was also washed out to sea, Stewart said.
"The wall which was adjacent to the sea was totally washed away leaving the swimming pool open to the sea," he added.
Stewart said a value could not be placed on the losses as yet but it could range in the millions.
And at north coast beaches in Trinidad as waves more than 10 feet high continued to pound the beaches a Lifeguard Patrol Captain said Government should have closed the beaches.
Up to late yesterday the huge waves continued to come in land reaching past the lifeguard towers at Maracas, Tyrico and Las Cuevas beaches.
Parts of the nearby water, which are usually light in colour, bore a deep blue as the waves continued to plunge and remove the sand.
Mukesh Jodhan explained that lifeguards have no authority to remove people from the beaches, but could only give caution and advise.
"This morning the conditions of the water did not change," he said.
"Lifeguards keep warning members of the public to be very cautious about venturing into the water. Some people listen but others don't, especially when they drink alcohol."
Tyrico Bay camper, Vena Lutchman said the waves became "very rough" in the wee hours of yesterday morning causing her group and other campers to flee their campsites.
"The night started out normal we even helped a Leatherback Turtle return to the water after she laid her eggs. But then after 2 this morning (Friday) the waves were very loud as they crashed and the water started coming into our tent. It was very frightful," she said.
"The beach, river and road were like one. You could not see anything because the water was everywhere. It reached as far as the road by the Tyrico Bay sign."
Her group moved to higher ground just before the entrance to Tyrico Bay.
Fourteen lifeguards, 12 trainees and two patrol captains kept a constant watch over both Tyrico and Maracas Bays.
As one lifeguard patrolled the area on an ATV, two jet skis and two ambulances were on stand by in case of any emergency. Police and fire officials were also seen monitoring the beach and campsite areas.
Some people headed into the water, not heeding the red flags - which were placed throughout the beaches - but the majority of Trinidadians and tourists soaked in the sand. Those close to the shoreline kept moving in land as the waves came in further after noon.
At Las Cuevas Beach the story was not different, the waves continued to pound the shores. Campers were also forced to leave the lower area and head for higher ground early yesterday morning.
Bathers were disappointed but surfers were in their glee heading out to the rough seas to catch their ultimate waves.
"We are here to ensure that people do not go far into the water but we cannot stop them, we can only advise them," explained trainee lifeguard Sheldon Francis.
As high tide came in the group of 12 lifeguards patrolled the beach, cautioning bathers. Again some took their advice but others insisted on staying in the water.
with reporting by Elizabeth W Allard
Sussex ATV riders rile landowners
Concerns raised about trespassers tearing up property
DAGSBORO -- "This land is your land, this land is my land."
That adage, written by Woody Guthrie in his classic American song, was intended to encourage countrymen to live in harmony with one another. But Sussex County landowners are finding that hard to do these days, especially when it comes to off-roaders and four-wheelers who leave tire tracks, and a path of destruction, in their wake.
In a growing trend across the area, landowners have been finding their acreage is a prime place for all-terrain-vehicle riders looking for open space. They throttle up and ride -- at times going full-bore through fields of corn and soybeans -- without care for what property they might be destroying in the process.
Christopher McGee, 22, helps work his parent's land, McGee Farms in Williamsville. While riders don't frequently ride on their farm, Christopher said it has happened.
"Every once in a while you get a city person who moves in, and we just have to warn 'em," said McGee, noting the liability issues farmers can face if someone is injured on their property. "We've had some local boys (come through), and I've put the fear of God in 'em. They know if they ride here, they're gonna have problems."
For those looking for a thrill ride, any open parcel of land will do.
Dagsboro resident Jimmy Burton said he's been having problems trespassing on two fronts. The most serious, he said, is at the family's development project, Burton Acres on Iron Branch Road north of Dagsboro.
"It's not completely developed," he said. "And boy, do they have four-wheelers in there -- in bad weather especially."
Burton also has to deal with four-wheelers on his farm, Hickory Hill, west of Route 113 between Dagsboro and Millsboro.
"On the farm, they have easy access," he said. "They know how to get around the ditches."
The crops on Hickory Hill farm, Burton said, have taken a beating thanks to the riders.
"They'll just ride out in there, and I just can't understand that -- it can't be fun," he said. "The soybeans -- they'll run right through them. They just really don't respect crops."
Trespassers hit a road block
All-terrain vehicles have been taking their toll on state-owned lands as well as private property. Patrick Emory, director of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's Fish and Wildlife section, said trespassers are also getting their kicks on state-owned property.
"We're finding it (happens) fairly frequently," he said. "We're finding it on the beaches and along the bay. They take the ATVs out to somewhere secluded, drop them off, and they try to sneak them and ride them on the beach. They're doing things like cutting through people's yards."
Emory attributes part of the problem to ignorance. Visitors from other states bring their vehicles to Delaware without researching the laws.
"The areas for people to ride are limited," Emory said. "Sometimes riders are on the pretense that in some of these areas there are designated places you can ride. We don't have that here."
While trespassing is an issue year-round, enforcers find the spring season does bring more riders to restricted areas.
"It's usually that we find it associated with hunting in restricted areas," he said. "As it warms up, it seems that the spring brings people out to ride."
Riding in coastal areas, Emory said, has also been a growing issue.
"At a lot of areas along the bays have old roads that run all the way down to the beach," he said. "What (DNREC) has had to do is put dirt pile closures at the end of the roads so that you can't get out there with a truck. However, ATVs can get over the dirt piles."
Farmers take matters into their own hands
The last time Burton's land was trespassed upon was just a few weeks ago.
"It was dusky dark, but they had their lights on," he said. "That makes you think that when someone comes home and gets off work, they go ride. There's usually three or four together."
Burton has had to take action into his own hands to attempt to keep trespassers off his land. Signs, fencing and cables have not managed to get the job done, he said.
"My son lives back on the land and I know he tries to catch 'em and run 'em off, but they're hard to catch," he said. "He goes after them with his truck, and they go where he can't go."
According to Emory, his agency has enlisted the help of other state authorities to assist in catching trespassers.
"In cooperation with the Delaware State Police, we're trying to stop this," he said. "We've had them up there with their helicopters looking for trespassers. Lots of times, there's other ways to get out of (the areas they're in). There's not just one, so it's kind of hard to catch them."
Burton fears there is little the authorities can do to prevent the onslaught of all-terrain vehicles on his property.
"They couldn't do much, I'd imagine," he said. "They wouldn't sit back there and look for them."
While Burton has identified several of the individuals trespassing on his land and even spoken to the parents of the riders, not much has come of it. For now, Burton said he will stand by and watch the four-wheelers tear up the property that he has called home for 30 years.
"They're everywhere," he said. "Any man who's got land has got a four-wheeler problem."
McGee has seen his problem with invasive four-wheelers on his parent's land dwindle, but trespassers still find their way onto the farm. While they may try to cover up the fact that they've been in their fields, McGee said he and his family don't need to catch people on their land to know they're there.
"They may try to hide it if they've been out there, but we'll find out eventually," he said. "It's still Sussex County."
By: By Andrew Ostroski
Staff Writer
http://www.dailytimesonline.com/
DAGSBORO -- "This land is your land, this land is my land."
That adage, written by Woody Guthrie in his classic American song, was intended to encourage countrymen to live in harmony with one another. But Sussex County landowners are finding that hard to do these days, especially when it comes to off-roaders and four-wheelers who leave tire tracks, and a path of destruction, in their wake.
In a growing trend across the area, landowners have been finding their acreage is a prime place for all-terrain-vehicle riders looking for open space. They throttle up and ride -- at times going full-bore through fields of corn and soybeans -- without care for what property they might be destroying in the process.
Christopher McGee, 22, helps work his parent's land, McGee Farms in Williamsville. While riders don't frequently ride on their farm, Christopher said it has happened.
"Every once in a while you get a city person who moves in, and we just have to warn 'em," said McGee, noting the liability issues farmers can face if someone is injured on their property. "We've had some local boys (come through), and I've put the fear of God in 'em. They know if they ride here, they're gonna have problems."
For those looking for a thrill ride, any open parcel of land will do.
Dagsboro resident Jimmy Burton said he's been having problems trespassing on two fronts. The most serious, he said, is at the family's development project, Burton Acres on Iron Branch Road north of Dagsboro.
"It's not completely developed," he said. "And boy, do they have four-wheelers in there -- in bad weather especially."
Burton also has to deal with four-wheelers on his farm, Hickory Hill, west of Route 113 between Dagsboro and Millsboro.
"On the farm, they have easy access," he said. "They know how to get around the ditches."
The crops on Hickory Hill farm, Burton said, have taken a beating thanks to the riders.
"They'll just ride out in there, and I just can't understand that -- it can't be fun," he said. "The soybeans -- they'll run right through them. They just really don't respect crops."
Trespassers hit a road block
All-terrain vehicles have been taking their toll on state-owned lands as well as private property. Patrick Emory, director of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's Fish and Wildlife section, said trespassers are also getting their kicks on state-owned property.
"We're finding it (happens) fairly frequently," he said. "We're finding it on the beaches and along the bay. They take the ATVs out to somewhere secluded, drop them off, and they try to sneak them and ride them on the beach. They're doing things like cutting through people's yards."
Emory attributes part of the problem to ignorance. Visitors from other states bring their vehicles to Delaware without researching the laws.
"The areas for people to ride are limited," Emory said. "Sometimes riders are on the pretense that in some of these areas there are designated places you can ride. We don't have that here."
While trespassing is an issue year-round, enforcers find the spring season does bring more riders to restricted areas.
"It's usually that we find it associated with hunting in restricted areas," he said. "As it warms up, it seems that the spring brings people out to ride."
Riding in coastal areas, Emory said, has also been a growing issue.
"At a lot of areas along the bays have old roads that run all the way down to the beach," he said. "What (DNREC) has had to do is put dirt pile closures at the end of the roads so that you can't get out there with a truck. However, ATVs can get over the dirt piles."
Farmers take matters into their own hands
The last time Burton's land was trespassed upon was just a few weeks ago.
"It was dusky dark, but they had their lights on," he said. "That makes you think that when someone comes home and gets off work, they go ride. There's usually three or four together."
Burton has had to take action into his own hands to attempt to keep trespassers off his land. Signs, fencing and cables have not managed to get the job done, he said.
"My son lives back on the land and I know he tries to catch 'em and run 'em off, but they're hard to catch," he said. "He goes after them with his truck, and they go where he can't go."
According to Emory, his agency has enlisted the help of other state authorities to assist in catching trespassers.
"In cooperation with the Delaware State Police, we're trying to stop this," he said. "We've had them up there with their helicopters looking for trespassers. Lots of times, there's other ways to get out of (the areas they're in). There's not just one, so it's kind of hard to catch them."
Burton fears there is little the authorities can do to prevent the onslaught of all-terrain vehicles on his property.
"They couldn't do much, I'd imagine," he said. "They wouldn't sit back there and look for them."
While Burton has identified several of the individuals trespassing on his land and even spoken to the parents of the riders, not much has come of it. For now, Burton said he will stand by and watch the four-wheelers tear up the property that he has called home for 30 years.
"They're everywhere," he said. "Any man who's got land has got a four-wheeler problem."
McGee has seen his problem with invasive four-wheelers on his parent's land dwindle, but trespassers still find their way onto the farm. While they may try to cover up the fact that they've been in their fields, McGee said he and his family don't need to catch people on their land to know they're there.
"They may try to hide it if they've been out there, but we'll find out eventually," he said. "It's still Sussex County."
By: By Andrew Ostroski
Staff Writer
http://www.dailytimesonline.com/
Rural Roots: Work and play
this story dedicated to ATV TIRES"And this just in ...” That’s what we used to say when the news guy raced into the radio studio with some fast-breaking story. So, what is “just in” at Casa Jones? A quad, an ATV a.k.a. All-terrain vehicle, that’s what. I’m now “quadified” to join the ranks of the many rural rooters who own such a beast for pleasure or work.
I think that most quad owners purchased these four-wheeled motorcycles for fun. This latest addition to the farm machinery assemblage is for work (or, that’s what I told Laura, my wife).
Why a quad? After having to sell an old, small tractor - a 1946 Ford 9N - mainly because the creature was a stubborn, tired thing requiring more mechanical know-how than I possess, I no longer had a handy machine for harrowing (making the surface smooth for the horses) the indoor riding arena. My diesel tractor, Big Red, is just too big and awkward for finessing any corner in the arena or the tight squeezes between trees on our trail system.
Little Red is our riding lawn mower that I used to drag the small, tined harrow around the arena without bashing into the walls as I have with its larger partner; but Little Red is a lawn mower, for Heaven’s sake, and is no good on the trails. It is too slow and too low to the ground. Enter the quad.
I’ve wanted something like the quad for some time. The machine is easy to drive, requires minimal maintenance, is high off the ground, has four-wheel drive, is light since the big tires require only a small amount of air pressure (makes it very bouncy if one is foolish enough to aim for speed over safety), easily clambers over most obstacles, within reason, and, if not respected, is dangerous as hell. Okay, and it’s fun, too. My farmer’s version of a mid-life crisis sports car (except its green, not red).
A few weeks ago, the door opened to allow us to buy a good, used machine. I soon discovered that this quad can really move! It has two forward gears: high and low. I tried high on our laneway and, after braking at the end of the drive, sat panting while the machine idled, trying to lower the beating of my heart. Wow! Scary!
A good friend who also happens to be an OPP constable, advised me to be very careful driving the quad since many accidents have occurred causing permanent maiming or death. You whip along at this speed, hit a bump and because of the low air pressure in the tires, you could easily lose control and then what? The lower gear affords much better control.
So the new mechanical addition to our farm will make farm chores easier. I’ve read the books on safe ATV driving; I’m feeling more confident about operating Ye Quad.
Of course my eight-year-old son, Doug, was thrilled at the prospect of us owning such a cool toy. I took him for a drive in the lower gear to the end of our driveway/lane.
He had on my helmet and goggles that don’t cover the face. When we tootled to the end and back, he announced that his face was cold. Did he want me to take him to a pro shop and get outfitted with a proper sized helmet?
No, he said, he didn’t care if he rode behind me on the quad any time soon. He didn’t like getting face-icles. Good thing I have a beard.
By: Fred Jones
I think that most quad owners purchased these four-wheeled motorcycles for fun. This latest addition to the farm machinery assemblage is for work (or, that’s what I told Laura, my wife).
Why a quad? After having to sell an old, small tractor - a 1946 Ford 9N - mainly because the creature was a stubborn, tired thing requiring more mechanical know-how than I possess, I no longer had a handy machine for harrowing (making the surface smooth for the horses) the indoor riding arena. My diesel tractor, Big Red, is just too big and awkward for finessing any corner in the arena or the tight squeezes between trees on our trail system.
Little Red is our riding lawn mower that I used to drag the small, tined harrow around the arena without bashing into the walls as I have with its larger partner; but Little Red is a lawn mower, for Heaven’s sake, and is no good on the trails. It is too slow and too low to the ground. Enter the quad.
I’ve wanted something like the quad for some time. The machine is easy to drive, requires minimal maintenance, is high off the ground, has four-wheel drive, is light since the big tires require only a small amount of air pressure (makes it very bouncy if one is foolish enough to aim for speed over safety), easily clambers over most obstacles, within reason, and, if not respected, is dangerous as hell. Okay, and it’s fun, too. My farmer’s version of a mid-life crisis sports car (except its green, not red).
A few weeks ago, the door opened to allow us to buy a good, used machine. I soon discovered that this quad can really move! It has two forward gears: high and low. I tried high on our laneway and, after braking at the end of the drive, sat panting while the machine idled, trying to lower the beating of my heart. Wow! Scary!
A good friend who also happens to be an OPP constable, advised me to be very careful driving the quad since many accidents have occurred causing permanent maiming or death. You whip along at this speed, hit a bump and because of the low air pressure in the tires, you could easily lose control and then what? The lower gear affords much better control.
So the new mechanical addition to our farm will make farm chores easier. I’ve read the books on safe ATV driving; I’m feeling more confident about operating Ye Quad.
Of course my eight-year-old son, Doug, was thrilled at the prospect of us owning such a cool toy. I took him for a drive in the lower gear to the end of our driveway/lane.
He had on my helmet and goggles that don’t cover the face. When we tootled to the end and back, he announced that his face was cold. Did he want me to take him to a pro shop and get outfitted with a proper sized helmet?
No, he said, he didn’t care if he rode behind me on the quad any time soon. He didn’t like getting face-icles. Good thing I have a beard.
By: Fred Jones
Group launches ATV site
PARKERSBURG —Five months after launching an ATV product review Web site, a trio of Parkersburg men are attracting some attention.
In October 2007, a small group of friends — all ATV enthusiasts — came up with the idea to create a product review Web site for ATVs.
The idea sprang to life after some bad luck with poor equipment.
“When you start buying parts, tires, wheels, skid plates some of the products we were buying were inferior,” said Justin Lowers. “We thought it would be a good idea to give people out there wanting to spend money a non-biased review.
“If you buy a set of tires, you want a set that is going to do what it’s advertised to do.”
ATVtorture.com was born.
The site is devoted to the test and review of “after-market” ATV parts, such as tires, air cleaners, GPS systems, air boxes and skid plates. Lowers and friends Shawn Lauderman, Gary Bradley and Nick Stewart all field test products and post the reviews, complete with photos and video, on the Web site. The ATV Torture crew does it all in its spare time.
The group also has several videos of their rides posted on YouTube.com.
The Web site has a forum where fellow enthusiasts can discuss products. Bradley, who is primarily responsible for the Web site, said they are trying add more ATV news and information.
“Basically, we are providing a product review Web site mainly composed of private reviews,” he said. “Everything we are doing on this site is trying to be positive to the ATV community.”
Lowers said the field tests are nothing to scoff at. The riders usually plan a weekend trip for field tests. On a typical day the ATVers log anywhere from 100 to 125 miles. Lowers said the Torture review crew does most of its riding in southern West Virginia. They prefer the Hatfield and McCoy system. Their last ride was on the Coal Run trail system, near Cross Lanes.
Each rider will have one or two of the new products installed on his machine to field test.
“We install them on our quads and go out and beat them to death,” Lowers said.
Bradley said when the site was first launched, the group made cold calls to companies fishing for products.
“We told them who we were, what we planned to do and basically asked them if we could review some of their products.”
Lowers said it wasn’t long before companies were contacting them to inquire about potential product reviews. Because of the number of inquiries the group is receiving, Bradley said they are looking to expand the review crew. They recently added local Jerry Barnes to the fold.
“There are a lot of riders,” Bradley said, “but it is tough to find die-hard enthusiasts.”
In addition to the Wood County gang, ATV Torture has three additional equipment critics, one in Massachusetts, one in Georgia and another in Iowa. Lowers said the ability to add reviewers from all over the country can only add to the site’s credibility.
“The riding terrain we have here isn’t the same as it is up north or in Virginia or Utah,” he said. “We are getting bigger and getting people to review more products.”
By JODY MURPHY
In October 2007, a small group of friends — all ATV enthusiasts — came up with the idea to create a product review Web site for ATVs.
The idea sprang to life after some bad luck with poor equipment.
“When you start buying parts, tires, wheels, skid plates some of the products we were buying were inferior,” said Justin Lowers. “We thought it would be a good idea to give people out there wanting to spend money a non-biased review.
“If you buy a set of tires, you want a set that is going to do what it’s advertised to do.”
ATVtorture.com was born.
The site is devoted to the test and review of “after-market” ATV parts, such as tires, air cleaners, GPS systems, air boxes and skid plates. Lowers and friends Shawn Lauderman, Gary Bradley and Nick Stewart all field test products and post the reviews, complete with photos and video, on the Web site. The ATV Torture crew does it all in its spare time.
The group also has several videos of their rides posted on YouTube.com.
The Web site has a forum where fellow enthusiasts can discuss products. Bradley, who is primarily responsible for the Web site, said they are trying add more ATV news and information.
“Basically, we are providing a product review Web site mainly composed of private reviews,” he said. “Everything we are doing on this site is trying to be positive to the ATV community.”
Lowers said the field tests are nothing to scoff at. The riders usually plan a weekend trip for field tests. On a typical day the ATVers log anywhere from 100 to 125 miles. Lowers said the Torture review crew does most of its riding in southern West Virginia. They prefer the Hatfield and McCoy system. Their last ride was on the Coal Run trail system, near Cross Lanes.
Each rider will have one or two of the new products installed on his machine to field test.
“We install them on our quads and go out and beat them to death,” Lowers said.
Bradley said when the site was first launched, the group made cold calls to companies fishing for products.
“We told them who we were, what we planned to do and basically asked them if we could review some of their products.”
Lowers said it wasn’t long before companies were contacting them to inquire about potential product reviews. Because of the number of inquiries the group is receiving, Bradley said they are looking to expand the review crew. They recently added local Jerry Barnes to the fold.
“There are a lot of riders,” Bradley said, “but it is tough to find die-hard enthusiasts.”
In addition to the Wood County gang, ATV Torture has three additional equipment critics, one in Massachusetts, one in Georgia and another in Iowa. Lowers said the ability to add reviewers from all over the country can only add to the site’s credibility.
“The riding terrain we have here isn’t the same as it is up north or in Virginia or Utah,” he said. “We are getting bigger and getting people to review more products.”
By JODY MURPHY
ITP All new Quadcross mx pro tire
ATV motocross racers will be interested to learn that ITP has unveiled the new QuadCross MX PRO tire line. The QuadCross MX PRO has been tested and developed with the assistance of several factory teams and riders, including Team Yamaha’s Pat Brown, Team Kawasaki’s Josh Creamer and Keith Little, and Team Can-Am’s John Natalie and Cody Miller. The QuadCross MX PRO has already been a big winner, as Brown rode this tire to the 2007 Steel City AMA Pro Open Championship.
For 2008, the new QuadCross MX PRO has undergone several construction updates that have resulted in significantly better performance than the original QuadCross MX tire on hard-packed, blue-groove type motocross tracks.
Key to this improvement is a scientifically advanced rubber compound that’s been specially formulated to find traction on the slickest of surfaces for excellent acceleration and braking characteristics. Considerable laboratory time was invested to make this compound possible, with extensive field testing backing up the results.
A revised shoulder profile greatly improves cornering predictability and side bite as well, for unmatched cornering performance. The front QuadCross MX PRO uses a dual-ribbed dimpled knob pattern that steers precisely with a very light feel and reduced lateral roll.
The ITP QuadCross MX PRO is available in front 20x6-10 and rear 18x10-8 sizing. Light, fast and surprisingly durable, it’s the edge every ATV racer is looking for! And we mean every racer! This is not a limited-production tire available to only select riders at national events. At ITP, we race what we sell, and sell what we race. The QuadCross MX PRO will be found at every ITP dealer in the country!
Since 1982, ITP has grown into the world's #1 ATV aftermarket tire and wheel source, and continues to provide a complete line of innovative tires and wheel for virtually all ATVs and UTVs. To order, contact your favorite distributor. For a copy of ITP’s full-color product catalog, call toll-free: 1-800-859-4740. For other inquiries or technical advice, contact ITP at 930-A S. Rockefeller Ave., Ontario, CA 91761; (909) 390-1905. Or visit ITP’s website at www.itptires.com.
--- end ---
For 2008, the new QuadCross MX PRO has undergone several construction updates that have resulted in significantly better performance than the original QuadCross MX tire on hard-packed, blue-groove type motocross tracks.
Key to this improvement is a scientifically advanced rubber compound that’s been specially formulated to find traction on the slickest of surfaces for excellent acceleration and braking characteristics. Considerable laboratory time was invested to make this compound possible, with extensive field testing backing up the results.
A revised shoulder profile greatly improves cornering predictability and side bite as well, for unmatched cornering performance. The front QuadCross MX PRO uses a dual-ribbed dimpled knob pattern that steers precisely with a very light feel and reduced lateral roll.
The ITP QuadCross MX PRO is available in front 20x6-10 and rear 18x10-8 sizing. Light, fast and surprisingly durable, it’s the edge every ATV racer is looking for! And we mean every racer! This is not a limited-production tire available to only select riders at national events. At ITP, we race what we sell, and sell what we race. The QuadCross MX PRO will be found at every ITP dealer in the country!
Since 1982, ITP has grown into the world's #1 ATV aftermarket tire and wheel source, and continues to provide a complete line of innovative tires and wheel for virtually all ATVs and UTVs. To order, contact your favorite distributor. For a copy of ITP’s full-color product catalog, call toll-free: 1-800-859-4740. For other inquiries or technical advice, contact ITP at 930-A S. Rockefeller Ave., Ontario, CA 91761; (909) 390-1905. Or visit ITP’s website at www.itptires.com.
--- end ---
Tundra ATV trail project earns national award
A Hooper Bay resident and others who fought to keep four-wheelers from destroying important bird nests and berry patches have won a national award.
The village’s ATV Trail Project Partnership, which helps keep riders from damaging tundra, was one of 21 projects across the country recognized for the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Cooperative Conservation Award.
The project began several years ago when elders in the village of 1,200 began noticing a decline in black brant numbers, an important subsistence food, as well as berries, according to a nomination letter submitted by the National Park Service.
Villagers and the Sea Lion Corp., working with the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, completed a survey showing that ATV tires were smashing nests, scarring tundra and chewing up wetlands.
Educational efforts, including two-person outreach teams camped near hunting grounds, raised awareness about avoiding sensitive areas. ATV riders began following paths instead of cruising openly across the tundra, and black brant numbers recovered quickly, the nomination letter said.
To create a trail protecting wetlands near the village, Hooper Bay residents worked with the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program in the National Park Service. They also worked with the National Resource Conservation Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The trail, built from a system of interlocking plastic grids called Geoblock, crosses sensitive wetlands from the village’s edge and travels half a mile to a ridge.
The benefit of the porous trail is that it encourage ATV riders to stay on one path, in part because riders can travel quickly on it and won’t be bogged down in mud, said Ryan Maroney, NRCS community planning coordinator in Bethel.
Maroney is one of the award winners. The others are William Naneng with the Sea Lion Corp. in Hooper Bay, former refuge manager Michael Rearden and Doug Staller, refuge manager.
The Sea Lion Corp. and Hooper Bay residents plan to extend the trail another eight miles to protect more areas
by:Alex DeMarban
The village’s ATV Trail Project Partnership, which helps keep riders from damaging tundra, was one of 21 projects across the country recognized for the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Cooperative Conservation Award.
The project began several years ago when elders in the village of 1,200 began noticing a decline in black brant numbers, an important subsistence food, as well as berries, according to a nomination letter submitted by the National Park Service.
Villagers and the Sea Lion Corp., working with the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, completed a survey showing that ATV tires were smashing nests, scarring tundra and chewing up wetlands.
Educational efforts, including two-person outreach teams camped near hunting grounds, raised awareness about avoiding sensitive areas. ATV riders began following paths instead of cruising openly across the tundra, and black brant numbers recovered quickly, the nomination letter said.
To create a trail protecting wetlands near the village, Hooper Bay residents worked with the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program in the National Park Service. They also worked with the National Resource Conservation Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The trail, built from a system of interlocking plastic grids called Geoblock, crosses sensitive wetlands from the village’s edge and travels half a mile to a ridge.
The benefit of the porous trail is that it encourage ATV riders to stay on one path, in part because riders can travel quickly on it and won’t be bogged down in mud, said Ryan Maroney, NRCS community planning coordinator in Bethel.
Maroney is one of the award winners. The others are William Naneng with the Sea Lion Corp. in Hooper Bay, former refuge manager Michael Rearden and Doug Staller, refuge manager.
The Sea Lion Corp. and Hooper Bay residents plan to extend the trail another eight miles to protect more areas
by:Alex DeMarban
How To Dispose Of Your Old ATV Tires
When it comes time to replace your old and worn ATV tires, many riders are eager to purchase new tires, but many are unaware what to do with the old ones. Regardless where you live, throwing old tires in a body or water or natural environment is improper—and in many cases illegal—since the tires can corrupt nature. When disposing of your old ATV tires, be sure to do so in a proper and legal manner that will not negatively impact the environment for future generations.
More and more often, tires are being recycled and formed into all sorts of new products. From park benches to carpets, recycled rubber is a durable and economical product. When you are faced with the decision what to do with your old ATV tires, look to your local recycling company to see if rubber is accepted. Although you may not be able to place your tires to the curb if you community is involved with curbside recycling, the recycling plant may be able to take the tires off your hands. Look to the phonebook or internet to find a recycling facility near you and make a quick visit or telephone call to see if your tires are able to be recycled.
Most tire stores that provide you with new tires for your ATV will be able to take your old ones. Before you make the change, be sure to ask the tire center what they do with old tires if you are concerned about the environmental impact unused rubber causes. Also, there may be a slight fee involved with properly disposing of your old tires, so know this amount upfront in order to prevent any surprises at the cash register. The state in which you live may have certain regulations or fees involving tire disposal, and this is often incorporated into your bill and is listed separately from the cost of the new tires or the labor to install the tires on your ATV.
If your old tires still have life in them, consider giving them to a friend or family member with an ATV. Keep in mind that old tires should only be used if they still have ample tread and are able to ensure the vehicle can be driven safely. Also, consider selling your old ATV tires so that you can use the profits to buy a new set. Look to your local newspaper and list a classified advertisement or turn to the internet with sites like Ebay or Craigslist to sell your tires. These are great resources and you may even find a new set of ATV tires listed at a more economical price than offered at your local tire store.
About Author:
Bill Carmel works with ATVs
More and more often, tires are being recycled and formed into all sorts of new products. From park benches to carpets, recycled rubber is a durable and economical product. When you are faced with the decision what to do with your old ATV tires, look to your local recycling company to see if rubber is accepted. Although you may not be able to place your tires to the curb if you community is involved with curbside recycling, the recycling plant may be able to take the tires off your hands. Look to the phonebook or internet to find a recycling facility near you and make a quick visit or telephone call to see if your tires are able to be recycled.
Most tire stores that provide you with new tires for your ATV will be able to take your old ones. Before you make the change, be sure to ask the tire center what they do with old tires if you are concerned about the environmental impact unused rubber causes. Also, there may be a slight fee involved with properly disposing of your old tires, so know this amount upfront in order to prevent any surprises at the cash register. The state in which you live may have certain regulations or fees involving tire disposal, and this is often incorporated into your bill and is listed separately from the cost of the new tires or the labor to install the tires on your ATV.
If your old tires still have life in them, consider giving them to a friend or family member with an ATV. Keep in mind that old tires should only be used if they still have ample tread and are able to ensure the vehicle can be driven safely. Also, consider selling your old ATV tires so that you can use the profits to buy a new set. Look to your local newspaper and list a classified advertisement or turn to the internet with sites like Ebay or Craigslist to sell your tires. These are great resources and you may even find a new set of ATV tires listed at a more economical price than offered at your local tire store.
About Author:
Bill Carmel works with ATVs
ATV enthusiasts worry about restricted access to public lands
This morning's Gazette Times takes a look at the conflict between federal regulators and the swelling ranks of ATV users. Consider this: the Forest Service estimates 11 million riders visit public lands each year. The former Forest Service chief declared unmanaged ATV use "one of the top threats facing the agency." Read more about the debate!?
Line in the sand
By Bennett Hall
Corvallis Gazette-Times
FLORENCE — The sun is shining, the temperature is pushing 60 and a swarm of dirt bikes, dune buggies and all-terrain vehicles is buzzing all over the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
Can this really be February in Oregon?
Better believe it. In fact, even when the weather is less than ideal, President’s Day weekend traditionally signals the start of the off-highway vehicle riding season at the Oregon Dunes, where OHV enthusiasts account for an estimated 750,000 visitor days a year.
“Isn’t this cool?” marvels Lindy Minten, taking in the scene from the saddle of her sport quad, a four-wheeled ATV with big balloon tires and a powerful engine. “This is what we love.”
Minten and her family, who have a farm near Scio, trek to the coast a half-dozen times a year to spend anywhere from four to 10 days camping with friends and playing in the sand with their four-wheelers in this sprawling recreation area managed by the Siuslaw National Forest.
But the Forest Service is rewriting its regulations for off-highway vehicles, and riders fear they could lose access to some of their favorite spots.
Up to now, national forest lands have been open to OHV use unless specifically closed. Under the agency’s new Travel Management Rule, only designated roads, trails and cross-country areas will be open.
“We just did a huge flip-flop,” said Minten, who works with a number of OHV groups to advocate for riders’ rights. “We’re locking people out.”
Off-highway vehicles have exploded in popularity in recent years. According to an industry estimate, annual sales of ATVs and dirt bikes tripled from 1995 to 2003, bringing the total number in use to 8 million nationwide.
OHV use on public lands has grown at the same time, with the Forest Service now estimating 11 million rider visits a year.
The surge in off-roading prompted former Forest Service chief Dale Bosworth to declare unmanaged OHV use one of the top threats facing the agency and led to the Travel Management Rule. That rule is now being implemented in the nation’s 155 national forests, including 13 in Oregon.
For the most part, off-roaders accept the need for better management of their fast-growing sport. But they’re also mobilizing to defend their turf.
“Our group and virtually all of the organized OHV community supported the rule,” said Brian Hawthorne of the BlueRibbon Coalition, a national riders’ organization. “We’re in the mode of trying to accommodate off-road recreational use, rather than restrict it.”
Implementing the Travel Management Rule is a painstaking exercise, with each national forest soliciting public input to produce maps showing proposals for designated riding areas. More feedback is then taken before a final decision is made.
The deadline to complete the process is 2010, and planning is well under way in the two national forests that bracket the mid-valley — the Siuslaw on Oregon’s central coast and the Willamette in the central Cascades.
Of the two, the Siuslaw is farther along. Forest officials have published provisional maps showing designated riding areas and hope to make a final decision by the end of this year, after another round of public comment.
For now, no management changes are proposed for the Siuslaw’s most popular off-road areas, the 1,000-acre Sand Lake area north of Lincoln City and the 29,000-acre Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, which hopscotches down the coast between Florence and Coos Bay.
A skirmish is shaping up over two smaller dune fields just north of Florence, 250-acre Joshua Lane and 50-acre Collard Lake. While little known beyond the immediate area, both are popular with local riders — but less so among the neighbors, who complain about noise, littering and rowdy behavior.
Unlike Sand Lake and the Oregon Dunes, neither area has parking lots, staging areas or camping facilities, while both have some sensitive plant species. The current proposal calls for closing Joshua Lane and Collard Lake to motorized access.
OHV riders are also concerned about losing access to some unpaved Forest Service roads. Under the Travel Management Rule, forests are considering closing some “key” roads to ATVs and dirt bikes. With more users in the forest and less money available to keep roads clear of brush, forest officials are worried about accidents.
“It’s a safety issue,” said Frank Davis, the Siuslaw’s project leader.
Riders see it differently. Some of the roads up for closure in the Siuslaw, they say, are used by hunters or by OHVers looking to link up scattered riding areas. To them, closing roads is another sign that their fast-growing sport is being marginalized by public land managers.
“By the time they forbid us on the so-called key road system ... we won’t have anything left,” said Ron Phillips, president of the Mount Baber ATV Club, a mid-valley group that claims close to 1,000 members. “And there’s no plan to build (new) ATV trails in the forest.”
Off-roaders have similar concerns in the Willamette National Forest, where OHV use is concentrated in two places, Huckleberry Flats and Santiam Pass. Willamette officials are still gathering public input for their initial travel management proposal, but those two areas are being addressed under a separate planning process.
Huckleberry Flats, off Highway 58 near Oakridge, is a well-developed trail network with 33 miles of marked routes for ATV and dirt bike riders. An additional 30 miles of trails are planned over the next several years.
The area is exclusively for motorized recreation, and there are few if any conflicts with other users.
That’s not the case at Santiam Pass, where OHVs compete for space with campers and anglers at Big Lake and with hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail. The Mount Washington and Three Sisters wilderness areas also border the pass.
Forest officials have no plans to kick ATVs and dirt bikes out of the pass. Instead, they’re proposing several alternative plans to create an organized trail system.
“What’s developed is a mishmash of pioneered-in routes and user-created trails,” said Steve Otoupalik, a district wilderness and trails manager for the Willamette National Forest. “By identifying a trail system we’re meeting the expectations of two user groups, OHVers and hikers.”
Some people, however, aren’t sure those conflicting expectations can be entirely reconciled.
Corvallis resident Randy Rasmussen, a recreation policy specialist with the American Hiking Society, said he stopped taking his family camping at Big Lake after it became a magnet for off-roaders.
“You can see the Three Sisters, the beautiful lake — and then the motors whine and kids come by doing wheelies,” Rasmussen said. “Everybody should be able to use public lands, but you shouldn’t be allowed to ruin it for everyone else.”
Officials of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics share those concerns. OHV use, they say, can damage wildlife habitat and disrupt breeding activity, tear up sensitive plants and cause conflicts with other forest users.
“There’s a difference in values here,” said James Johnston, a policy analyst for the advocacy group. “Some people want to ride around and make a lot of noise, and some people want peace and quiet.”
Still, it’s clear that off-road recreation is here to stay. A 2005 Forest Service survey estimated that 23.8 percent of Americans 16 and over engaged in some form of OHV use, including more than 580,000 Oregonians.
The state Parks & Recreation Department manages an ATV program with a
$4 million annual budget derived from permit fees and a share of the gas tax. Among other things, the program will fund up to 80 percent of land acquisition and trail-building costs for new riding areas.
Program manager Ron Price reports that grant requests from federal, state and county agencies are on the rise. “We’re looking for opportunities wherever we can,” he said.
Forest Service officials say they’re well aware of the demand for more off-road recreation opportunities — and the conflicts that can arise with other forest visitors.
“As public land managers, we’re always trying to balance the impacts for all kinds of recreational uses,” said Judith McHugh, a public affairs specialist for the Willamette National Forest. “Because we’re managing for everyone.”
Bill Blackwell, a deputy district ranger on the Siuslaw National Forest, said managing those conflicting demands just goes with the territory.
“If you work for any public agency long enough, you understand you’re not going to make everyone happy,” Blackwell said.
“You’ve got to listen to people because sometimes they come up with better ideas than what you have — but in the end you have to do what’s best for the national forest.”
Bennett Hall can be reached at 758-9529 or bennett.hall@lee.net.
The sun is shining, the temperature is pushing 60 and a swarm of dirt bikes, dune buggies and all-terrain vehicles is buzzing all over the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
Can this really be February in Oregon?
Better believe it. In fact, even when the weather is less than ideal, President's Day weekend traditionally signals the start of the off-highway vehicle riding season at the Oregon Dunes, where OHV enthusiasts account for an estimated 750,000 visitor days a year.
"Isn't this cool?" marvels Lindy Minten, taking in the scene from the saddle of her sport quad, a four-wheeled ATV with big balloon tires and a powerful engine. "This is what we love."
Minten and her family, who have a farm near Scio, trek to the coast a half-dozen times a year to spend anywhere from four to 10 days camping with friends and playing in the sand with their four-wheelers in this sprawling recreation area managed by the Siuslaw National Forest.
But the Forest Service is rewriting its regulations for off-highway vehicles, and riders fear they could lose access to some of their favorite spots.
Line in the sand
By Bennett Hall
Corvallis Gazette-Times
FLORENCE — The sun is shining, the temperature is pushing 60 and a swarm of dirt bikes, dune buggies and all-terrain vehicles is buzzing all over the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
Can this really be February in Oregon?
Better believe it. In fact, even when the weather is less than ideal, President’s Day weekend traditionally signals the start of the off-highway vehicle riding season at the Oregon Dunes, where OHV enthusiasts account for an estimated 750,000 visitor days a year.
“Isn’t this cool?” marvels Lindy Minten, taking in the scene from the saddle of her sport quad, a four-wheeled ATV with big balloon tires and a powerful engine. “This is what we love.”
Minten and her family, who have a farm near Scio, trek to the coast a half-dozen times a year to spend anywhere from four to 10 days camping with friends and playing in the sand with their four-wheelers in this sprawling recreation area managed by the Siuslaw National Forest.
But the Forest Service is rewriting its regulations for off-highway vehicles, and riders fear they could lose access to some of their favorite spots.
Up to now, national forest lands have been open to OHV use unless specifically closed. Under the agency’s new Travel Management Rule, only designated roads, trails and cross-country areas will be open.
“We just did a huge flip-flop,” said Minten, who works with a number of OHV groups to advocate for riders’ rights. “We’re locking people out.”
Off-highway vehicles have exploded in popularity in recent years. According to an industry estimate, annual sales of ATVs and dirt bikes tripled from 1995 to 2003, bringing the total number in use to 8 million nationwide.
OHV use on public lands has grown at the same time, with the Forest Service now estimating 11 million rider visits a year.
The surge in off-roading prompted former Forest Service chief Dale Bosworth to declare unmanaged OHV use one of the top threats facing the agency and led to the Travel Management Rule. That rule is now being implemented in the nation’s 155 national forests, including 13 in Oregon.
For the most part, off-roaders accept the need for better management of their fast-growing sport. But they’re also mobilizing to defend their turf.
“Our group and virtually all of the organized OHV community supported the rule,” said Brian Hawthorne of the BlueRibbon Coalition, a national riders’ organization. “We’re in the mode of trying to accommodate off-road recreational use, rather than restrict it.”
Implementing the Travel Management Rule is a painstaking exercise, with each national forest soliciting public input to produce maps showing proposals for designated riding areas. More feedback is then taken before a final decision is made.
The deadline to complete the process is 2010, and planning is well under way in the two national forests that bracket the mid-valley — the Siuslaw on Oregon’s central coast and the Willamette in the central Cascades.
Of the two, the Siuslaw is farther along. Forest officials have published provisional maps showing designated riding areas and hope to make a final decision by the end of this year, after another round of public comment.
For now, no management changes are proposed for the Siuslaw’s most popular off-road areas, the 1,000-acre Sand Lake area north of Lincoln City and the 29,000-acre Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, which hopscotches down the coast between Florence and Coos Bay.
A skirmish is shaping up over two smaller dune fields just north of Florence, 250-acre Joshua Lane and 50-acre Collard Lake. While little known beyond the immediate area, both are popular with local riders — but less so among the neighbors, who complain about noise, littering and rowdy behavior.
Unlike Sand Lake and the Oregon Dunes, neither area has parking lots, staging areas or camping facilities, while both have some sensitive plant species. The current proposal calls for closing Joshua Lane and Collard Lake to motorized access.
OHV riders are also concerned about losing access to some unpaved Forest Service roads. Under the Travel Management Rule, forests are considering closing some “key” roads to ATVs and dirt bikes. With more users in the forest and less money available to keep roads clear of brush, forest officials are worried about accidents.
“It’s a safety issue,” said Frank Davis, the Siuslaw’s project leader.
Riders see it differently. Some of the roads up for closure in the Siuslaw, they say, are used by hunters or by OHVers looking to link up scattered riding areas. To them, closing roads is another sign that their fast-growing sport is being marginalized by public land managers.
“By the time they forbid us on the so-called key road system ... we won’t have anything left,” said Ron Phillips, president of the Mount Baber ATV Club, a mid-valley group that claims close to 1,000 members. “And there’s no plan to build (new) ATV trails in the forest.”
Off-roaders have similar concerns in the Willamette National Forest, where OHV use is concentrated in two places, Huckleberry Flats and Santiam Pass. Willamette officials are still gathering public input for their initial travel management proposal, but those two areas are being addressed under a separate planning process.
Huckleberry Flats, off Highway 58 near Oakridge, is a well-developed trail network with 33 miles of marked routes for ATV and dirt bike riders. An additional 30 miles of trails are planned over the next several years.
The area is exclusively for motorized recreation, and there are few if any conflicts with other users.
That’s not the case at Santiam Pass, where OHVs compete for space with campers and anglers at Big Lake and with hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail. The Mount Washington and Three Sisters wilderness areas also border the pass.
Forest officials have no plans to kick ATVs and dirt bikes out of the pass. Instead, they’re proposing several alternative plans to create an organized trail system.
“What’s developed is a mishmash of pioneered-in routes and user-created trails,” said Steve Otoupalik, a district wilderness and trails manager for the Willamette National Forest. “By identifying a trail system we’re meeting the expectations of two user groups, OHVers and hikers.”
Some people, however, aren’t sure those conflicting expectations can be entirely reconciled.
Corvallis resident Randy Rasmussen, a recreation policy specialist with the American Hiking Society, said he stopped taking his family camping at Big Lake after it became a magnet for off-roaders.
“You can see the Three Sisters, the beautiful lake — and then the motors whine and kids come by doing wheelies,” Rasmussen said. “Everybody should be able to use public lands, but you shouldn’t be allowed to ruin it for everyone else.”
Officials of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics share those concerns. OHV use, they say, can damage wildlife habitat and disrupt breeding activity, tear up sensitive plants and cause conflicts with other forest users.
“There’s a difference in values here,” said James Johnston, a policy analyst for the advocacy group. “Some people want to ride around and make a lot of noise, and some people want peace and quiet.”
Still, it’s clear that off-road recreation is here to stay. A 2005 Forest Service survey estimated that 23.8 percent of Americans 16 and over engaged in some form of OHV use, including more than 580,000 Oregonians.
The state Parks & Recreation Department manages an ATV program with a
$4 million annual budget derived from permit fees and a share of the gas tax. Among other things, the program will fund up to 80 percent of land acquisition and trail-building costs for new riding areas.
Program manager Ron Price reports that grant requests from federal, state and county agencies are on the rise. “We’re looking for opportunities wherever we can,” he said.
Forest Service officials say they’re well aware of the demand for more off-road recreation opportunities — and the conflicts that can arise with other forest visitors.
“As public land managers, we’re always trying to balance the impacts for all kinds of recreational uses,” said Judith McHugh, a public affairs specialist for the Willamette National Forest. “Because we’re managing for everyone.”
Bill Blackwell, a deputy district ranger on the Siuslaw National Forest, said managing those conflicting demands just goes with the territory.
“If you work for any public agency long enough, you understand you’re not going to make everyone happy,” Blackwell said.
“You’ve got to listen to people because sometimes they come up with better ideas than what you have — but in the end you have to do what’s best for the national forest.”
Bennett Hall can be reached at 758-9529 or bennett.hall@lee.net.
The sun is shining, the temperature is pushing 60 and a swarm of dirt bikes, dune buggies and all-terrain vehicles is buzzing all over the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.
Can this really be February in Oregon?
Better believe it. In fact, even when the weather is less than ideal, President's Day weekend traditionally signals the start of the off-highway vehicle riding season at the Oregon Dunes, where OHV enthusiasts account for an estimated 750,000 visitor days a year.
"Isn't this cool?" marvels Lindy Minten, taking in the scene from the saddle of her sport quad, a four-wheeled ATV with big balloon tires and a powerful engine. "This is what we love."
Minten and her family, who have a farm near Scio, trek to the coast a half-dozen times a year to spend anywhere from four to 10 days camping with friends and playing in the sand with their four-wheelers in this sprawling recreation area managed by the Siuslaw National Forest.
But the Forest Service is rewriting its regulations for off-highway vehicles, and riders fear they could lose access to some of their favorite spots.
Jon Mitchell Racing Welcomes Three New Sponsors
TEXARKANA, Texas -- Jon Mitchell Racing is proud to announce three new sponsors, and welcome them on board for the 2008 Racing Season!
The three new sponsors include Hoosier Tire, Pro-Blend Motorsports Products, and True Flow Performance Air Filters.
Hoosier Tire is a Indiana-based manufacturer of various types of race tires including oval track asphalt, oval track dirt, drag racing, road racing and ATV tires. Their website is http://www.hoosiertire.com/
Pro-Blend Motorsports Products is a company which started over 20 years ago in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, began pioneering and developing a technology that today is referred to as the science of metal preferential characteristics. The results of this development program culminated in products that were hailed by various industries as "break-thru" products and were so advanced that even today are universally recognized as "the standard" by which all others are compared. You can view their website at http://www.pro-blend.com/
True Flow Performance Air Filters are designed to get the most performance for your vehicle. True Flow Performance Air Filters is dedicated to getting you the best air flow, horsepower and fuel efficiency while protecting your engine. You can view their website at http://www.trueflow.com
When asked about picking up the new sponsors, Jon said "It's a really good thing to pick these sponsors up. Every little bit helps. I'm happy that they came on board with us, and hope that we can continue to pick up new sponsors, and do good for them all this year"
Hoosier Tire, Pro-Blend Motorsports Products, and True Flow Performance Air Filters has been added to an already impressive sponsorship list which includes: GRT By Catman, W&W Timber, Marion Towing, JFR Graphics, GRT Race Cars, GRT Fab, Performance Powder Coating, J&J Motorsports, Bell Helmets, BSB Manufacturing, Duralite Wheels, Hawk Performance Break Pads, Hoosier Tire, Integra Shocks and Springs, Brodix, Pro-Blend Motorsports Products, True Flow Performance Air Filters, Stealth Carburetors, Bert, Simpson, Outpace, Schoenfield, Kenneth's High Performance, Big Worm Motorsports, Franklin Rear Ends, Cam Motion, RCI, Port City Racing, Woodward Steering and Wilwood, Dyers Top Rods, ASI Racewear, Pectol Motorsports, Two Rivers Agri Service, Ark La Tex Driveshafts, Schafers Racing Oil, and Victory Lane Web Designs
More sponsors are always welcome at Jon Mitchell Racing, and for more information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Jon Mitchell at 903-277-8873
For more information and the latest news on Jon Mitchell Racing, visit their website at http://JonMitchellRacing.com
by Luke Matheson, Jon Mitchell Racing
The three new sponsors include Hoosier Tire, Pro-Blend Motorsports Products, and True Flow Performance Air Filters.
Hoosier Tire is a Indiana-based manufacturer of various types of race tires including oval track asphalt, oval track dirt, drag racing, road racing and ATV tires. Their website is http://www.hoosiertire.com/
Pro-Blend Motorsports Products is a company which started over 20 years ago in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, began pioneering and developing a technology that today is referred to as the science of metal preferential characteristics. The results of this development program culminated in products that were hailed by various industries as "break-thru" products and were so advanced that even today are universally recognized as "the standard" by which all others are compared. You can view their website at http://www.pro-blend.com/
True Flow Performance Air Filters are designed to get the most performance for your vehicle. True Flow Performance Air Filters is dedicated to getting you the best air flow, horsepower and fuel efficiency while protecting your engine. You can view their website at http://www.trueflow.com
When asked about picking up the new sponsors, Jon said "It's a really good thing to pick these sponsors up. Every little bit helps. I'm happy that they came on board with us, and hope that we can continue to pick up new sponsors, and do good for them all this year"
Hoosier Tire, Pro-Blend Motorsports Products, and True Flow Performance Air Filters has been added to an already impressive sponsorship list which includes: GRT By Catman, W&W Timber, Marion Towing, JFR Graphics, GRT Race Cars, GRT Fab, Performance Powder Coating, J&J Motorsports, Bell Helmets, BSB Manufacturing, Duralite Wheels, Hawk Performance Break Pads, Hoosier Tire, Integra Shocks and Springs, Brodix, Pro-Blend Motorsports Products, True Flow Performance Air Filters, Stealth Carburetors, Bert, Simpson, Outpace, Schoenfield, Kenneth's High Performance, Big Worm Motorsports, Franklin Rear Ends, Cam Motion, RCI, Port City Racing, Woodward Steering and Wilwood, Dyers Top Rods, ASI Racewear, Pectol Motorsports, Two Rivers Agri Service, Ark La Tex Driveshafts, Schafers Racing Oil, and Victory Lane Web Designs
More sponsors are always welcome at Jon Mitchell Racing, and for more information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Jon Mitchell at 903-277-8873
For more information and the latest news on Jon Mitchell Racing, visit their website at http://JonMitchellRacing.com
by Luke Matheson, Jon Mitchell Racing
Product Review: BRP Apache ATV Track
By Scott Monroe
When I was first contacted about the possibility of reviewing the Apache Track system, I was more than a little excited. The first thing that went through my mind were several questions that needed to be answered. How well would they work in our deep Alaska snow and extreme cold? How would they steer, and alter the way my Outlander handled overall? Most importantly how much fun would they be while still being useful for utility work?
If a person is an avid ATV forum participant, then you are well aware of the evolution of products that are now available for ones ATV. The Apache Track system was introduced by:Can-Am BRP
When I was first contacted about the possibility of reviewing the Apache Track system, I was more than a little excited. The first thing that went through my mind were several questions that needed to be answered. How well would they work in our deep Alaska snow and extreme cold? How would they steer, and alter the way my Outlander handled overall? Most importantly how much fun would they be while still being useful for utility work?
If a person is an avid ATV forum participant, then you are well aware of the evolution of products that are now available for ones ATV. The Apache Track system was introduced by:Can-Am BRP
to open up their ATV market to more winter use and more importantly winter fun! Now most of us are guilty of taking our ATV's out in the middle of freezing winds and winter snows to see just how far our tires, chains and lift kits will get us. Often times we find ourselves not getting nearly as far as we would probably like. Of course that means we end up stuck more often then not and find ourselves working more than having fun.
Thanks to BRP's Apache Track system the terrain in which ones ATV can conquer in the winter has been greatly expanded and simplified.
Apache Track Facts:
Weighing in at just a bit over 68 lbs per track set (rear came in right at 68lbs and the fronts at 70lbs to be exact), a person is adding a fair amount of weight to ones machine compared to tires / rims. Considering the aluminum wheels and tire combination that comes with the XT package weighed in right at an average of 35lbs. In essence you are adding right at double the weight by going from the OEM tires and rims to the Apache Tracks.
But don't panic just yet, because here is the rest of the story! Even with those extra pounds you will stay on top of the snow better then any tire / wheel combination out there could ever hope to achieve. Not to mention stay right with many trail snow machines out there when it comes to going through the deep stuff.
Sitting on hard pack snow, I took the length and width of the track sitting in the snow and came up with the following average footprint per track of 2.5 square feet. Take that by four tracks and your ATV now has right at 10 square feet of tracks ready to keep you and your ATV on top of the snow. Compare that to the best OEM / aftermarket tires out there and one is doing well to come up with anything over .9 square feet per tire. What this all means is this: the Apache Tracks will more than double the area in which you and your quad will drive upon in the snow compared to tires.
Remember, the above figures were with the Apache Track on hard pack and the area in which they cover only becomes greater as they get into deeper snow. With a track length of just over 30 inches and a width of 11.5 inches per track, you are in for some real flotation. Not to mention the increased ground clearance of 12.5 inches in front and 14 inches everywhere else, you will become even happier that you are now riding on a wheelbase that measures in at 53.5 inches (compared to approx. 48 inches with OEM tires / rims). This extra width really helps keep the quad stable during off chamber situations and high-speed trail riding.
For the rest of this article and additional photos, follow this link to www.atvfrontier.com.
Thanks to BRP's Apache Track system the terrain in which ones ATV can conquer in the winter has been greatly expanded and simplified.
Apache Track Facts:
Weighing in at just a bit over 68 lbs per track set (rear came in right at 68lbs and the fronts at 70lbs to be exact), a person is adding a fair amount of weight to ones machine compared to tires / rims. Considering the aluminum wheels and tire combination that comes with the XT package weighed in right at an average of 35lbs. In essence you are adding right at double the weight by going from the OEM tires and rims to the Apache Tracks.
But don't panic just yet, because here is the rest of the story! Even with those extra pounds you will stay on top of the snow better then any tire / wheel combination out there could ever hope to achieve. Not to mention stay right with many trail snow machines out there when it comes to going through the deep stuff.
Sitting on hard pack snow, I took the length and width of the track sitting in the snow and came up with the following average footprint per track of 2.5 square feet. Take that by four tracks and your ATV now has right at 10 square feet of tracks ready to keep you and your ATV on top of the snow. Compare that to the best OEM / aftermarket tires out there and one is doing well to come up with anything over .9 square feet per tire. What this all means is this: the Apache Tracks will more than double the area in which you and your quad will drive upon in the snow compared to tires.
Remember, the above figures were with the Apache Track on hard pack and the area in which they cover only becomes greater as they get into deeper snow. With a track length of just over 30 inches and a width of 11.5 inches per track, you are in for some real flotation. Not to mention the increased ground clearance of 12.5 inches in front and 14 inches everywhere else, you will become even happier that you are now riding on a wheelbase that measures in at 53.5 inches (compared to approx. 48 inches with OEM tires / rims). This extra width really helps keep the quad stable during off chamber situations and high-speed trail riding.
For the rest of this article and additional photos, follow this link to www.atvfrontier.com.
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