Blog Review

I found a blog similar to the one that I myself started not too long ago.  This blog can be reached at www.atvblog.net.
 This blog is similar to mine in the overall design and theme, as well as the general content of it (quadding), but it is different in the aspect of specific content.  This blog had entries that held info such as who won the latest race in the circuit, as well as advertising the manufacturer's new machines that are due to come out in 2011, and product advertising for various aftermarket parts companies.

The entries in my blog were different than this.  My blog took more of a business standpoint on the ATV industry than atvblog.net did.  My entries focused more on the manufacturer's point of view of the industry.  I did have similar general content compared to the other blog, but my blog focused more on how each product benefited the manufacturer's, and whether or not they were making wise choices in their business endeavors.

Reference: Retrieved on October 20/2010 from: www.atvblog.net

Different Tires for Different Riding Styles

Each individual prefers a different style of quad riding.  Some prefer the high speed adrenaline rush of sand duning, some prefer to ride at lower speeds and try to conquer the biggest mud bogs, and some lean more towards the fast pace, aggressiveness and competitiveness of organized racing.  Depending on your preferred riding style, you are gonna need a set of quad tires that are best suited for that type of riding.  Sand duner's are going to prefer the traction advantages that a set of paddle tires provides, while mud boggers are going to want tires with deeper, more aggressive tread, and better flotation, and racers are going to want a set of tires that maximize handling and control.  The marketing of quad tires is a perfect example of a place where benefit segmentation and geographical segmentation take place.  Benefit segmentation refers to the division of the market into groups according to the different benefits that consumers are looking for from the product.  Marketer's need to decide where to sell each of their tire models based on the benefit that each segment of the population demands.  They would want to retail sand tires in an area such as the Oregon Dunes, rather than the Albertan foothills, because there is simply a greater demand for sand tires in Oregon.  Manufacturer's would be better off to sell tires best suited for mud and trail riding in the Alberta foothills, as the the geography places a higher demand for them.  This example shows how marketing segmentation, target marketing, and market positioning are an important aspect of  all products in all industries.

References:
-Sport tires. (December 2006). Dirt wheels magazine. p. 86-87.
-Armstrong, G. Cunningham, P.H. Kotler, P. (2008). Principles of marketing. Segmentation, targeting, and positioning: building the right relationships with the right customers. p. 282, 290.

ATV Owner's Reports

One of the best methods of helping potential ATV buyer's decide on the appropriate machine for them is through owner's reports.  These can be extremely helpful as they provide basic information to potential buyers, from past buyers, on the ATV of interest.  In these reports, past owners provide information such as what they liked most about the ATV, what they liked least, and what they feel should be improved.  Reports also educate potential buyers about any breakdowns or malfunctions that may have been experienced, and they rate their ATV's durability, quality, attention to detail, performance compared to others, their local dealership, and if they would recommend this ATV to others.  Although some of these questions asked are extremely biased, these reports are still very helpful for potential owners.  They are able to observe these reports, compare them with the reports of other machines in the same class, and make their decision based on the experiences of others who own/have owned these machines.  Not only are these reports beneficial to the consumers, manufacturers can also strongly benefit from the feedback that these reports provide.  They are able to find out about any problems that their customers have been experiencing, and make adjustments based on these reports.  Owner's reports are a useful tool and are very beneficial in the buying process of all products.

Reference: Honda 450R &ER Owner's Report. (November 2010). Dirt Wheels Magazine. 30(11). p.102.

Power Steering in ATV's

2007 marked the first year that power steering had begun being incorporated into the manufacturing of select ATV's.  Yamaha and Honda were the first to introduce this new technology, followed in later years by Suzuki, Polaris, and other major ATV manufacturers.  This EPS (Electronic Power Steering) technology is a rather complicated array of systems incorporated into one single unit, which is installed directly onto the steering stem of the ATV.  For the sake of safety, this unit has sensors built in which monitor the speed of  the ATV, so that the amount of assist provided is reduced at higher speeds, giving the rider more control over the machine.  According to atvforum.com, Honda claims to have known of this technology for 20 years.  They chose not to utilize this technology when they first discovered it mainly because the market for ATV's wasn't large enough at the time to make it worthwhile, and also because it was too costly.  According to atvforum.com, "...electric power steering adds comfort, control, performance and reduces fatigue. All of these positives also combine to create a more attractive machine with a wider appeal."  This wider appeal has attratced more people to the industry, therefore benefiting the manufacturers through increased sales and revenues.  In a test done by atv-forum.com, the EPS equipped Honda 500 4x4 did nothing less than impress.  Although it is not recommend to try at home, test riders said it was easily possible to maneuver the EPS 500 easily with one hand.  They also thought that this system would allow riders to continue riding longer than with conventional ATV steering.  Let me know what you think about EPS in ATV's.

Reference: atv-forum.com

Yamaha Banshee 350- The End of an Era

After being in production since 1987, the legendary Banshee 350 was discontinued from Yamaha's line-up of ATV's in the U.S. in 2003.  This 2-stroke, 350cc beast was used mostly by sand dune enthusiasts, but was also involved in pro racing in its years of production.  Yamaha was forced to discontinue this world renowned ATV, as it failed to meet vehicle emissions standards that were brought in by several U.S. states at that time.  At the time it seemed that the immortal Banshee's would become highly valued collector's items- until now.  In a report done by Dirt Wheels Magazine, there has been a product created to turn these 2-stroke carbon footprints into cleaner burning, more efficient engines.  This product, which was created by JSR Performance, is relatively simple.  It is composed of a battery, a throttle body that transforms the Banshee's old school fuel carburetor system into a more modern E.F.I. (Electronic Fuel Injection) system, and a few parts that link everything into one unit.  This JSR Performance kit will be a very profitable and successful product when brought into the market.  The reasons for this are alot of Banshee owners out there looking to install this product on their machines to give them low end power similar to that of a 4-stroke, and to help keep the power band more controllable.  Above all, this conversion will give Banshee rider's a better feeling that they are now able to enjoy a machine that doesn't emit nearly as much pollution as the old school Banshee's.  Let me know what you think.

Reference: Fuel-Injected Banshee. (October 2010). Dirt Wheels Magazine.  30(10). p.80-89.

Can-Am enters the side by side class

It appears that the ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) manufacturer Can-Am (Bombardier Recreational Products) will finally have a contending machine in the side by side class, as part of their 2011 lineup of ATV's.  According to the September 2010 issue of Dirt Wheels Magazine, the newest edition to Can-Am's lineup will soon be available to the general public.  For those of you who do not know much about quadding and ATV's, side by sides are a unique class of quads that are designed to travel with a driver and a passenger sitting beside each other, similar to the seating arrangement of a car, hence the name side by side.  This class of ATV's has steadily been growing more popular, particularly in the last 4 or 5 years.  Most major ATV manufacturers, such as Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Polaris, and now Can-Am, have realized the strong potential these machines present in making a profit, and have expanded their line-ups to include their own version of this increasingly popular class of machines.  This new class of ATV's has also created business opportunities for the many companies that provide aftermarket parts for these machines.  Companies that manufacture anything from rims and tires to engine kits have also benefited from the introduction of these machines.  There has even been a racing class formed exclusively for these side by sides.  This has created more opportunities for ATV manufacturers and aftermarket parts distributors to expand their name in the industry through national advertising and sponsorships.  It seems that this increasingly popular recreational activity has been beneficial to many.  Let me know what you think.

Reference: 2011 Can-Am Commander. (September 2010). Dirt Wheels Magazine. 30(9). p.40-47.