Youth ATV/Motorcycle ban, GET INVOLVED!

Show your disgust with the current law! Get involved by following the link below. With out going into great detail a couple of major forums have gotten together and are organizing demonstrations on the steps of every state capitols. Click the link below for information on how to be involved in letting your voice be heard! The future of our sport depends on it.

http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=745460

Suzuki Revamps SuzukiCycles.com

Suzuki has announced that it has redesigned its Web site, complete with updated navigation tools and a racing section.

PRESS RELEASE
BREA, Calif. (Feb. 23, 2009) – American Suzuki Motor Corporation today announced an all-new online experience for motorcycle and ATV customers, www.SuzukiCycles.com. The new SuzukiCycles.com Web site invites users to more fully experience the Suzuki brand and all its products and services. Questus, American Suzuki’s online, managed the Web site redesign.

“The new SuzukiCycles.com is one of the many ways this year the Suzuki brand will engage with those who are really looking to activate their motorcycle and ATV passions, in this case through the Internet,” said Steve Bortolamedi, senior advertising manager for American Suzuki’s motorcycle division. “The new site creates deeper and more dynamic experiences that engage loyal fans and potential new riders.”

The site features a new navigation tool that helps visitors get even more information on specific models. Dynamic images of Suzuki products and the motorsports lifestyle allow viewers to better connect with all the products Suzuki offers. The Team Suzuki Racing section provides a closer connection to all of Suzuki’s competition activities.

“Overall, we wanted to capture the raw emotion, power, and excitement of Suzuki’s incredible product line and stir the imagination of every kind of rider, whether new to Suzuki or a loyal customer,” says Jeff Wagener, creative director at Questus. “Ultimately, of course, we see the job of the site to drive eager customers into dealerships— fully informed and eager to buy. And now, with all of the graphics, photos, videos, and other great content on the new site, we also see it as a compelling way to tell the Suzuki brand story.”

Hatfield-McCoy Trails: Wayne County Update

The Hatfield-McCoy Trails has announced that its officials have recently met with the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers to discuss a new trail system. The U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers controls the East Lynn Dam Area in Wayne County, W.Va.

In 2008, both sides met about the the East Lynn Dam Area and determined more would be done after the Hatfield-McCoy trail techs were allowed to “create” potential routes. The Hatfield-McCoy Trails says they’ve mapped about 60 miles of trails and that the Hatfield-McCoy trail authority took over management of all the current trail in the district.

Now, the trail system need to write a formal proposal, which includes both trail routes and trailhead sites. Once this is complete, Hatfield-McCoy with set the license agreements in place and begin construction.

For more info visit, TrailsHeaven.com or read the HMT blog

Dreams Do Come True

This past weekend I had an opportunity to take another step forward in pursuing a personal dream of mine.  At the age of 4 I broke the frame on my LT50 jumping it off a fallen tree I had found in the woods.  Since then I’ve continued to jump every sand dune, step up, and any other mound of dirt I could possibly find to loft me into the air.  I’ve always loved to jump and this past weekend was a great step towards my goal of doing quad freestyle. [Read more]

Photos – 2009 Indy Dealer Show

As Jorge mentioned in his blog post, the show was definitely smaller than usual, but there was still a lot to see.

I attended the show on Saturday and really didn’t get to see everything, but I did get a few shot of some of the really cool products and vendors at the show.

You can see the Entire Gallery at www.markelliotphotography.com

Here are a few samples of the show.

Indy Dealer Expo ‘09

Well I just got back from the infamous “Indy” show, and it was another informative, and enlightening experience. I had a chance to speak to the MX Sports Crew about the CPSC Debacle, and to quote them “We’re going racing.” There’s a whirlwind of activity behind the scenes to fix this mess, and that’s great news. The show was smaller, and less attended than in other years, but it’s what we expected. ATVs were scarce, but UTVs were everywhere, and the major underlying theme of the show was cut backs, and budget control. The good thing; less garbage at the show, less cheap imported knock offs, less copycats, and more unity.

Lashing out, valve adjustments a brief introduction

I got inspiration for this article from a forum topic that comes up every now and again, valve adjustments.  The specific question or issue from the forum member was about his quad being increasingly harder to start and performance was declining over time.  Of course this is a broad issue as there are many factors that can contribute to the problem at hand, but it was mentioned by a member replying to the thread that some (or all) of the problem could be attributed to valve clearances (lash) being out of the specified range.  It got me to thinking, “How many people actually know that valve adjustments are part of routine maintenance”.  In this article I will go through some of the basics and importance of routine checks for proper clearances of the valve train.  Since there are many different variations on valve arrangements and designs each with strengths and weaknesses, I will just focus on the most common designs.  Being that the end result is the same I will spare the in depth procedure for each type.  Always consult your service manual for proper procedure and tolerances for your engine as each engine is slightly different.

There are three common designs of valve train adjustments used on most ATVs

Set screw and jamb nut: It is only found on engines that use rocker arms that ride on the cam to actuate the valves.  It is most commonly found on low performance type engines found in “play quads” where reliability and ease of manufacture and maintenance are high priority.  It consists of a set screw and jamb nut that is located on the end of the rocker arm that pushes on the valve, by turning the screw in or out to adjust the clearance between the valve stem and the tip of the screw then locking down the nut sets the proper clearance.  The big advantage to this design is it is simple and relatively easy for anybody to do and not necessarily requiring any special tools.

[Read more]

Mark your calendars….

Hey fellas don’t forget Saturday is Valentines day…….

You know the rest.

Indy bound…

The annual industry trade show takes place in Indianapolis Indiana this weekend and I am looking forward to attending. In these touch economic times it can be easy to skip events like this to save a couple of bucks but as the parts Manager at Freehold Honda it offers me a great opportunity to see all of the vendors and new product in one weekend. What does this mean to you,  the reader?

Well starting next week when I get back I will feature product that I found at Indy that you may enjoy.

Making a present in today’s economy…

Story by: Mark Elliot Photography

The state of the industry isn’t getting any better these days, but there are ways to make yourself known . A way to set yourself apart from the pack.  Websites have been around for years now and it seems to be part of everyday life now.  However we did some research to find out that many of the racers out there do not use the web to their advantage.  Many of them have a face-book, my space or some other sort of social networking presence but do not have a website to show sponsors.   Sponsors don’t care about what you had for dinner last night or who your chatting with.  They want to know where your racing, how you did and why they should allow you to put their company logo on your race machine. 

Most wait till the end of the year to even think about writing a resume for sponsorships, this is where a racer website can give you that edge. Just like racing, picking a website designer can be just like trying to pick what color of plastics you want to run for the race season.  Well I found the answer, 488 Web Designs (www.488webdesign.com) can help you choose what and how you want sponsors to see you. 

I had to the chance to talk with Jerry and Linka Stonecipher, the owners of 488 Web Design, and I was really impressed with their passion for the ATV/Dirtbike Racing Sport.

“The racing community is full of riders who dream of being the next superstar and we have an obligation to support their dreams and make them feel like a star regardless of their age, talent or backing.  We offer young rider sites for a minimal cost so they can show off their sport to friends, family and sponsors.  It’s been rewarding to see young riders signing autographs because other kids have seen their site and see them as a star.   Our support to professional privateers includes riders in WORCs, AMA Supercross and Motocross.  We truly believe that the backbone of professional racing is the privateer and if we can provide some additional exposure or cover race fees for a round or two then we are helping to keep our sport alive.  We support riders based on their passion for the sport, not on their marketability or results.” – Said Jerry Stonecipher.

So give them a call and see what they can do for you.  2010 Sposorship should start now !!

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About 488 Web Design.

488 Web Design was born from the struggle of a racing family like most that fill the pits at local race tracks across the country.  My son and I raced motocross for years on a shoe string budget that often found us sleeping in the back of an old Jeep Cherokee at the track instead of a warm hotel so we could afford to sign up for a second class on race day.   Nat ran the #488 so every time I see our logo it reminds me of the best days of my life.  It was more than the thrill of the start or the exhilaration of seeing my son win.  It was singing bad songs on the long road trips, sharing a hot cup of cocoa on a cold race morning, and watching him grow from a boy into a man that I will remember. It is this understanding of the struggles and victories both on and off the track that drives 488 Web Design to provide so much support to riders across the country. (www.488webdesign.com)

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