When it came time to send out questions for this month's feature, many companies were too busy to help. But after much polite browbeating, we were able to get a sufficient number of responses to get a good look at some of the latest in sport/performance items in the ATV market.

The BlackLine Pro Pegs and BlackLine bumpers were the ready reply of the latest ATV sport/performance item by John Sosa of AC Racing. Sosa said, “The BlackLine Pro Pegs feature stainless steel foot pegs, netted heel guards, and also come in Aluminum finish. The BlackLine Bumpers feature custom screens and also come in an aluminum finish.” Wow, a great way to add that special touch to your ATV. One of the popular trends, he has noticed recently, is giving the consumer the option of customizing a particular product. This might be one of the reasons why the sale of sport/performance products have allowed overall sales for AC Racing to rise from last year. If more people can add a certain special touch that just screams “mine,” then maybe we will see more customizable parts in the future. Before he departed, Sosa said, “Know both the products you're selling and also your customers.” You might be able to get them to buy something if they know that they can personalize it.

Jon Light might have a little something to do with keeping Baja Designs well lit. No, it's not his name that's shedding light on their store but rather the La Paz Fuego, a HID or Halogen light source is said to feature offroad specific beam patterns, aluminum quick adjuster, and come in a beneficial lightweight compact size. “Baja Designs lights are offroad specific, and provide the best beam pattern and features for offroad use (over-all top three winners of the 2005 Baja 1000 will attest to this!). Lights are a great add-on sale for a new vehicle, and can be wrapped into the financing,” Light said. Sales have yet to improve from last year's numbers, but Light hopes the noticeable increase in inquires by consumers about Quad and Rhino applications will help boost Baja's sales.

The EVO X Exhaust system is “computer designed for maximum broad power output, ceramic coated for lower exhaust temps, that equates to lower oil temps, which equates to better engine longevity, keeps power optimized for longer periods and lastly keeps its awesome shine much longer than any other material available,” according to Mike Young at Big Gun Exhaust. These are just some of the reasons why Big Gun Exhaust added them to their sport/performance inventory. With sales seeing an increase of 30 percent from last year, the ATV sport/performance market is clearly growing, according to Young. “Our product is designed to be dealer friendly. Our products take the thought out of the sale as our exhaust comes with three options for the retail buyer all as standard equipment. First is the pipe can be used on a race track where sound is not an issue; second would be if the customer rides on U.S. Forest Service land, you can use our very easy to install USFS approved spark arrestor; and finally we offer our 94-96 decibel vortex quiet insert that can be installed when sound is a problem. With these options and the performance and quality of Big Gun this should make a dealer's decision easy,” said Young.

Erin Rodenbaugh, of Dubach Racing Development, is happy to report their sales of ATV products have grown tremendously. She attributes this to the push of OEM products, like the new exhaust system for the Suzuki LTR450. Rodenbaugh said the new exhaust provides a smooth power delivery to improve performance as well as a crisper throttle response and a large reduction in weight. She goes on to say dealers and retailers need to know that all DRD Spark Arrestor Exhaust Systems convert from a track oriented system to a quieter, noise sensitive trails system in minutes with the DRD quite core insert. Almost all of the products, offered by DRD (i.e. exhaust systems, reverse levers, hour meters, etc.), are reportedly easy to install and provide immediate and noticeable improvements. Looks like Rodenbaugh really has a grasp on the growing trend of looking for easy to install, low maintenance, high-quality performance enhancing products. Can't say that I blame them.

Fuel Customs was quick to inform us about the new cutting edge intake system for the YFZ they are now carrying. A few of the features for this new system is “it fits around most after market shocks, will work with the stock box or you can run it without the box,” a Fuel Customs representative noted. They say as far as benefits go this new intake system, comes with an 8-ply filter, where most competitors are 4-ply. It reportedly makes more horsepower and more torque across the board than any other system on the market. Fuel Customs said dealers need to know this product is a direct bolt-on and it needs no modifications whatsoever. All that is needed is a slight jet change, according to Fuel Customs.

Fullbore Innovations didn't waste time answering our questions. Straight and to the point, they told us their latest product was the complete body kit for Yamaha Rhino, including tailgate cover and lower quarter panels. Fullbore tells us that coming in with seven new color choices (black, white, red, blue, yellow, silver and orange), these kits give a more aggressive sporty look to a UTV. They reportedly offer wider tire coverage of 3 inches per side, and 1 1/2 inches of more travel clearance over each tire. Fullbore spokespeople said the body kits for Yamaha Rhino are impressive enough without the long speeches, but shared that their sport quad market sales are a little ahead of last year's numbers. The company hopes dealers know these body kits come complete with all mounting hardware and necessary instructions, making the kits easier to sell to consumers.

With retail sales slightly up from last year, Intense Fabrication & Design owner Doug Kekich hopes the new high performance radiator for the TRX450R Honda ATV will have the cash registers singing. It features 83 percent more coolant than stock radiators, according to Kekich. Intense Fabrication & Design said itsmodel holds 53 ounces of coolant versus the 32 ounces in a stock radiator. Kekich said their radiator can save the customer's motor life and increase overall cooling performance. “I'm sure that everyone can agree that is a good thing. After all, no one wants to be caught with a dead engine,” said Kekich.

Ron Hinson, of Hinson Clutch Components reports their latest product is the BTL series slipper clutch inner hub/pressure plate kit. Huh? Try saying that five times fast. The kit reportedly helps to reduce and control engine braking. I'm sure this is something no one wants to go without. Hinson said he wants dealers to know “the best tool for selling our product is understanding the performance benefits of our kits, smoother more positive clutch engagement, with better clutch plate life, that is less affected by heat buildup.” Hinson did have one noticeable trend he wanted to share. He said the 4-strokes seem to be dominating the ATV market.

Brian Weaver at JE Pistons boasts his company's ability to produce custom pistons in weeks, at the request of a customer. JE Pistons tells us they cover those needs with a healthy stock of performance pistons for the most popular sport ATVs, including the new Yamaha 700 Raptor and the 2006 Honda TRX 450R. These pistons are said to feature enhanced machining techniques to improve stability for better ring seal and performance. Weaver said he is proud of the reputation of JE Pistons for having quality products, precision machining and for being a specialist in the 4-stroke performance market. He attributes this reputation for a steady increase in sales over the past year. “The ATV market for us is strong and growing,” said Weaver.

“They will sell themselves through word of mouth,” said Brent Line over at Motoworks as he described their latest product: the Motoworks SR4. Made in good ol' Temecula, Calif. Brent claims they are the best pipes to be had in the industry, and feature a nice clean look coupled with all of the power you desire. With companies constantly competing with each other in the market, it's products like the Motoworks SR4 that could give that little push over the competition, he said. This could be what has caused sales of sport/performance items over at Motoworks to rise up over the last year.

Motocrossers rejoice! No longer do you have to ride in jeans and T-shirts, but instead try the new Strike Force line of apparel from MSR. Dave Casella, marketing manager, hopes dealers can make consumers aware that MSR is making apparel for the consumer's needs, like the Strike Force Jersey with its 3/4 sleeve and a more full body cut, perfect for ATV riding. He said the Strike Force Pant is really two products in one. Casella exudes that customers could use it in its full length over the boot, complete with cargo pockets and belt, or make it into a great riding short by zipping off the knees. With cool products like these, no wonder sales are reportedly up for MSR.

Over at Nac's Racing, Dave Ebel didn't have much to say to our questions, but we did manage to learn that radiators are their latest sport/performance product. The benefits of Nac's Racing radiators are they reportedly increase horsepower by lowering the engine temperature, thus allowing the quads to run cooler. These radiators are said to feature a larger capacity as well as accepting a stock fan. With a knowledgeable staff, Nac's Racing's sales have reportedly improved from last year. Ebel said he noticed sales of 2-stroke performance parts and accessories are declining with the increase of race ready 4-stroke machines. Guess it really does pay to keep a cool head!

Shannon Scott and NiteRider Technical Lighting Systems are hoping that with the new HellFire HID and HellCat Halogen handlebar mounted light systems, as well as the Cannibal HID and HeadHunter II helmet mounted systems, consumers will be more inclined to get more use out of their ATVs by going riding at night. Both the HellFire and HellCat reportedly come complete with a wiring harness and light switch, making them easy to bolt on in minutes and without the need for re-wiring. “One of the biggest benefits of these light systems is that they are completely universal, they will mount to any quad”, Scott said. Light sales for NiteRider have “nearly doubled” from those of last year's and with riders starting to experience the fun of riding at night, dealers, Scott says, “are reaping the benefits of keeping our lights in stock as opposed to just constantly special ordering them.” Keeping their product in stock, he advises, is the key to selling these non-bike or brand specific lights.

Dane P. Leimback, of Penton Racing Products, informs us their most recent addition is the new style of PVL ignition. It is described as “an external flywheel type system, with a small external flywheel, similar to the current crop of ignitions found on today's motocross machines,” according to the company. These new ignitions are reportedly advantageous in that the flywheel is much lighter, allowing the engine to build RPM more quickly. Additionally, Leimback said, “there is no limit to the RPM's that the engine can achieve with these systems.” With the influx of Chinese products into the ATV market, Leimback says these machines are geared more for recreational use and the ignitions are not very suitable for racing, making the units a perfect candidate to sell these new ignition systems. Unfortunately, Leimback says, “Since our product lines are a lot more technical than just bolting on a pair of handlebars or a new front fender, dealers are often asked to assist in the installation of the products. As a result, we do not sell our product directly to the general public.” Good to know.

Our first response was from Quad Works, where Brian Cornelius was kind enough to let us know that their latest product on the ATV market was the Quad Works FI Powerbox for the fuel injected 2006 Yamaha Raptor 700. It features a “plug in module jet kit with four selectable base fuel curves that can be modified to suit a wide variety of modifications,” he said. The three adjustable meters (low, mid, high) enable the rider to adjust the fuel mixture and removing the F.I. Powerbox reportedly returns the vehicle to the factory settings. Going with the trend of easy installation, the FI Powerbox requires no cutting or splicing to install, but connects easily to the factory OEM connectors, Cornelius said. In the strong ATV market, Cornelius is happy to report the sale of sport/performance products is up from the company's numbers last year. He attributes the increase to the consumer trend of looking for “easy to install and effective performance mods … exhausts, air filters, power kits, etc.” Cornelius concluded with these words to dealers and retailers: “keep them in stock and sell them when the customer buys a new unit.” A sound way of always having what the customer wants.

Tony Sanfilippo, of Ready Racing, had nothing but good things to say about their new sport/performance ATV product, the CompFlow Stainless Steel Re-usable Oil Filter and Cover. Constructed from stainless steel micronic filter cloth, it is reportedly reusable, unlike standard paper filters. Filtering down to 35 microns, this oil filter has consistent high flow under all temperatures and conditions and comes with an anodized billet filter cover on the more popular models, said Sanfilippo. He was very happy to say, from a dealer's point of view, these oil filters improve performance and the lifetime of ATV's. Sanfilippo said he wants others to know it too. With trends towards making it increasingly easier for consumers to obtain more quality high performance products, Ready Racing Inc. is happy to say that their sales are up from last year, and they hope with the new CompFlow Oil Filter and Cover their sales will give them another stellar year.

Consumers seem to be looking for products that are safer to use. It's no wonder the latest riding suit from SixSixOne has all the features one could ask for. The SixSixOne Pro Pressure Suit reportedly comes with built in shoulder, chest, elbow-forearm, support belt and articulated spine protection. “The articulated back panels bend with you, allowing easier freedom of movement. Even though they are geared for safety, that doesn't mean that they can't be comfortable as well. It is said to be a wide, open mesh suit with cut-offs in bend areas that keep you cool and comfortable,” said a company spokesperson. The suit reportedly features a quad friendly cut, which keeps it short in the front so it doesn't hit your legs when sitting. With products like these, Eddie Cole informs us their ATV protection product sales have gone up over the last year. “The market has really embraced the value and protection SixSixOne products offer,” said Cole. He wants dealers to know a benefit of the SixSixOne products: “They are a neutral branded protection line, meaning it's cool to use SixSixOne along side different apparel brands such as Fox, Thor, O'Neal, etc. That, and we have protection items for all levels and sizes of riders,” he said.

With no numbers to compare it to, Gary McCelland of Sunline hopes their Sunline AV-One handlebar will boost sales in the ATV sport/performance market. McCelland said their products enhance performance and not just look good, something both dealers and consumers are looking for. Sunline said the handlebar is the first everwith an internal damping system reducing vibration up to 40 percent over conventional bars and it dissipates vibration faster. The exclusive AV-One contour taper design reportedly adds strength in the oversize bar with the ride and flex of a 7/8 inch bar and it is made from 7075 T-6 aircraft grade aluminum for strength and durability. The AV-One handlebar just might be what the doctor ordered. It also includes the exclusive injection molded closed cell impact bar pad, grips, glue, safety wire and donut pads, McCelland said. “There hasn't been a significant change in handlebar technology in 15 years until now. This is the first handlebar with true anti-vibration technology. Along with its superior performance, it's a fantastic value with all the items included with it, all in one great easy to display package,” he said.

Glen Urquhart is proud to announce the addition of Pro Armor, MSD Ignition, Blingstar and Mod Quad billet accessories to the list of vendors available through Tucker Rocky Distributing. MSD Ignition is now entering the ATV market with years of experience of automobile racing ignitions and is reportedly exclusive to Tucker Rocky Distribution. Glen said Blingstar is a sponsor of Team Honda and Suzuki in ATVA racing and brings National Championship quality to the market through exclusive distributing by Tucker Rocky. Mod Quad, exclusive to both Tucker Rocky and WPS, offers the most extensive aluminum billet line of products with a nice price competition for other manufacturers, according to a spokesperson. Pro Armor reportedly produces the highest quality of body armor available in the market these days and can be found through multiple distributors. With national exposure via ESPN, Urquhart says ATV racing has drawn more and more consumers into the sport. He reports sales of the sport/performance products have increased substantially and hopes Tucker Rocky will see another spike in sales once the latest dealer catalog hits stores this spring. For all those dealers and retailers out there, Urquhart advises the consumers want bling! So be sure to keep your items well stocked and dress them up on floor displays.

What's the hot new merchandise over at Western Power Sports? According to Chris Harris, it's the new AeroFlex and AeroTapered handlebars by Fly Racing. “The AeroFlex features a 7/8 inch 'crossbar style' handlebar and is constructed of 2014 T-4 and T-6 heat treated aluminum; while the AeroTapered handlebars are 1 1/8 inch oversized bars that are constructed of 7075 T-4 and T-6 heat treated aluminum. Both handlebars feature a bead-blasted finish,” Harris said. The reason for these latest handlebars has to do with the domination of the 4-stroke ATVs and the large demand for high performance items, he said. “Riders are searching for ways to improve their performance and the market is starting to find more and more ways to offer it. Riders are also 'setting up' their ATVs differently than in the past. Using different bend handlebars and different controls to adjust to the new feel of these new 4-stroke ATVs. This has created a perfect opportunity for dealers to sell a lot of performance products in their stores,” said Harris. Before signing off, Harris had these words of advice for the dealers and retailers out there, “Listen to your sales reps and get educated about the 4-stroke performance technology. Offer the newest bend of handlebars and newer controls that offer Hot Start levels, etc, and with all of this information you can sell more products in this part of the market.” Thanks for the advice Chris.

Well that's all for this month's ATV market report. I hope this trip down the sport/performance lane has been beneficial to you and a great big thanks goes out to all of our interviewees. We couldn't have done it without you. The sport/performance market for ATVs is growing and it is our job to report on the latest happenings. Be sure to check out future issues for all of the latest ATV news.

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