An interview with a company or person.
Few companies have build 500,000 of any product, but recently John Deere reached a milestone when the 500,000th Gator Utility Vehicle rolled off the end of the Horicon, Wisconsin line. No UTV is more closely associated with American agriculture than the John Deere Gator, and wherever we go there are Gators doing just about every job on the farm. They’ve become a modern day pack mule, extra hand, cattle herding Border collie, draft horse, and pickup all in one green and yellow package.
Planes, Trains, and ATVs?
We receive press reports on new products, race results, and industry events every day, but the ones we find most interesting are the reports covering advanced technology and continuing product development. Usually they come from small companies with a couple creative and free thinking engineers, diligently working away in obscurity on something that is their passion, until one day they discover a solution, or a new way to solve an old problem.
Advice on Suspension Setup from Industry Professionals
There are many very good ATVs and Side x Sides on the market today, and they truly are amazing vehicles, capable of taking us through some of the toughest terrain on the planet. With a little experimenting and adjustment, they can be made even better. One of the areas where the largest improvements can be made and immediately felt is with the suspension, but sadly, many riders overlook any suspension changes until after they’ve installed an aftermarket exhaust, air intake, or a larger set of tires and wheels.
Every year at the Indianapolis Dealer Expo, there are dozens of new companies that preview their products. Sometimes the products are innovative and well made, and the company prospers. Other times we look at each other silently but in disbelief, kind of like when your buddy claims he’s going to stop smoking. On one occasion we even made the company rep cry as we explained why his product was not legal for the U.S. market. Thankfully for the off-road loving public, we’ve never seen either of them since.
