Well I am currently 22 years old (and single w/ no kids.) I grew up working my tial off on farms and detassling (and loved both.) Since farming doesn't pay, and I have bills, I decided to become a CAD draftsman/designer. I have been a designer for 4.5 years now, and currently design surgical instruments for the orthopedics industry.

Grew up riding dirt bikes and BMX bikes. Bought my first quad in April of '01.

Played baseball till I hit high school and didn't want to put up w/ the "politics", so I ran cross country, and played tennis.
Now I enjoy about any sport, but have trouble finding time, cause I have pool (billiards) tourneys once a week, and taekwondo 4 times a week.

Try to find as much time for my Warrior as possible, but w/ no riding area within 3 hours, and constant injuries (I am a little accident prone) that can be difficult.

 

31 years old. Desert Storm veteran (Air Force). I am a Mechanical Engineer for a headlight manufacturer. I have worked with several major ATV manufacturers including Honda and Polaris.

I race motocross in the +30B class and just got a 250R to fix up. I do most of my riding on two wheels but I enjoy working on/spending money on my 250R.

 

31 Male, Nothing serious/no kids. Was in the Marine Corps for 4 years, that payed for school. No I am a Network engineer for Echostar Satellite Corp (DISH Network) Was into muscle cars bigtime, till i took my first dune trip and rode a friends ATC 200X and ditched the car for quads! I play paintball(Spyder knock off) and generally like the outdoors. Most importantly, I hope to get relocated to Gilbert, AZ within a month!!! I am going to need some hookups on places to ride once I get there, and some partners!!

RoostKing...

 

I'm 36 and currently work as a CAD/CAM designer/operator, inside sales and customer service rep. for a company that manufactures metal-working and industrial lubrication systems. Before this job I worked as a carpenter and later as a real-estate salesman.

I was into ATVing when I was a teenager but left it behind when I went to college. When I was 14 I worked an entire summer doing grunt work just to buy a used and abused Honda Odyssey. At the time we lived in a rural area with a big sand pit and swamp close by. It was a lot of fun because my neighborhood friends all had either Yamaha YZ80's or Honda three wheelers.

It was't until I was 34 that I got back into ATVing. I wish I had gotten back into it much earlier. I've never been married and don't have any kids, so I don't have any excuse- I guess I just forgot how much fun it was.

 

Seems like designers/CAD/CAM people make up allot of the riding population. I wonder if that would show true on this board also.. I have seen it on all the boards I have frequented in the past also.

Just thought it was funny.

 

Woodwarrior,

I noticed the same thing. Could it be that we are all on this forum when we should be working?

Maybe that is just me.

Any of you guys use Pro/Engineer or Solidworks CAD software?

 

Hey 87r-

I am right here in Milwaukee and have been looking for a job at a place like Honda and/or Polaris when I graduate. I realize that I still have a year left, but where is the closest place to get a job or internship? Thanks.

NT

 

Hey i am 18 years old. i am getting ready to go to college. i am right now planning on going into the medical field (if i pass)!! i do not have a real job right now. i just help my dad in the pharmacy if he needs some help. he has bought all of my atv's and toys so i am lucky. my favorite hobby is riding the 400ex. i have a r/c car. it is an ofna hodr. i have a .21 cc gas motor running it right now. i really don't use it though. they are a lot of maintenance. i also enjoy fishing, hunting, and being with friends. i am trying to get a 2002 35th anniversary camaro ss. what does everyone think of this sporty car? i have no girlfriend right now because they happen to get me in trouble and they are also a lot of maintenance for me anyways.

 

87r....

Well I tried to post once, and it failed, so let's try this again.

Never seen Pro-E but SOLIDWORKS KICKS A$$. I love that software. Unfortunatly the decided to switch to Unigraphics here and it is the worst software ever created. It takes 5 times as many "clicks" to accomplish anything, and nothing makes sense. Sometimes you hit "apply" to keep a change you made and sometimes you have to hit "cancel" or it makes the change again. It's just a real pain.

I have also used AutoCAD v.12, 13, 14, and Lite, DesignCAD, CADKey, Virtual Drafter, Anvil 5000 and Anvil Express.

 

N3COTO,

There is a HUGE Honda plant in Merryville, OHIO. That is where the R&D team for ATV's is although I know from dealing with them that all decisions have to be ok'd at Honda in Japan. The plant in Merryville is like a city - it is so huge it is amazing. There is a four lane highway that goes around the whole place - I think something like 40,000 people work there.

The Polaris main plant is in Roseau, MN but they have a design studio (styling) in Minneapolis. I think most of the engineers are at Roseau. I go there all the time but have only been to the styling plant once.

The Polaris engineers I deal with are all cool hands-on type guys that have a working knowledge of ATVing, but the Honda engineers are so smart they can probably redefine gravity on paper. I would say that unless you are a perfect 4.0 GPA you shouldn't even try to get on with Honda (not to be negative). The Honda engineer I work with is my age and graduated from Notre Dame at the top of his class. I also know that he works probably 60+ hours a week - they work him to death. I get emails from his office that he sent at 1 in the morning and stuff. Life is too short for that!