What a classic, successful small town business. The owner(s) took a big risk and made a huge capital investment in machinery and people to provide subcontract fabrication services. It looks like this grew into a niche business in ATV winch mounts, and now even winches. I wonder if Polaris or Arctic Cat do any business with them. I used to drive through Spring Valley on 16 on my way to the sports car races in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. I did not see nor do I recognize this building.

Thanks for making this small Minnesota business the feature article this week. Interesting to me.

David

 

For this week's feature we're backing off and looking at the industry as a whole as the First Quarter of 2017's sales numbers are in:

https://atvconnection.com/articles/a...facts-know-28/

 

A big part of the small drop in ATV sales is the move of many to get side by sides. I bet, if you look at combined sales you'd see an uptick in side by sides that more than matches the small down tick in ATV's.

 

And if the total of ATVs and SXSs is a little lower it's because so many people already own one. There's less demand after the market is saturated.

 

Seems like even in 2010 right before I retired we were selling as many Rangers and Rzrs as we did atvs.

 

I think small "car" 50" wide side by sides and machines like the Polaris ACE single seater will rapidly replace the "bike" handlebar machines like mine. The "cars" have a longer wheelbase and lower center of gravity, and they have steering wheels and foot pedal brakes. They can still carry hay bales, plow snow or pull a trailer.

I perceive scenic trail riding would be safer in a "car" with a rollcage. I've had my Can Am close to a rollover and I've had it dancing on it's rear wheels with the fronts in the air. Both situations were my fault, but the trail was strewn with boulders. Both situations were too close for comfort.

And "cars" might be politically more acceptable to street legal laws than funny looking ATVs.

I agree just looking at ATV "bike" sales figures doesn't tell the whole story. My long time ATV riding friends advised me to consider a 50" wide "car" when I was in the market for an ATV. They both said their next machine will be such a "car". I purchased the "bike" instead.

David

 

You may not recognize this man but he was a very famous first in the history of ATVs. This week's feature takes a more detailed look:

https://atvconnection.com/articles/a...facts-know-29/

 

Cylinder plating isn't only good for repair, this company's material can withstand prolonged temperatures as high as 1200°F:

https://atvconnection.com/articles/a...facts-know-30/

 

They use a nickel silicon carbide composite which is extremely hard, and their plating is up to 10x the thickness of standard chromium plating. That would last me the rest of my life.

 

Amazing metallurgy available these days. Remember back in the 1920 where we poured babbit bearings? They would last 20,000 miles or so.

I wonder how many ATV engines have a coating or plating on their cylinder bore walls.

David