I just read from our state ATV Association's magazine that the DNR will no longer register NEW ATV's over 650 lbs. All the old ones will be grandfathered in. If this won't hurt Polaris' sales, I don't know what will. Polaris better think of shaving some weight off of their machines. It's a good thing Kawasaki's Prairie 650 is only 606 lbs!

 

So what happens when you add a complete set of Vamps to a 650 Kaw?How about Vamps and additional add on items?That will surly bring the weight of most any 4x4 ATV over 650lbs?This law stinks!Why are they doing this?
Bill

 

It’s not the DNR’s fault. Only one liberal a$$hole, state representative Chuck Chvala, is creating the problem. There are measures in the works to get around this but right now the DNR is stuck in the middle. Actually, it’s the dealers who are stuck in the middle. The demand for Sportsmans in this state is high, with more registered than any other machine. Imagine you’re a dealer with a customer wanting a Sportsman. You now have to tell him that he can’t register it as an ATV. Without a registration it’s illegal to ride it on anything but private property. He want’s to buy it and you want to sell it to him but this idiotic restriction is preventing the sale.

I understand that R.L. Ryerson, the Polaris distributor for most of the state, has pre-registered (before 1/1/01) all the Sportsmans they could get their hands on. That registration will be transferred to the consumer when the machine is purchased. But when they’re out of registered machines that’s it until the law can be changed.

The 2001 Sportsman 6x6 I just bought three weeks ago can’t be registered because of its weight even though as a 6x6 there’s less psi on the ground than our 4x4s. We don’t expect to do a lot of trail riding with it but we did buy it with the intention of occasionally inviting a quadless friend to ride with us and for our quad camping adventures on state trails twice a year. Right now we can’t do either one with it legally. Before we bought the machine I called the conservation warden for our riding area and asked him about using it. He expressed great frustration on the part of the DNR with their hands being tied by a bureaucrat over this issue and told me to just hang a slow moving vehicle triangle on the back of it and ride. (although he did admit, the way I ride, a slow moving vehicle sign is totally inappropriate

This situation is an unfortunate example of oppression caused by someone who knows nothing about our sport. Does he actually think our utility machines disturb the environment more than the 2-stroke “shredders” that weigh less than half of our machines? I’m sure he means well, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions (sometimes I’d like to pave it with misguided do-gooders like Chvala, then do power-slides on it)

Something is going to have to change. And as long as consumer demand is there for bigger machines I don’t look for the manufacturers to be giving in to a few idiot bureaucrats.

 

how are they going to check it?? are they going to have a drive-on scale for your quad, and if your over then u cant go ride?? with all the mods some people do i think there are alot of bikes over 650#.

later
jon

 

As I understand it, the law is for mfr's and new registrations, and applies for weight of the model as delivered. After you get it, it's no big deal what you do as far as adding weight.

I heard about this from Roger at R&S Motorsports in Shawano WI. He said the name of the idiot elect that pushed this through, but I forget.

On the bright side, this should force Polaris to learn about DOM and chromoly round tube and other weight saving methods that should bring them up to speed with the rest of the world!

This still wont help the 6x6 or the diesel.

What about the Traxter models?

The DS650 was ruled illegal and unregisterable (I know some will say they registered no problem) due to over width. I believe the fix was in narrower offset wheels OR flipping the wheels. Then of course, after registration, the owners often turn them back

 

I can't believe this! How come this is the first that it has come up? I don't have a quad, but planned on purchasing a HO this summer. What a joke! What can we do get this changed? Anything? I am in disbelief!

-Jared

 

Good old UpChuck Chvala. Get a real job

 

What a stupid idea. I am a WI resident, but in the military. I am happy about that now, as I can restister my ATV in other states besides WI. That would really put the damper on it when I get my HO....if I ever do.

 

I do not Know if Polaris or Bombadier will lighten there big quads over this.A state that makes bizzare laws like that might be better to move out of.

 

rooster

One way around this for Polaris would be to sell the Polaris Sportsman Wisconsin model. It would come from the factory or dealer (whatever necessary) without several bolt on items. I think enough weight could be shed by removing bumpers, floorboards, etc. Once the machine is registered, the dealer could reinstall these items back to stock status. Just remember, if there is a will, there is a way.