Power Sports Market Continues Growing

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The ATV market has shown consistent growth in recent years, with sales increasing four percent in 2002, three percent in 2003 and 6.5 percent in 2004. Sales are expected to increase six percent overall in 2005, and they have increased a whopping 472 percent since 1990.
Recent years have also seen the growing momentum of utility vehicles and "side-by-sides." Physically less demanding to ride off-road and featuring additional seating and a cargo bed, side-by-sides have become popular alternatives to ATV's in recreational applications. Utility vehicles have become popular in work and recreational applications, especially among hunters and large estate and hobby farm owners.
New side-by-side vehicles are difficult to classify. While their bench or bucket seats with multiple passenger capability differentiate them from ATV's, they also feature light cargo bed capabilities, twice the ground clearance and more speed than traditional utility vehicles.
A survey performed by Powersports Business shows demand for sport quads, utility vehicles and side-by-sides is growing. "We're gaining speed on the sport side of things with the new models on the market, buy utility quads still account for probably 70 percent of our ATV sales here and, as far as vehicle sales go, Yamaha's Rhinos are sold before they even hit the floor," says Matt Isard, co-owner of Power Motor Sports in Fremont, Mich.
ATV parts and accessories are a big business and, according to Isard, sport enthusiasts come to his store in search of rims, tires, pipes, axles, handlebars and riding gear, while utility riders purchase soft bags (tank, fender and front and rear rack), plow blades, winch kits and windshields.
Owners of Yamaha's side-by-side Rhino model are also coming in for add-ons. "They've had them a few months, got a little use out of them, and now they're looking for cabs, plows, winches and a number of other things," says Isard.
According to Baron Horton of Central Yamaha in Plano, Texas, ATV sales at his dealership are split evenly between sport and utility. "People with utility quads are looking at big wheel kits - mostly from ITP - Quad Boss and Moose racks and bags," says Horton. "Sport riders are looking at pipes, jet kits, wheel and tire kits, sprockets, anything performance. People seem to be looking for gear for their Rhinos, too, using Yamaha's branded accessories - skid plates and big wheel kits mostly."
"Everybody in this area rides ATV's," says Dee Bitting of Turning Wheel Sport Center in Leesburg, Fla. "A lot of people who live around here have five to ten acres. Racing is big in this area but don't get me wrong, we deal a lot of the Kodiak, Grizzly and Bruins, too"
According to Bitting, FMF pipes, V-Force Delta reeds, ITP Holeshot wheel kits and Pro Design Cool Heads are all big sellers in the sport quad market. Orders for engine parts usually boosts their service department, with engine work accounting for 25 to 30 percent of total revenue.
According to Billy Benigno of Hanover Honda-Yamaha in Whippany, N.J., the Yamaha Rhino is one of his most popular vehicles. "As far as ATV's go, people seem to be looking for the biggest and the baddest," says Benigno. "Right now we're selling sport quads like crazy, but we've also had a lot of interest in the Yamaha Rhino."
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