Well obviously our military has had much success with ATVs in both Gulf War I and II. It caught our enemy off guard early on in the war as our advancing ATVs ripped across the desert with kick-butt US Marines on them. They overtook the enemy so fast they did not know what was happening. Like Modern Day Road Warriors our US Military took the initiative and advantage and never gave the enemy a break. It was truly over that fast.

Thanks to the modern ATVs the US Military has gotten more aggressive and stronger too. Polaris Industries has sold the latest round of ATVs to the US Military and is delivering 50 more units in this next set of battlespace high-performance platforms. These latest units will be used in the rugged terrain of places like Afghanistan and they work very for that. They have also been deployed in South Western Asia. Here is a surplus Military ATV unit so you get an idea of what we are talking about perhaps you might like to go online and do a bit of searching?

Many hunters of large game have chosen these off-road wonders as the vehicles of choice, which makes perfect sense, as they are indeed, incredible workhorses in every regard. Luckily, they alos do not use near the fuel you might think due to the many different gears and gear ratios used. I’ve been quite impressed myself.

Of course no one really knows what goes on top of these all-terrain four-wheel 4X4 platforms. One would imagine, special sensors, weapons and other secret stuff. It is good to know that our US Military understands the value of ATVs and respects their agility, strength and performance. Please consider this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Buying a used ATV can be challenging, but if you take the right steps you can find a great deal. Here are some helpful tips when you are in the market for a used ATV:

-Know Who You Are Buying From
-Perform a Thorough Inspection
-Test Drive the Vehicle
-Get Everything in Writing

Know Who You Are Buying From

When you are in the market for a used ATV it is important to know that you are buying the vehicle from its owner. The easiest way to determine ownership is by the title. The owner should be listed on the title and/or the registration. You can verify the identity of the seller by checking their driver’s license or identification card. If you don’t take the precaution to verify who you are buying from, you could lose all of your money and possession of the vehicle too.

It is important to make certain before any money changes hands that you are actually purchasing a vehicle from the owner of record.

Perform a Thorough Inspection

It is a good idea to take the ATV to a mechanic you can trust, and have them perform an inspection. This way if anything is defective they will be able to tell you up front. The owner of the ATV should have no problem allowing for an inspection if the deal is straight forward. Another approach is to buy the vehicle, but with a 30 money-back guarantee, pending a mechanic inspection. Most states already allow 30 days to change your mind if you buy an ATV from a private sale. Check your state for their rules.

Having a mechanic perform a thorough inspection of a used ATV can prevent you from spending a great deal of money, after you buy it.

Test Drive the Vehicle

A lot of promises can be made when looking over a used ATV for sale, so it is always a good idea to take it for a test drive. Nothing can reveal potential problems better then a good spin around the block. Whether it might be engine problems, suspension problems, or steering problems, a test drive will reveal them almost immediately. Unless you are willing to purchase a vehicle site-unseen, you should always take it for a test drive before laying out any money.

A test drive is the quickest method you can use for determining any potential defects that a used ATV may have.

Get Everything in Writing

Almost every state has strict guidelines when it comes to the transfer of vehicles. When you begin the negotiating process for a used ATV make sure to look over the paperwork, and verify that it is in order. Otherwise, if the paperwork is cloudy, you may find it difficult to secure the title, or registration in your state. If the seller makes warranty for the vehicle make sure to get it in writing, and have it initialed by a witness. This is necessary because some sellers have very faulty memories of a sale, after you cart off the ATV.

When buying a used ATV getting all the details of the sale in writing, including warranty or sale conditions is the best way to protect your interests.

Another great way to get a good price on an ATV is to browse online auctions. Check out GIO Bikes for great ATV auctions including a 110cc atv.

ATVs are becoming popular in the transportation industry today. The acronym ATV stands for All-Terrain Vehicle. As the name suggests, they are intended for off-road use on trails and can take you on adventures far away from home and the road. These types of vehicles are designed for interactive riding. Drivers must be able to shift their weight  freely in all directions, depending on the situation and type of terrain.

 ATVs are more popular for trail riding, hunting, farming and other recreational uses. Some  define them as the modern, mechanized horses that offer a new brand of adventure and the ability to go places that are difficult for even horses.

The most common type of ATV sold is the utility type. These are the traditional type which are widely used on and off the road. The other type, the sports-type, is much more popular to hobbyists. Many use them to race or compete with other ATV owners.

Just like the regular cars, sports-type owners can modify and customize some ATV parts for added performance. Some examples of ATV races and competition are ATV motocross, wood racing, desert racing, hill climbing, ice racing, speedway, Tourist Trophy, flat track, drag racing and many more.

The advent of the modern ATV started as early as the year 1983. The main idea was adopted from its earlier version called the “Quadracycle”. The company Royal Enfield started making improvements on the simple versions of non-powered Quadracycles which also resemble  the modern design of quad-bike.

During the 1960s, many manufacturers followed by producing the same off-road vehicles that has the capability of crossing swamps, ponds and also can travel on dry and rough surfaces. The body was made of hard plastic or fiber glass and had six-wheels of which all were driven, and all with low pressure (approx. 3 PSI).

Instead of having the typical motorcycle-type handle bars, they were equipped with steering wheels or a control stick. The production of these vehicles was prominent in America.

It became famous with American and Canadian hunters and for some who enjoyed doing fun trail rides. After several years the Japanese auto manufacturers took over with the development of the ATV and started developing three and four-wheeled versions.

One of the largest innovators of the three and four-wheeled ATVs was Honda. They led the revolution of the modern day design we are now familiar with. The company introduced their first three-wheeled ATV, the ATC90, which was used in several famous hollywood movies, like James Bond: Diamonds are Forever as an example.

 The design of the ATC90 was patterned from earlier versions of the ATVs that had large balloon tires instead of having tires with mechanical suspension. During the early 1980s, mechanical suspension and lower-profile tires for the ATVs was introduced.

Honda again led the innovation by releasing the Honda ATC200E known as Big Red. It was equipped with both suspension and racks making it the first three-wheeled utility ATV. Many companies followed, except Suzuki. Since Honda was able to established their name brand on the industry many competitors had a very difficult time selling their own ATVs.

While Honda was leading in the industry for producing three-wheeled ATVs, Suzuki tried to find their own way into the industry and did so by introducing the development of four-wheeled ATVs by releasing the QuadRunner LT125. 

This was intended as a recreational machine for beginners. Many companies realized that the four-wheeler was starting to get a lot of attention in the market so most of them built their own models to compete in the market, including Honda.

The industry has grown to large proportions, many companies have joined the competition and are developing new features for the machines. The ATVs are really helpful, especially with oil prices going up, we can say that they are highly economical. Many states and countries have regulations concerning the usage of ATVs and hopefully most purchasers will abide by the rules. For more information about ATVs, you could check here.

Visit the ATV site owned my Jimmy Woodall, located at: http://atv.jwoodl.com lots of news and video feeds as well as articles to help you with your decision, or just for your enjoyment. If you happen to be involved in or interested in Affiliate marketing visit his site at: http://freegiveaways.jwoodl.com/index.html and get your free ebooks, one on PPC, One on eBay and one on Affiliate marketing.

In recent years, the big brother of ATV’s, known as the UTV, have seen a rapid rise in use by emergency services organizations across the country. Fire, Police and EMS are now recognizing a wide variety of uses and applications for these UTV vehicles including wild land firefighting, emergency medical evacuation from remote locations, police search and rescue operations, crowd control, SARS urban interface just to name a few.

As President and owner of one of the leading manufacturers of medical and fire skid units built specifically for these specialized vehicles, I get calls daily from chief officers and administrators from across the country inquiring about the suitability of one type of make model UTV over another. The ones that haven’t purchased a UTV yet are in luck. It is the organization that has already purchased a UTV with the mistaken notion that the particular make/model they purchased will be adequate for the needs of the emergency services they lead who are sometimes in trouble.

There are many UTV makes and models to choose from on the market today. Some are much better suited for emergency services work than others. Some UTV’s have no business being utilized by these organizations at all for emergency services work. The Polaris Ranger 6×6 and 4×4, Kubota RTV 900, Kawasaki Mule 3010, John Deere Gator 6×6 and 4×4, Cub Cadet big country, the Buffalo 6×6 and the Argo amphibious are all units that are very popular and seem to be the best suited for emergency services work. There are many other makes and models that deserve tighter scrutiny to insure they will be useful for the mission they will be expected to fulfill.

Emergency services organizations need to put just as much time, effort, thought and due diligence into the purchase of their UTV as they would for their next ambulance or fire truck. First, we need to outline mission objectives, types of typography/geography in the main response area (hilly, steep versus swampy, moist environments) and ultimately the primary mission of the UTV in the organization, medical transport, wild land firefighting or a combination of the two. Once these questions have been answered, then the organization can look at the specifications of the different type UTV models available that best meet the mission objectives. Second, safety must always be high on the list. Most UTV’s provide seat belts but make sure the UTV model you are interested in comes equipped with them (and then write proper SOG’s or SOP’s to insure your organization follows the seat belts always rule) as well as having ROPS (roll over protection structure) which is essentially a roll cage that protects the occupants of the seated areas in the UTV. Third, is the overall weight carrying capacity of the entire unit but more specific the carrying capacity of the cargo bed is of utmost importance. This is where many departments get tripped up. They go out and purchase a unit that cannot meet industry-carrying requirements of these skid units but find out too late.

When considering the purchase of a UTV, I am certain that true 4×4 or 6×6 drive train capability is a must for your organization. Again, check the make/model specifications carefully. Some claim to be 6×6 (which they are, almost) but looking closer you will find that only 4 of the 6 wheels on the vehicle are really true drive wheels. The other two wheels are just freewheeling. Test drive the units while looking at turning radius on the 6×6 versus the 4×4, or is the payload requirements of your mission dictates the 6×6 over the 4×4.

On cargo bed requirements for a medical type skid unit, I have a rule of thumb that the UTV you are buying should be rated to carry at least 650 lbs. in the cargo bed of the unit. We get to this number by adding the weight of the base skid unit (usually 150 lbs. or less) by the average weight of an attendant, patient, trauma bag, O2 bag and bottle and other necessary items. There are UTV’s out there that are rated to only carry 400 lbs. in the cargo bed, which is way below the 650 lbs. mentioned above. If it is a wild land firefighting skid with water and gear that you are interested in, that number can jump to 900 lbs. and above for a required rated cargo capacity. When doing your due diligence and getting specifications, the web sites of all the manufactures mentioned above is a great starting place. For instance, the Polaris 6×6 Ranger has an overall rated vehicle payload capacity of 1750 lbs. with a rated cargo bed capacity of 1250 lbs. The Kubota RTV 900 has similar ratings at an overall payload capacity of 1653 lbs. and 1102-lbs. cargo bed capacity. The Polaris Ranger 4×4 has a vehicle payload capacity of 1500 lbs. and a cargo bed rated capacity of 1000 lbs. As you can see, the relationship between the make and models specifications and rated capacities soon helps you narrow your search for the right UTV for the mission you expect it to undertake. Most UTV skid manufactures are starting to standardize the size of the skid units. The cargo bed of the UTV should be at least 49″ wide and 54″ long. UTV units with smaller sized beds will potentially restrict you as to how many skid units you have to choose from and could drive the price up substantially if a customized skid unit needs to be built to fit your particular UTV.

Remember, as a chief officer of an emergency services organization, you do not want to be put in the unenviable position of having to answer tough questions by a high priced litigation attorney seeing your organization because you placed the wrong UTV into the wrong mission area resulting in an accident. We must give these vehicles the same respect and due diligence when deciding which unit to purchase as we do when we buy the larger vehicles. These vehicles can harm our personnel and our patients just like if we have an accident with the larger units. It is imperative that we do everything to prevent an accident by purchasing the right UTV for the mission.

In closing, the point of this article is to get you to consider your options of makes/models of UTV’s very closely before you make the final purchase. I also want to say that I am not a fan of the use of ATV’s in use by emergency services. I bought one for my small rural department but soon felt that the unit did not provide enough safety protection for my firefighters/EMT’s. First you ride up on an ATV like on a motorcycle instead of inside a UTV like a car. Second, there are no seat belts on ATV’s where there is almost always seat belts on UTV’s, and finally the ATV can be very unstable in many conditions. ATV’s should serve limited mission roles in emergency services organizations. Remember that cheaper in terms of cost is not always best when it comes to our national motto for firefighters “Everyone comes home”.

Kimball W. Johnson is President of KIMTEK Corporation http://www.kimtekresearch.com makers of the MEDLITE Medical Transport skid unit (patent pending), The FIRELITE Transport for wild land firefighting and makers of the EUV (emergency utility vehicle) which is a turn key, ready for service unit that is available on a variety of make and model chassis. Mr. Johnson is also a volunteer Fire Chief and volunteer EMT.

The Yamaha Raptor 250 is the perfect beginner ATV quad for teens through adults. The Raptor 250 is smaller than its bigger siblings (Raptor 350, Raptor 660, and Raptor 700R), but allows ample room for a larger rider. The Raptor 250 has a single piston 249cc 4-stroke engine that was originally used on the Yamaha Ripper, but has been modified for ATV off-road use. It has a broad powerband which is beneficial to any beginner ATV rider. This engine packs more than enough power for any beginning rider and enough oomph to be enjoyed by experienced riders that tend to favor bigger models.

The Yamaha Raptor 250 is a quad that you can grow with. Don’t think that because this is your “beginner bike” you’ll quickly get bored with it once you become a more experienced rider. There are plenty of aftermarket manufacturers of ATV performance parts such as carburetor jet kits, exhaust systems, wheels and tires, and more. All these items will let your Raptor 250 run with the “big boys” and it’s definitely a quad that you’ll keep for years.

Consumer’s Digest named the Yamaha Raptor 250 a “Best Buy” in the Sport ATV category and ATV Sport magazine named it the “Best Of Class” for 2008. With those votes of confidence and Yamaha’s history in the sport ATV market, you can be assured that the Raptor 250 is a reputable ATV that has lots to offer. Yamaha didn’t cut corners when producing this ATV. It has the power and performance capabilities of ATVs priced twice as much as the Raptor 250 all packaged into a lightweight, economical, fun-out-of-the-box ATV that will give beginners and veterans years of enjoyment.

http://www.Raptor-Parts.com has a huge and ever-changing selection of new and used Yamaha Raptor parts as well as the Yamaha Raptor 250, Raptor 50, Raptor 80, Raptor 350, Raptor 660, and Raptor 700R.

If you have an ATV, particularly a Polaris ATV, then you’ll definitely want to consider at least some of the many Polaris accessories that are available on the market. Many different companies and stores will offer different types of ATV accessories. Some of the more commonly found accessories for an ATV include bags, clothing and seating, storage devices and options, and even specialized accessories that enable your ATV to pull small trailers behind it.

When it comes to storage devices for Polaris accessories, you’ll most often find both front and rear utility-style baskets. These baskets will often be installed using tubular slots, which enables them to quickly latch onto your ATV’s rack handles. Storage boxes are another option for storage. These can be more cumbersome, but enable you to store tools, snacks and drinks safely and securely on your ATV. How about a Quad trunk? This less used Polaris accessory will wrap around the back end of your ATV. Speaking of storage, a fuel storage device is a great thing to take along on long journeys. Most of these storage devices will enable you to bring along three gallons of fuel for the ride. A specialty fender bag will wrap around your ATV’s fender and keep bottles, cans and other odds and ends within easy reach of the person driving the ATV.

For comfort, Polaris accessories that provide cushioning and the like are a must. Loungers are special seat cushions that fit into the driver’s seat. As a bonus, they can also function as a storage device. Apparel is another popular choice when shopping for Polaris accessories. The clothing sold under the category of ATV accessories is designed especially for those individuals who will be driving and/or riding in an ATV. Headgear, gauntlets and gaiters are popular types of Polaris apparel. Headgear protects the rider’s head, while gauntlets keep hands safe and warm, and gaiters protect the ankles and feet. Thumb grips also help to protect thumbs, and utility grips and grids can help hold various farming and land tools that people may need to carry along on their ATV.

The great thing about most of the Polaris accessories listed here is that they are definitely affordable. You will often find accessories for less than $200 apiece. While this sounds like a hefty price tag, consider it against the relative cost of your Polaris ATV! If you’d like to shop for Polaris ATVs and accessories, then you can check out any sporting goods or ATV store or website.

Kimberly Green bringing you the best deals for the Polaris ATV, Polaris accessories and many more Motorcycle finds.

Yamaha produces great and powerful performance vehicles. It also boasts a line of snowmobiles that are highly regarded. As with everything that is created tough and for rugged terrain, there is always a possibility that your snowmobile could stall. It’s at this time that you need to locate a genuine Yamaha parts dealer in your area. You can find the dealers in the yellow pages or listed on the internet.

You can also look for used parts, but for optimal performance, its always advisable to go for new parts.

When you are looking for certain parts like, drive belts, light shields, spring and cam arms make sure you get parts that are compatible with your snowmobile. Always make sure that you have your snowmobile specifications with you when you are going to the dealer.

If you can, also see if you can take down serial numbers of the parts that you need. This always makes it easier to narrow down your search and to find the part you need, as opposed to trying to give a physical description. If your Yamaha snowmobile parts dealer doesn’t have the parts that you require, you can always find a dealer on the internet that might have the parts.

Once you have the parts at hand, you are now ready to fix your snowmobile, well if you are comfortable using tools. You can otherwise take your snowmobile to an authorized auto shop or to an experienced Yamaha mechanic to have your snowmobile fixed and the new parts installed.

Peter Gitundu Researches And Reports On Snowmobiles. For More Information On snowmobile parts Yamaha, Visit His Site At SNOWMOBILE PARTS YAMAHA You Can Also Post Your Views About snowmobile parts Yamaha On My Blog Here SNOWMOBILE PARTS YAMAHA

With the high price of fuel in the market today, motorists now consider fuel economy as a vital component in their everyday driving. Most of them think that if their cars have fuel-efficient engines, then they can reduce their car’s fuel consumption by significant proportions. Thus, it is no wonder why many of these drivers contemplate about getting a diesel engine instead of a gasoline-powered one. Others who may have been driving a gasoline engine from the start and want to switch engines have tried exploring the possibility of switching their current engine to a diesel-powered one. Now this is no easy feat. Changing car engine types is not as simple as changing one’s shirt.

While it is definitely possible to change from gas to diesel, the process is impractical. Because gas and diesel engines are very different from one another, there is sure to be a lot of parts that need to be adjusted. Gas to diesel conversion entails not one part to be altered; in fact, the process would affect the whole mechanical set-up of the vehicle. The most important change would have to involve the difference between the engines’ compression ratios. Diesel engines, you see, need a higher compression ratio compared to a gasoline engine. This is because diesel uses heat of compressed air to ignite the fuel. A gas engine, on the other, has spark plugs to do the trick. To solve this problem, you would have to install longer crankshafts in place of the shorter ones in a gas engine. This is more complicated that it looks because there are no ready-made crankshafts for all engines. Therefore, depending on the availability of crankshafts for your car model, you may have to have yours custom-made.

The second drawback is with regards to the fuel path. In gasoline engines, the fuel is injected into an intake manifold and then led into the combustion chamber for ignition. In the case of diesel engines, though, the fuel is directly injected into a pre-chamber where actual combustion takes place. In short, diesel engines have longer fuel paths compared to a gasoline engine. To address this difference, you would have to alter the heads in such a way that it can accommodate a pre-chamber, glow plug, and a diesel fuel injector.

Some fuel pressures in gas engines might be too high for diesel fuel. Should you covert your gas engine to diesel engine, you would need to replace your fuel pump with one that produces lower pressure. This means, too, that you would have to find space to mount the new fuel pump on the engine and learn how to handle this.

There is also an issue as to the timing difference between gas and diesel pumps. You would need to install a Diesel MFI Pump that is to be mounted on the engine and tied to the crankshaft with a timing belt. Other than these, there is also a problem with the gaskets of your current gas engine. Its head gasket need to be replaced with ones that can sustain a higher pressure as diesel puts out four times more pressure than gasoline. After this, you would also need to beef up your suspension as the diesel engine is far more heavy than the gasoline.

So if you ask about the probability of such process. The answer is a solid “yes.” It is possible, gas to diesel conversion can happen. But the conversion along will cost you so much time and money. If it’s a diesel engine you have in your mind, the quickest and most pain-free option would be sell your gas-run engine and just buy yourself a diesel-powered one.

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