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World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS) Racing is one of the biggest national off road ATV racing series in the United States. It is a competition both for amateurs and professionals who are “The Fastest Racers on the Planet.” It was established in 2001, so 2010 is a celebration year – the Series is 10 years old.

As the organizers claim, the WORCS is organized “to promote safe, family fun off road sporting events. Our emphasis on timeliness and generally great racing overall is an effort to be the place for racers to get noticed by the factories and those companies that sponsor off road racers.”

The first ATV race of the season took place in January in Phoenix, Az. 7-time WORCS Champion - Doug Eichner - has just announced retirement, so it’s hard to predict who will be the winner at the end of the year.

2010 WORCS Racing Schedule

1. Jan. 22^nd - 24^th, Speedworld Raceway, Phoenix, Az
2. Feb. 26^th - 28^th, Buffalo Bills Resort Casino, Stateline, Nv (new track)
3. Mar. 19^th - 21^st, Crazy Horse Campground, Lake Havasu, Az
4. Apr. 23^rd - 25^th, Racetown 395, Adelanto, Ca
5. May 21^st - 23^rd, Honeylake MX, Milford, Ca
6. Jun. 4^th - 6^th, Cahilla Creek, Temecula, Ca (new track)
7. Jul. 23^rd - 25^th, Straddleline ORV Park, Olympia, Wa
8. Sept. 24^th - 25^th, Glen Helen, Devore, Ca
9. Oct. 15^th - 17^th, Mesquite MX, Mesquite, Nv

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Written by Mascus.com. Visit us online to find used ATVs for sale.

The second edition of the Dakar in Latin America ended on Saturday. Only 14 of 25 ATV riders finished the competition. It shows how difficult and demanding the race was. The quad category was won by Argentine’s Marcos Patronelli. Surprisingly, the second place was taken by his older brother, Alejandro, who was new to Dakar. Marcos Patronelli was the leader almost all the rally and won 4 of the 14 stages. It took him 64h17m44s to go through almost 5,553 miles of dunes, camel grass, mud and rocks. Alejandro needed 2h22m59s more, while Juan Manuel Gonzalez Corominas - who came third– was 5h07m31s late. What’s interesting, all three of them were riding Yamaha Raptor 700.

It’s hard to describe the cheer of the crowds during the celebratory ceremony in Buenos Aires, as Patronelli is the first Argentinean to win this world’s largest rally. Here is how he commented: “I would never have imagined this, not even in my wildest dreams. It’s incredible that two brothers finish first and second of the same raid! This Dakar was very hard. I cannot say more than that, except that I must thank my team. We are a family pushing hard, doing what it takes. I am also happy for my brother: it’s his first Dakar and he finishes second! Who wouldn’t be proud? (…). I am thrilled and I think that the fact that two brothers finish first and second is just making history. We will celebrate that!”

And he also shared some thoughts about the difficulties during the rally: “The toughest part in this edition is really the stages in Northern Chile: Antofagasta – Copiapo, Iquique – Antofagasta. They were endless and very complicated. Navigation was hard there.”

The next Dakar Rally will take place at the beginning of 2011; however its location has not been decided yet. Despite the difficulties, many participants compliment the route, organization and warm welcome in Chile and Argentina. On the other hand, some say it is high time to go back to Africa where the rally originated 32 years ago.

The post was written by CarTruckTarder.com. Visit us to find a comprehensive list of ATVs for sale.

This year, for the second time, the Dakar Rally is taking place in Argentina and Chile. It is known as one of the world’s most prominent and dangerous rallies. The 32^nd edition attracted almost 362 vehicles falling under the categories of bike, quad, and car and truck.

The Dakar Rally is an off-road endurance race where competitors struggle through dunes, mud, camel grass, rocks, and other rugged terrain. This year the route in the ATV category is 8,937 kilometers (5,553 miles) long and divided into 14 stages.

The route starts and ends in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first days of the rally are fairly easy. The course takes drivers through rocky Calamuchita Valley. Later the route becomes more challenging as the earth changes to sand and the first dunes appear along the way. After crossing the Andes Cordillera (at an altitude reaching over 4,000 meters/ 13,000 feet) the rally continues through the driest dessert in the world – the Atacama Desert, complete with gigantic dunes. After reaching the city of Iquique, Chile, the route takes riders back to Buenos Aires. Dutch biker Mirjam Pol assesses the Argentina-Chile rally as very diverse. “I noticed that in Argentina and in Chile, the stages are very varied. In the same day, you can see sand, stones, sea and mountains…”

The Dakar requires not only top-notch riding skills, but also endurance, determination, and a lot of preparation. In 2009, only 13 out of 25 quad riders finished the rally. This year also, 25 ATV riders have entered the competition, 10 of whom chose to ride the Canadian Can-Am Renegade 800. The second most popular choice was Yamaha (8) and third was Polaris (4).

Last year the best ATV rider was Josef Machacek on a Yamaha. Machacek planned to tie the motorcycle champion Stephane Peterhansel and truck ace Karel Loprais with six victories in the same category this year. Unfortunately the Czech rider has already withdrawn due to a shoulder injury he sustained in the 2nd stage of the race. It now seems that the victory may fall to Marcos Petronelli, riding the Yamaha Raptor 700, who came in second last year. The winner of this year’s competition will be known on the 16^th of January, when the last stage is scheduled to end.

The post was contributed by PennySaverUSA.com. Visit us online to find ATVs for sale.

A national environmentalist group called the Center for Biological Diversity has challenged a plan to build a 1-mile designated county trail through two plots of National Forest lands.

The center contends the Forest Service isn’t following its own rules. It complains the  agency failed to designate motorized trails within an allotted three-year period when the dunes NRA management plan was passed in 1994; a section of the land the trail would pass through is designated MA 10C, which is closed to motorized use; and that the trail violates the Forest Service’s 2001 Roadless Rule.

But a Biological Diversity attorney bluntly said these points of contention are just a means to an end. The group opposes ATV access into what it considers to a be a fragile and unique habitat, and will do anything it can to throw a wrench in the works.

“It’s a way to be heard,” said lawyer Andrew Orahoske, who’s heading up the group’s anti-Riley Ranch campaign. “The primary concern is that the Forest Service has done a poor job in managing offroad vehicles in the dunes since the dunes NRA was created. …

Sounds like the environmentalists won’t be happy until they’ve ruined everyone’s fun.

[Source: The World]

Kawasaki ATV Forum offers a brief look at the new KFX 700. Looks pretty sweet. And it’s over $1,000 cheaper then the Honda 700XX so worth looking at. The 697cc VTwin powerplant looks excellent and has lots of potential.

Specs:

Engine: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke V-twin, SOHC, four valves per cylinder with wet sump lubrication
Displacement: 697cc
Bore x stroke: 82 x 66mm
Carburetion: Dual Keihin CVKR-D32
Starting: Electric
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission with forward, reverse and neutral
Final drive: Shaft
Frame type: Double cradle, racing type, high-tensile tubular steel
Front suspension / wheel travel: Dual A-arms, coil-over shocks / 9.3 in.
Rear suspension / wheel travel: Linkless swingarm, piggy-back reservoir shock, dual-rate spring / 7.9 in.
Front tires: ITP® Holeshot® AT22×7-10
Rear tires: ITP® Holeshot® AT22×11-10
Front brakes: Dual discs with two-piston calipers
Rear brake: Sealed, oil-bathed, multi-disc
Overall length: 78.1 in.
Overall width: 47.0 in.
Overall height: 46.1 in.
Seat height: 33.5 in.
Wheelbase: 50.6 in.
Ground clearance: At center of chassis – 9.6 in, at rear axle – 6.3 in.
Lighting: Dual 45W halogen headlights, 5/21W taillight/brake light
Curb weight: 551.3 lbs.
Fuel capacity: 3.2 gal.
Footpegs: Sport-style serrated
Color choices: Lime Green, Metallic Marble Red
MSRP: $6,849-$7,149

Its holiday season: time for winter vacations and gift giving, two activities in which many ATV enthusiasts often incorporate their vehicles. Whether you are planning a hunting trip, a family escape from the city or a new off-road purchase, you may be faced with shipping your ATV. If this is the case for you, it is important that you know how to keep your ATV safe from theft and damage while it is in transport. This applies to when you are hauling your vehicle yourself and if you have decided to contract a moving professional.

One of the essential elements of moving an ATV are soft ties. These straps are specially designed to be durable enough to secure an ATV to a trailer while at the same time being non-abrasive to the more fragile exterior parts. These ties are used by most professional shippers and are available online and at any outdoor outfitter.

Another element to keep in mind when shipping an ATV is open versus closed trailers. If you transporting the vehicle a short distance than open trailers are just fine, just be sure to use a soft cover to protect it from debris and wind. However, if the distance increases or there is a risk of rough weather you should consider a closed trailer. Closed trailers not only provide protection from wind, rain and ice, but they also greatly decrease the chances of an ATV being stolen during a stop. Theft rates generally increase around the holidays, so be sure that any company you hire is taking these precautions as well.

In the event that you do hire a company to transport your ATV they will provide you with a checklist of additional steps to be taken before the shipment. These may include but are not limited to: draining the gas tank, removing or charging the battery and a maintenance check-up. Make sure you are clear on everything ahead of time. Also, as business tends to pick-up around Christmas it is always a good idea to book everything as far out as possible.

Happy holidays and safe riding.

Written by Ben Leffler of uship.com, an online marketplace for ATV Shipping.

A Study for the University of Kentucky claims that the current national standards that link a riders age to the size of the engine they can handle aren’t as good as they should be. Researchers suggested that this undermines safety and increases the odds of serious crashes.

Initial experiments from the study found that the national standards linking a rider’s age to the size of an ATV’s engine often overlook whether the driver is too tall - or too short - to adequately brake, steer or accelerate the machine.

While the study doesn’t question the need for age standards, it concludes sometimes even an adult-sized frame should be combined with a child-sized motor, or the reverse.

“That’s a very awkward situation,” said Andrew Bernard, a trauma surgeon at the university who led the study. “The kid feels naturally like he fits the bigger one, but the engine feels way overpowered.”

Here are the current standards:

• Ages 6-11: Under 70cc
• Ages 12-15: 70 to 90cc
• Ages 16 and older: Over 90cc

I guess we’ll see if there’ll be any changes to this.

[Source: Miamiherald.com]

The fine folks at IGN have posted a video review of Pure. Looks pretty damn sweet and made me want to buy it. Check it out.

Apparently, ATV thefts are cyclical and can be expected to rise in the fall with the cooler weather and hunting season. There’s a large market for stolen ATVs and they’re pretty easy to steal. So be careful guys and keep them locked in a garage or shed when not being used.

[Source: Ktbs.com]

This is from Pensacola Beach when Hurricane IKE hit on September 11th, 2008. In hindsight, it probably would have been a better idea to just let the surfer have his fun.