So, I'm not alone out here in the woods!

Thank you everyone for all your support. I apologize for not getting this up sooner but I’ve been out of internet reach for a while. Unfortunately it wasn’t because I was out for a week-long ride.

In the time since I wrote “Is it Just Me?” I received some great comments on the blog that are well worth reading and more than a few emails I thoroughly enjoyed. Here’s a sample of just some of the others of us regular folks trapped out in the “ATV world of ridiculous.”

No its not just you, Doug. I thought you were speaking directly to me. I feel 100% as you do on this subject. It’s all about marketing bull and the bottom line is big money. Let's get back to common sense. I feel that if it wasn't for ATV Television, the ATVTV Blog, trip videos, product reviews, gear to take on trips, first aid and safety gear etc. people would be at a loss. Doug, you and your crew do such a great job and we all are looking for more trip videos, great product reviews and always your ATV Blog page.

Doug, God Bless As always on a wing and a prayer.  

Girard.

Very kind words Girard. We are indeed working on more trip videos, and more focused adventure preparation stuff.

Hi Doug,

This is a follow up letter to the letter I sent responding to your frustrated blog. I get ATV.com news by email and just read a review of the 2010 Honda Rubicon.  Your review of the Razor is also there, though I saw that review on your website. I told you in the previous letter that many of us rely on you for accurate reviews and let me add the term "complete" to accurate. Just compare the review of the Honda to your review of the Razor and you will know why I am saying that. I learned almost nothing about the Honda. Could it be the writer was afraid to write anything negative therefore he didn't write much at all?

Thanks, Gary

Well Gary, it is very easy to tick off the manufacturers when you tell it like you see it! Especially if you see it different from the way they do! We rely on the manufacturers to supply us with the test units and it’s only natural that if they don’t like what you say that they’ll just not give you any more. After all, as they’ve told me, why send you anything to test if you’re just going to say negative things about it? I’ve mellowed in my reviews over the years as I’ve learned that everyone’s expectations and desires are a little different. Imagine that! Actually, as I’ve grown older and spent more time in Utah rather than Southern California I’ve learned that so much of what people look for in an ATV depends on where they ride, how they ride, and what they do with the ATV. But, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t better ATVs than others ;-)

Doug,

 I couldn't agree with you more about your recent blog post. My wife and I have ridden in Wyoming, Colorado & Utah the last two and a half years since we've taken up the sport. As older riders we spend lots of time on the trails and enjoy the low speed scenic trail rides in all the places we go. I think the problem you point to is two-fold.

 I believe most of the advertising and magazine features are aimed at the testosterone-driven crowd because that bunch will spend more money solely on their ATV or UTV emulating the hot-rodders. The trail riders I am familiar with will also spend a fair bit of discretionary money, but it is more diverse. Since we spend a lot more time on the trail in no hurry, we concentrate on long lasting reliable equipment but not all of it is focused on the ride. I've ridden with hunters, people with high-end camera gear, geocachers with GPS units, and people who spend a lot of time hiking from where their ATV can take them.

 The latter group tends to spend more on ancillary items and riding to see historical features, something the magazines seem to miss, perhaps you want to start the first publication to focus on the vacation trial riders? I believe that its a large group you mention.

 And the Bighorns? We have wide-open spaces where there is nobody for miles and miles. Sacrifice a little in the ride department for a tire that reputedly won't leave you stranded because of getting cut up on all of our sharp rock, and yet is an effective tire in most all terrain. Reputation among our friends is that it will last us several thousand miles too. That's why this year a stock size tire with that kind of reputation will be replacing the OEM tires my wife and I are running.

 Check out the websites Offroading Home and Nyrocatv. Trailriders are out here. It's a big and diverse group. We research our purchases by surfing web sites like I mentioned as well as yours and following them a lot prior to purchases.

 For a future review think "ground anchors". Used in the 4x4 community when your winch comes up short of a tree or fixed object or personal locators.

 Your site is great and I've been following it for a long time. Thanks

 Bernie

 Tires like the Bighorns are certainly known to be bullet-proof! I think I mentioned that two close friends have over 5000 miles of problem-free riding on the Bighorns. Unfortunately I struggle with wanting to spend 5000 miles of riding with that type of handling. But, as I said in the reply to Gary above here, so much depends on how and where you ride. It can also depend on what you ride as well. One of my before-mentioned friends switched from Bighorns to ACTs and would never go back. The other wouldn’t switch out his ‘Horns’ if I gave him a set of other tires for free! I respect both their opinions and neither are wrong. So what’s the answer? What you like best.

All good topics for another time.

Stay tuned as more’s coming soon.

Doug