Dear Motorhead:
As an avid ATV enthusiest I am concernd with how you show the biggest and badest ATVs ripping up the country side.
These types of articles on TV only add more fuel to the fire for those who oppose our sport.
You are doing more harm than good for the sport.
Larry G.
Kelowna, BC
Thanks for your email!
While I appreciate your comments let me state a few realities.
First, our ripping up trails is always on designated, sanctioned ATV and SXS trails. Places like Hatfield McCoy and Brimstone and our backyard in Haliburton County have sanctioned trails which – for the most part – are what you see on DirtTrax Television.
These trails are provided for ATV and SXS use and have remedial work done on them seasonally and in some cases monthly and even weekly.
Other areas we use to tape DirtTrax are actually private property owned by our family. We have a professional, groomed track which we use for high performance (450 class) ATV’s and SXS’s for extreme action photography.
So, that’s what you’re seeing – there’s no unruly environmental damage going on. However, there’s something much bigger here at play which your letter tweaks me to speak to.
These vehicles – high performance ATV’s and side-x-sides exist. They are available for purchase by anyone because they sell – and they sell big.
Our portrayal of these vehicles in their proper environment is not the least bit irresponsible. It should be said clearly and known in our sport that these vehicles do “rip” and responsible use of them is very important. However, responsible use as you are implying would be a twenty MPH trail ride never spinning a wheel.
DirtTrax Television and Magazine would not insult the intelligence of our viewers or readers by portraying these vehicles in a way they surely will not be used.
Yes, there are a very small percentage of off-roaders who act irresponsibly and tear up sensitive areas and trespass causing us all harm. However, we’re all big enough boys and girls to know no one buys an XPIK Polaris and drives it 20 MPH.
The irresponsible participants in our sport are no more prevalent (as a percentage of total users) than they are in un-motorized activities like skiing, rock climbing and mountain biking. A certain small percentage of the population cannot be reasoned with – we have them and so does everyone else.
Let’s not believe that if we show ATV’s and SXS’s driving at 20 MPH without spinning a wheel we are somehow going to convince the general public everything is 100% okay all the time or that these high performance off road vehicles are being used this way most of the time.
If you have a problem with irresponsible use and trespass on (or off) your trails then I heartily encourage you to enforce every law and ordinance you have at your disposal to bring these morons to justice and teach them a lesson.
Simply put, there’s a right place and a wrong place for motorized off road activity – we stand solidly for everyone using the right place.
Thanks,
Motorhead Mark
