This year marks our second 24-Hour test at ATV Rider. Last year, we decided to evolve the longevity test from 12 hours to a full 24, yet wanted to keep it smallish and simple lest the event/story implode from overly high expectations. With some experience under my belt but a whole new staff, we anguished for months to figure out what to do. In the end, we threw the doors wide open to the industry and invited each of the seven major ATV manufacturers to bring a sport and a utility model of their choosing. We ended up with a varied mix of 12 units, of all sizes and design philosophies, and a parking lot full of boxvans, semis, RVs and trailers.
We used the I-5MX track parking lot as our base of operations since it has a nice, big solid parking option, as well as a nice, warm building in which to eat and answer the call of nature. And my, had our event grown. From a handful of folks to almost 100 this year, we had a pretty good cross section of the industry from the newest Team Green motocrossers, Jason Luburgh and Josh Creamer, to an original Can-Am rider, Gary Jones. Besides putting the machines around the 20-mile loop that circled clockwise around the greater part of Hungry Valley SVRA, we added a few special tests for each genre. The utilities got to demonstrate their 4x4 prowess in a little rock garden, while the sports spiraled in and out inside the Escargot-a shell-shaped, decreasing-radius turn. Both special tests were under the clock, with Dick Burleson rock crawling and Adam Campbell spinning ever-faster turns.
We came up with a few ideas from our post-event brainstorming to take the test up another notch or two and make it more fun. The list included all sorts of ideas-from different start/finish sites so we wouldn't spend the first five miles pounding through whoops, to shorter laps so everyone could get in a stint before the sun dropped, to more special terrain tests. I also want to get our readers more involved-and attending. Our sister magazine, Dirt Rider, does a splendid job with the BlueRibbon Coalition to recognize volunteers who spend 25-plus hours working on keeping our trails open with an invitation to attend, bring bikes and ride the test loop. This year had probably the biggest turnout I've seen in the half-dozen years they've been rewarding these grassroots advocates. I know there are ATV guys working on trails out there. Start documenting your work, and we'll coordinate with Don Amador at the BRC to see about getting you a pass to our test. It's a lot of fun to ride and hang out with some of the big names you only get to read about here.
And while I'm on the "get the reader involved" kick, read the next two issues (this is the 4x4 half, and next month, you'll get to see how the sports fared) and then come up with an idea for either a special terrain test or an overall theme for the 2008 24-Hour. Last year, we did modified ATVs with a $10,000 cap, and this year, it was all stock units. If ATV Rider uses your idea, perhaps we'll send an invite to join us as we test the night away. So enjoy the photos and the tests, the first by ATVR contributor Dick Burleson. Next month we'll look at sports.
Jacks of all trades!
The instructions to the manufacturers for the 2nd annual ATV Rider 24 -Hour test were simple: Bring your best 4x4 trail machine to be tested at Hungry Valley SVRA Park in Gorman, California, for 24 hours straight. We didn't specify the displacement or retail price range, but left those options open to each company. The result was a very interesting mix of sizes and configurations that provided a representative sample of what is available in the market and the philosophy each manufacturer has on what type of product is best for the 4WD trail-minded customer.