A T V india

ALL SOLD

2011-09-26T22:17:00.000+05:30

DeepakChaudhary came all the way from Chandigarh today and took delivery of all THREE extra ATVs that Ihad.

Blue, Green and Yellow ATVs are on the way to Chandigarh now.

I have no more ATVs to sell and so please don’t mail me asking for them.

Sumanta riding ATV in Tripura

2011-08-17T18:48:00.003+05:30

Just got news that Sumanta happily riding his RED ATV in Tripura. It was nice that he sent me the photographs taken in his camera while he was here to collect his dream machine. In the above photo, I am explaining the riding and maintenance techniques to Sumanta.

One ATV delivered

2011-08-08T07:11:00.014+05:30

Yesterday evening Mr Sumanta Debbarma took a ATV and hopped into a train to Tripura. Yes Mr Sumanta living on other side of Bangla Desh came all the way to collect one ATV and I think this is farthest distance my ATV will go. I wish many happy days of ATV riding to him.

So there are two [BLUE and GREEN] complete ATVs with me and one Yellow machine that has some minor components missing. Interested people need not mail me regarding their availability as I will be posting update immediately after deliveries.

My blog gets plenty of hits from around the country. Many people send mail to enquire about availability and import guidance. I have no way to determine their seriousness, so cannot separate grain from chaff with email communication There are people who have approach me & create impression that they are hopping on plane on next day to parachute on my farm just to collect a ATV. One Mr Amaan from Mumbai just did that last week.

Having myself flown powered hang glider solo, aka microlight aircraft - and having a bad crash later on, I am not dazzled by their flying in plans. But I have to be courteous. My poor health makes this difficult. I keep my routine work pending to accommodate them. Suddenly communication gets cold and they don’t even inform me of changed circumstances.

Riding ATV mean you have to unlearn a crucial movement that we get used to during riding two wheelers. We should never lift our leg out of footrests. Even if we are going to be toppled, our legs should continue to be on footrest to avoid more injury. I was busy teaching all these fine points of riding and maintenance and so neglected taking photographs while he was with us.

Why I prefer cash & carry sale ?

2011-07-22T14:48:00.013+05:30

I am a person of strong conviction and I want the people who buy ATV from me to be 100 % satisfied getting value for their money and not 95 %. That can happen only with pre delivery inspection and one to one talk. My hearing problem prevents long telephonic discussion. That is one of the main reason I want people to take delivery from my farm.

I am not a businessman. For two full years and till my faithful Blue ATV clocked more than 250 hours – I was not willing to sell the spare ATV to anybody as I wanted to be certain about the quality. Only after that I was ready to sell but by then initial euphoria had died down. I am not making too much effort to sell.

I keep getting mail from interested people in distant places. Negotiating the packing and forwarding ATVs is too much of burden for me right now. So I am giving this explanation here instead of individual replies.

Sending to a faraway person involves numerous tasks. First I have to get packing material and fabricate a box. Then have to pay VAT, maybe Rupees 5000 @ 12.5 % of 40 K at commercial tax office and get the receipt to facilitate smooth transport. Then I have to take it to lorry office for booking. All this will cost some money. With my rock-bottom price, I don't want to add expenses. Being partially handicapped, I cannot move around easily. All these work as well as expenses will be absent while giving on cash and carry basis.

Right now I have three surplus pieces and some visitors are expected soon to have a look. If there is a sale, it will certainly be mentioned here. The first machine to go out will be cheapest and I expect little more for latter pieces.

My farm location can be seen from following links : http://osm.org/go/yyYtmAM-- openstreet link & http://ow.ly/4LKBs leads to wikimapia

More info on surplus ATVs offered

2011-05-28T14:49:00.007+05:30

I am getting numerous mail from faraway states regarding ATV. Some people are keen to have more than one piece. So here are more details on different ATVs.

BLUE – ONE - I have extensively used this both in farm and in seashore- Not for sale.

BLUE - TWO - only unpacked. Never poured fuel into fuel tank.

RED- Started once but have not used. SOLD

GREEN - only unpacked. Never poured fuel into fuel tank

YELLOW - have removed carburetor and connecting hose. Can be made ready by getting components from market. Fuel never poured into the tank.

They will need 12 V 9 Ah battery worth 1200 INR. Otherwise should be ok. Any herohonda mechanic should be able to get it ready. Electric components like plug, CD units are same as herohonda.

I have so far not agreed to the offers that require packing and dispatch as I prefer cash and carry deal. They are CHEAP and good value for money.

Surplus ATV for SALE

2011-05-04T09:07:00.008+05:30

I have three unused ATVs in my godown. I had to get five as my Chinese manufacturer, supplier at last moment said, minimum order quantity was five and I wanted one very urgently. The available colours are red, blue and green.

Right now I am not using ATV much due to further downturn in farm activities. My anti global warming beliefs also plays a role in this.

I am now moving around in a electric assist tricycle. My trike is unique that can accept energy inputs both from pedals and battery. You can see more on this in my blog. http://e-triking-india.blogspot.com/

So the ATVs are available for sale at my COST PRICE, on as is where is basis. Sorry All SOLD My place is 45 km from Mangalore which is in West Coast of India. http://ow.ly/4LKBs

ATVs are designed for offroad use with no differential. So they are not suitable for tarmac and are not registered by RTO.

This is very unique opportunity. Rush before they are sold out.

Importing goods into India.

2010-04-28T19:09:00.003+05:30

Every week I get letters either asking how much I paid for ATV in China or how much import duty was charged by Indian customs.

Many of these enquiries happens to be just for creating nuisance and nothing is going to be achieved by those people. Still I politely used to reply every one of them.

The total amount I paid as cost to ATV manufacturer in China and to Indian customs do not give whole picture. About sixty five percent have been spent under above two headings whereas one third money have been spent to facilitate the transfer. In earlier posting have made a list where you have to spend money.

Here is an example. As I mentioned earlier procedure involved for customs clearance of very small consignment and very big are basically same, the charges may appear to be expensive for small consignment. The agency charges for me was INR 6500 which will be same even for a small consignment.

So importing small consignment hoping to get it bit cheaper is very foolish thinking. We have to import the things if and only if the goods are not available locally or monopoly dealers quote exorbitant prices for that.

Second part of our Seashore trip

2010-04-25T14:38:00.008+05:30

Our first seashore expedition was cut short by heavy rainfall and impending darkness. The incomplete part as I saw in wikimaps was very spectacular and on the same day I made up my mind to come back to complete the remaining distance.

Since the remaining portion was very small that can be covered in one hour or a little more, we started from Padubidri coast. We planned to start at three in the evening and visited relatives in the afternoon.

Rohit arrived at rendezvous point in time, accompanied by a TV team from Namma TV. It was bit unexpected by me and immediately we started unloading and got the ATV ready. Anil accompanied by Abhinav was the first team this time also. They were able to make it to Kaup quite fast as they were in familiar terrain.

There is a small stream amidst rocks near Kaup light house and we had to come bit inland to cross that stream. TV team captured some footage near Kaup lighthouse while I was impatient to continue so as to reach Malpe while there was still some light.

Sunil started riding after a while and he applied brakes while taking a turn and result was loose chain jumped the sprocket. I had not tightened the chain very much as sand getting settled on the interior of chain may make result in chain breakage. He was able to correct the problem and resume the journey. We were in mobile phone contact and was taking it easy.

The narrow strip of land between pangala river and sea makes the area very scenic. There is road and few coconut trees plus a house between the river and sea in this area. The famous mattu brinjal grows in place called Mattu around here. The sandy soil gives unique flavour to this brinjal and the rain in late November that cut short our trip did spoil the brinjal crop also.

We reached the endpoint around Six and had ample time to enjoy ATV rides in wide beach. Meanwhile Video team spoke with all of us and little Abhinav and Sunil did speak nicely in front of TV camera.

ATVs in Dakar Rally 2010

2010-01-26T14:33:00.000+05:30

I was working on vacation ATV trips for this summer when I came across Dakar Rally story which was in concluding stage. The Dakar requires not only top-notch riding skills, but also endurance, determination, and a lot of preparation. This could be only Rally with so many different varieties of vehicles. Participants on Cars and Bikes get most exposure and media treats the competitors in ATVs, Buggies and Trucks as stepchildren.

The second edition of the Dakar in Latin America ended on 16th January 2010. Only 14 of 25 ATV riders finished the competition. It shows how difficult and demanding the race was. The ATV category was won by Argentine’s Marcos Patronelli. Surprisingly, the second place was taken by his older brother, Alejandro. This year the route in the ATV category was 8,937 kilometers long and divided into 14 stages. Of this 4717 km came under special timed stage and 4220 km under transport / connection stages. Marcos Patronelli was the leader almost all the rally and won 4 of the 14 stages. It took him 64h 17m 44s to go through dunes, camel grass, mud and rocks averaging more than 73 km per hour.

This years winner Marcos Patronelli has this to say - :

One thing is sure: 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? 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. We had to be really focused with all the way points. I am thrilled and I think that the fact that two brothers finish first and second is just making history. We will celebrate that!

This video on Marco was made while the Rally was progressing.

Life in the Dakar is tough enough on a bike or in a car, but you have to be an absolute lunatic to endure the pain of doing it on quad. Watch this video and get a behind the scenes look at what they have to endure on a daily basis

This is another good video that gives some ideas about preparing a Yamaha ATV for Dakar Rally. They can carry 47 litres of fuel and the top speed of this ATV is 140 km – these figures gives some more insights about the preparation.

This Rally passed through the very remote areas that can be called middle of nowhere. Here you simply make the tracks as you go. There are no signposts. Apart from the road book that gives instructions on the route, GPS was also extensively used.

A T V Prices need not be so expensive

2010-01-08T19:01:00.007+05:30

A month back, on 7th December 2009 - kannada daily Vijay karnataka carried a news story on ATVs. Like most stories in this newspaper, this has attractive sensational packaging but hollow inside when it comes to hard facts. There is considerable misinformation in the story.

ATV is unfortunately having a bad start in India. This is a versatile machine that can be put to use in numerous ways but this continues to be plaything limited to rich and famous here. The very small market coupled with fat margins are hindering the market growth.

I made a honest effort to popularize this. Unfortunately reaching people from remote location is difficult thing. The above story mentions the cost as INR 120 K but it should be never more than 90 to 100K for this machine. Having imported & using past two years, I know what I am talking about. I am sure this can be made available @ 60 percent of the mentioned cost as I mentioned in a earlier blog post and I have two surplus pieces in stock now.

There are committed dealers in different parts of India who do import and sell the similar machines below or at INR 100 K but rich continue to patronize the dealers who wants to keep the prices HIGH.

ATV carrying fodder grass

2010-01-06T19:52:00.002+05:30

After familiarizing myself with the ATV I set out on task of doing what this is capable of. I got a carrier and a trailer built in local mechanic shop. The carrier was able to carry about 40 kg very easily. We couldn’t load more as there is risk of toppling over. Here is a old clip of bringing grass fodder from our garden. Since I needed workers to load and unload - it did not prove as useful as anticipated.

Basic ATV Handling

2009-12-29T19:46:00.002+05:30

ATV with small footprint is not very stable vehicle and some weight shifting is necessary for safe handling. The enclosed pix to some extent emphasis the message

The long seat is to help in weight shifting and not for carrying passenger. When we climb rapidly it may result in the lifting of front end as it happens in bajaj scooters and so it is safer to shift weight forward when climbing. Lower climbing speed will lesson the hazard and weight shift may not be necessary.

Descending is not so hazardous as the centre of gravity will be within vehicle. Still we shift the weight backward for better stability.

ATV has rigid axle at the back that do not allow the rear wheels to move at different speeds. The wear and tear on tyres are more so in hard surfaces. So while taking a turn at higher speed, we allow controlled slip by lifting one of the rear wheels. This is pretty easy once you know how to ride them. The picture illustrates one wheel lifted from ground.

Getting ATV ready to ride

2009-12-20T11:16:00.006+05:30

Recently a friend suggested we bring out another ATV following day. I replied That is simply impossible. I need a week to get that machine ready. In perfect situation, we can open the packing and get ATV ready in four hours. I need much longer time because of my location and circumstances.

My farm workers are regularly irregular in turning up for job. They need to come to get the box out to the yard.

First the packing has to be opened and put all the four tyres on. The machine has to be lifted sufficiently to install the tires. Here is a small hitch. The tyres tends to loose air during storage and tubeless tyres get disengaged from Rim. It is not possible to pump air with hand pump under such circumstances. Large quantity has to be pumped quickly to seal the gap and we can easily do that with compressor. Nearest Petrol pump is ten km away. Recommended air pressure is just Ten pounds.

Handle bar is to be lifted into strait position and four bolts tightened. There is small chance the brake fluid drained on transit from the container on the handlebar. We have to ensure sufficient brake fluid.

The battery has to connected after making sure it is fully charged.

Next comes the critical tuning part. There is no clutch lever and the clutch is indirectly controlled by engine speed. So perfect tuning is a must with smooth engine humming at idle speed. My local mechanic has to be free enough to come and do the job.

Standard tools that came with ATV are not sufficient. The front wheels need a box or barrel spanner of Size 12. Plug spanner that came from China is very delicate and do not last long. Naturally to put together the tools I use takes some time.

Talking to Chinese about ATV Tow hook

2009-12-18T09:45:00.002+05:30

Chinese comprehension of English is very poor. They are very polite and try to help you but many times will not able to grasp exactly what you mean. Here is a example of what I expected and what I got.

I knew that my Chinese manufacturer fabricate the frame shown in a earlier blog post and get most components from outside and assemble ATV. So it was possible for them to reinforce the appropriate parts to make frame stronger. I had made it clear to them that I need a tow hook if possible in the backside and given certain parameters like strong support at lowest possible point so that traction is not compromised. I had sent a marked photograph to emphasis my point. I did not know exactly how much this ATV can pull but needed a strong hitching point.

When I got the ATVs delivered I found there was nothing in the back but a hook strapped to high position in the frame in the front It was pretty useless accessory that I got as a compliment. They simply failed to understand my explanation.

I had numerous confusion about faulty import papers too. Many Emails were exchanged. The crucial document - Bill of Lading they sent did not mention Container number. This document should be perfect in all respects. So searching right container in vast Mumbai port was like looking for a needle in haystack. Luckily I was able to overcome all of those hurdles and get those ATVs home.

50 km ATV ride along seashore.

2009-12-03T20:41:00.009+05:30

Being very familiar with the route ahead of us, Rohit assumed team leadership as soon as he turned up. He briefed our First pilot Anil about Do and Donts during the ride assuring him that he will be constantly in touch with mobile phone. He also gave precise hints what constitute a landmark.

I had decided who will ride on different legs depending on accessibility with us on support vehicle. Road by the side of beach mean Twelve year old Sunil will be rider and lesser access with us mean Sixteen year old Anil will be rider. Anil rode major portion as Sunil had stomach upset that morning. Rohit’s little son Abhinav rode as a kangaroo rider for around 40Kms along with Anil.

Unexpected encounters Anil had on the beach was landmines. Our pilot kept on liberally blasting those bombs and showering his jacket with dirty stuff. The sanitation awareness and availability was extremely poor on the coastline. We had been forewarned by Rohit about this but it was not grasped by Anil. Moreover first 750 meters was very clean and Anil must have assumed the same thing all along and raised the speed.

Rohits friend Yathish Baikampady stopped Anil at Chitrapur. Anil first asked them for water to wash himself. He liberally applied Mysore sandal soap to get rid of the foul smell. Luckily Abhi who was sitting in the front was not bombarded with this. Beach cleaning kara seva was going on and we too were given Tiffin and tea.

Seashore near Surathkal was full of rocks. ATV had to come out of the beach to cross that gap. By that time I picked up Anilkumar who arrived by bus and we rushed to beach near Sasihithlu. Anilkumar who took over driving Omni and handling camera did unburden my task considerably.

Anil and Abhi on ATV mostly had direct passage ahead of them whereas we on support vehicles had to take make more circuitous road and many times they reached the ,meeting point ahead of us. Rohit was engaged in multitasking - briefing Anil about the passage ahead, taking photographs till they are almost out of sight and rushing back to drive his car to next meeting point. He found time to click some birds too which is his favorite hobby.

Nibeesh on motorcycle was with us till afternoon and proved to be great help. It is difficult to make out once we reach next meeting point if kids on ATV had passed by or are behind us. Nibeesh helped us with locating the ATV team.
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After Sasihithlu next Six km the beach and road were parallel and within 100 m to each other. Sunil rode this part both ways. Finally we reached the beach edge at twelve thirty where the confluence of Nandini and Shambavi rivers join the sea.

I had confusion about crossing the rivers all along. Rohit said follow me and drove his car in NH 17. Anil was riding ATV and Anilkumar and myself was following them in our Omni. With so much potholes in national highway we can surmise that it is more suitable for ATV and not vehicles. The puzzled look of the onlookers on the road when they suddenly see ATV presented good entertainment to me and Anilkumar. Finally our procession stopped in front of a hotel in Mulki for lunch.

All children applied sunscreen lotion and escaped being roasted by Sun. The sunburn did not happen to us as we were not continuously under sun. The beach sand appears very similar all over but their structure varies considerably from place to place. When we compare dry or wet sand of various places we noticed the grip it gives to the ATV tyres do vary. This did upset my timetable as the sinking factor was more in some places.

I had made a list of spares and consumables and carried most of them along. As the sand thrown up by tires plays havoc on chain, I had carried spare chain and links. No component failed us on the except CD unit, that may be influenced by moist contacts caused by previous day wash. Now I have tested that CD unit which is also performing well. Good news is that Hero Honda CD unit works well with this ATV. The sockets perfectly fits each other.

High tides caused made us to take diversion in two places. Near Padubidre we had to come back to highway. Anil was able to climb to fisheries road near Uchila and cross that point. So homework we make with wikimapia.org is dependable only to some extent. There is permanent cloud cover and shadow near Bhatkal is another example.

Finally Anil – Abhi reached Kaup lighthouse at four thirty. The google picture showed the bridge but I was not sure of approach road till we reached there. The dense vegetation had hid the road and our support vehicles went without problems.

I decided to do some riding after Five and hopped on ATV. A huge wave hit me within fifty meters that immobilized the engine. ATV rider had mobile phone all the way till then but I had neglected on this minor detail. So couldn’t communicate immediately with our team and lost some time.

Our team came back after waiting ahead for a while. Then it was getting dark and the rains started. So we decided to load the ATV into Omni. There was heavy rain by the time we hit highway & we came back via more roundabout Mudipu route.

Next day I could make out the corrossion effect by sea water and ATV was given good wash by Sampath so that the salty layer was peeled off.

Toppling over ATV in beach mean no broken bones

2009-12-01T20:11:00.002+05:30

We had wonderful moments beach near Mulki. Anil was practicing taking high speed turn when the centrifugal force was too much and he toppled over. Rohit who is a good wildlife photographer anticipated this and captured the scene.

While talking to Shankaranna sometime back I had justified taking the ATV to beach saying that it is possible to do maneuvers that will mean broken bones elsewhere. Here is the proof and Anil did not even have any scratches.

Preparing for ATV expedition along seashore .

2009-11-27T16:40:00.005+05:30

After coming back from a seaside ATV ride last month, I was looking at wikimapia for next adventure opportunity. After Panambur harbor till Malpe which is about 50 km north, only place where there was hurdle was at Mulki - the confluence of Nandini and Shambavi rivers joining sea. All rivers big and small we come across in National Highway join the sea at Malpe and Mulki was a new pleasant surprise for me. So started dreaming about a trip taking children along on a long ATV trip along the coast. From the beginning of planning, I felt if my good friend and neighbor Anil kumar comes along it will be much easier to manage.

It is not really easy to plan such a off the beaten track trip in India. The government considers 200 km from the sea or national border as restricted area and we had limited access to good maps. Ashokavrdhana of Arohana adventure team in Mangalore sometime back had lot of trouble to procure a seventy year old survey of India topographical map. There is no clue of Panambur harbour in that map but even map with so much accuracy took lot of effort. Now we have access to satelite maps like http://wikimapia.org which is simply unimaginable few years back.

I have spent numerous hours in front of computers looking at and copying hundreds of maps in wikimapia. I made sure that there is some overlap between one map and the next. The numbering was bit difficult. The computer started recognising my maps as 1,11,12,13,....2,20,21,22.... So had to repeat two three times to reach best option. Finally gave the map number derived from the latitude like 13.3456 North became 133456. Thereafter I could work faster with maps.

In most places there are roads parallel to the seashore. I had to plot the places where the roads exist and where they dont. Road adjacent to road mean Twelve years old Sunil will be rider. Lesser road access mean Sixteen year old Anil will be the rider. I was fortunate to have the support of Anilkumar who agreed to drive our support vehicle Omni most of the way.

GPS is a very useful accessory for this kind of off the beaten track trips. I had written about utility of this instrument in my kannada blog last year. I Emailed Balu Hegde hailing from Sirsi who uses GPS about present availability scenario. Balu gave me proper inputs but being busy with routine activities and preparing for this trip, did not have enough time to procure one from Bangalore or Mumbai. Poor health mean few off road trips. So why buy a expensive umbrella for a single rain - goes my thinking. Moreover two people had been jailed in Gujarat last year for GPS maping leaning on our stupid laws.

When I scouting for information Ashokavradhan gave me mobile number of Rohith Rao. Rohith had shepherded a big battalion of more than one hundred and sixty scouts who walked along beach from Mangalore to Malpe. When I spoke to him, Rohith immediately agreed to join us with Camera and GPS.

When riding along the beach, it is better to ride on wet sand. Boys who cycled along the beach will be familiar with this. It needs less effort and naturally fuel consumption will be lower. But we have to keep an eye on approaching waves. I try to consider all possibilities and make comprehensive preparation. I asked Rohith if boys need to wear life jackets on and Rohith had said No. It was me who failed in this respect in the last leg of the trip.

After the last outing to the beach, I had taken taken the chain to Shankaranna’s Car wheels at Puttur and got it washed with diesel and dried with compressor. So asked about the pre trip chain treatment with Shankaranna and he said not to apply oil. There was some slack in chain but Mohan said let it be as it is. The sand on the chain will make it tight. When I came back and checked the chain tension it was pretty tight. There was chance of getting break if had tightened before going to beach. Thank you Mohan.

Rohith had emphasized the need to make early start. The sunshine is very harsh in the beach and so we have to cover some distance before it gets too hot. We left my home at Quarter to Five and took roundabout route via Mudipu as direct highway to Mangalore was pockmarked with potholes. After covering about sixty five km called Rohith to inform that we are at a hotel in Kulur and will be in beach in twenty minutes.

I wanted to make routine inspection and prepare ATV for the long ride before Rohith reaches the spot. With poor health, my concentration affects considerably with little diversion. So unloaded the ATV in Panambur beach parking lot and got into job.

Little bit of washing just before loading previous day created some problem. The engine was misfiring and running erratically. Nibeesh who came with Rohith rang up a technician asking him to come. Technician pinpointed the problem within two minutes after his arrival and asked me to change CD unit. Problem was solved and technician hopped into his bullet and went away accepting just thanks and no money.

Chain link for my ATV

2009-11-06T07:16:00.002+05:30

Coming back from beach other day the transmission chain was fully covered with sea sand. So I decided to give a thorough cleaning. Shankaranna got it washed with diesel and cleaned with compressed air.

I never miss a opportunity to locate the suitable indigenous spare part. I found that chain is 47 inches long consisting of 47 links. So took the chain link to the small spare part shop nearby.

We found the ROLON R 428H chain link coming as spare for Pulsar bike is suitable. Though I do not anticipate the need, I have one chain link as spare now.

Riding ATV in seashore

2009-10-20T06:18:00.005+05:30

Riding ATV in seashore in a exhilarating experience. With less than 200 feet straight stretch at home, the long beach is a very inviting sight. Boys Anil and Sunil enjoyed it very much. They are able to practice various tricks which was facilitated by long stretch and soft sand.

Someshwara beach is about 50 km from my home. We had loaded ATV into Omni on the previous day and had started early. Finally we reached there at 0930 and quickly unloaded the ATV.

The sinking factor in sand meant constant high throttle that puts tremendous load on the engine. By the time one rider was back another was ready. We could give little time to cool off though it was in my mind. The refueling period was one time when we really switched off the engine.

The engine tuning by a good friend Mohan from kanthila helped a lot today. The running was very smooth with instant starting at first firing. The engine performed extremely well in spite of heavy use or abuse.

Riding in beach at higher speed meant the sand gets sprayed both on us and the machine. It is okay otherwise but I feel sand being dry abrasive material plays havoc on the transmission chain. Sunil took a sharp turn in his last lap and chain jumped the sprocket. The wear and tear in three and half hours session is just noticeable.

Momentum helps considerably in climbing uphill. Failure to climb inclines will induce rear wheels to start digging and within five seconds they will get half submerged. Putting power in opposite direction early will prevent getting submerged and sometimes had to lifted out.

Toppling over in sand means less chance of broken bones. So we could practice correct way of climbing hills by standing over foot pegs and shifting body weight forward. Boys were wearing bermuda shorts and riding without helmets most of the time. Wearing helmets and long pants are always advisable in safety consideration.

We were thinking of leaving at 1.20 PM being both hungry and tired. Then fuse was blown and we couldn’t pinpoint the problem spot quickly. Consulted local mechanic Isubu on the way back with ATV inside Van. I thought it was push button switch or starter solenoid but actually it turned out to be Fuse. This was first time the fuse letting me know its existence.

Can we start riding ATV after we get older ?

2009-10-05T11:18:00.003+05:30

People keep asking me this question. ATVs can be ridden by people of all age in perfect conditions. It is quite possible to pick up the understanding of ATV riding after we get old but certain tricky conditions may be too difficult to ride when our body fails to respond to our orders.

My wife rides tolerably well in our yard and so have done some of our elderly visitors in their 60’s. Riding in level ground may be pretty safe. While taking a turn while riding uphill or downhill may make one front wheel leave the ground. Even in level paths the trench like in the photo may make front wheel lift four inches above the ground. .

I have been telling friends of my age say around 50 who cannot drive four wheelers that they either learn to drive now and forget about driving in this life. There are innumerable cases where retired people who bought car and learnt driving late involved in serious accidents. Riding ATV in difficult terrain is much more complicated than driving a car. I will never be able to ride as good as my boys. So the answer to the above question has to be NO.

Towing ATV around

2009-09-04T16:01:00.003+05:30

I spent considerable amount of time and energy about taking ATV around. Even tried this option but it did not work out. Shorter wheel base means the ATV bottom touching road and so had had rule out this possibility. Finally tried to load inside a Maruti Omni and that was successful.

Surplus ATV available for sale

2009-08-30T09:04:00.003+05:30

I did not know beforehand the quality of the machines I purchased from China and so was prepared for the worst. Web search enables us window shopping. In spite of all precautions and cross checking of facts, we know full details only after getting hold of them.

I bought extra machines partly because company refused to dispatch single piece and also to enable effortless cannibalization for spare parts.

I am using my blue ATV past twenty four months. The quality happens to be good and I am confident of using this for my routine activities for next couple of years. I do not foresee the need of all these extra pieces.

So I offer that warehoused Brand new surplus ATV for sale. The technical details are available in the post – specifications.

http://atvindia.blogspot.com/2008/09/specification-if-my-atv.html

As mentioned in earlier post, I was not very keen to sell ATV as it distracts me from my farm activities and I have no sales force nor can provide service support.

This is a very rare opportunity to interested people to get an ATV, tried and tested quality for an very attractive price, much cheaper than offered by dealers.

Interested may get in touch with me by mailing to bhat59@gmail.com

ATV carried around in Maruti Omni

2009-08-26T20:30:00.002+05:30

Here my helpers are unloading ATV from Maruti Omni after returning from a trip LPG tank takes considerable prime space in my Omni and so loading ATV is bit tricky.

We have to lower the handle bar after loosening four bolts. Two people can easily can do loading and unloading.

Not hoisting uniformly it needs some practice. Experiments with ramp for easy loading failed miserably as we have to lift more on side above LPG tank and has to push in slant position.

Its unladen weight 130 kg is quite okay for this vehicle. The tyres we placed on the floor hold it stable even in high speed and we don’t harness the machine with rope.

One advantage of this 110 cc ATV is it is small enough to be carried in Maruti Omni . Bigger machine cannot be easily accommodated like this.

ATV on Puri beach for relief and rescue operation

2009-08-19T09:08:00.005+05:30

Puri beach in Orissa seems to be first in India mobilizing ATV for relief and rescue operation. The joint effort of Police and The Rangers Adventure Foundation(RAF) was inaugurated by Superintendent of Police Soumendra Priyadarshi on the beach on Friday - 16th August 2009. So tourists in Puri beach can now bathe in a carefree manner for the ATV is there on the beach to help them out, if in trouble

The modern four wheeler All Terrain Vehicle (ATV), capable of speedy maneuver on the sandy beach, will now ply on the Puri beach to carry out rescue and relief operation for tourists bathing in the sea. Hope this novel endeavor is observed by tourism and security officials around the country and introduced in all beaches especially like those near Mangalore where tragic loss of life reported frequently.

Looks appealing with three wheels

2009-08-13T14:12:00.000+05:30

I badly wanted mobility to go to garden during slippery situations. Many technical institutions around here have demo pieces which are crude heavy and not very practical. I picked this from web and this looks pretty nice. Would have been happy with this. This looks like built for kids.

Why 110 cc machines are better for Indian beginner

2009-07-13T08:20:00.004+05:30

ATV is an exotic machine in India. With very little exposure this is not properly understood by most people. I am keen on pushing for generic no brand product that should be locally available for 80 K or 100 K whereas many traders want to push fancy ATVs costing 250 K and above. They are more interested to keep high entry barrier and retain it as a status symbol premium product within the reach of only rich and famous.

You never know if your ATV interest is passing fad or genuine love. So there is little point in spending too much of hard-earned money only to realize this is not for me. Introduction of generic product is essential to lower entry barrier. So people can get out with little loss.

I was prepared to sell surplus ATVs profitably meaning with no loss @ 60 K then meaning two years back and I don’t have precise picture of situation today. Suave smooth talking Bangalore trader quoted 120 K for the identical piece then.

It should be around 80 K or 100 K today because of Dollar revaluation [USD was 42 then and 48 now ] inflation and lowering export support by China government. It is better than 200 K fancy pieces offered by some dealers.

It is always better start with more Basic model, like starting to ride two wheeler with Luna or TVS 50 and then move to 100cc to 150cc Bikes. This model has lot in common with Hero Street motorcycle that was in our market earlier.

Semi Automatic available with 110 cc means engine braking available going downhill. CVT transmission normally coming as standard with bigger ATVs offer no such advantage. Novice rider with too much power at thumb tip is dangerous.

This 110cc ATV can be carried around in Maruti Omni with backseat removed and ATV handle bar lowered - taking it to workshop or to distant sand beach is pretty easy. I have done it few times. Bigger 150 cc machines will need more exclusive carrier. You have to load it to a tempo.

It is really unfortunate that traders want to push 150 cc and above ATVs to the people who hardly had any riding experience. Fancy websites with borrowed photographs and search engine pop-up advertising makes them easy to reach large number of people.

Early ATVs were 3 wheelers

2009-06-28T12:19:00.005+05:30

The ATV has a 40 years history and the first twenty years were dominated by three wheelers. The early ATV history can as well be called history of Honda ATVs as other manufacturers who joined the game more than ten years later.

The 1960s: Prototyping the ATC.

If necessity was the mother of the first ATV, Honda engineer Osamu Takeuchi was its father. In 1967,American Honda asked Honda R&D Ltd. for a new product dealers could sell when motorcycle sales cooled off in the winter.

Forget the proverbial blank sheet of paper. Takeuchi started in the shop with a head full of ideas and an eclectic assortment of components. Two, three, four, five and even six-wheeled configurations were examined, but the three-wheel concept delivered the best combination for the machine's intended mission. It dealt with snow, mud and assorted slippery conditions a two-wheeler couldn't, while providing more maneuverability than other configurations.

In the early stages, a Honda ST70 motorcycle gave up its 70cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine for the cause, along with assorted chassis parts... The biggest challenge would be finding a tire capable of getting a grip on soft, changeable terrain such as snow, sand and mud. Two wheels, three wheels, four wheels or more? Motorcycle tires weren't an option.

The design process quickened when Takeuchi received an American invention called the "Amphi-Cat? that rolled on six 20-inch low-pressure, high-flotation balloon tires. The light bulb went on. Revamping his ST70-based prototype to accept the new low-pressure rolling stock, he went to work on his own tire design, ending up with a 22-inch design inflated to 2.2 psi. With the tire dilemma solved, the 70cc engine lacked the muscle necessary to push a full-sized rider through snow or mud. A 90cc engine running through a special dual-range four-speed gearbox added the requisite flexibility over varied terrain.

The next phase of development was optimizing the chassis to match the new engine and tires. Testing over rough roads, sand hills and slopes as steep as 35-degrees gradually established chassis dimensions effective for recreational riding as well as agricultural work. Laid out in the shape of an isosceles triangle with the footpegs located outside the triangle to optimize control, the ATC design was unique enough to let Takeuchi patent the arrangement.

Exhaustive testing brought other lessons to light as well. Using a thumb throttle instead of the typical motorcycle twist grip let riders shift their weight for optimal vehicle maneuverability while maintaining precise throttle control. A rear differential was considered, but discarded when a live axle performed better. Though suspension is an integral part of the modern ATV, Takeuchi's original balloon tires soaked up rough terrain best by themselves. Exerting less pressure on soft or sensitive terrain than the average human foot, those tires let the vehicle go places others couldn't, leaving little or no evidence of their passing--an advantage that looms large in hundreds of modern ATV applications.

The 1970s: The World's First ATC

Officially introduced to America in 1970, the US 90 sent its 7 horsepower through a dual-range four-speed gearbox with automatic clutch, and sold for $595. It was renamed the ATC90 later that year as Honda trademarked the ATC name. The ATC70 gave younger riders a scaled-down version of the fat-tire experience. And by the end of the decade, requests for more power turned the original ATC90 into the ATC110 in 1979. The ATC was as evolutionary as it was revolutionary from the beginning.

Though it was primarily a recreational vehicle through the '70s, farmers were beginning to see the ATC as a tool to make their lives easier. Engineers followed their machines into the field, gathering data to guide the machine's natural adaptation to a rapidly growing market. The ATC was as capable at labor as at leisure, and America was catching on.

Moving into the '80s, the two arenas looming largest in the ATV lexicon were utility Introduced in 1980, the ATC185 was popular among utility users. Rolling on larger, 25-inch tires that afforded improved traction, the 185 featured a five-speed transmission and automatic clutch and a 180cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine that was considerably more powerful as well. Though designed to split its duties more or less equally between work and play, the 185 set the stage for Honda's first purpose-built utility ATV two years later.

The 1982 ATC200E, a.k.a. "Big Red", had more of everything necessary to get a host of jobs done. Its 192cc engine and five-speed dual-range gearbox cranked out more power, especially low in the rev band, to make chores such as towing, spraying, seeding and fertilizing easier. An electric starter in addition to the standard recoil system made starting the day as easy as pushing a button. Dual racks and a 9.2-liter storage box made carrying tools, hay bales, fencing and other agricultural essentials easier. A new sealed rear drum brake survived the muddy fields and water crossings, and telescopic fork front suspension made a day in the saddle that much more comfortable. Big Red added a reverse gear in 1984, and its drive chain was replaced with shaft drive for extra durability and less maintenance.

Yamaha, Suzuki & Kawasaki started ATV manufacture around 1980. In 1982, Suzuki took the lead in the hot new market for all-terrain vehicles by introducing the first four-wheel ATV and other companies followed it. Interesting fact is Honda had the patent on three-wheelers. So Suzuki was challenged to think outside the box. Its chief designer Aki Goto took this as a challenge and result was first four wheeler ATV.

Later the safety factors made all companies to shift to four wheel ATVs and 3-wheel models ended production in 1987

Black sheep among ATV dealers.

2009-06-27T17:01:00.005+05:30

I am keen that ATVs becomes popular in India and be within reach of those in real need of it. Without having reason to suspect I faithfully entered the information about these ATVs in my blog yesterday. I did notice from their website that these Force ATVs are sold only in non traditional market. They are absent in leading markets like USA, Canada, Australia and England, which are English speaking countries.

After that this interesting posting was bought to my notice yesterday. It appeared to me like in kannada fable Pumpkin stealer touched his shoulder ( to see if there is some growth) Anyway I went thru the matter and pasting the whole matter here colouring it purple. My opinion to the points raised are at bottom in blue colour.

http://www.adeex.in/used-cars-motos/more-ads/beware-of-fraud-atv-dealers

Don't be fooled by people who claim to be ATV dealers but do not have the proven record of their "sales". With the ever increasing of the popularity of ATV, it is not surprising that everyone is eager to make a profit out of ATV sales. There will be a couple of individuals or organizations that are out to make victims out of Innocent, ignorant first time ATV buyers. So, if you are one of those people who are looking to buy a ATV for the first time, I suggest that you buy a good machine and with warranty and spare part after sale.
When you Buy ATV kindly surf the web-site to know more about ATV.
In India only Chinese ATV are available in the market. These ATVs are sold at a very high price almost 4 times the price of the actual cost. They last only for 3 months.

If you are looking to buy a ATV for the first time,
1. Ask for the company and the manufacturers web-site,
2. Check out with the company web-site and know the price and quality of the ATV.
3. I request you to kindly ask the seller to provide you a document stating that he shall supply spare parts for 5 years. Most of the dealers promise to supply spare parts and when asked they say it is not in stock, we have faced out this model, you have to buy the full unit.
4. Kindly ask for Warranty and full bill for the product.

This party also maybe selling China made machines with Taiwan label. . The company name may not be revealed by some traders as that is part of trade secret. Some dealers are not hiding the source country

Selling ATV is not charity. That is for profit. Sales could be far apart and establishment expenses are not negligible. So there has to be considerable profit.

It is not essential that Chinese machines fall apart in three months. This generalization about China machines makes you feel writer is your well-wisher. I have been using for past two years without serious problems.

I have made clear in my early posting that the ATV manufacture is decentralized in China and there are many companies existing only in website. So this wisdom of website checking is not much meaningful.

The intention of this posting is to make you feel uneasy and jumpy. The gentleman who posted this fails to tell us his track record. There is no indication about his offer. It may be safe to keep away.

Another ATV Supplier in South

2009-06-26T18:10:00.013+05:30

It appears like there is another supplier for ATVs in South India
www.powerwheelsindia.com are located in hilly regions of Tamilanadu at Yercad. They claims that they source their products from http://www.newforcemotor.com.tw/.

It looks like they have ATVs for sale 150 cc for INR 200 K and 250cc for INR 250 K. It is not clear to me if they have a consignment here or just samples.

These CVT driven machines are okay for experienced people but for beginner I feel geared ones are ideal. We don’t start two wheelers with BULLET.

It is nice that our people have more options. It was better if most are from same source and similar design. Then servicing becomes easier. Hope they have good business and satisfied customers over there.

BAJA 2009 @ Indore

2009-06-09T12:41:00.000+05:30

photo:www.overdrive.in/

The Second edition of BAJA SAE INDIA was held from Jan 30th to Feb 2nd 2009 at NATRAX (National Automobile Test Tracks) facility in Peethampur, Indore.

Though this was only the second edition in India, already the number of competing institutes has vaulted from 27 to fifty-eight teams from around the country consisting of One thousand two hundred students backed by fifteen sponsors.

The competition was maddening and after the immense success of the 2007 event, a mammoth 108 teams had applied for a spot for the 2009 event. The long list of teams had gone through a rigorous telephonic interview and Dr Karuppaiah and his team had filtered out only the best of the best and finally 58 teams were left in the field. .

For the 2009 event however, Lombardini has provided a bigger 340cc engine with 11hp The gearboxes are from Mahindra Alfa 3 wheeler. The petrol-engined buggies ran on fuel supplied by Bharat Petroleum, and since all these are provided free of cost to the students, it helps to keep costs in check.

This is as real an engineering challenge these budding engineers will probably face in their entire career, since the challenge is to design, build and finally race a ground-up design.

Only if the teams satisfy the judges in all the static and dynamic criteria, are they allowed to participate in the final race. This is the big one, and while speed is important, the focus is on reliability. The drivers have to negotiate an arduous course with a number of challenges, including a water trough, whoop-de-dos and a metal trap. The event was scheduled to run for three hours, but was shortened by 30 minutes for logistical reasons. Nevertheless, this was enough to gauge the capability of the buggies.

While IIT Mumbai led the early part of the race, it stopped with a broken drive shaft on the second lap, handing the lead to AISSMS from Pune, which lost out with a lengthy refuelling stop. Thus, the team from Sant Longewal College, near Patiala, shot into the lead. It was a case of strong reliability and a strong drive from the midfield. Equally impressive was the team from Punjab Engineering College, which started even further back but drove hard throughout to finish a close second.

With over Rs 31 lakh in prize money, there was indeed strong motivation for the teams, and the organizers have the right idea to encourage the teams to think innovatively and design fast and reliable buggies. Many sponsors had placement cells at the show. They conducted interviews and gave appointment letters to over 60 students.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz8-TaRmn4o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yi2GmfOS_Y&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcJMPpa6Lnc&feature=related

ATV accident kills 84 year old rider

2009-06-05T19:12:00.003+05:30

Handling ATV looks deceptively simple. Safe operation needs both strength and effort. A 84 year old man was killed yesterday when his ATV toppled over while taking a turn in America.

He was attempting to turn right onto a dirt road when he overshot the road and went off the other side, the Police said. ATV tends to be reluctant to turn in hard surface in absence of differential. So poor judgment of speed and centrifugal force could be the reason.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090604/ARTICLES/906049909?Title=ATV-accident-kills-Potter-Valley-man

ATV carrying grass fodder in a Indian farm

2009-06-04T09:29:00.000+05:30

Here is a video of my ATV carrying fodder grass. It was shot with a still digital camera about one and half year back and the clarity is just viewable. It gives some indication how ATV can be useful in a farm.

Why ATV's are better than men

2009-06-03T18:39:00.003+05:30

This is a interesting topic found in a women’s page.
Most lines have different meanings and are witty.
Over to offroadgirls.

An ATV can go for more than one ride in an hour.

ATV's never develop spare tires.

ATV's don't get you pregnant.

An ATV doesn't care what time of month it is.

ATV's don't have parents.

Your ATV will let you know if something is wrong.

Your ATV won't judge your friends.

If your ATV is boisterous, you can buy a muffler.

If your ATV smokes you can do something about it.

ATV's don't care about how many other ATVs you have ridden.

When riding, you and your ATV both arrive at the same time.

One ATV will satisfy you every time.

If your ATV has high mileage, you can just get a new one.

ATVs don't care about breast size.

If your ATV is too soft you can get new shocks.

You don't have to drink beer before your ATV looks appealing.

You can be proud of your ATV regardless of the model.

You can ride a ATV as long as you want and it won't get limp.

ATVs always feel like going for a ride when you do.

ATVs don't insult you if you are a novice.

Your ATV never wants a night out alone with the other ATVs.

ATVs don't make you late.

You don't have to primp before riding your ATV.

Your ATV won't complain when you use protection.

If your ATV doesn't look good, you can paint it or get better parts.

Your ATV won't care if you fake it.

ATVs are always ready to stop when you are.

Your ATV has a built in vibrator.

Your ATV doesn't care how heavy you are.

Your ATV won't shrink when it's cold.

If your ATV can't fire up, you can just replace the battery.

You don't have to cook for your ATV.

Your ATV can't ride around behind your back.

If your ATV is cold you can choke it.

You only have to ride your ATV when you want to.

Your ATV won't go for rides by itself.

ATVs don't snore.

http://blogs.myspace.com/offroadgirls

BAJA 2007

2009-06-02T12:22:00.000+05:30

Baja SAE India, an association of automotive majors organized the maiden BAJA 2007 contest from 21-23 December 2007 in NATRIP, Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. The event is modeled on the globally popular student competition Mini BAJA which is held every year in five more countries across the globe. Kelinja Venkatagirish read about a participating team NITK, Surathkal in Hindu and sent me the hint.

BAJA 2007 was sponsored by automotive majors like Mahindra and Mahindra, Ford, Lombardini, JK Tyres, Speed and various automotive bigshots. It involves engineering students to design and build an ALL TERRAIN VEHICLE that endures a severe punishment of rough terrain while competing against teams across the country.

Each team must start from scratch to design and fabricate an ATV based on specific dimensions, budget and other details provided by SAE India. The event provides selected teams a platform to showcase their engineering skills where their capabilities for team work, entrepreneurship, leadership and management will be gauged.

To maintain a level playing field, the teams have been provided with standard engines and gearboxes. The engines for the 2007 event were of 280cc type producing 9hp provided by Lombardini free of cost to the teams. The gearboxes are from Mahindra Alfa 3 wheeler, again provided free of cost.

The inaugural version saw participation from 27 Colleges from all over India with College of Engineering, Pune securing the top spot and was closely followed by NITK, Surathkal . All this was coordinated by Dr. K.C.Vora of ARAI, Pune.

The detailed commentary of the event is available at http://www.overdrive.in/story-articles-features/bajaj_sae_india_2007-3651-0.html
http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/02/stories/2007120259610300.htm
http://www.bajasaeindia.org/

An ATV showroom in Bangalore

2009-06-01T12:26:00.006+05:30

I happened to find some photographs of a ATV dealership in Bangalore. They sell Polaris ATVs and some of them are Taiwan made products for American brand. The photos were placed in forum eighteen month back in Dec 2007 and there are more photos in the link.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/super-cars-imports-india/9293-supercars-imports-bangalore-85.html

It appears like smallest 50 cc model used to cost 1.5 lakhs and they have models that cost 10 lakhs too. With CVT they consume more fuel. Quality could be good but how often it will be ridden after paying so much is still a question mark.

Two more players as I know are active in Bangalore market selling cheaper Taiwan and China made ATVs.

Sardarjee designed ATV

2009-05-29T15:14:00.002+05:30

Searching for suitable ATV manufacturer and importing it from China involved lot of effort.

I was tired with lot of browsing and emailing. Then Anilkumar P B who was supporting me and watching all my activities sent this catalogue.

I have not ordered this because by that time my ATV arrived from China.

This Sardarjee designed ATV could be better than China made ATV reasoned Anil and it could be used as car too. What do you say ? Comments welcome.

ATV - Indian Scenerio

2009-05-27T18:00:00.001+05:30

The ATV market in India is still in infancy. The market is scattered over vast countryside and the quantity is very low to support a proper service backup. By law, they are not permitted on public roads and by design, absence of differential makes it not advisable on tar roads. It is not a comfortable ride in hard black topped road that I have tried in my village. So the use is totally restricted to our private land.

There could be two application for ATVs. First is sort of wheel chair for handicapped people to go around. I have also been approached by people with heart problems. Other application is for sports & recreation.

I use ATV as a wheel chair to go around our farm. It is simply indispensable in long monsoon months when farm paths are wet and slippery.

To have an ATV, there seems to be two options. One is get it assembled in India and other is get it imported. Chinkara Motors in Mumbai custom build ATVs using kinetic scooter engines. Since they are made to order, they are much more expensive than mass produced goods. chinkaracars@rediffmail.com is their email ID

Polaris, a reputed American brand seems to have dealers in India and one of them is located in Bangalore. The Polaris is a premium brand & quality is supposed to be great. Some of their models are assembled in Taiwan. They are also expensive and may be beyond the reach of average Indian. http://www.sasconit.com/tranquil/

There are couple of importers doing business in big cities importing from China in small quantities. Here is Delhi based importer.
http://www.adventurewheels.co.in/

There is another experienced supplier in the scene based in Bangalore. Advertised in Google and so can be easily tracked. He acts very slippery and claim stock what he sell are sourced from Taiwan. There is little service backup and spare parts inventory.

Many engineering college students do assemble go karts as part of their project work. There are some demonstration units in colleges. Most of them appear similar and are of very basic design. They are not ideal for daily use.

There are road legal ATVs which can be used in back roads in Western countries. The documentation needed to make them road legal is very long and expensive process. ARAI located in Pune has to okay the design and certify they are roadworthy. The cerification process is another story.

The sales may reach critical volume a few years from now & comprehensive service backup for ATVs becomes available. Hope that day will come soon.

ATV caught cold

2009-05-25T20:53:00.001+05:30

I washed my ATV today. There was lot of accumulated dust. After bath, this machine acted as if it caught cold. It wouldn’t run or accelerate smoothly. I checked all possible suspect points. Checked spark plug & carburetor idle setting. Everything appeared OK. No improvement seen.

After three hours when it was completely dry, it started working smoothly. Maybe somewhere insulation has become weak and cause short circuit. . I am apprehensive as rainy season is fast approaching. If I could not find the thief myself, Mr Isubu had to be summoned. I am happy now that it is working smoothly.

ಮಳೆಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಸದಾಸಂ Using ATV during monsoon

2009-05-18T09:54:00.001+05:30

ಸಕಲದಾರಿ ಸಂಚಾರಿ, ಸದಾಸಂ ನಮ್ಮಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಬಂದು ಈಗ ಎರಡು ವರ್ಷವಾಗಲು ಒಂದು ಮಳೆಗಾಲ ಮಾತ್ರ ಬಾಕಿ. ಮಳೆಗಾಲದಲ್ಲೂ ಬೇಸಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲೂ ಉಪಯೋಗದ ಮಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಸಾಕಷ್ಟು ಅನುಭವಗಳಾದವು. ನಾನು ಚೀನಾದಿಂದ ಸದಾಸಂ ತರಿಸುವಾಗ ಆಗಸ್ಟ್ ಮೊದಲ ವಾರವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಮಳೆಗಾಲದ ಅಬ್ಬರ ಕಡಿಮೆಯಾಗಲು ಸುರುವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಅದುದರಿಂದ ಆ ವರ್ಷ ಸದಾಸಂನ ಮಳೆಗಾಲದ ಉಪಯೋಗದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಅನುಭವ ನನಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಉಪಕಾರ ಅನಿಸಿತ್ತು. ಅಷ್ಟೇ
.
ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಮಳೆಗಾಲವನ್ನು ಪ್ರತ್ಯೇಕಿಸಿ ಹೇಳುವ ಕಾರಣ ಕಳೆದ ಹಲವು ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮಳೆಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ತೋಟಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋದದ್ದು ಬಹಳ ಕಡಿಮೆ. ಮಳೆಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಬಾದಿಸುವ ಕೊಳೆ ರೋಗ ತಡೆಯಲು ಮುಂಜಾಗ್ರತೆ ಔಷದಿ ಸಿಂಪರಣೆ ಅಡಿಕೆ ಕೃಷಿಕನ ಮಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಅತಿ ಮುಖ್ಯ ವಿಚಾರ. ಕೊಳೆರೋಗದ ಸಿಂಪರಣೆ ಬಗೆಗೆ ನನಗೆ ಕೆಲಸದಾಳುಗಳು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದೇ ಸುದ್ದಿ. ನಮ್ಮಲ್ಲಿ ಇದು ನಿರ್ಲಕ್ಷಿತವಾಗಿ ರೋಗಕ್ಕೆ ಅಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ ಅಡಿಕೆ ಮರಗಳು ಸತ್ತವು. ತೋಟದ ನೈಜ ಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಅರಿಯಲು ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಪರಾವಲಂಬನೆಯಿಂದಾಗಿ ಅಸಮರ್ಪಕ ಸಿಂಪರಣೆಯಿಂದಾಗಿ ನಾನು ಸಾಕಷ್ಟು ಕಷ್ಟ ನಷ್ಟಗಳನ್ನು ಅನುಬವಿಸಿದೆ.

ಮಳೆಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಬೀಸುವ ಗಾಳಿಗೆ ಅಡಿಕೆ ಗೊನೆ ಭಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಮುರಿದುಬೀಳುವುದು ಮತ್ತು ಅಡಿಕೆ ಮೇಲಿನ ತೇವಾಂಶ ಒಣಗದೆ ಕೋಳೆರೋಗಕ್ಕೆ ತುತ್ತಾಗುವುದು ತೋಟದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಅತ್ಯುತ್ತಮ ಮರಗಳೇ. ಈ ರೀತಿ ಅಂಗಚ್ಚೇದನವಾದ ತೋಟವನ್ನು ಇದ್ದು ಪ್ರಯೋಜನವಿಲ್ಲವೆಂದು ಒಂದಂಶವನ್ನು ಕಡಿಸಿದೆ.

ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆ ಹೀಗಿರುವಾಗ ನಾನು ಸದಾಸಂ ತರಿಸಿದ್ದೇ ಮಳೆಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ತೋಟಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಗಲು. ಅದುದರಿಂದ ಕಳೆದ ವರ್ಷ ಮಳೆ ಪ್ರಾರಂಬವಾಗಲು ಕಾಯುತ್ತಲಿದ್ದೆ. ಕಳೆದ ವರುಷ ಜೂನ್ ಸುರುವಿನ ವಾರ ಕೋಳಿ ಜ್ವರ ಅನ್ನುವ ಮಾರಿ ಬಂದು ಮೊದಲೇ ದುರ್ಬಲನಾದ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಸಾಕಷ್ಟು ಸೋಲಿಸಿತು. ಅದರೂ ಅಗತ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ತಕ್ಕಷ್ಟು ಹೋಗಲು ಸಾದ್ಯವೂ ಆಯಿತೆನ್ನಿ. ಪ್ರತಿ ವರ್ಷದಂತೆ ಈ ವರ್ಷವೂ ಜೂನ್ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತರ ಅನಂತರ ಕೊಳೆರೋಗಕ್ಕೆ ಔಷದಿ ಸಿಂಪರಣೆ ಪ್ರಾರಂಬಿಸಿದೆವು.

ಈಗ ಮಳೆಗಾಲದಲ್ಲೂ ತೋಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಹೂತು ಹೋಗಿ ಬಾಕಿಯಾದರೆ ಅನ್ನುವ ಅಂಜಿಕೆ ಇಲ್ಲವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಎರಡೂ ಚಕ್ರಗಳು ಜತೆಯಾಗಿಯೇ ತಿರುಗುವ ಕಾರಣ ಎಂತಹ ಕೆಸರಿನಿಂದಲೂ ಎದ್ದು ಬರುತ್ತದೆ. ಹಾಗೆ ಅಗಾಗ ತೋಟಕ್ಕೆ ದೈರ್ಯದಿಂದ ಹೋಗಿ ಬರಲು ಸದಾಸಂ ಬಹಳ ಸಹಾಯ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದೆ. ನಮ್ಮ ತೋಟದಲ್ಲಾಗುವ ಕೆಲಸದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟ ಚಿತ್ರಣ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ.

ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಹಲವರಿಂದ ಕೇಳಲ್ಪಡುವ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ ಈಗ ಸದಾಸಂ ಬಂದು ಅದರಿಂದ ಕೃಷಿ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆ ಉತ್ತಮಗೊಂಡು ಲಾಬ ಎನಿಸುತ್ತದೋ ? ನನ್ನ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಬೆಳೆಯಾದ ಅಡಿಕೆ ಬಹುವಾರ್ಷಿಕ ಬೆಳೆ. ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸೋತು ಸುಮಾರು ಅರ್ಧದಷ್ಟು ತೋಟವನ್ನು ಕಳಕೊಂಡದ್ದು ವಾಪಾಸು ಪಡಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಅಸಾದ್ಯ. ನನಗನಿಸುವಂತೆ ಈಗ ಉಳಿದಿರುವುದನ್ನು ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ನಂಬಲರ್ಹವಾದ ಊರುಗೋಲಾದ ಸದಾಸಂನಿಂದ ಖಂಡಿತ ಸಹಾಯವೆನಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.

ATV maintenance

2009-05-17T14:43:00.003+05:30

There is no accurate indication about the ATV usage in absolute terms. . There is no meter to measure actual distance or time of usage. So we have to resort to rough estimation. It appears like I use it for about 100 hours consuming around 50 liters of Petrol.

I change engine oil once in six to eight months. It needs about 900 ml of Servo multigrade 20W- 40. Brake fluid tank is in handle bar. Top up the brake fluid whenever the level falls below the minimum. As transmission chain is exposed to dust and slush, I do apply a thin film of oil every week. Tire pressure is about 6 to 8 pounds & do keep an eye on that to prevent tire damage.

An ATV with semi automatic clutch should have smooth and slow idle running speed. That is where we change the gear.

My maintenance backup is provided by Mr Isubu who started as grease monkey & gathered experience on the way. He has a small two wheeler workshop in nearby Vittal town & comes whenever I have problems too big for me handle. He has no technical qualification but having seen a variety of two wheelers, he is quite proficient in his work.

My poor health and thereby logic plays mischief quite often. Many problems when I summon Mr Isubu can be handled by ourselves if able to think and act logically.

A T V manufacture in China

2009-05-15T21:05:00.009+05:30

Chinese products are not junk. The quality is improving and they are successfully competing in world market. The manufacturers are numerous and quality is not uniform. In generic ATV market around the world, China is the leading producer. The China's production of ATVs, which consists mainly of 50 to 250cc models already accounts for about 50 percent of the world's total ATV output.

If you are thinking of importing from China, you have to do your homework first. To start with, no one over there makes an entire vehicle from the ground up. A manufacturer of frames will collect all the other needed items and 'assemble' them in their warehouses and put their name on it. So there is no dedicated assembly line but flexible facility to assemble the machines according to the orders. Many of them are capable of supplying more than 50 different kind of ATVs, Dirt Bikes and such products at short notice. We have to make sure machine we import are from a frame manufacturer that uses high quality 10 and 12 gauge steel - not very thin sections.

China manufactures much more than 50000 ATV of this most popular size, 110 cc ATV & orders are distributed among more than 30 assemblers in Chongquing and Yongkang. More like making pump in Rajkot and cycles in Ludhiana. Most of the engine and gear box assemblies are sourced from two three engine manufacturers.

The operating manual and parts lists usually supplied are not exclusive of the manufacturer but something procured off shelf. The sales executive who handled my order is working with a different ATV manufacturer now and so I do not have current picture of the situation at my supplier. The photos featured here are of my ATVs getting packed in a factory in Yongkang.

Most of the Chinese ATV sold in America are for kids and occasional riders, who are numerically in large numbers. Chinese ATVs are not as high quality as American or Japanese. They only cost a fraction of the cost though. You can be very safe if you do your homework well. I am very happy with the machine I have which I am using past twenty months. Both engine and frame work quality is very much satisfactory.

Farmers monthly published my ATV story

2009-05-14T21:10:00.001+05:30

A leading Kannada farmers monthly magazine Adike Patrike published my story of bringing ATV from China in its October 2007 issue. Adike Patrike is unique monthly magazine published by farmers association. Here is a copy of the article.

Why not sell ATV ?

2009-05-10T12:23:00.002+05:30

People constantly ask me why I am not interested in marketing ATVs ?

Last year I came across a cartoon that says though the quality is good, we cannot release it to the market without warranty and customer support. This nicely explains the dilemma of modern marketing.

My profession as a farmer is already suffering because of my very limited mobility. So always my thinking is why should I attract more burden. Earlier I was apprehensive of quality. China stuff ? questionable quality ?

Well. I have been using it almost daily past twenty months without any problems. Minor problems that I did face can be solved by local mechanic. Now after using and gathering experience I have confidence that this material is really good and trustworthy.

Why this ATV blog ?

2009-05-09T10:48:00.009+05:30

We are a big country full of passive sportsmen preferring to watch the game whole day. We do not have adventurous spirit nor tradition.

These ATV machines are unlike all the vehicles that we are familiar with. Handling and safety considerations are much different. There are lot of wrong impression about ATV. Some even imagine even this is true for everybody.

We have to develop some instincts before we safely operate these ATVs. Instincts cannot be sharpened overnight. It takes time and effort. So we have to work with entry level machines till we become proficient. This 110 cc ATV is the best as far as I can see. When you get some experience you will know more than what I do .

Here is a very important meaningful hazard warning I copied from Internet.

Avoid riding up the hill at an angle or across it, because this is where it all turns to custard so quickly that, despite what fantastic reactions you think you have to jump off in time, chances are you won’t get the time to even think about it. I’ve seen these things rolled and I can tell you that it is very, very dangerous when they do roll!

I have unconfirmed report that a person of Indian origin died in New Zealand last year after the ATV he was riding toppled over him. Lack of instinct could be one of the reasons of this accident and this could be first Indian fatality with ATV. http://www.odt.co.nz/news/farming/32630/fatal-farm-accidents-bring-safety-plea

A moment’s inattention on farm ATV proves costly is a expensive lesson learnt by a New Zealand farmer.
http://www.country-wide.co.nz/article/10470.html

Whatever information I collect will be shared with no selfish motive involved. I will be focusing only on small entry level machines and safety aspects here. Fancy expensive powerful ATVs inappropriate for us more suited for work in affluent countries will not be found here.

ATV tires

2009-05-08T15:19:00.003+05:30

Tires are indispensable component of any vehicle that wears out over the usage & need to replace them. Unlike the mechanical component failure, we can plan our purchase in advance. Heavy damage rarely happens thereby needing the immediate replacement.

ATV tires not standardized and different manufacturers use different tire sizes for similar products. The front tires for 100cc – 110 cc ATV could be anywhere between 16 inches to 22 inches in diameter. Very small sizes mean handling limitation but too big has not much advantages. It increases the cost and height. More height mean higher centre of gravity meaning less vehicle stability.

My ATV has 19 x 7-00 at front and 18 x 9-50 at rear. Considering utility, available power and other practical considerations, I find they are ideal for the ATV of this size.

Some Indian manufacturers are exporting ATV tires with diameter above 22 inch for larger ATVs. Tires that I am looking for with dimensions 19 x 7-00 and 18 x 9-50 are still a matter of concern. My present set should last more than another two years & I am confident of finding a solution before that.

ATV Spare parts

2009-05-06T20:32:00.007+05:30

Spare parts for imported vehicles and machinery are always matter of concern. We can never get original spare parts. By looking around we can always get good enough substitutes. Improvising attitude approach is very much essential.

The long bolt that attaches the engine to the frame was broken sometime back. I went with broken component to spare parts shop in nearby Vittal town to search for a suitable replacement. None of the motorcycle bolts were suitable with bigger dimensions. Finally located the bolt holding M80 moped engine to the frame but it was little longer. It was not a problem and I used that. .

I always have been alert for all malfunctioning components. The electrical components you get from China are not of top quality & I had known that before importing ATV from various ATV discussion forums. Have successfully replaced consumables like spark plug. CD units and starter solenoid.

Engine design of this ATV is very similar to Hero Street motorcycle that was in market sometime back. I have studied closely spending considerable amount of time in local Hero Honda showroom and find close resemblance in clutch and gear box design. This is also very similar to a spanish ATV that I was very keen to import and following link gives its spare parts list.

http://www.gasgasmotos.es/rcs/manuales/pdf/2006/linek/110/despiece06lkq110.zip

Hero Street, Spanish ATV and my Chinese ATV has exactly same engine and gear box design. This cannot be said of models with different engine sizes. The dimension could vary a bit that can be known only when we get down to repairs. This should not face any problem as I see it.

Import procedure for my ATV

2009-05-05T06:45:00.010+05:30

Finally I decided to get my ATV from China. It becomes more difficult to finalize as manufacture is scattered. Though limited to two cities, Chongquing and Yongkang, there are numerous manufacturers over there. It is better to call them fabricators as many of them procure the main components and mainly do the assembly. There is no regular assembly line with most of them and they assemble in batches as per the orders.

Pricing depends upon the order quantity. Normally container load order is expected and pricing given out. If we ask for fewer sample pieces, they expect premium on that depending on order size. Only after they receive your money, factories procure the components and start assembly. Normally they dispatch in ten days or two weeks.

The quotation and billing is done either as CIF or FOB. The CIF cost insurance freight billing means everything has been paid. The invoice should be very clear about freight & insurance. Otherwise Indian Customs will add 20 % as freight and 1.125 % as insurance to the Cost of the goods & do the tax assessment.

This web page gives the fair idea of lengthy procedure involved in customs clearance.

http://jeena.com/cimp.htm

The IEC code is issued by DGFT and the Bank may insist on it while doing remittance for import purpose and the customs may ask while clearing the goods. Though it is not required for import of goods for personal use, we may have to do some convincing at the goods clearance time. It involves a fee of INR 1000 plus a approx brokerage of INR 3500. The procedure takes a week or two. It is always better to be on safer side.

I spent about 1200 INR for money remittance and the party got money found that USD 35 deducted. So we pay for transfer to New York and they are charged for getting it from New York. There is no direct fund transfer from here to China.

I paid some amount as freight to my supplier in China but again had to pay almost twice that amount as THC to the delivery agent in Mumbai.

So it is like money remittance and the freight is charged at both ends.

Export document mean they have to make the invoice and Packing list. On handing over to the shipper, they will get Bill of Lading which is like Lorry Receipt when we send parcels here. All the three has to be with the importer for presenting to the customs for clearing the goods.

The container number should be invariably mentioned in Bill of Lading. Otherwise it is difficult to locate the right container. The bill of lading we got from China had this crucial information missing & we had to lot of e-mailing to get the information.

Certificate Of Origin (COO) is one useful important document in Import-Export Trade. This certificate indicates that the goods, which are being exported, are actually manufactured in a specific country mentioned therein. This certificate is sent by the exporter to the importer and in my case the company failed to send the certificate in time that created many headaches.

The clearing & forwarding agency charges for movement of goods within & outside the port plus for interacting with the customs. Since the procedure involved for customs clearance of very small consignment and very big are basically same, the charges may appear to be expensive for small consignment.

The following check list gives fair idea about expenses involved in importing a ATV or similar goods from abroad. We have to make sure beforehand, if the goods come under restricted list from the Customs Department.

1. IEC code expenses
2. Cost of Goods
3. Freight
4. Insurance
5. Bank Remittance Charges
6. Freight component at Indian port.
7. Handling expenses at port
8. Clearing & Forwarding Agency Bill
9. Customs duty

Item number 6 and 9 cannot be precisely known beforehand. It is not possible to get exact estimation of the shipping agency charges as we come across the agency involved only when the goods are in their hands.

Customs department follow same set of rules all over India but the procedure ; interpretation could vary. So it is always better to approach appropriate customs office & get the clarifications. Many customs offices have independent web sites .

Normally to get a consignment from China you have to wait for sixty days. Mine took longer, eighty days from sending money to delivery in our farm. There was unanticipated delay at factory, port and in the sea.

Importing is not a easy job. You will need plenty of patience & perseverance to make it happen. Anyway, GOOD LUCK. .

Safe riding practice

2009-05-04T10:25:00.001+05:30

This ATV is designed to carry RIDER only. No passengers please, as this alters the handling characteristics dangerously. The long seat is to allow the rider to shift the position as needed during operation. It is not a design for carrying passenger.

Select a large area, plain land to become familiar with your ATV. Make sure this area is free of obstacles and other riders. You should practice the control of brake, throttle gear shifting and turning techniques in the area before trying more difficult terrain.

Adjust the speed limiter to slow engine speed for safe familiarization of the vehicle. ATV is equipped with three forward gears and correct gear can be engaged as experience gathers on.

We mount on the ATV like we mount on the horse, keeping one leg on the footrest. One of the important rules of driving the ATV is never to put your leg down on the ground at any time.

Even if the ATV is about to be toppled over, it was best to stay with it as putting your leg down would result in it potentially being crushed underneath. But your natural instinct is to put your foot down as soon as it begins to topple over. So we need some understanding and unlearn our two wheeler riding technique.

Proper body movement is very important factor for safe turning of ATV and it can be briefly mentioned as follows :

When turning shift the weight slightly forward and support the weight on the outer footrest. Lean the upper body into the direction of the turn, pressing down on the opposite leg

It is important that when you climbing a hill to make sure that your weight is transferred forward on the ATV, which can be accomplished by leaning forward.

Use proper riding skills to avoid vehicle overturns on the hills. Be sure that you can maneuver your ATV well on the flat ground before attempting any incline and the practice riding first on gentle slopes. Try more difficult climbs only after you have learned more skills.

Throttle control is not by twisting the handlebar but pushing a throttle lever with the right thumb. If released the throttle will return to idle automatically ensured by spring action. Before starting the engine, check the throttle lever make sure it is operating smoothly and return to idle position immediately when released.

To achieve maximum traction while riding off road the two rear wheels are mounted solidly on one axle and turn together at same speed. Therefore, unless the wheel on the inside of the turn is allowed to slip or lose some traction, the ATV will resist turning. A special turning technique must be used to allow the ATV to make turns quickly and easily. It is essential that this skill be learned first at low speed.

In mountainous ghat road in Japan I had observed the fresh flowers recently placed in various sharp turns. Later came to know behind the scene story. Japan never had tradition of big motorcycles. So when Japanese manufacturers made big motor cycles for overseas market, the youngsters from rich families got hold of these powerful motorcycles but they lacked the ability to control them. So lot of fatal accidents did happen.

Most ATVs appear deceptively simple to operate Stability is also impaired by: (1) a short wheelbase, (2) a higher and rearward placed center of gravity, and (3) a possible rigid rear axle.

Many accidents keep happening around the world with ATVs and most of them are caused by negligent riding. They behave much different than either two wheelers or four wheelers that we are familiar with and practice and thereby experience is needed for safe operation

Using ATV in Indian farm

2008-09-06T11:37:00.004+05:30

ATV can be used for both work & recreation,. For partially handicapped person like me, it helps to get around the farm and also carry the essentials along.

I got carrier and trailer fabricated locally as this particular model is designed just for rides in Western countries as most farmers over there use bigger models, 250 cc and above.

I am able to carry about 35 to 40 kg in the carrier around the farm, even while climbing uphill. The trailer has handled about 100 kg so far. The limitation is because of the light weight, the rear wheels of ATV do not hold on to the ground to carry heavier loads.

I had to opt to four wheel trailer as the hitching point in ATV is not very strong and is not designed for that. The front wheels of the trailer are equipped with steering system, that is a exceptional in rural India.

Specification of my ATV

2008-09-06T11:30:00.005+05:30

This is the specification of the machine that I use & which I feel is cheap, simple & versatile.

Engine type : 110cc,
bore and stroke : 52.4x49.5
compression rating : 8.8:1
max torque : 6.5/5000rpm
max power : 4.7kw/7500rpm
ignition type : CDI
transmission : 3-speed plus reverse gear, semi-automatic, chain drive,
Brake (Front/Rear): Drum/Disc
starting system : Electric start
battery spec : 12V,9AH
wheel base : 1000mm
rear suspension details : mono shock swing arm,
front suspension details : double A x swing arm
front tire spec : 19x7-8
rear tires spec : 18x9.5-8
vehicle dimensions : 155x88x95cm
seat height from ground : 75cm
load capacity : 75kg
fuel tank capacity : 7.8L
ground clearance : 100mm

This ATV is sold in

America

as WF110-Q2 by wildfire Motors. The link to their catalogue is http://www.mybigtoystore.net/mall/WF110-Q2%20Page.asp

Welcome Everybody

2008-08-26T16:37:00.006+05:30

Hello,

I am a farmer from coastal Karnataka in South India.

I had a powered hangliding accident about 15 years back that limits my movements.

I decided that I need a ATV to move around my farm especially in rainy season.

Then they were not manufactured in India & there was no authorized dealers. So I had a difficult time looking for my dream machine.

Finally I had to import one from China. This is a platform to share my experience with ATV in my farm and latest developments.

Govind
Ananthady
Mani 574253.