Sunday, February 28, 2010

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Percentage of ATV-Related accidents continues to drop according to CPSC

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have just released their Annual Report of ATV-related Deaths and injuries for the year 2008.   The number of ATV-related deaths as dropped from 699 in  2007 to 410 in 2008.  This is great news and reflects the fact that people are being more cautious and understand the importance of safety.  This is despite having an all time high of around 10.2 millions ATVs  in use.
I was really interested in the difference in term of safety between 3-wheels ATV and 4-wheels ATV but unfortunately, the quality of the data doesn't allow for such a drill down. The number of reported fatalities relating to children younger than 16 years old was also down.

Unfortunately, only 5 states account for nearly 25% of total death-related accidents in the country every year: California, Pennsylvania, Texas, Kentucky and West Virginia.

The annual estimates of ATV-related injuries also went down from 150, 900 to 135,100 which reflects a decrease of around 10%.  For children under 16 years of age, the decrease is of 6% and they account for a total of 30% of all ATV-related injuries.

The most common diagnosis for ATV-related injuries were: contusions/abrasions(27%) and fractures (25%).
Please visit the http://www.atvsafety.gov/ for more information on ATV security and remember that the Maxi grip screw studs can drastically enhance your winter experience with better traction and overall safety.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Your ATV could be a plowing machine!

Did you know that many ATV owners actually use their ATV in winter to plow their driveway?  It's a fantastic alternative to shovelling, gets you outside on your favourite toy and proves to your partner what a great and necessary purchase the ATV was!

But before you put your snow pants on and run outside, there is some considerations to examine before you get started.  Is a 4x4 ATV required or you still can do the job with a 2WD?  How big and which design (straight, V-shaped) should your blade be? Is there any link between your ATV engine CC and the weight of the blade?

How about plowing technique? Accessories, yes ATV snow plowing accessories!

Well, ATV Magasine came up with a great article where you'll find answers to all of your questions right here. And of course, you can use Maxi grip ice studs at www.maxigripstore.com to help your ATV snow plowing!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Snowmobile: Improve your safety with Maxigrip ice studs

Research conducted by SESRA proves that studded tracks have a significant impact on stopping distances on ice, providing increased safety.



It is time for snowmobile fans to start using the Maxigrip ice studs on their their track and improve their safety.

Have a safe winter!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

HOWTO create your own studded tires for your bike this winter.

There are two ways to create your own studded tires for your bicycle. The old way requires you to have a drill, nuts, screw, duck tape, epoxy glue and lots of time and patience.



Here are the steps using the old method:
Step 1: Take the wheels off the bike and the tires off the wheels.
Step 2: Locate the tread and mark the point inside your tire, use your drill to pierce through the mark.
Step 3:
  • A: Insert the screw pointing outward and insert the nuts on the outside tread of your tire. Rinse and repeat for the whole set of studs.
  • B: Insert the screw pointing outward, make sure it is perpendicular. Seal with some epoxy glue.
Step 4: Use duct tape over the screws on the inside of the tire. (Sometimes, 2 layers are necessary.)
Step 5: Reassemble the tires back on the wheels and the wheels back on the bike.


And here are the steps using the Maxi grip studs:
Step 1 : Flip your bike upside down.
Step 2 : Using the fitting tool, drill the Maxi grip stud in your tire tread. Rinse and repeat.
Step 3 : Flip your bike back up!





Not only will you save time with the new method but the Maxi grip studs have a carbide head that will last many seasons and provide much better traction over difficult terrain!

Have a great outdoor winter!

Maxi grip tire studs are available online at: www.maxigripstore.com