KOLPIN CLOSES ON PURCHASE OF ATV DIVISION OF CYCLE COUNTRY ACCESSORIES CORP

Fox Lake, WI (January 2, 2012) Kolpin Outdoors, Inc. is pleased to announce that as of December 31, 2011 it has closed on the transaction to purchase the ATV Accessories product line from Cycle Country Accessories Corporation, of Spencer, IA.  Kolpin is purchasing only the ATV Accessories product line, and not any other operating entity of Cycle Country, nor its manufacturing operations, real estate, machinery and equipment. Cycle Country will continue to manufacture the ATV Accessories products for Kolpin through March of 2012.

In order to insure a seamless transition and continuity for Cycle Country’s distribution partners, Kolpin has also announced that it will hire certain Cycle Country employees in the sales, customer service and product development/engineering areas and will maintain a physical office and R&D center location in Spencer, IA.

 “We are very pleased to be able to bring Cycle Country into the Kolpin Powersport family of brands,” stated Tom Lutes, President/CEO of Kolpin. “We have spent many years developing the culture, brand, product and distribution strategies that have brought Kolpin to the forefront of the industry. As the new steward of the Cycle Country brand, we fully intend to apply those same principles in projecting it to the next level. Job #1 is to build a strong foundation to ensure we are serving our Powersport distribution and dealer partners in a timely, efficient and quality manner. Once we are confident the foundation is solid and in in place, we will begin driving innovative product development and more aggressive brand marketing at both the trade and consumer level.”

Cycle Country will be managed as an independent product brand under the Kolpin Powersports family and will remain as an exclusive brand of products to the Powersport distribution/dealer channel. Certain elements of the brand activity will be integrated into Kolpin, but dedicated resources for sales, customer service and engineering will be maintained for the Cycle Country brand.

Mike Stone, Executive Vice President of Kolpin was quoted, “We are taking the reins of Cycle Country well into this year’s snow season, thus we will have minimal ability to impact the supply for this season. However, we are hard at work at putting in place a world class supply chain, both domestically and off-shore. Our mantra, in fact our guarantee, is that we will have adequate supply of product on the shelves well before the snow starts flying in the upcoming season. As we speak, our supply chain partners are already tooling up and producing product for the 2012/13 season.”

About Kolpin Outdoors Inc:

Kolpin® Outdoors Inc. is a growth-oriented marketer and manufacturer of innovative ATV accessories and UTV accessories. As The Leader in All-Terrain Innovation, Kolpin sets the standard for quality, innovation and design. Kolpin ATV products and UTV products are designed for recreational ATV and UTV riders, hunters & outdoorsmen, and landowners. Kolpin continues to redefine the industry with patented innovations such as our world-renowned Kolpin ExpansionSystem (KXP), Gun Boot® cases and brackets, Stealth Exhaust, DirtWorks™ System and a large assortment of ATV and UTV accessories. To learn about the latest products, news and topics follow us on www.kolpin.com . 

ATV Snow Plowing Tips for First-Timers

Ready to have some fun plowing snow with your ATV this winter? If it’s your first time plowing with an ATV, there are a few things that are helpful to know before you start. With a little practice, you’ll figure out what works best for you, but here are some tips to save you from learning everything the hard way:

1. Plow with the Storm

The most important thing to remember is to plow with the storm! Don’t wait until there’s 10 inches of wet, heavy snow on the ground before starting to plow.

An ATV can handle just about any winter storm, but the key is to start early. The heavier and deeper the snow, the harder it’s going to be on your ATV, so when a big storm blows through, don’t wait until it’s over to start on the driveway.

TIP - Plowing soft surfaces: We have found that having a thin layer of packed snow on a soft surface such as dirt or gravel really helps. Drive a vehicle back and  forth over the  snow first  and  let  it  pack down between 1 or 2 inches before plowing.

2. Don’t Ram It

Treat your ATV and plow equipment with respect. Ramming into hard-packed mounds of snow can bend the plow blade, damage the ATV, and even injure the rider. Plowing at high speeds is also dangerous, as there can be hidden objects or a buildup of ice underneath the snow. Running into these obstacles at high speeds could seriously damage the ATV or rider.

If you need to plow a large drift, lift up the blade (but not all the way) and plow the top half. Then come back and plow the bottom half.

3. Clear a Wider Path

Push the snow out into the yard at the beginning of the season so that by the end of the season, you still have a full width of driveway to plow. Come February, you don’t want to find that you have nowhere left to push the snow! To keep from ripping up the yard, lift up the blade a couple inches to skim the grass.

4. Get a Grip

If you need extra traction and stability, secure some weight to the back of the ATV and invest in some ATV tire chains.

5. Inspect, Inspect, Inspect

Don't assume your plow will always work perfectly. Regardless  of  which  system  you  select,  you  must examine it before, during and after each usage. Inspect before you plow for loose parts or winch cable damage, for example. Inspect it while you plow to prevent ice build up, which can make pushing snow more difficult. Finally, inspect after you plow so you know it will be ready to go the next time you need it. Plus, if you find any damage, you’ll have time to order new parts before the next massive snow storm hits.