I remember the day my father brought home our family’s first ATV. It was a Suzuki 350 c.c. and I was terrified of it. It had a manual transmission and I spent several frustrating hours trying to learn how to shift the gears smoothly. After I figured it out, however, I was hooked on ATVing.
A couple of years later, my father bought two personal watercraft and it didn’t take me long to develop an interest in them as well. Since then, I’ve explored trails and lakes throughout the East and West Kootenay regions of B.C. and in the province of Alberta. I have also ridden a personal watercraft in the states of Montana, Arizona and Utah. My passion for motorsports is something I am pleased to share with my husband, who is also an experienced dirt biker and motorcyclist.
As a writer for RidersWest, I get to speak with top riders in the industry, learn about new products on the market and hear great riding stories from readers.
If you have a story that you’d like to share, know of an outstanding rider who should be recognized or would just like to talk about motorsports, please email me.
UClear’s HBC 200 Force is probably the most rider-intuitive helmet communication system on the market. Most systems have a boom microphone but the HBC 200 Force does not. It has a microphone that is actually built into the speakers.
by Kirsten Armleder
ATVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles and boats are prime targets for thieves. Although nothing can ensure you won’t get robbed, you can improve your odds with the new Spot Trace.
by Kirsten Armleder
Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) returns to its roots with the new 2014 Sea-Doo Spark.
by Kirsten Armleder
Black Gear Products, a company based in New Liskeard, Ontario, recently released the world’s first ATV air ride trailer.
by Kirsten Armleder
Shelby Turner of Barons, Alberta, made Canada proud at the 88th running of the FIM International Six Days of Enduro (ISDE) in Sardinia, Italy—bringing home the first gold medal in our country’s history for the Women’s Trophy Team.
by Kirsten Armleder
Victoria, B.C.’s Thomas Cordner is Canada’s top trials rider. With three wins and one second-place finish in the six-round series, Cordner is your 2013 World Trials Canada National Champion.
by Kirsten Armleder
With more consumers than ever buying UTVs, competition in this sector of the off-road vehicle market is really heating up.
by Kirsten Armleder
Perhaps one of the biggest decisions facing side-by-side customers is whether they should buy a two-, a three- or a four-seater? Well that decision might be a little easier for some to make now that Honda has released the 2014 Honda Pioneer 700-4.
by Kirsten Armleder
Arctic Cat has added five new models to its lineup of 2014 side-by-sides and three of them went into the utility series. The Prowler 500 HDX, HDX XT and HDX Limited are all new for 2014.
by Kirsten Armleder
Polaris revolutionized the off-road vehicle industry when the company released its sport-driven RZR for 2008. It was then that the recreational side-by-side market really started to grow and there is no indication that it will be slowing down anytime soon. With a newly expanded lineup of side-by-sides, Polaris is ready to once again lead the pack.
by Kirsten Armleder
Yamaha unveiled its new lineup of 2014 off-road vehicles in early June and what you won’t see for the new model year is the Rhino side-by-side. In its place sits the all-new 2014 Yamaha Viking.
by Kirsten Armleder
It’s often been said that you have to watch out for the quiet ones as they can be the most unpredictable. Well, in the case of Ryan Linderman, it’s quite the opposite—when it comes to off-road racing that is.
by Kirsten Armleder
Seven-time National Snocross Champion Tucker Hibbert will be racing the penultimate round of the 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship and his season this Saturday, August 17, 2013, in Tooele, Utah.
by Kirsten Armleder
Tumbler Ridge, a town of about 3,000 people in northern B.C., finally has an ATV club to call its own. The new Grizzly Valley ATV Club was officially formed on May 7, 2013.
by Kirsten Armleder
For as long as I can remember, the annual car show in Cranbrook, B.C., has been a highlight of the summer, and this year was no different. On Saturday, July 20, the parking lot of Western Financial Place was transformed into a sea of shiny metal.
by Kirsten Armleder
Kawasaki caters to the family and those who like to bring friends along for the ride with the Teryx4 side-by-side. For 2014, this already popular vehicle is equipped with a more powerful engine and improved suspension components. A limited edition model is also available for 2014.
by Kirsten Armleder