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By Robert Janis Interview: ATV Source
Sits Down with Suzuki
 American Suzuki Motors Corporation first
offered an ATV in 1982. It was the 1983 model
year and the first model was the LT125. Today
the company offers 12 different models.
Moreover, each model is available in three
different colors and each can be customized with
such genuine Suzuki accessories as bags and
hunting gear. The best selling ATV currently is
the King Quad. The ATV/Motorcycle division
employs a staff of around 300 which includes the
Suzuki manufacturing facility in Rome, Georgia.
Suzuki has had an entire factory based racing
team since 2004 with two racers, a team manager,
mechanics and engineers that number as many as
20 people. It first became involved in racing in
2002 when it sponsored Doug Gust for the first
time. It stills sponsors Gust as well as
Jeremiah Jones.
We recently had an opportunity to talk to Joe
Felts, off road press relations specialist for
Suzuki, to find out what the company is doing in
the marketplace and what it is doing to promote
ATV racing and ATVs in general.
The 26 year old Felts has been involved in
the motorcycle/ATV industry for eight years and
he has been riding ATVs since he was 6 years old
and racing them since he was 8. He was inspired
to get involved with ATVs by his father who
raced them. Felts joined Suzuki in 1999 and was
first employed in customer service. He has also
worked for a Suzuki dealership for about three
years. Currently he is racing ATV
motocross on a Suzuki Quad Racer 450.
ATVSource: When did Suzuki first offer
an ATV?
JF: 1983 was the first model year. It was
available in ‘82. It was the LT125.
Suzuki was the first on four wheels.
ATVSource: How many ATV models do you offer
now?
JF: We currently offer 12 different models with
various different colors. In our utility models
there are three different colors available and
in our sports quads we offer two different
colors.
ATVSource: Do you do any customization of the
models?
JF: We offer some genuine Suzuki accessories for
various different models.
Things like bags and hunting gear, exhaust, nerf
bars. Things like that.
ATVSource: What is the best selling ATV for
Suzuki?
JF: In recent years it has been the LTZ400.
Recently, just last year, our King Quad became
our best seller. This year we hope our new Quad
Racer 450 will be our best seller.
ATVSource: How long does it take for a
concept ATV to make it to production?
JF: Depending on whether we already have a base
engine like another model it can be done in as
little as 12 months. Typically, though, it takes
anywhere from 18 to 36 months.
ATVSource: Is it common for you to use a base
engine first or do you start from scratch?
JF: Normally we start from scratch. On something
like our Quad Racer 450 we already had the
engine from our championship winning motocross
RMZ450 to use in the bike. So that shortened the
time frame significantly.
ATVSource: How do you decide you need to come
up with a new concept?
JF: We stay on top of the industry. We feel that
we have industry leading ATVs and we want to
stay there. So we are constantly coming up with
what’s new and what’s best.
ATVSource: Do you get input from customers or
dealers?
JF: Yes, absolutely. We do dealer surveys and
our engineers do dealer visits to get direct
input as far as what kind of products they want
to see.
ATVSource: And I assume that the dealers get
input from the consumers?
JF: Exactly. They talk to the consumer every
day.
ATVSource: How many employees does Suzuki
have in the ATV division?
JF: It’s hard to give you an exact number
because a lot of the employees at Suzuki work
for motorcycles and ATVs. But I would say
roughly 300. That includes the Suzuki
manufacturing facility in Rome, Georgia.
ATVSource: What do you consider to be the
major issues confronting the ATV business and
sport today?
JF: Riding areas is a big issue as well as
proper education to the riders to insure their
safety.
ATVSource: How should the industry and ATV
owners respond to these issues?
JF: ATV owners should join clubs like the
American Motorcycle Association (AMA), they have
an ATV division, just to show their support for
the industry.
AMA lobbies for riding areas and different
things like that. They fight for the riders.
Also owners should attend safety education
classes which Suzuki supports and most of the
industry supports.
ATVSource: Is there any attempt by any state
to limit or restrict the use of ATVs?
JF: Yes. There are quite a few states that are
limiting them by closing down riding areas and
passing emission laws. But through the
production of new ATVs, we are able to keep the
emissions at a level that puts us under the
requirements set up by the laws.
ATVSource: What should the industry and ATV
owners do about these attempts or future
attempts?
JF: As far as ATV owners are concerned, they
should attend meetings of their town councils
that are considering different propositions to
close riding areas. As for the industry, support
of the AMA and use of some kind of safety
education program. Suzuki offers a Motorcycle
Safety Foundation course for ATV riders which we
pay for. Owners get a rebate just for taking the
course.
ATVSource: How does that program work?
JF: A person buys an ATV from an authorized
Suzuki dealer and he or she gets a pamphlet
which includes information about the safety
course. If they attend the class we send them a
$50 rebate.
ATVSource: How long is the class?
JF: Usually it’s about half a day.
ATVSource: Should ATV drivers be required to
get a license or permit to operate an ATV?
JF: I don’t necessarily think they need a
license or permit. But they should definitely
adhere to the age requirements that the
manufacturers set for their units. And they
should definitely attend a safety course.
ATVSource: What is Suzuki doing to promote
the sport of ATV?
JF: We are very involved in racing, various
consumer shows, and events and offer consumer
based promotions.
ATVSource: What is the worst thing about the
ATV sport?
JF: I can’t think of anything bad about the
sport. It’s family oriented and, as long as
proper precautions are taken, it is safe and
fun.
ATVSource: How is the ATV manufacturers’
involvement in ATV racing effecting the sport?
JF: You have to talk to the other manufactures
about hat. We are very involved. We field an
entire factory based team and we give lots of
support to the riders.
ATVSource: How big is your race team?
JF: We have two riders and we have a team
manager, three different mechanics, engineers.
There are probably 20 people involved in racing.
ATVSource: What are the difficulties in
fielding an ATV racing team?
JF: Logistics. There’s always a problem with the
travel and the hectic race schedules.
ATVSource: How long has Suzuki been a part of
ATV racing?
JF: As far as the full factory team goes, it’s
been two years. But we have been supporting Doug
Gust since 2002.
ATVSource: What are Suzuki’s plans for the
2006 race team?
JF: Win a championship.
ATVSource: How do you decide on what riders
to sponsor? Do you have guidelines you follow?
JF: Results are a big factor. But more so than
results it is personality and the integrity of
the rider. Our two current riders, Doug Gust and
Jeremiah Jones, are not only the two fastest
guys out there on the race track but they are
also the nicest and most polite guys you would
ever want to meet.
ATVSource: How do you identify racers you
want to sponsor?
JF: Attend races. Be involved. Follow the press
coverage.
ATVSource: Have you set up consumer clubs?
JF: As of right now, no. But we do have one in
the works that we are hoping to kick off this
year.
ATVSource: Have you or will you sponsor ATV
special events for ATV owners?
JF: We’ve sponsored specific events like the
Hatfield-McCoy events in West Virginia and Dirt
Days and things like that.
ATVSource: What is being done to develop new
vehicles and accessories?
JF: Our race team helps us develop new products.
What Doug Gust raced two years ago is now
available at a production level in our Quad
Racer 450.
ATVSource: So basically the race team helps
with the R&D?
JF: Exactly.
ATVSource: So they give you feedback or offer
a report on the machines they ride?
JF: Exactly. Doug Gust last year rode an LTZ400.
It was basically a $20,000 machine. Through
racing and all the R&D we were able to build
that unit and offer it directly to the customer
at a price of $7299 which is revolutionary.
ATVSource: What future plans does Suzuki have
concerning ATVs?
JF: Suzuki is gearing up to go bigger and better
than ever in the ATV industry. We have
re-structured the company in our entire ATV
division to have more people dedicated
specifically to ATVs. We have brand new models
coming out in the next couple of years and we
will continuously update our products and come
out with new class leading products.
ATVSource: What is your background in the
motorcycle/ATV industry?
JF: I have been involved in the motorcycle/ATV
industry for eight years from the dealer level
on up to the manufacturer. I have also been
riding and racing ATVs since I was six years
old.
ATVSource: When did you join Suzuki?
JF: In 1999.
ATVSource: What was your job then?
JF: I was working in customer service.
ATVSource: What other companies did you work
for prior to joining Suzuki?
JF: I worked for a Suzuki dealership for about
three years.
ATVSource: What Suzuki ATV would you like to
have in your garage and why?
JF: I would want a Quad Racer 450 because it is
the best there is. There’s nothing else like it
out there.
ATVSource: What do you race?
JF: Motocross and ATV motocross.
ATVSource: What model do you race?
JF: The Quad Racer 450.
ATVSource: What do you like about it?
JF: It’s a bench mark in ATV racing. Nothing
like it has ever been offered directly from a
manufacturer. It is so low and wide which makes
it incredibly stable. You can corner so fast on
it.
ATVSource: How long have you been racing?
JF: For about 18 years.
ATVSource: How old are you now?
JF: 26.
ATVSource: Who inspired you to race ATVs?
JF: I always liked motorcycles and ATV racing
since I was a kid. My dad raced.
We would like to thank Joe Felts for taking
the time to speak to us.
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