I wanted a 4x4 ATV but didn't want to pay any $$ for it...

[northerndad]

Not sure where this fits, so here we go!

As some of you may know I bought my first ATVs this summer - 2 chinese ones. I really wanted a 4x4 atv, but couldn't find a good deal, and couldn't justify $7,000+ for a new brand name one.

My wife told me to save up for 1 year, and then buy one - you know, set a goal, and aim for it. But I wanted one now. And I didn't want to save up for it, and didn't want to pay cash-ola for one either.

One of the many brands I researched was Linhai - I was curious about them, but couldn't find anyone who had actually *ridden* on one. I got a hold of a guy on YouTube, from Nova Scotia who owns one, and he raved about it, I mean raved. He told me his neighbour traded in his arctic cat for one after experiencing his, his uncle bought one, his aunt... sounded great!

I was surprised that I couldn't find any reviews, or testimonials online or on the Linhai Canada website.

So I pitched a deal - long story short - to do some video reviews and give some marketing advice in exchange for a Linhai ATV or SxS. Visionary Motorsports - behind the linhai brand - jumped at it, and after sharing my ideas they asked if I'd review all their product. So that's the deal - I work video reviews and testimonials and help with their marketing, and they ship me all their machines (pitster pros too) - and we turn northern BC into the trail-tested testing grounds for their machines!

I received 5 machines this week and went to pick up the first 2 ATVs that were ready this afternoon. With the help of my family I shot some test footage and put together a brief "features video" concept. Here's the link:



Needless to say I am VERY excited with this win-win deal! I get to do a whole bunch of things that I love - and get awesome machines.

I've been very impressed with Visionary so far - they've been around a while and I share a lot in common with their partners. I just had my first hands-on time with the Linhais today and they are a totally different ballpark from my little Gio and the wife's (quickly disintegrating) Tao.

I look forward to getting feedback - I will be posting ideas and looking for input as I start to get the profiles, reviews etc rolling for their products.

Cheers!

Jacob

[MICRider]

Sounds like a sweet deal to me! And you get to keep a 4X4 ATV at the end of it? Awesome! I'll be interested to read/watch your reviews as I really enjoyed your Beast one. Grats on the sweet deal!

[Weldangrind]

The only disappointing aspect of this situation is that I didn't think of it first.

[FastDoc]

Holy cow that's a good deal.

A bit of a gamble on the distributer's part. Maybe they DO have a good product!

[northerndad]

It is a fair deal - we're basically trading my product for their product. It's pretty common in the business world, and I wouldn't have made it past my first 10 years without some timely trades. Because I'm doing a *lot* of work for them I'll be keeping a lot of product - all of it, maybe more - then selling it to recoup some cash. I'll keep a couple machines for me and the family - and I'll probably sell the other china bikes or keep them as guest machines

I'll be doing more than 120 hours of video, plus I'm consulting on the brand, marketing, and PR side. I enjoy doing all of that, so it is a great deal to me! I don't think I ever get bored doing this stuff - thats why I'm still in it 10 years after I started

jb

[Jim]

That's cool, with this deal though, do you have the leeway to point out the negative things you find, it looks more like a commercial then a review, so if you are doing PR, I would imagine only the positive side to be highlighted? Good deal, congrats

[katoranger]

Sounds like a deal. The video was very nice. Please make sure you post all of the videos you make.

[northerndad]

There are a few different types of videos. The concept I posted is a features overview. Here's a list of the videos:

* Walk-around + features overview
* Real people trying/ testing the product and giving their comments
* Testing/ trail testing video - showing the product in the wild - doing trails, working on a farm, etc. Get impressions afterward.
* May do a road trip with some machines and get first-impression videos from people
* long term-test/ reliability video

Will also do extended real people videos with a couple higher-profile people - for example a former Honda ATV dealer rep, who lives here now - and a couple order-of-canada people.

Also would love to get more owners to share their experiences.

jb[/list]

[SpudRider]

I am pretty sure Linhai manufactures for Yamaha. I think I read somewhere that Yamaha bought a percentage of the Linhai company. I have only read good things about Linhai products.

http://www.quadcrazy.com/atvforum/at...maha-atvs.html

Spud

[northerndad]

Linhai specializes in small engine manufacture, Yamaha invested a ton of money into Linhai, they have a jointly owned factory that makes bikes and SxSs for Yamaha. Linhai has been around for more than 50 years, and have some of the best factories in china - that's what I've read and heard anyhow.

[midlifekrisiz]

if your going to sell any let me know.....we are in the market for better atv's than the ones we have

[northerndad]

Where I'm trying to help is fill that gap between "i've heard" and make it "I tried a linhai and..." or "I own a linhai and..." This is what that guy in Nova Scotia sent me when I asked what he thought of his linhai:

Hey there, I have a white 400 sport. I thought the white 400 was the best looking machine. Those puppies put out an ass kicking 28hp at the rear wheels, did you know that? Outrages for a non name brand ATV. My uncle has a 300se 4X4 and uses it all winter to plow his yard and he takes it hunting also. He's had that thing in some pretty shitty predicaments and hasn't been let down yet. My neighbor across the street traded his Arctic Cat 450 for a Linhai Bighorn 28 side by side and loves it. I've been trouble free since buying mine, and I use mine to haul some pretty decent sized logs out of the woods. I think these bikes are the best kept secret in all of Canada. You get bang for your buck at a fraction of the cost. They are built like a tank and the motors rock as far as I'm concerned. My wife loves the neighbors side by side so much that she wants to buy a Linhai Bighorn 21 for herself, so there you go.

Then he wrote:

Hey there, I think if you make the leap to Linhai you will be pleased. As I said, my local dealer hasn't reported any major issues (and believe me I asked, the skeptic as I am) other than what he liked to call 'unnecessary abuse'. On the other hand, do not confuse these Linhai ATVs with some of the other Chinese brands. These are a heavy, well built machine with good power. You will not lag behind on the trails trying to keep up with a Honda or Yamaha. My Honda 300 4x4 has a rated 19hp and my uncle's Linhai 300 4x4 at only 275cc displacement packs a whopping 21hp and kicks the snot out of my aging Honda, and outweighs my machine by about 90 pounds. At the same time, my new Linhai 400 sport will chew them both up and spit them out. I strongly recommend the 400 dude, you will love it. I just bought GIO mini Hummers for my kids and they are great but you will never get them confused with the Linhais, they are leaps and bounds better.

Just the standard features alone are enough to convince any frugal buyer of purchasing one of these bikes. Where else are you going to get alloy wheels, mirrors, and signal lamps as standard features? I hope you get your new Linhai soon and I hope you enjoy it as me as we enjoy ours here in Nova Scotia.

And also this:

I think people have inferiority complexes when it comes to buying ATVs. It's a big investment, and there's alot of pride at stake. Let's face it, none of us want to get laughed off the trails but at the same time, do you want to go spend almost $4000 more for a Yamaha Big Bear 400 that at the end of the day will not perform any better than your Linhai? I got laughed at quite a bit actually. My buds aren't laughing now though, I go where they go and I keep up with them too. Mind you, I don't provoke a man driving a big bore 700 or anything like that, but I will put my Linhai 400 up against any 350-500cc ATV out there, except for Can-Am, those things are brutally vicious, lol.

[culcune]

Linhai have been in the US for a few years now. I have seen one particular scooter at serveral online dealers advertised as a "Linhai/Yamaha" with a 260cc engine. I suppose it took a little bit of time for the brand to make inroads into Canada. It is interesting that you were able to convince the brand to let you review their product--I had been trying the same thing for a few years now in the US with a few brands, but no one seems to like publicity here. I have had the 'Jetmotogroup' from before this site's inception, and became a friend with 'Crazy Carl' from before his 'Mychinamoto' site's inception, so know the Chinese bike industry pretty well. All to no avail, LOL. I think I gave in somewhat when I got Clevand Cycle Work's commercial on The Fright Channel in order to show other advertisers that people do advertise with us, and truth be told, I haven't guilted the owner to give me a Heist in trade, but I am pretty sure I already know the answer--no, nine, non, zip, zero, nada, etc.

[Weldangrind]

Thanks for the video link; great format.

Order of Canada people? That's an angle I never thought of to promote China products. Do you have local recipients?

[northerndad]

LInhai has been in canada for 2 years, not very long. They key difference between the USA and Canadian market is the distribution model - in the US it is direct, much like Gio here in Canada. Here it is the traditional dealer model. They want to build a longer lasting brand here, and I think eventually in the states they will pursue that model to reach 'average' buyers.

Order of Canada - yea, lol I threw that in because my uncle is OC and OBC, and he is a pretty avid outdoorsman, and is excited to do some testing. He's also got a pretty good network of influential people - one of his friends here is a rancher who supplies bucking stock to most of the rodeos in western canada for example.