2017 Wrap Up

Happy New Year! We hope you had a happy holiday season. It was nice to have a white Christmas for the first time in a few years and we know a lot of you took advantage of trails being open. While the first few days of January tend to be a time for looking ahead, we wanted to talk about a few of our favorite moments from 2017.

We got lucky enough to have our annual Snowmobile Demo ride a few weeks late in February. We ran it right out of our back door. People loved seeing our service shop and trying out the 2017 Polaris line-up. There was a good camaraderie and it was nice and toasty over the grilled hot dogs and hamburgers.

In June, we had an ORV demo ride at KB Moto. It was a muddy, sunny day. We got to ride with customers, show off some of the cool Polaris side by sides and ATVs, and even took some videos of trail riding.

The end of July brought our annual Blast on the Beach. This year it was a really windy affair. We still had a full slate of riders and a ton of fun. Our workers managed to get a little color during the day and a lot of laughs with our customers and beach goers.

We’re looking forward to making more memories with you all in 2018. It doesn’t look like we have to do much of a snow dance for our upcoming Snowmobile Demo Ride, but we’ll knock on wood and turn around three times any way, just in case. Happy Holidays from the Appolson’s Team!

Spring ATV Picnic

This past Saturday, Appolson’s staff took to the tails at KB Moto to do what we love – ride! We hosted a Customer Appreciation picnic at the ATV Park to thank those that have visited us, whether it was buying a vehicle, buying oil, or visiting us online. We couldn’t have asked for a better day. It was sunny, warm, breezy – and no rain!

We brought some of our favorite Polaris ATVs and Side by Sides to the park and rode the massive trail system in the morning with a group. At lunch time, we gave everyone a free lunch and took some people out on demo runs in our vehicles – the RZR S 1000 was the favorite! After lunch, the group went out on runs again. We even had an area set aside for our younger customers to ride a Sportsman 110! Everyone came back muddy, tired, and, most importantly, happy.

We took a lot of video and photos on Saturday that we are editing together to get up on our website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Calling All New York State ORV Enthusiasts

If you own a Ranger, RZR, or other side by side in New York, you know that with 1 or 2 exceptions, these vehicles cannot be registered in New York State. There is a bill in Albany right now that would increase the weight limit to 1500 lbs. making registration of all side by sides legal.

The original ATV statute was put into law in 1987 and limited the weight to 800 lbs. It was then amended in 1997 and increased the weight limit to 1000 lbs. where it has remained for 20 years. When it was increased to 1000 lbs. many of the models we now carry weren’t even on the market. Technology and design has advanced since 1997 and vehicles now include roll cages, seat belts, and doors which not only make them significantly safer but also increase the weight of the machines.

At this point you might be wondering what good it is to the riders and the owners of these machines if they have to spend more money to register them each year. The bill also includes language to use the registration fees from registration fees to help fund state-wide trail development, maintenance, and safety. If you are also a snowmobiler, you know how awesome a state-wide trail system is for those who want to ride, as well as for the economies that get a bump from tourism by riders.

This week, the Assembly Transportation Committee is meeting where Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi will poll the board members to see if they have had any feedback from their local constituents. Polaris has been working on their end to support the bill this far, but this bill needs the support of all riders – no matter your brand loyalty. If you would like to reach out to your local Assemblyman, please go to http://nyassembly.gov/mem/search today to look them up. Tell them you support A.4412.

The All New Polaris RZR XP Turbo EPS

Over the company’s history, Polaris has established itself as an industry leader in bigger, badder machines. That legacy continues with the all-new 2017 Polaris RZR XP Turbo EPS.

The newest addition to the RZR line-up packs a whopping 168HP ProStar Turbo H.O. Engine. This is the most powerful engine available from the factory. In addition, there’s an incredible 95% of torque available from 5,000 to 8,000 RPM. This makes the RZR work for all types of riders – the rock crawlers, trails, desert, and dunes. We have even had customers in the past purchase tracks for their RZRs for year round fun.

The RZR XP Turbo EPS is all about the best of the best, with Premium FOX Internal Bypass Shocks, a front stabilizer bar, and a race-inspired steering rack that gives you the ultimate control. The side-by-side comes standard with High Performance True On-Demand All-Wheel-Drive and Electronic Power Steering for even better handling.

With 1.6 million ways to customize your RZR, it’s ready to work for you and help you find The Power of Fun.

Join our Social Media Scavenger Hunt!

Welcome bones and ghouls! We are really getting into the Halloween spirit this year and will be celebrating by hosting our very first Social Media Scavenger Hunt! This fun and family-friendly event will take place from October 24^th to October 29^th on our three main social media channels Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The first five participants to complete all six clues will win a $50 gift certificate to Appolson’s Performance Center!

It’s as easy as 1-2-3 to participate!

1. Follow us on our social media @Appolsons.
2. Complete each day’s clue.
3. Be one of the first five participants to complete all six clues and win!

We ask that if you post pictures during your scavenger hunt fun that you use the hashtag #APCHalloweenHunt and tag us so we can see them!

The full rules and entry are posted here: http://bit.ly/APCHalloweenHunt.

Finally, there’s going to be lots of yummy Halloween treats in the showroom to enjoy on Saturday, October 29^th while shoppers check out the final weekend of Polaris FAC! So we hope you all participate and come see us soon!

Winter ATV Maintenance

We’ve been having one of the mildest winters I can remember as a lifelong New York State resident. Where we’re usually deep in the middle of snowmobile season, we were fortunate to have enough snow to get our demo riders out at the Genesee Forestry a few weeks ago. With all that in mind, you may be putting your ATV to good use this winter. Of course the more you use a machine, the better and more frequent maintenance is needed. Though these are some general tips, please check your machine’s owner’s manual for specific maintenance needs.

If you ride through snow and ice, be sure to clean off as much snow and ice from the radiator while riding and again off of the whole machine before storing the ATV post-ride. Otherwise, this water can re-freeze and make using your ATV the next time a pain. Additionally, make sure you don’t force any plastic pieces that are frozen. Plastic can break off in cold temperatures.

Winter fuel in New York means that sometimes gas line anti-freeze is already added to it at the pumps. For that reason, be cautious when adding any more. One of the best things you can do is to keep the fuel level up in your ATV to avoid condensation forming in your fuel tank and water getting in the fuel. If your machine is an EFI system, you’re going to have a much easier time getting it started when you’re ready for the cold air ride. If you have a carburetor, you may need to bring your ATV in to our Appolson’s service department so we can jet your carburetor for you. The jetting process finds the right combustible combination of fuel and air for your machine to run at its best.

When performing an oil change, whether it is in the winter or summer, you should always change the oil filter. In the winter, an oil change should include paying attention to the viscosity and temperature range on your oil. Always check your ATV’s particular owner’s manual for the best oil for your machine, or check with our Parts Manager Josh when stopping into the store.

If you follow these tips and tricks or stop in and talk to our knowledgeable staff, you should be able to enjoy this extra riding time. Make sure you give your ATV a little longer to warm up, and don’t forget to add an extra layer of clothing to your body to keep yourself warm. Let us know your favorite riding spots this winter and send us any cool pictures of your ride!

Recently local Western New York volunteer firefighters were recognized nationally by Polaris for their efforts during the November Snowstorm in Buffalo, NY! From Polaris: “These Hardest Working Heroes from the Clarence Center Volunteer Fire Company helped those in need during the massive snowfall in Buffalo, NY last month. THANK YOU for all that you do!”

Read their incredible story here: http://orv.to/OPeRcC

This Veteran’s Day, Polaris RZR shared a video and project they collaborated with a special organization on, and it’s more than worth watching. Warfighter Made is a nonprofit that helps injured veterans regain their FREEDOM through recreation. Now it’s time for YOU to help their mission – If Polaris reaches 50,000 views of this video today they will donate an additional RZR to the efforts – If they reach 100,000 views, they will donate two.

Watch the video, share their message, and help us help those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our FREEDOM.

Check out this video!

“XP1K2” is a seven-minute onslaught of intense off-road road action, set in a massive 600-acre forest near Mt. Baker, Washington. The video stars Off-Road Racing Champion RJ Anderson, driving a custom Holz Racing built Polaris RZR XP 1000 Side-by-Side (SxS), complete with a Polaris ProStar® 1000 Muzzys Performance engine and custom Walker Evans Racing shocks. The “XP1K2” crew, including Tony Vanillo and his team of dirt and ramp engineers at the Off-Road Management Group, transformed the remote wooded location into a stunning array of creative obstacles, which included more than 20 natural terrain and man-made works of (terrifying) art. Spoiler alert – RJ Anderson reclaims the world record for a distance jump in a SxS – and does so by clearing a death-defying 100-foot gap!

More than a year of planning went in to the development and execution of the “XP1K2” campaign. It took the build team of 10 more than a month to carve out the heart-stopping playground as multiple obstacles featured hand built “ladder trail” which required two to three days each to weld, cover in wood and secure safely. The Mad Media crew of 40 then spent 14 days on location battling wind, rain, mud and fog to capture each of their incredible imagined obstacles.

Happy #FourWheelFriday! Here’s Nicholas with the muddied-up 2015 Polaris Sportsman Ace 570 demo unit earlier this month during one of our ATV Ride Club events at KBmoto. Getting it dirty was definitely more fun than cleaning it afterwards!