News – Arctic Cat quads are coming to France –

Arctic Cat quads land in France

News - Arctic Cat quads are coming to France -

While the four great Japanese are doing the roundabout and trying to delay the deadline by advocating new homologation rules for quads, the American brand Arctic Cat arrives in France with machines of 50 to 500 cm3 distributed by SIMA.

Still rare on the open road, quads are nonetheless approved in France under certain conditions..

What to turn pale the four great Japanese, who have not felt the tide and risk ending up with their stocks of unapproved quads on their hands. Grouped together within the ATVEA (European Association of the ATV Industry, All Terrain Vehicles), they therefore try to keep competition away from this juicy market by relying on security imperatives at European level, the time for them to develop an approved range.

"The quad is an all-terrain machine and it must remain so, even if it must also be able to cross a road without being outlawed.", explains Honda to The cycle and motorcycle official. The Japanese giant, which has "no homologation project for quads for the moment", fears the repercussion of an anarchic homologation which, as in the United States in the 80s, could result in a brutal hardening of the legislation. A fear shared by the spokesperson for Kawasaki France who, questioned by The official, estimate that "market growth will be doomed in the short term and approval will be called into question"if we do not put in place very precise safety rules. The manufacturer, who does not currently offer approved quads, could however review its position depending on the evolution of the market.

Because the competition is tough … "Every month, we see a new brand of quads based on the same product. !", quipped an importer recently in the aisles of the Montpellier Professional Days (read).

SIMA (Cagiva, Husqvarna, MV Agusta, etc.), which already imports Barossa and Adly (Taiwan) quads, is adding a new string to its bow with the American Arctic Cat, specializing in quads and snowmobiles. With a range of 50 to 500 cm3 and "soon a 650 cm3 model", from € 1,399 to € 13,090, automatic or speed, the SIMA is positioned as the"leader of approved quad bikes in France"and intends to reach all types of users: sport, utility or hiking.

Eric MICHEL

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