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So, if I was Max I would consider:
1) Selling a Springer
2) Start getting the word out that the Max is reliable and low maintenance, and start taking some Max IV's to the some national mud events...get some free exposure.
3) Strive to keep costs down, while improving durability. Don't know if that is possible, but it is a good thing to keep in mind.
I too would like to see a vehicle with suspension.
My Dad would not let me have one in the mid seventies he echoed what you are saying with "they are junk" I had a neighbor who was an Attex dealer. No maintenance and hard use meant his machine was always broken down.
Recreatives does this as best as they can. They will hold prices down and make evolutionary improvements. They have not changed the body design much except for headlights and the rear area on a Max II. I believe a major concern is the cost associated with building a new body design. We would all like to see a Max II be able to have larger diameter tires. I don't know how many employees they have but I bet it is around 10. JP or someone that lives there can tell us. There are trickle down effects such as the cost of steel and the price of fuel to transport the raw materials and components to get them to Recreatives for assembly. They have eaten the rise in steel prices on several occasions to keep their prices down. I'd like to see them sell a Max II Minus, a machine on a pallet without the engine.
If the amphibious atvs did become much more popular we would be up to our ears in machines from China and Japan. Companies like Honda could put out a mass quantity of them and with other products to buffer their economics they could sell an amphibious atv as a loss leader.
In reference to what people want to pay it is just relative to their wants and needs. A basic Max II can be bought for under $8000. I've got used machines that are like new and have been rebuilt and people still want a sub $1000 machine but don't want to have to do any work to it. A coworker asked me about them looking for something for his kids. I offered him a machine at cost, he got mad and said he could get a new 4 wheeler for under $500. One thing I have been doing is I'm trying to stop calling them ATV's and break that comparison. I have been trying to just call them amphibious vehicles. Here is an example of what I get. two weeks ago a guy stopped by and did some tire kicking. He talked with me for about an hour. He then said he wanted a used machine I have. He asked the price and asked if I took trades. I said maybe what do you have. Now I'm not kidding, the guy said he had some goats to to trade. I was thinking military vehicle gamma goat. Not really interested but they are cool. Nope he was talking real live goats!
I took a guy and his friend for a test ride. They rode with me in a Max IV. They both rode for a while and then got to drive. The total test ride was a little over 2 hours. They said they wanted to check their finances and would get back with me. About a month later I saw them riding brand new Can Am Outlander 800's. I talked with them and they said they liked the Max but if they got one their buddies would not be able to follow them through the water or places the Max could go. I couldn't understand the logic in that but said OK. I don't know what the Can Am 800's go for but they looked like they were more than the Max would have been.
1) Selling a Springer
2) Start getting the word out that the Max is reliable and low maintenance, and start taking some Max IV's to the some national mud events...get some free exposure.
3) Strive to keep costs down, while improving durability. Don't know if that is possible, but it is a good thing to keep in mind.
I too would like to see a vehicle with suspension.
My Dad would not let me have one in the mid seventies he echoed what you are saying with "they are junk" I had a neighbor who was an Attex dealer. No maintenance and hard use meant his machine was always broken down.
Recreatives does this as best as they can. They will hold prices down and make evolutionary improvements. They have not changed the body design much except for headlights and the rear area on a Max II. I believe a major concern is the cost associated with building a new body design. We would all like to see a Max II be able to have larger diameter tires. I don't know how many employees they have but I bet it is around 10. JP or someone that lives there can tell us. There are trickle down effects such as the cost of steel and the price of fuel to transport the raw materials and components to get them to Recreatives for assembly. They have eaten the rise in steel prices on several occasions to keep their prices down. I'd like to see them sell a Max II Minus, a machine on a pallet without the engine.
If the amphibious atvs did become much more popular we would be up to our ears in machines from China and Japan. Companies like Honda could put out a mass quantity of them and with other products to buffer their economics they could sell an amphibious atv as a loss leader.
In reference to what people want to pay it is just relative to their wants and needs. A basic Max II can be bought for under $8000. I've got used machines that are like new and have been rebuilt and people still want a sub $1000 machine but don't want to have to do any work to it. A coworker asked me about them looking for something for his kids. I offered him a machine at cost, he got mad and said he could get a new 4 wheeler for under $500. One thing I have been doing is I'm trying to stop calling them ATV's and break that comparison. I have been trying to just call them amphibious vehicles. Here is an example of what I get. two weeks ago a guy stopped by and did some tire kicking. He talked with me for about an hour. He then said he wanted a used machine I have. He asked the price and asked if I took trades. I said maybe what do you have. Now I'm not kidding, the guy said he had some goats to to trade. I was thinking military vehicle gamma goat. Not really interested but they are cool. Nope he was talking real live goats!
I took a guy and his friend for a test ride. They rode with me in a Max IV. They both rode for a while and then got to drive. The total test ride was a little over 2 hours. They said they wanted to check their finances and would get back with me. About a month later I saw them riding brand new Can Am Outlander 800's. I talked with them and they said they liked the Max but if they got one their buddies would not be able to follow them through the water or places the Max could go. I couldn't understand the logic in that but said OK. I don't know what the Can Am 800's go for but they looked like they were more than the Max would have been.
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