Redcat Parts
Redcat ATVs are readily available both online and from the many US Redcat distributors. As the Redcat ATVs are manufactured in Taiwan by Stannic Motor Spares Manufacturing, makers of Kazuma, spare parts are interchangeable with any of the Kazuma line of ATVs. Importers of Kazuma including Redcat Motors, Yamoto Motors, Malibu, and Jackel Motorsports. Any one of these company`s distributors and websites have parts contacts to order replacement parts. Many different models of the Redcat ATVs have the same engines, carburetors etc also making the parts interchangeable and readily available. Many parts may also be interchangeable with Honda parts as Redcat ATVs use knock-off Honda designs.
TEACHING TECHNIQUES:
*This advice especially relates to children on smaller ATVs but applies equally to beginners of all ages.
Your student’s safety depends on your commitment to take the time necessary to fully educate him/her on the proper operation of the ATV. Remember that proper instruction before your student begins to ride is just as important as proper instruction and supervision while riding. Please go through this manual with your student page by page. Fully explain all of the instructions, requirements and warnings it contains. Be sure to put as much emphasis on safety precautions as on proper operational techniques. Question your student as you go through the manual to ensure s/he understands what you are saying.
Following is a step-by-step guide to help make your student’s first use of the ATV safe and enjoyable. Before you begin to use this guide, however, be sure you have reviewed the vehicle features and riding techniques described in the earlier parts of the manual. REDCAT strongly urges that you use this guide to teach each student whom you let ride the ATV. Be sure to take breaks as the student becomes tired or his/her attention starts to wander. Full attention at all times is needed to safely operate any motorized vehicle, including this ATV.
STEP 1: PROPER CLOTHING & PROTECTIVE GEAR
The first step to safe riding is proper protection of the rider. Your student should always wear a helmet, eye protection, gloves, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt or jacket and boots. Make sure your student is not wearing any loose-fitting clothes. Loose belts, scarves, etc., can get caught in moving parts and cause personal injury. Even in hot weather, make sure the student wears long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. These not only protect against abrasiveinjuries but also help reduce fatigue which comes from loss of body heat caused by exposure to the wind.
STEP 2: FAMILIARIZATION WITH THE VEHICLE
Your student should become completely familiar with the names and functions of all controls. Demonstrate operation of the controls if necessary. Ask the student to do such things as “Apply the brakes. Turn off the engine,” etc. Practice this exercise until the student can operate all of the controls without hesitation and without looking at the controls. Review the instructions with your student until she/he knows all the items that should be checked. Give specific examples of things to look for.
STEP 3: STARTING OFF AND STOPPING
To help your student develop confidence, she/he should PRACTICE FIRST WITH THE ENGINE OFF, as follows:
- Have student sit on ATV.
- Instruct student to keep his/her eyes straight ahead while you slowly push the vehicle from behind. This will give the student the “feel” of riding a moving vehicle.
- As you push the ATV, instruct your student to steer straight ahead and perform operations such as stopping the vehicle and turning OFF the engine switch while moving. Watch your student closely to make sure she/he is operating the controls correctly and without looking at them.
- As you approach the end of the practice area, tell your student to stop the vehicle. You should drag the rear end of the ATV around so you can push it straight ahead in the opposite direction.
- Practice with the engine OFF until your student gets the “feel” of using the brakes and can stop the vehicle and turn OFF the engine switch without hesitation and without looking at the controls.
STEP 4: ADJUST THE SPEED LIMITER TO SLOW NOW.
Next start the ATV’s engine and have the student practice starting off, riding in a straight line and stopping with the vehicle under power. Walk alongside the ATV and hold the engine cutout switch cord or have the student ride back and forth between you and another supervising adult. Make sure your student:
- Opens the throttle gently when starting off.
- Releases the throttle and applies the brakes in sequence when stopping.
- Becomes aware of the distance it takes the vehicle to stop when the engine switch is turned OFF while the vehicle is moving.
As you approach the end of the practice session, you should again tell the rider to stop the vehicle and get off so you can turn it around for him/her. Practice this exercise until your student can start off, accelerate, cruise and stop correctly and confidently.
STEP 5: TURNING:
After your student has learned to ride the ATV in a straight line and can stop it at will, you should teach the student how to turn the vehicle. Explain the proper body movements for turning and let the student PRACTICE FIRST WITH THE ENGINE OFF as you push the vehicle from behind. When turning, watch to make sure your student:
- Shifts his/her weight slightly forward and supports his/her weight on the outer footrest.
- Leans his/her upper body into the direction of the turn, pressing down with the opposite leg.
When the rider is able to properly turn the ATV in both directions with the engine OFF, she/he should practice turning with the vehicle under power. Again, make sure that the throttle limiter is adjusted to provide a low maximum speed capability. Watch closely to make sure the rider is using the proper technique. The rider should practice turning until s/he can do so correctly and confidently.
STEP 6: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
When your student has mastered the basic riding maneuvers in the previously listed steps, she/he should practice them all together. Instruct the student to perform various maneuvers such as turning right, turning left, stopping, etc. Vary the order of these maneuvers so the student will not anticipate what s/he will be asked to do next. Practice this exercise until you are confident that the rider has mastered all the basic maneuvers. Using this procedure will help the first-time rider learn the most basic riding techniques. To become a skilled rider, your student will need a great deal of practice and continuing instruction in addition to completing these introductory steps. After all the riding techniques have been mastered, you can adjust the throttle limiter to provide higher speed capabilities in keeping with the rider’s skill and experience.
Choose a 50cc ATV should come with a special semi-automatic transmission that can start in any gear. It is recommended that you start the ATV in second or third gear with the speed limiter set to the slowest speed. Have you child ride the ATV and DO NOT have them use the foot gear shifter.
As your child learns control and basics, you should slowly increase the speed limiter to a speed that you are comfortable with. There is no need to teach the child to use the foot shifter until they are ready.
Riding the ATV in second or third gear all the time will not hurt the ATV. It can be used similar to an automatic transmission, while it may not start out very fast, they can reach your approved speed while staying in any gear. (We do not recommend that you leave the unit in first gear using this method. We have found that third gear is optimum).
For children that have little or no experience with ATV riding, it is also recommended that you remove the gear shift lever altogether. This will prevent your child from accidentally shifting gears, which could cause an accident. You can re-install the gear shifter at a later date once you feel comfortable with your child’s ability to ride and shift gears.
ATV HISTORY:
The ATV (all-terrain vehicle), also known as three and four-wheelers, was created in Japan as a farm-to-town vehicle in rugged mountainous areas. The three-wheeled ATV proved to be a good way to travel off-roads and soon became a recreational vehicle, providing transportation to areas that cars and SUVs can`t access. Japanese manufacturers soon realized that America was a good market for the ATV.
The ATV first appeared in America in the early 70`s, it was promoted and sold as a recreational vehicle designed to provide "thrills" for the rider. This is still its primary use today. People quickly found that the ATV was a useful machine to move through places not accessible with trucks, four-wheel drives, or other vehicles. The ATV has become a popular hunting and fishing vehicle.
Honda`s US 90 was the first ATV made specifically for off-road recreation. Honda`s line of ATVs was quickly growing in usefulness and technology. Ironically, it was the ATV owners who found and invented creative new applications for the ATVs, and helped shape their growth and design over the years.
The ATV owners found that ATVs offered a wide variety of uses that even Honda engineers never fathomed. ATVs are less expensive to operate then pickup trucks or tractors, smaller and more maneuverable than either one, and possess a remarkably lighter footprint (with their low-pressure tires) that is easy on sensitive terrain. ATVs soon became vital tools in farming, ranching, industry, agriculture, fishing, hunting and means of mobility for the disabled. In many cases, ATVs do jobs that are impossible for other vehicles and 4x4s.
The 1960s: Prototyping the ATC
In 1967, American Honda asked Honda R&D Ltd. for a new product that dealers could sell when motorcycle sales were slow in the winter. The project was headed by a small group of engineers that eventually developed Honda`s first ATV, the US 90.
Two, three, four, five and even six-wheeled configurations were examined, but the three-wheel concept delivered the best results. It can deal well with snow, mud and many slippery conditions a two-wheeler can`t, while providing more maneuverability than other concepts.
The 1970s: The World`s First ATC
In1970, the US 90 sent its 7 horsepower through a dual-range four-speed gearbox with automatic clutch, and sold for $595. It was renamed the ATC90 later that year when Honda trademarked the ATC name. Honda showcased three models of ATVs with the ATC monogram on them through the `70s. The ATC70 was perfect for young riders and beginners. By the end of the decade, requests for more power turned the original ATC90 into the ATC110 in 1979.
Though the ATC was mainly a recreational vehicle through the `70s, farmers and ranchers were beginning to use the ATC as a tool to make their lives easier. Engineers followed their machines into the field, gathering data to guide the machine`s natural adaptation to a rapidly growing market.
Utility and racing were the two largest arenas for ATVs in the `80s. The popularity of utility usage was easy to understand. On the farm, a tractor cost much more to purchase and maintain, and an ATV uses 8 percent of the fuel necessary to fuel a tractor. Utility usage exploded in the `80s and ATVs became multi-purpose machines, serving both utility and recreation purposes.
The ATC185 was introduced in 1980 and became extremely popular among utility users. Rolling on larger, 25-inch tires that improved traction, the 185 featured a five-speed transmission, automatic clutch and a 180cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine that was considerably more powerful as well. In 1982 the 185 became Honda`s first utility ATV on the market.
The 1982 ATC200E, a.k.a. "Big Red", had more of everything necessary to get a host of jobs done. Its 192cc engine and five-speed dual-range gearbox cranked out more power to make chores such as hauling, towing, spraying, seeding and fertilizing easier. An electric starter made starting the day as easy as pushing a button. Dual racks and a 9.2-liter storage box made carrying equipment, tools, bales of hay and other agricultural chores quicker and easier. In 1984 Big Red added a reverse gear and its drive chain was replaced with shaft drive for extra durability and less maintenance.
In `83 the ATC200X proved that four-strokes could run with the best of them. The 200X combined a high-performance 192cc engine, five-speed gearbox and manual, motorcycle-style clutch with long-travel suspension and sporty chassis geometry that was used for racing rather than ranching.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, building ATVs to endure the stress of utility use put Honda R&D on a steep learning curve. Approaching the mid-80s, ATVs were inspected, dissected and exhaustively scrutinized with more data acquisition equipment than any other Honda product. Machines were run hour after hour, day after day for weeks, with riders wearing 50-pound instrument packs that recorded information on every aspect of the machine`s operation. As the market for utility ATVs grew, Honda`s research made it clear that the next step for ATV`s was another wheel. Then in 1984 Honda introduced the first four-wheel ATV, the TRXª200.
The market responded immediately, making 1984 Honda`s biggest sales year for ATVs. The 370,000 units delivered in 1984 remain the high water mark for Honda ATV sales, making up a full 69 percent of total ATV sales in the U.S. that year. The upswing in utility use and the introduction of the four-wheeled TRX200 was the end of three-wheeled ATVs. Four-wheelers were considered more useful by customers compared to three-wheelers.
By 1986 the money was all on four wheels in the ATV world. The Honda TRX250R made an un-matched four-wheel performance statement with a liquid-cooled 246cc two-stroke engine similar to the ATC250R`s. It was no surprise when Honda unveiled the first four-wheel-drive ATV that same year, the FourTraxª 350 4x4. Market forces were rapidly working to replace three wheels with four.
In 1984, increasing ATV sales led to an increase in ATV accidents, followed by a thorough investigation by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In 1986, CPSC statistics suggested that most ATV accidents were due to improper rider behavior that ignored the distributor`s warnings. No flaws were found in the ATVs themselves.
Honda`s owner`s manuals and product warning labels stressed the importance of proper ATV operation to its customers. Through a national industry safety campaign, there was a 33 percent decline in recorded CPSC injury statistics between 1984 and 1988.
Then on April 28, 1988, the U.S. ATV distributors entered into an unprecedented 10-year agreement with the CPSC called the Final Consent Decree. Under the agreement, the ATV industry made a $100 million commitment to expand existing ATV safety programs. Free training and training incentives were offered to owners and purchasers of new ATVs. Distributors also agreed that they would no longer market three-wheeled ATVs or repurchase any unsold three-wheel models from dealer inventory.
In 1988 Honda introduced the FourTrax 300 and FourTrax 300 4x4, said to be a “revolutionary” pair of hard working Hondas that would ultimately become the most useful, most popular ATVs in history. The perfect combination of size, weight, power and capacity made the 300s sell more than 530,000 units over the next 12 years. Powered by a 282cc air-cooled, four-stroke single-cylinder engine, the FourTrax 300 sent its 20 horsepower through a five-speed transmission, automatic clutch and maintenance-free shaft drive. An ultra-low first gear helped it tow up to 850 pounds. Tough steel racks allowed it to carry up to 66 pounds in front and 132 pounds in back.
From golf courses to hog farms, hunting to hauling, nothing on wheels had ever been as useful, durable, efficient and affordable, on the job or on the weekend, as the ATV.
When asked what products had the greatest impact on their farming operations since 1967, the readers of Farm Industry News ranked the Honda ATV up there with Dekalb Biotype E Sorghum, A3127 Hybrid Soybeans and the Miller Electric Mig Welder as a landmark product of the last 25 years.
In America, having an ATV on the job makes things more efficient. In countries without our infrastructure, manpower and financial resources, ATV`s reliability and efficiency handle jobs that simply couldn`t be done before. Folks on other parts of the planet have now been discovering what American`s had discovered, and began using ATVs to perform all manners of work that is impossible, impractical or both. Honda ATVs are currently working in more than 35 different countries worldwide.
Source: ATV Connection.com
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