Live Video Podcast with RJ Anderson, Mitch Guthrie, Matt Martelli, & Jim Beaver from Camp RZR

[jimbeaver15]

Here's a live recording of the Down & Dirty Radio Show Powered By Polaris RZR from Camp RZR 2018 with RJ Anderson, Mitch Guthrie Jr, Matt Martelli and I talking the UTV industry, racing, and off-road culture. It's also available in an audio version on the normal D&D channels and you can subscribe on iTunes at the link.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-down-dirty-radio-show/id966591983?mt=2

 

[It'sYourLegacy]

In regards to the mentioning of Branden Sims it would be helpful for would be racers to focus not only on the whole story of his (paraphrased) 'coming out of nowhere' but the tragic often ignored accident which nearly ended that dream. I cringe when anybody speaks of us all being a 'community' or 'family' when we all won't even speak frankly together as to how all of these machines require basic modifications to safely do what we brag about them doing out of the box or otherwise.
https://www.utvsportsmag.com/personalities/branden-sims-catching-fire-utv-world/
There is one heck of a gap between us all being 'family' and any collective silence in a 'community' concerning safety. This chasm is magnified when a majority of younger UTV owners today have little experience driving a car let alone anything else.. especially off road. Most of them will require a reason to install anything safety-related before they spend thousands on a stereo system first.
When we speak of installing aftermarket cages or "strengthening stuff up" while at the same time claiming that certain machines are good to go?...I just don't believe that we are telling the whole story to any casual observer of racing, recreational riding or those who might aspire to either.

Love hearing the stories of how the UTV life (apparently) is in certain parts of this country and how we are all just one big happy (safe) family...yet I believe that Branden's (full) story and scores of others posted up here over the years should be the basis of a "community" safety legacy not yet built let alone even started.

 

[It'sYourLegacy]

Prediction:
Somebody is going to come around someday and predictably get serious when a microphone is blessedly placed in front of them concerning the required safety aspects of this sport. He or she will do this every time that the opportunity presents itself for the simple sake of others not running the same expensive gear that they necessarily do for whatever reason.
If they additionally or better yet primarily testify to who is actually in charge in their lives or who consequently brought them to that microphone to share anything?

Those shared moments might just be the catalyst for a whole host of good things to come in this sport whether we all shift uncomfortably around them or not.

 

[jimbeaver15]

Obviously you haven’t listened to any of my almost 400 shows the past 6 years. I’ve been adamant about safety in our sport and have had numerous guests on the show specifically to talk about it. Hell, last week I did an entire segment on Baja and how Score, the racers, and the people of Mexico all need to do better. Specifically talking about UTV’s, the UTV community is their own worst enemy. Garbage seats, sub par steering wheels (this is a safety issue as the cheap ones break), garbage safety harnesses, no flameout systems, and lackluster fabrication skills. Don’t even get me started on the garbage $300 helmets, the single layer fire suits, no nomex underwear, and not proper driving shoes and gloves. The UTV industry is notoriously cheap, and no amount of education will convince a guy on a shoestring budget to spend his last $2,000 on 3 layer suit and quality helmet when his UTV needs a new set of axles and a few belts.

For that matter, in regards to Branden Sims, I have done my best to publicize him and allow him to tell his story. We have the largest motorsports show of any kind in the country online (check iTunes), and talk UTV’s to 700 AM/FM networks in 177 countries globally and have had Mr. Sims on the show countless times, and he knows he is more than welcome any time he wants to come on.

As far as “community”, I have been fortunate enough to travel this country from one coast to the other interacting with the UTV community and I have been welcome with open arms regardless of whether I was in Washington, California, Wisconsin, Maine, or Pennsylvania. It’s very unfortunate that you have had bad experiences with the amazing family of UTV enthusiasts that I have been able to meet across this country. Safety in off-road, even at the Trophy Truck level has always been questionable. There is always room for improvement, but if you look at where we are now vs a decade ago, I think that our sport is in a much better place. Do we have a long way to go? Yes, but to downplay how far we have come would be selling the entire sport of off-road short.

 

[It'sYourLegacy]

Obviously you haven’t listened to any of my almost 400 shows the past 6 years. I’ve been adamant about safety in our sport and have had numerous guests on the show specifically to talk about it. Hell, last week I did an entire segment on Baja and how Score, the racers, and the people of Mexico all need to do better.

You are correct. I have not listened to a single show save this one and have regrettably missed any in depth conversations involving UTVs burning up with top name racers or the general public in them. I have also likely missed past shows highlighting underage drivers, the failure of competing offroad segments to unite, non-existent safety training and probably another top 1 or 2...zero tolerance involving any amount of 'whatever' while behind the wheel. As far as 'Baja' I find it very difficult to model/teach any child today anything about off road safety while at the same time...I don't even have to finish the sentence. Thank God sincerely that you are at the very least making the effort with so many out there frankly feeling that the UTV lifestyle is basically just one big party.

"...Specifcally talking about UTV’s, the UTV community is their own worst enemy. Garbage seats, sub par steering wheels (this is a safety issue as the cheap ones break), garbage safety harnesses, no flameout systems, and lackluster fabrication skills. Don’t even get me started on the garbage $300 helmets, the single layer fire suits, no nomex underwear, and not proper driving shoes and gloves. The UTV industry is notoriously cheap, and no amount of education will convince a guy on a shoestring budget to spend his last $2,000 on 3 layer suit and quality helmet when his UTV needs a new set of axles and a few belts..."

I would argue that much of the above conversation rarely if ever takes place God forbid 'on the air' (aren't manufacturers indeed sponsors?) let alone on the forums. Again, thank you for stating the obvious as I've not seen much talk up here on flameout systems or fabrication skills let alone OEM steering wheels or nomex at 65 mph through the whoops on these new UTVs supposedly capable of same all day long out of the box.
Admittedly also, I'm not that large a fan of the 'no amount of education will ever...' school of thought.
I'm sure, as you seem to agree in your show which I will equate with religion here, that more common sense preached equals more saved who truly can be. I recently found religion involving a few important expensive safety items after what not only happened at Lucerne recently but after self reasoned epiphanies involving Sims and Matlock (twice in the same day). Sure I read the stories as they happened and it honestly didn't phase me. If anybody else makes the choice to ignore stories like these so be it. Yet today's UTV owners are desperately trying to convince us through their collective silence that crashing and/or burning with someone else in the car is akin to single seat motorcycle or 3-wheeler tragedies in days long past.

that matter, in regards to Branden Sims, I have done my best to publicize him and allow him to tell his story. We have the largest motorsports show of any kind in the country online (check iTunes), and talk UTV’s to 700 AM/FM networks in 177 countries globally and have had Mr. Sims on the show countless times, and he knows he is more than welcome any time he wants to come on.

That is one heck of an accomplishment and I hope that Branden does come on someday again to put a face to these very real issues. Not Branden's issue but if zero tolerance were promoted even half as heavily as the snowmobile industry was finally forced to we'd be leaps and bounds ahead of where we are now.

"...As far as “community”, I have been fortunate enough to travel this country from one coast to the other interacting with the UTV community and I have been welcome with open arms regardless of whether I was in Washington, California, Wisconsin, Maine, or Pennsylvania. It’s very unfortunate that you have had bad experiences with the amazing family of UTV enthusiasts that I have been able to meet across this country. Safety in off-road, even at the Trophy Truck level has always been questionable. There is always room for improvement, but if you look at where we are now vs a decade ago, I think that our sport is in a much better place. Do we have a long way to go? Yes, but to downplay how far we have come would be selling the entire sport of off-road short.

I just don't believe that we have come that far or even really started to improve in terms of community or (especially) safety. I have rode with people I've never met in different states twenty or thirty years ago up until today and yeah there are great people out there. Being 'good' though doesn't keep areas open or folks from being maimed or killed due to the most obvious of circumstances that few of us take the time to discuss.
Thank you for being the lone voce (apparently) willing to bring these topics forward so that our kids hear these stores being told by enthusiasts who they actually know and/or possibly would look up to.

 

[It'sYourLegacy]

(just how serious that powersport safety discussions have become in other areas of the country; Camp Rzr, we all hope, included): https://www.kare11.com/article/life...y-boat-atv-snowmobile-privileges/89-578960585

(America's first true 2-up offroad powersports community pioneering one of the top three safety (campaign) discussions fast coming to a riding area near you soon. The recent 'piling on' of individual state recreational marijuana legislation in concert with extremely liberal enforcement powers demanded by voters will force zero tolerance in to the UTV enthusiast's vocabulary) http://www.snowmobilers.org/dont-drink-and-snowmobile.aspx

Life is either one big party/one back-slapping adventure after another...or...a thankful opportunity to build something better using the blessings which God has already provided and will again for the sake of our children.

 

[///Airdam Clutches]

dude, did you read the link you posted? literally the FIRST paragraph, he was riding 8 years ago in glamis on a highly modified rhino with a streetbike engine in it, ripped the oil line off and caused the fire. i mean.... how is that the OEMs fault? how are you trying to make it out like yamaha was responsible? the OEMs cant help when things like this go wrong, especially on a completley gutted and modified machine where the main chassis is all thats saved from the original UTV. On to the constant fires you see in the modern UTV age with what you see floating around the forums, most of which are caused from people carrying gas in cans in the bed of a UTV not understanding how hot a turbo exhaust pipe is 4" below a plastic can, melting the can or spilling the can on the bumpy terrain or from not having the can secured properly. how do either of those become the manufacturers fault? rare occasions you see someone who has a fire and claims its the fuel rail, sure we have seen those and the manufacturer could and should step up and have a stronger fuel rail which i believe they took steps towards fixing, but just riding down the road be-bopping along, they arent catching fire on their own unless someone has modded them, or just has a bad string of luck with leaves packed in around the exhaust, or a poor job of securing extra fuel cans. these are not self destructing bombs we are sitting on. not every one of them is just going to blow up at a 30mph sunday cruise while you are sight seeing. please stop the rhetoric. most people cant understand the jargon you try to eloquently lay out, it sounds jumbled and like a rant from an old man who got his feelings hurt down the line somewhere, we have commonly started referring to those folks as "snowflakes"

 

[It'sYourLegacy]

dude, did you read the link you posted? literally the FIRST paragraph, he was riding 8 years ago in glamis on a highly modified rhino with a streetbike engine in it, ripped the oil line off and caused the fire. i mean.... how is that the OEMs fault?

I do not recall "the word "fault" or blame being assessed. The date of this incident or the machine model means nothing. What I 'have' witnessed is racers and enthusiasts being seriously injured if not killed in high/low profile incidents involving UTVs both modified and not. These cars were never built to fly. It is past time that we quit attempting to believe that they can without serious discussions involving how exactly they are built in each model year and what can be done to improve each car's safety on our own.

"... How are you trying to make it out like yamaha was responsible?

I never did. If you would take even a cursory look at the Lucerne thread you will note that I went out of my way to not fall for this discredit/kill the messenger game you are attempting to play.
I get it. You make your living working with the manufacturers or with what they throw out there. We're all hoping to do the same thing while making the sport safer. When those in the know refuse to come up here and outline what the safety weaknesses are in every single one one of these OEM and even race ready systems (God forbid that we introduce any new standards there) everybody loses.

The OEMs cant help when things like this go wrong, especially on a completley gutted and modified machine where the main chassis is all thats saved from the original UTV.

Again, we're not asking the OEMs to do anything. We make each buying decision with our eyes wide open or pay the price here in the internet age especially. We are (hopefully) pondering why each individual accident happens and what WE may do as owners (highly modded car or not) to prevent each from ever happening again. It is that simple.

"..On to the constant fires you see in the modern UTV age with what you see floating around the forums, most of which are caused from people carrying gas in cans in the bed of a UTV not understanding how hot a turbo exhaust pipe is 4" below a plastic can, melting the can or spilling the can on the bumpy terrain or from not having the can secured properly. how do either of those become the manufacturers fault?

Let's just quit blaming every fire on either gas cans or bad builds. The (arguably) #1 racer in the sport had 2 machines burn to the ground in one day. Ignoring everything in between overt carelessness and a professional race team doing their best is not helping the average owner when these machines leave no clues behind.

"...you see someone who has a fire and claims its the fuel rail, sure we have seen those and the manufacturer could and should step up and have a stronger fuel rail which i believe they took steps towards fixing, but just riding down the road be-bopping along, they arent catching fire on their own unless someone has modded them, or just has a bad string of luck with leaves packed in around the exhaust, or a poor job of securing extra fuel cans. these are not self destructing bombs we are sitting on. not every one of them is just going to blow up at a 30mph sunday cruise while you are sight seeing. please stop the rhetoric. most people cant understand the jargon you try to eloquently lay out, it sounds jumbled and like a rant from an old man who got his feelings hurt down the line somewhere, we have commonly started referring to those folks as "snowflakes"

Manufacturers either "stepped up" on the fuel rail issue (that apparently wasn't) and "took steps toward"/fixed problems (your "stronger fuel rail") or they did not. These cars do not "be bop down the road". They fly and land like an aircraft. Aircraft and other machines follow certain standards and are pre-flighted due to the obvious. If discrediting and attacking the messenger for calling out these facts while trying to set a higher standard in our own garages serves a higher purpose in your chosen field, so be it. As you well know, many in the sport both love and will applaud you for this.
I'll go out on a limb here and ask a question without studying the new Honda Talon's recent release pictures or the machine itself:
Will safety and/or overall build construction involving the fuel or any other safety-related system be even slightly more robust due to 'quantum leaps in technology and engineering' AMAZINGLY developed since...when?

Honda may not have big parties in the desert over these things but they do matter to families and little old ladies on Sunday morning as well.