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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KAWASAKI GIVES ATV CLUBS A BOOST
Powersports company grants $20,000 to all-terrain vehicle enthusiasts

IRVINE, Calif. - To demonstrate its support for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) enthusiasts and off-road recreation, Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A., has granted a total of $20,000 to 10 ATV clubs throughout the United States.

Ten clubs will each receive a $2,000 check from Kawasaki, which will be presented to club presidents at local Kawasaki dealerships. The clubs will use the money to sponsor a variety of projects, including the maintenance of trail systems, the creation of new trails, ATV safety instruction, and fundraisers or advertisements to promote responsible trail use.

The ten ATV clubs include: Windrock ATV Club, Oliver Springs, Tenn.; Paul Bunyan ATV Trailriders, Nevis, Minn.; Fond du Lac Community OHV Group, Lomira, Wis.; CHEAHA Trail Riders, Munford, Al.; Washington-Ramsey County Wheelers, Newport, Minn.; Rivergate Wheelers ATV Club, Clayton, N.Y.; Lewis County ATV Association, Brantingham, N.Y.; Open Trails ATV Club, Buffalo, Minn.; Michigan All Terrain Assoc., Dearborn, Mich.; and All Season Wheelers, Welcome, Minn.

The Kawasaki ATV Club Fund emerged from the 2000 National ATV Club Tour. The tour was designed as a grass-roots effort to connect with ATV clubs and to give members a special first-look at the 2002 Prairie 650 ATV. Two teams of Kawasaki representatives went on the road to visit ATV clubs throughout the United States from September through December 0f 2000. In return, Kawasaki was given an inside look at club involvement at the local level and was able to gauge where the grants will best serve the ATV community as a whole.

"The National ATV Club Tour gave us a real education," said Carolyn O'Donnell, club relations, Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A. "Some of the ATV clubs we met with have developed good working relationships with state and county governments in managing trail systems, but others simply need a boost of financial and moral support. The tour allowed us to rub elbows with them and to ask questions so we could determine where Kawasaki can do the most good."

One obvious benefit of Kawasaki is increased brand awareness. Many people are familiar with NINJA sport motorcycles and JET SKI personal watercraft; Kawasaki also wants to increase consumer awareness of its highly successful all-terrain vehicles, which includes the popular lineup of Prairie and Bayou ATVs. The company believes its support of the off-road community will do just that.

"The goal here is to support grass roots ATV organizations," said O'Donnell. "It's just another way Kawasaki can help make our sport healthy for everyone."