There are worse places to find yourself thinking about the future of ATVs than the edge of the Mediterranean.
Flying into Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, where the runway juts out into impossibly blue water, it’s hard not to feel like you’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere between a press launch and a vacation. But a quick walk across the street to the Sheraton Nice Airport hotel, and it becomes clear — this isn’t your typical powersports event, or a vacation.
This is France. And in France, even ATVs come with wine and cheese. At least they do in my mind.
The reason for the trip was CFMOTO’s global launch of its new CForce lineup — the C4, C5, C6, and C6 Pro. The setting? A château winery tucked into the countryside, surrounded by vineyards, rolling terrain, and just enough rocky soil to remind you that yes, you are here to ride.
It’s not the kind of place most American riders would picture when they think of ATV testing. There are no endless wooded trails or wide-open desert runs. Instead, there are carefully carved paths between vines, tight work areas, and demonstration stations designed to showcase capability in controlled bursts. Less “go explore,” more “here’s what it can do.”
And that contrast is exactly the point. Because while the terrain may not have been ideal for full-on, free-range riding, it highlighted something different — how ATVs fit into everyday life in other parts of the world. In places like rural France, these machines aren’t just recreational. They’re tools. Vineyard companions. Workhorses that just happen to be fun when the job is done.
Still, there were moments to open things up. One of the more memorable “stations” was a simple straight-line run down a tree-lined dirt road — essentially a drag strip through wine country. On the C6 Touring, I managed to push close to 80 km/h (about 50 mph), which feels a little faster when you’re surrounded by centuries-old scenery instead of open fields. It was brief, but it gave a glimpse of what the machines could do beyond the structured demos. It was a little disappointing that we didn’t get to open them up more, but there’s a dealer meeting in Minnesota this summer to do that. This was more of a taste than a test.
The rest of the time, the experience was less about speed and more about immersion. CFMOTO’s team — from France to the U.S. and beyond — brought together a truly global crowd. Dealers, distributors, and media were represented from Greece, Sweden, and all across Europe, mixed with the American contingent, rotating through the same stations, sharing the same terrain, and comparing notes over an amazing barbecue that felt more like a culinary event than a product launch.
The food and culture in France were part of the story. Even without leaning too hard into the wine because we didn’t have any at the chateau (ironic, given the setting), the experience was defined by it. Long tables, thick-cut steaks carved and shared, local flavors that somehow made an ATV launch feel… refined. It’s not something the industry leans into often, but maybe it should.
Because powersports doesn’t have to be separate from culture. In fact, it probably works best when it isn’t.
After the event wrapped, a couple of extra days in Nice drove that point home. Wandering Old Town, eating fresh seafood, working through pastries that somehow justify their reputation, and even making a quick drive into Italy — it all reinforced the same idea: experiences matter as much as machines. And sometimes, they shape how you see the machines.
That thought stuck with me when I got back home and found myself helping set up a very different kind of ATV — a Denago E-Hawk 6 youth model for my six-year-old nephew. It arrived in a box, required no assembly, and came with an app to manage speed and settings. A far cry from a château in France.
But in its own way, it was just as important. Whether it’s a vineyard in Europe or a backyard in the Midwest, the goal is the same: get people riding. Make it accessible. Make it enjoyable. Make it something they’ll remember.
My nephew didn’t care about horsepower numbers or global product strategy. He cared that it moved and made him smile. For him, it was an adventure that he could be part of — even if his hands are still a little too small for the brake levers. He’ll grow into it.
And that’s the throughline here. From a château in France to a driveway at home, ATVs have this unique ability to meet people where they are — whether that’s among the vines with a job to do or in the early stages of discovering what riding is all about.
Wine, cheese, and ATVs might not seem like a natural combination. But after this trip, it’s hard for me to imagine a better one.
In this episode of the Power Hour podcast, Powersports Business editor Brendan Baker sits down with Scott Schloegel, senior vice president of government relations for the Motorcycle Industry Council, to unpack the complex policy landscape shaping the powersports industry in 2026. He outlines a wide range of pressing issues—from ongoing tariff uncertainty and rising costs for manufacturers and dealers, to emerging state-level regulations on PFAS “forever chemicals” that could impact vehicle production. He also highlights the importance of public land access and the Recreational Trails Program, emphasizing its direct connection to industry growth and rider participation. And finally, we discuss the importance of participating in the MIC Fly-In in Washington, D.C.
At AIMExpo, we caught up with Northwood University’s Dr. Dave Oventhal, division chair of the Center for Automotive & Mobility Studies (CAMS), to talk about something that could shape the future of the powersports industry: education. From curriculum insights to industry partnerships, this conversation explores how higher education is stepping up to fuel the talent pipeline.
Oz Osburn discusses his career path from Marine Corps infantry to law enforcement, then into automotive service and management in Colorado, including managing a high-volume Ford service operation, before moving to Mississippi and briefly working at a Ford dealer in Metairie. He joined MotoHouse in early 2022 as the store was being built and opened, initially servicing Can-Am before adding Polaris, CFMOTO, Yamaha, Sea-Doo, and other lines. He explains key differences between automotive and powersports service, such as diagnostic complexity, parts lead times, and warranty gray areas. Oz describes being promoted to general manager in May 2024, taking on multiple departmental responsibilities amid staffing changes, and focusing on numbers, staffing, and performance. He also covers hiring challenges, team dynamics, inventory aging/seasonality pricing decisions, and how AI and a new CRM are being used to manage customer follow-up, transparency, and accountability.
This is the NPDA Partner Series webinar “From Click to Close,” hosted by Mark Sheffield of the National Powersports Dealer Association. Jacob Berry joined Chris Yeloushan from Rollick to break down the full digital customer journey from the moment a buyer starts researching online to the moment they decide who to buy from, and why so many dealers are losing that race before they even know they are in it. If you have ever wondered why your leads are not closing, this episode has the answer. And it is probably not what you think.