May 13, 2008
Affinity Powersports Media, the leading industry source for powersports enthusiasts, named its 2008 Machines of the Year and Executive of the Year during a prestigious awards ceremony at the 12th Annual Affinity Powersports Awards banquet held recently in Newport Beach, Calif.
Affinity's Annual Powersports Awards is a national competition that recognizes best of class machines and industry leaders across several powersports markets for trend-setting innovation, state-of-the-art technology and market appeal. These awards honor manufacturers and industry leaders for their new products, technology and innovation.
Below are the winners of Machine of the Year and Best of Class finalists by their respective segments:
ATV - Utility (chosen by ATV magazine): Polaris Sportsman 800 Touring
Best of Class Finalists: Arctic Cat Thundercat and Can-Am Renegade 800 X
ATV - Sport Quad (chosen by ATV Sport magazine): Can-Am DS 450
Best of Class Finalists: Honda TRX700XX and Yamaha Raptor 250
Motorcycle (chosen by Rider magazine): Kawasaki Concours 14
Best of Class Finalists: Star Raider and Suzuki B-King
Personal Watercraft (chosen by WaterCraft World magazine): Yamaha FX Cruiser SHO
Best of Class Finalists: Kawasaki STX-15F and Sea-Doo RXT-X
Snowmobile (chosen by Snow Goer magazine): (Due to the seasonal nature of this segment, the winner of Snowmobile of the Year will be named September 2008.)
Best of Class Finalists: Arctic Cat Z1 Turbo, Ski-Doo MX Z TNT 600 H.O.E-TEC and Polaris RMK Assault
Tow Vehicle (chosen by Trailer Boats magazine): Ford F-250 Super Duty Crew Cab 4WD
"More than 100 industry executives representing key manufacturers attend the awards to see how their products fare against the competition," says Dick Hendricks, executive vice president, Affinity Powersports Media. "Winning the coveted Machine of the Year Award or Executive of the Year Award carries a lot of weight in the industry and is a great marketing tool."
Powersports Business bestows the honor of Executive of the Year to industry leaders who exhibit forward-thinking strategies, show sustained business growth and increased market share. At this year's awards, Eric Bondy, president/CEO of KYMCO USA, the Taiwanese new entry OEM of ATVs and scooters, was recognized for implementing innovative business and marketing strategies to build customer brand awareness, streamline distribution efficiency and further entrench itself into the U.S. powersports marketplace.
"Affinity Powersports Media extends its warmest congratulations to the 2008 Machines of the Year and Executive of the Year Award winners," added Hendricks.
About Affinity Affinity, affinitygroup.com, is the nation's largest provider of media, outdoor clubs and events that service the safety, security, comfort and convenience needs of the North American outdoor enthusiast and recreational vehicle (RV) market. By providing information, insights and resources, the company champions the fun, freedom and adventure of recreation in motion. The company works to enhance its customers' recreational experiences and build the communities that share and promote their fun and adventurous lifestyles.
Affinity is organized into four different business units - Affinity Media (including Affinity Powersports Media and Affinity Boating Media), Affinity Clubs, Affinity Events and Affinity Ventures. Affinity's corporate headquarters are located in Ventura, Calif. Its subsidiary operations and divisions can be found at multiple locations throughout the United States. Affinity Powersports Media and Affinity Boating Media's corporate headquarters are located in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
