T&W: Back of Beyond

Canada has a unique geography. We’re the second biggest country in the world, with a scant 30 million people clustered generally along our southern border. One result is some of the least populated territory in the world, with some of the best hunting, fishing and camping anywhere. Getting into the bush by truck, however, requires the right setup, starting with four wheel drive and the right tires. Can dealers who serve this market do well with it? Tire and Wheel Canada asked several shop owners about the state of the segment.

Ed MacNeill of Riverview Tire Services in Riverview New Brunswick, describes a typical buy: “Usually they would run, with taxes included, around $600 to $800. It’s not really a lot of money when you figure that you have to spend at least $100 for a regular tire. It’s a recreational thing. The people that put these tires on their vehicles are usually Jeeps or older half ton 4-wheel drives. They take them out in the woods and play with them. A lot of guys around here have old ’84 Chevy half-ton 4-wheel drives and the most expensive thing on them is the tires. And they just take them out in the woods and beat them up and run them through mud bogs.”

In Ontario’s Near North, the beautiful Temagami region attracts outdoors activity of every kind. North Bay’s Guy Mayotte operates Guy’s Tire Sales and supplies a wide range of products for a diverse market. “There’s a little bit of everything here”, declares Mayotte. “Fishermen, hunters, boggers, Jeep guys, a real variety. They want tires for both pavement and off-road. 33-inch is popular, up to 35 inch. It’s seasonal. It’s not my bread and butter, but we sell it because we’re in the tire business. There is a market for it. We sell everything from the plastic wheels on your barbeque to tires for (log) skidders.”

Mayotte notes that in Northern Ontario, winter performance is a major consideration, as is, of course, wear.

There are similarities in Western Canada, where Al Gellatly operates Dash Motorsports in Red Deer, Alberta: “Yes, this is definitely a profitable market. I’ve thought of getting into it and maybe I will, seeing that it’s a growing market. Customers can spend up to $500 to $600 per tire depending on what size and design of tire. Some like to have a lot of ground clearance, and some just want to go out and play in the mud. These are recreational tires and I guess, some people have a lot of money to spend on recreation.”

Peter Scott, Director of Marketing, National 4WD Centres, tracks off roading trends through Calgary and Burlington, Ontario locations. “The most popular size is 33×12.50-15, followed by 35×12.50-15”, he relates, adding, “larger tires are definitely the trend. 35-inch is a very popular size now. Two years ago it was 33-inch. Tire manufacturers are making better tires in 35-inch. They’re mud terrain tires, but that makes it an exclleent snow tire so it’s dual purpose.” Scott reports typical tire purchases run in the 195 to 240 dollar range per tire. He also notes that the vehicles they’re fitted to are different within Canada. “Out west they run more full-size trucks as opposed to Jeeps. That affects tire choices. A five inch lift on a truck allows a 35-inch tire, whereas on a Jeep you need a fairly big lift, five or six inches or four inches and a body lift. For a Jeep, it’s a radical alteration.”

Rock crawling: the next big thing?

South of the border, where off-roading evolved into various forms of motorsport up to the famed Baja 1000, the fastest growing segment is rock crawling. Competitors attempt to climb obstacle-strewn trail segments within a specified time without backing up or rolling over. Judges oversee the action and winching is a common sight. Vehicles run from stock to purpose-built tube-framed open wheelers. Four wheel drive clubs across the country organize crawling events, but the sport has yet to become the spectator/TV draw that is in the U.S. Will it ever? With tires a major investment for enthusiasts, it’s a question with consequences for dealers with aspirations to grow the off road segment. Opinions vary abut the sport’s growth potential in Canada. Al Gellatly in Red Deer is enthusiastic: “I think it will. We’ve definitely seen an increase in the number of vehicles with these types of tires and wheels. I think it may take less than a few years for it to become really hot here in Canada.”

In New Brunswick, Ed MacNeill feels that the appeal will be strictly regional: “I don’t think it will get that organized here. Not like race car driving or stock cars. It’s just an individual thing. And it also depends on what part of the country. For example, here in the Maritimes, we have the terrain for them….we have woods, back roads and all kinds of neat stuff to go and play around. Also, it’s more of a rural thing. People in rural areas are apt to be more into it than people living in cities.” North Bay’s Guy Mayotte, who has travelled to the U.S. to watch pro rock crawling events, agrees. “It’s not like it is in the ‘States. It’s a big event down there.”