Yamaha starts Rhino website

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., has launched www.TruthAboutRhino.com.  The new Web site has been created to provide accurate information about Yamaha and its Rhino Side-by-Side (SxS) vehicles, to combat a recent flurry of inaccurate information and negative advertisements targeting the vehicle, and to encourage Rhino customers and the off-road industry to show their support for the SxS segment.

From the original 2004 Rhino 660 introduction to present day, TruthAboutRhino.com documents key points in the history of the vehicle.  Some sections of the site offer Yamaha’s safety recommendations and product specifications, while others highlight the many awards and accolades that the Rhino has received. Visitors to the site can find Yamaha history and general corporate background, and Rhino customers and enthusiasts can “Rally Around the Rhino” by filling out an online form or emailing messages or questions to: info@truthaboutrhino.com.

“With TruthAboutRhino.com, Yamaha has created a home for accurate information about our company and the Rhino product line, and we’re encouraging our customers and the industry to show their support,” says Steve Nessl, marketing manager for Yamaha’s ATV & SxS group. “We’ve seen a disproportionate amount of negative and inaccurate information distributed recently, so we wanted to create a place where our customers, the general public and the news media can get the real facts.”

The new Web site includes background information on Yamaha and the Rhino, details on the March 31, 2009, Consumer Product Safety Commission repair program announcement (which has been inaccurately described as a recall), and provides a platform for Rhino fans and off-road enthusiasts in general to show their support.

“What has been lost in the firestorm of negative, inaccurate information about the Rhino is that the vast majority of our customers and SxS enthusiasts absolutely love their vehicles and its role in pioneering the SxS segment in the industry,” says Nessl. “In reality, statistics show that more than 99 percent of Rhino customers have never reported any claim or incident, a fact never mentioned in the plaintiff attorney ads or Web sites where they troll for new clients. We decided it was time to create a home online for ourselves where accurate information about our vehicle can be found.”

Yamaha’s Rhino safety recommendations and guidelines, which are posted on TruthAboutRhino.com, include:

•  Drivers must be 16 years or older and have a valid motor vehicle license. Children under 16 should never drive a Rhino.•  To ride in a Rhino, a passenger must be tall enough to place both feet flat on the floorboard with his or her back against the seat back and be able to reach the passenger hand holds. •  Driver and passenger should always wear seatbelts and protective gear/clothing including: Helmet, Eye protection, Gloves, Over-the-ankle boots, Long sleeves and Long pants.•  Drivers and passengers should stay completely inside the vehicle at all times.•  Rhinos are designed for off-road use only. They should never be operated on public roads or paved surfaces.•  As with any motor vehicle, safety features are no substitute for driving responsibly. Avoid aggressive or reckless use of the Rhino. •  For more safety recommendations, please check out the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association web site at: http://www.rohva.org/.

Some customer and fan feedback is also already posted on the site, including a video compilation from the most recent Rhino Rally in Glamis. Yamaha plans to update the site on a regular basis with more news, fun events, photos, videos and comments from the public.

“Rhino customers are our biggest supporters and the most enthusiastic about SxS vehicles and Yamaha,” says Nessl. “We look forward to their feedback on the TruthAboutRhino.com.”