Jimny 5-door – cute off-roader now comes with extra length
Since its launch in the late 1960s, nearly 3.5 million Suzuki Jimnys have been sold worldwide, picking up numerous awards along the way.
The story of how Suzuki's Trojan became one of the most reliable and durable two-wheel farm bikes on the market begins in the early 1970s.
For most farmers, transport has been a key towards more efficient farming practices and as on-farm transport improved, farm sizes increased, to be managed by smaller numbers of staff.
Early attempts at manufacturing farm bikes specifically for New Zealand conditions were rugged, yet very basic. So much so that farmers spent a lot of time either falling off or repairing the early models.
It took several years for farm bikes to become an indispensable tool on most farms, but the Japanese manufacturers took note and started to develop more efficient ways to get around the farm.
Suzuki developed the iconic Mudbug series in the early 1970s with the TF100, 125 and 185 models. These two-strokes were reliable, easy to maintain and most importantly, got farmers around the farm with the minimum of fuss.
Sales boomed in the ‘70s and early ‘80s, right up until when Suzuki introduced the first four wheeled ATV, the LT125.
Farmers immediately grasped the importance of ATVs, offering the ability to be able to carry more, or the convenience of being able to tow a small trailer.
Suzuki has continued the development of farm-bikes and ATVs, including the country’s best-selling farm bike, the DR200 Trojan.
Developed by Suzuki New Zealand, the prototype machine was built in Wanganui, before being shipped back to Japan and being introduced as the DF200ET.
The popularity of this model has seen it become the number one selling 200cc farm bike, built to exacting Japanese quality standards,making the Trojan one of the most reliable and durable two-wheel farm bikes on the market today.
Newly appointed National Fieldays chief executive Richard Lindroos says his team is ready, excited and looking forward to delivering the four-day event next month.
More than 70 farmers from across the North and South Islands recently spent a dayand- a-half learning new business management and planning skills at Rabobank Ag Pathways Programmes held in Invercargill, Ashburton and Hawera.
Government ministers cannot miss the ‘SOS’ – save our sheep call - from New Zealand farmers.
A tax advisory specialist is hailing a 20% tax deduction to spur business asset purchases as a golden opportunity for agribusiness.
Sheep and beef farmers have voted to approve Beef + Lamb New Zealand signing an operational agreement between the agricultural sector and the Government on foot and mouth disease readiness and response.
The head of the New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers organisation NZKGI says the points raised in a report about the sector by Waikato University professor Frank Scrimgeour were not a surprise.