A farmer based in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, has been shortlisted for the Shell Live Wire young entrepreneur of the year award. William Allingham, from Garrison, has devised a remarkable product called the Quadcrate. The Quadcrate provides a means for Mr. Allingham to carry his lambs around the farm in a crate attached to his quad bike.
The invention, which also has the support of the Invest NI and the Prince’s Trust, fits on to the back of any quad bike as a loader attachment. It can hold up to 150Kg, spreading the weight of a given load over the back wheels. It can hold numerous types of loads with ease, taking a lot of the strain and hassle out of some basic transportation tasks.
Mr. Allingham reports that the quadcrate can hold items ranging from buckets, bags, gates, sheep hurdles, to ring feeders, square bales, and calves. Mr Allingham is now selling the quadcrate online and has had growing interest from New Zealand and the USA.
This success story only goes to show that the full potential of quad bikes is only just being realised. Quad bikes perform serious roles in challenging off-road terrain. Quad bike retailers are increasingly aware of the sheer versatility of quad bikes and make sure they have sufficient stock and parts to support this.
For instance, users of ATVs in the Lancashire rural community are now supported by a thriving quad bike retail industry, with secondhand quad bikes, parts, and accessories now readily available.