VIAIR partnered with SEMA Young Executives Network (YEN) on their 2019 Honda Talon YEN UTV Student Build Project. The Honda Talon first debuted at the 2019 SEMA Show in the SEMA Launch Pad corral. The vehicle also participated in the SEMA Cruise with a final display at SEMA Ignited.
Student Program Mission
The YEN student build program associates young industry professionals as mentors for high school students interested in the automotive field. Students from the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts located at the Pomona Fairplex in California modified the UTV with over 15 aftermarket sponsorships. These products include a VIAIR 300P portable tire inflator, custom paint job and fabricated light bar to name a few. The mission of this project helps to enliven students to become automotive hobbyists and inspire career paths in the automotive industry.
Development in Automotive Background
The student project creates a challenging atmosphere that will prepare participants for a future in the automotive industry. Students are expected to successfully complete pre-work aimed to instill responsibility, punctuality and team building before starting work in the garage. The elements they focus on learning include: conceptual development, project management, research and development, product procurement, 3-D scanning, CAD, manufacturing, installation, fabrication, suspension, body styling, wiring, performance upgrades, photography, media and testing.
Proper Tire Inflation
Riding in the dunes with a UTV focuses on proper tire inflation as the key to flotation. A soft, aired-down tire will float your quad or UTV on the sand regardless of how much traction the paddles grab. That’s where VIAIR comes into play. The VIAIR 300P Portable Tire inflator easily airs up to 33” tires with a 33% duty cycle @100 PSI when the vehicle is ready for full inflation. VIAIR has an extensive line of portable tire inflators with a range of sizes and applications. To learn more about which tire inflator works best for you, take a look at our previous blog post here.
How You Can Help
The UTV loaded with products from contributing companies will be auctioned off online through Bring a Trailer. The seven-day auction will be from May 18 through May 25th. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the SEMA Scholarship Foundation.
Make sure to mark your calendars for May 18 at which time you will be able to place a bid for the UTV on the Bring a Trailer website. You can also support the SEMA Scholarship Foundation simply by making a donation at https://www.sema.org/scholarships/donations/#donate.
