River Cities Business Journal: Business Profile

River Cities Business Journal

BULLHEAD CITY - They're new, they're fun, they're colorful, they're exciting and they've found a ready market.

Mini-rails are based on full-sized sand rails that started with converted Volkswagens decades ago, but they are much smaller and therefore more maneuverable and they're street legal in Arizona.

Extreme Mini Rails has found the scaled-down dune buggies that can cost anywhere from $1,200 to $35,000 are taking off in the desert.

“They're colorful and they're the hottest thing out there right now,” Brad Mays, owner of Extreme Mini Rails, said.

The mini-rail concept is relatively new and the market was small because selection was small, but new entries in the field have opened up the selection to a host of sizes and engines capable of pushing the vehicles across the desert at speeds up 70 mph.

“This business is changing pretty fast,” Mays said. “Up until recently all I had was 800cc (engines).

“We started with Dazon. They are really go-carts. Then Joyner came on the scene about a year and a half ago.”

Joyner offered a wide variety of machines in two- and four-seat models that helped Mays broaden his customer base.

“These guys showed up on the scene about a year and a half ago and we were right with them,” Mays said.

The Joyner machines are unusual because they are a U.S. company that designed them in the U.S., but has them made in China.

The success of Extreme Mini Rails has come quickly.

“We actually started a year and a half ago,” Mays said. “Since then we've grown and succeeded better and better.”

Mays closed down during the summer, because of the heat, but is back in full swing with the cooling temperatures and has added a new twist.

Now customers can try a mini-rail before they buy.

“We have guided tours,” Mays said. “We take you out with a tour guide to keep you out of trouble.

“Every one we've done has gone great. Everybody comes back really happy.”