The ATV: How It All Began
October 23rd, 2009 by Kent Redford, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
Like all things popular with the general public, the All Terrain Vehicle, better known as the ATV or the quad bike, has a very fascinating past. The first ATVs were a far cry to their modern counterparts. Initially engineered to be a valuable farming equipment, the machine became the core of an extremely competitive sporting and racing industry.
Long before Japanese motoring giant Honda Motors released the first modern ATV back in 1970, various American motoring corporations have been working, sketching and tilling a concept vehicle that can go off the road and navigate unusual driving surfaces with less effort. It can be said that the United States launched the first ATVs, though the date could not be confirmed. These ATVs are assembled with six wheels, all driven, and could pass through swamps, ponds, and streams as well as dry land.
The overall design of the old American ATVs was a notch different as well. Aside from six wheels, they were engineered for multiple passengers and were integrated with steering wheels or control sticks instead of the more familiar handlebar of a modern ATV. As for the materials, the old ATVs are assembled using hard plastic or fiberglass.
Like in the United States, Japans version of ATV was also invented to be a farming machine and was a commonly sight in farming towns situated in the mountains. When Honda first released the first modern ATV, the US90, its popularity and demand for the vehicle grew. When the James Bond movie “Diamonds Are Forever” hit the big screen, its popularity grew even more, as the film featured the ATVs in some of its scenes.
With the worldwide reach of the James Bond movie, ATVs soon became the rave of the motoring world. The capability to cruise different terrains and trails was good news already. Such concept hit hard the Outdoors enthusiasts, specifically hunters from Canada and the United States.
But it was in the 1980s that the ATV really kicked into the cultural mainstream. It was during this time when the sporting version of the ATV was introduced. Big motor companies such as Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Polaris joined the ATV bandwagon and began manufacturing their own lines of the said vehicle.
When motoring companies began to create three-wheeled models, issues over its safety and stability followed. Soon, the increasing concerns of the public caused the production of three-wheeled ATVs to be halted in 1987. Though the production ban ended in 1997, no major three-wheeled ATV was made and sold.
Today, ATVs are now categorized into two types – the sporting type and the utility type. As the name suggest, sporting ATVs are designed for high speeds and are made of lighter materials with an engine for rapid acceleration. Utility ATVs, on the contrary are heavier, bigger and slower but are equipped with engines that enable them to carry heavy loads.
Undeniably, the ATV is enjoying its status as a premier vehicle for racing enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers. With many motoring companies joining the ATV race, it only indicates the steadily rising popularity if the said vehicle. The All Terrain Vehicle is definitely here to stay.
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