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5 Little-Known Facts About ATVs-

Jun. 15 2021 News By Marketing

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The All-Terrain Vehicles or simply ATVs are dear to the off-road enthusiasts and immensely valuable to farmers. And though ATVs do not have as long of a history as motorbikes, it certainly evokes the passion of riding for people everywhere. So if you are an off-road fan, you definitely want to know some little-known facts about these beloved ATVs:

It’s All in the Name: Today, the term “ATV” primarily defines four-wheeled recreational or racing models, and “UTV,” or Utility Terrain Vehicle, make up the four-wheeled market for the workhorses on the farm or ranch. However, when the ATVs first showed up in the 1960s, they originally had six wheels and were referred to as amphibious six wheelers. Eventually, ATVs with straddles were released and came to be known as amphibious all-terrain vehicles (AATVs).

It’s the History: The first ATV emerged as a three-wheeler. The Sperry-Rand Tricart was designed in 1967 and manufactured in 1968. However, the Honda ATC made three-wheelers a household name and set the path for today’s ATV. In 1970, Honda introduced their US90 and ATC90 (All Terrain Cycle). The James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever and the TV Shows Magnum, P.I., and Hart to Hart helped spur on its popularity.

In the Zone: In the early ’90s, people started realizing that ATVs were great work vehicles, and they began to show up on farms. Eventually, they also became recreational vehicles. The Grand National Cross-Country series began racing ATVs in 1980, and the ATV National Motorcross Championship series started in 1985.

The Boss: UTV and side-by-side sales were expected to surpass the sales of ATVs, so the four-wheel market combined, far exceeds that for dirt bikes. And if UTV sales projections were accurate, the four-wheel market exceeds Dual-sport, dirt bike, motorcycle, and scooter sales combined. ATVs also own a larger share of the market compared to dirt bikes.

Design: Nearly every youth ATV sold in the US is made in Taiwan or China regardless of the brand name.

  • Industry standards set the ignition kill switch on ATVs to be on the left side of the handlebars but on the right side for the snowmobiles.

  • At slower speeds, ATVs wheels will move in the opposite direction of the front wheels. Thus, making it easier to park and maneuver.

  • Originally, brake lights were not required on ATVs. It was not until 1998 that they were made a requirement.

  •  The two largest ATV battery manufacturers, Yuasa and DEKA, have their main United States facilities only 20 miles apart in Pennsylvania.

About Basecamp Motorsports

If you want to buy a new or used motorsport vehicle, Basecamp Motors is an authorized dealer for Can-Am®, Sea-Doo®, Ski-Doo®, and BRP Spyder in Calgary, AB. We provide maintenance service, parts and accessories, and gear for ATVs, utility vehicles, PWCs, and snowmobiles. You can call us at 403-441-1299 or fill the contact form to get in touch. You can also sign up for our newsletter.