Small open-top motorized buggies and trikes designed for off-road use are called all-terrain vehicles, or ATVs. The vehicles are generally buggies and tricycles. The typical three-wheeled all-terrain vehicle is a registered trademark of Honda.
There are several types of buggies, such as the dune buggy, which is built to travel across sand dunes and beaches, or a kite buggy, which is a light vehicle powered by a traction kite.
The tricycle is similar to the bicycle, with the only difference that it has three wheels. Some trikes are also motorized. However, sidecars and three-wheelers are not considered trikes.
Four-wheeled versions of all-terrain vehicles are commonly known as ‘quads’, ‘quads’ or ‘quadcycles’.
Six and eight wheel ATVs are also available for specialized uses. Although the rider can sit on them as they would on a motorcycle, the extra wheels make them more stable at lower speeds. They are known as AATVs (Amphibious All Terrain Vehicles).
Off-Road Vehicles (OTV) are also considered, such as the jeep and motorcycle.
The first three-wheeled ATV was made by Honda in 1970. In 1982, Honda introduced the ATC 250R, which was the first model to have full suspension, manual clutch, and disc brake. It was favored by hunters and was for purely recreational use.
In later stages, ATVs had features such as four-wheel drive, long-travel suspensions, and liquid-cooled two-stroke engines. Four-wheel drive ATVs are used largely by laborers, farmers, and ranchers.
Safety concerns forced the production of three-wheeled ATVs to be restricted in the late 1980s. The front end of three-wheelers has only one wheel, which makes it lighter. Tipping backwards and tipping over are potential hazards on trikes, especially when climbing mountains.
In most accidents, the driver first loses control of the vehicle. Other common types of accidents are collision with a stationary or moving object and ejection of the driver or passenger from ATVs. It is recommended that drivers never carry a passenger while operating ATVs.
There are two types of ATVs today, sport models and utility models.
Sport models are usually light, small, and two-wheel drive, and can therefore accelerate quickly. They have a manual transmission and can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour.
They are typically built for racing and therefore need to be lightweight and high powered, with good suspension and a low center of gravity. These machines are used in various races such as motocross, forest, desert, drag racing, speed racing and Tourist Trophy, after modifications.
Utility models are larger four-wheel drive vehicles. The maximum speed they can reach is 60 miles per hour. Utility ATVs are used for various tasks such as hauling small loads or towing small trailers.
Popular producers of ATVs are Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Arctic Cat.