What is an Atv or all Terrain Vehicle

From 3arf

ATV is the acronym for All-Terrain Vehicle.  This means that the vehicle can travel on any kind of terrain.  There is also what they call the AATV on which the first “A” stands for amphibious.  Well, anyway water can not be considered as a terrain for land vehicles.  The ATVs are operated very much like a motorcycle only you will not have the problem of balancing the vehicle to keep it upright and running.

The first ATV of its kind was manufactured in 1970 and it started as a three-wheeled ATV.  The balloon tires are large and wide that makes it look like a “Big Foot” trike.  The first manufacturer, Honda, first called it All Terrain Cycle and the purpose of the vehicle was simply for recreational use.  In the early 1980s came models of these three-wheeled ATVs with full suspension and no longer just relying on the balloon tires as dampers and shock absorbers.

Many other manufacturers followed suite in producing their own ATVs.  The three-wheeler ATV had some safety concerns and production was put to a halt in 1987.  They were quite unstable and accidents caused by those three-wheeled ATV were severe.  Having only one wheel in front, it was more prone to be flipped backwards that would either throw off or pin the rider.

It was only Suzuki that did not manufacture 3-wheeled ATVs but instead the first to manufacture and introduce the current four-wheel ATVs.  After the success of the four-wheel ATVs many more came up with their own models.  Sports models often have two-wheel drive compared to the larger Utility models that have four-wheel drive with a top speed of about 70 miles per hour.  Sports models can speed up to around 80 miles per hour.  For transmission, there could be 5 or 6-speed manual gearbox on the vehicles.

The All-Terrain Vehicle has plenty of versatile uses from recreation, sports, racing and as utility vehicle.  Safety and care though must be top priority when operating an ATV.  This is more especially so when riding the vehicle on unpaved and rocky terrain that would have steep slopes.  When taking to this kind of terrain it is best to use a four-wheel drive ATV for better traction and not to have a passenger.

ATVs are quite heavy and if ever it overturns and pins down the rider, it will be really difficult to out from under it.  Most of the time it would have caused an injury making it close to impossible to move without making the injury worse or maybe even fatal!  ATVs are mandated to bear a label from the manufacturer stating that the use of machines greater than 90 cc by riders under the age of 12 is prohibited. This is a manufacturer and /or a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommendation and not necessarily state law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-terrain_vehicle

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