| Small open motorized buggies and tricycles | | | | workers, farmers and ranchers. |
| designed for off-road use are called | | | | |
| all-terrain vehicles, or ATVs. The vehicles | | | | Safety concerns forced the production of |
| are generally buggies and tricycles. The | | | | three-wheeled ATVs to be clamped down in the |
| typical three-wheeled ATV is trademarked by | | | | late '80s. The front end of the three |
| Honda. | | | | wheelers has only one wheel, and that makes |
| | | | it lighter. Flipping backwards and |
| There are various types of buggies, like the | | | | overturning are a potential hazard in |
| dune buggy, which is built to travel through | | | | tricycles, especially while climbing |
| sand dunes and beaches, or a kite buggy, | | | | mountains. |
| which is a light vehicle powered by a | | | | |
| traction kite. | | | | In most accidents the driver first loses |
| | | | control of the vehicle. Other common types of |
| The tricycle is similar to the bicycle, the | | | | accidents are collision with a moving or |
| only difference being that it is | | | | fixed object, and driver or passenger |
| three-wheeled. Some tricycles are also | | | | ejection from all-terrain vehicles. It is |
| motorized. However, sidecars and | | | | recommended that drivers never carry a |
| three-wheelers are not considered tricycles. | | | | passenger while operating all terrain |
| | | | vehicles. |
| The four-wheeled versions of ATVs are | | | | |
| commonly referred to as 'quads,' 'quad bikes' | | | | There are two kinds of ATVs today, the sports |
| or 'quad cycles.' | | | | models and the utility models. |
| | | | |
| Six- and eight-wheeled ATVs are also | | | | The sports models are usually light, small |
| available for specialized uses. Though the | | | | two-wheel drives, and therefore can |
| rider can sit on them just as he would sit on | | | | accelerate quickly. They have a manual |
| a motorcycle, the extra wheels make them more | | | | transmission and can reach speeds of up to 70 |
| stable at slower speeds. They are known as | | | | miles per hour. |
| the AATVs (Amphibious All Terrain Vehicles) | | | | |
| | | | They are generally built for racing purposes, |
| They are also considered to be Off Road | | | | and therefore should be lightweight and |
| Vehicles (OTVs), like the jeep and the | | | | high-powered, with a good suspension and a |
| motorcycle. | | | | low center of gravity. These machines are |
| | | | used in various races like motocross, woods, |
| The first three-wheeled ATV was made by Honda | | | | desert, drag racing, speedway and Tourist |
| in 1970. In 1982, Honda came out with the ATC | | | | Trophy races, after modifications. |
| 250R, which was the first model to have a | | | | |
| full suspension, manual clutch and a disk | | | | The utility models are bigger vehicles with a |
| brake. It was favored by hunters and was for | | | | four-wheel drive. The maximum speed they can |
| purely recreational use. | | | | reach is 60 miles per hour. Utility ATVs are |
| | | | used for various tasks like hauling small |
| In the later stages, ATVs had such features | | | | loads or towing small trailers. |
| as four-wheel drives, long-travel suspensions | | | | |
| and liquid-cooled two-stroke motors. The | | | | Popular producers of ATVs are Honda, Yamaha, |
| four-wheel-drive ATVs are largely used by | | | | Suzuki and Arctic Cat. |