| The term "all-terrain vehicle" is used in
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| | two-stroke engine that made the machine
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| a general sense to describe any of a
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| | famous.
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| number of small open motorised buggies
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| | The ATV is commonly called a four wheeler
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| and tricycles designed for off-road use.
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| | in Australia. They are used extensively
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| However, the American National Standards
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| | in agricultureAt the same time,
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| Institute (ANSI) defines an ATV as a
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| | development of utility ATVs was rapidly
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| vehicle that travels on low pressure
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| | escalating. The 1986 Honda FourTrax
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| tires, with a seat that is straddled by
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| | TRX350 4x4 ushered in the era of
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| the operator, and with handlebars for
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| | four-wheel-drive ATVs. Other
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| steering control. By the ANSI definition,
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| | manufacturers quickly followed suit, and
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| it is intended for use by a single
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| | 4x4s have remained the most popular type
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| operator. The 4-wheeled versions are most
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| | of ATV. These machines are popular with
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| commonly called "quads," "four-wheelers"
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| | hunters, farmers, ranchers and workers at
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| or "ATVs" in the United States and
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| | construction sites.
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| Canada, and "quad bikes" or "quad cycles"
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| | Safety issues with 3-wheel ATVs caused
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| in other English-speaking countries.
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| | all manufacturers to switch to 4-wheeled
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| Models with 3 wheels are typically known
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| | models in the late '80s, and 3-wheel
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| as ATCs (though this is a Honda
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| | models ended production in 1987, due to
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| trademark) and "three-wheelers," and less
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| | consent decrees between the major
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| commonly "all-terrain cycles" and
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| | manufacturers and the Consumer Product
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| "trikes." 6- and 8-wheel models exist for
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| | Safety Commission -- the result of legal
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| specialized applications. The rider sits
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| | battles over safety issues among consumer
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| on these models just like on a
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| | groups, the manufacturers and CPSC. The
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| motorcycle, but the extra wheels make
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| | lighter weight of the 3-wheel models made
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| them more stable at slow speeds. ATVs can
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| | them popular with some expert riders.
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| also be considered Off Highway Vehicles
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| | Cornering is more challenging than with a
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| (OHV) or Off Road Vehicles (ORV), along
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| | 4-wheeled machine because leaning into
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| with motorcycles, Jeeps and other
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| | the turn is even more important.
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| off-road capable machines.
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| | Operators may roll over if caution isn't
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| Engine sizes of ATVs currently for sale
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| | used. The front end of 3-wheelers
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| in the United States (as of 2004) range
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| | obviously has a single wheel making it
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| from 50cc to 800cc. They range in price
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| | lighter, and flipping backwards is a
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| from about $499 to nearly $8000.
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| | potential hazard, especially when
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| Development of ATVs
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| | climbing hills. Rollovers may also occur
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| The first ATVs were made during the
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| | when traveling down a steep incline. The
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| 1950s. These early models had six wheels
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| | consent decrees expired in 1997, allowing
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| instead of four. Honda made the first
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| | manufacturers to once again make and
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| three-wheeled ATV in 1970, and were
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| | market 3-wheel models, though there are
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| famously portrayed in the James Bond
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| | very few marketed today.
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| movie, "Diamonds Are Forever". Dubbed the
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| | Models continue today to be divided into
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| US90 and, later, the ATC90, it was
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| | the sport and utility markets. Sport
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| designed purely for recreational use. It
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| | models are generally small, light, two
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| featured large balloon tires instead of a
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| | wheel drive vehicles which accelerate
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| mechanical suspension. By the early
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| | quickly, have a manual transmission, and
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| 1980s, suspension and lower-profile tires
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| | run at speeds up to 75 miles per hour
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| were introduced. The 1982 Honda ATC200E
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| | (120 km/h). Utility models are generally
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| Big Red was a landmark model. It featured
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| | bigger four wheel drive vehicles with a
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| both suspension and racks, making it the
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| | maximum speed of up to 65 miles per hour
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| first utility three-wheeled ATV. The
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| | (104 km/h). They have the ability to haul
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| ability to go anywhere on terrain that
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| | small loads on attached racks or small
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| most other vehicles could not cross soon
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| | dump beds. They may also tow small
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| made them popular with US and Canadian
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| | trailers. Due to the different weights,
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| hunters, and those just looking for a
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| | each has advantages on different types of
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| good trail ride. Soon other manufacturers
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| | terrain.
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| introduced their own models.
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| | Sport models are built with performance,
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| Sport models were also developed by
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| | rather than utility, in mind. To be
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| Honda, which had a virtual monopoly on
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| | successful at fast trail riding, an ATV
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| the market, due to effective patents on
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| | must have light weight, high power, good
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| design and engine placement. The 1981
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| | suspension and a low center of gravity.
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| ATC250R was the first high-performance
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| | These machines can be modified for such
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| three-wheeler, featuring full suspension,
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| | racing disciplines as motocross, woods
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| a 248-cubic-centimetre two-stroke motor,
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| | racing (also known as hare scrambles,
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| a five-speed transmisison with a manual
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| | cross country), desert racing, hill
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| clutch and a front disc brake. For the
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| | climbing, ice racing, speedway, TT
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| sporting trail rider, the 1983 ATC200X
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| | (Tourist Trophy), flat track, drag racing
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| was another landmark machine. It has an
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| | and others. Examples of high-performance
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| easy-to-handle 192-cubic-centimetre
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| | models include the Yamaha YFZ450, Honda
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| four-stroke that was ideal for new
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| | TRX450R, Suzuki QuadRacer R450, Polaris
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| participants in the sport.
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| | Outlaw 500, Polaris Outlaw 525, and
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| Suzuki was a leader in the development of
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| | Polaris Predator 500. ATVs designed for
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| 4-wheeled ATVs. It sold the first ATV,
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| | fast trail riding include the Yamaha
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| the 1983 QuadRunner LT125, which was a
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| | Raptor 700R, Suzuki QuadSport Z400, Honda
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| recreational machine for beginners.
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| | Sportrax 400EX and Bombardier DS650 .
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| In 1985, Suzuki introduced to the
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| | Six wheel models often have a small dump
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| industry the first high-performance
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| | bed, with an extra set of wheels at the
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| 4-wheel ATV, the Suzuki LT250R QuadRacer.
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| | back to increase the payload capacity.
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| This machine was in production for the
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| | They can be either 4 wheel drive (back
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| 1985-1992 model years. During its run, it
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| | wheels driving only), or 6 wheel drive.
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| underwent three major engineering
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| | There are also 6 and 8 wheel models where
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| makeovers. However, the major core
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| | the rider sits inside, known as AATVs
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| features were retained. These were: a
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| | (amphibious all terrain vehicles). These
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| sophisticated long-travel suspension, a
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| | vehicles may float and are designed to go
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| liquid-cooled two-stroke motor and a
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| | through swamps as well as dry land. These
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| fully manual 5-speed transmission for
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| | were around in the United States long
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| 85-86 models and a 6-speed transmission
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| | before 4 and 3-wheeled vehicles were
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| for the 88-92 models. It was a machine
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| | introduced (by Honda and other Japanese
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| exclusively designed for racing by highly
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| | companies). Current brands of these
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| skilled riders. Honda responded a year
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| | machines include Argo and MAX. They
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| later with the FourTrax TRX250R-a machine
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| | consist of a fiberglas or hard plastic
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| that has not been replicated. Kawasaki
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| | "tub" with low pressure (around 3 PSI)
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| responded with its Tecate-4 250. In 1987,
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| | tires and use a skid-steer steering
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| Yamaha introduced a different type of
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| | setup. Though not as fast as other ATVs,
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| high-performance machine, the Banshee
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| | they can be operated with precision at
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| 350, which featured a twin-cylinder
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| | slow speeds, and, of course, have the
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| liquid-cooled two-stroke motor from the
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| | ability to float. The spinning action of
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| RD350LC street motorcycle. Heavier and
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| | the tires is enough to propel the vehicle
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| more difficult to ride in the dirt than
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| | through the water, abeit slowly. Outboard
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| the 250s, the Banshee became a popular
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| | motors can be added for extended water
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| machine with sand dune riders thanks to
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| | use. Technically, these AATVs are not
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| its unique power delivery. The Banshee
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| | true ATVs by the ANSI definition of an
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| remains hugely popular, but 2006 is the
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| | all-terrain vehicle. Often they have
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| last year it will be available in the
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| | steering wheels or control sticks rather
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| U.S. (due to EPA emissions regulations).
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| | than motorcycle-type handle bars and are
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| In Canada, however, the Banshee will be
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| | intended for more than a single rider, in
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| back for the 2007 model year, still
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| | contrast to ATVs that meet the ANSI
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| featuring the same parallel-twin, 350cc,
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| | definition.
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