Origins of the All Terrain Vehicle
Sunday, October 25th, 2009
Like all things popular with the general public, the All Terrain Vehicle, better known as the ATV or the quad bike, has a very fascinating past. The first ATVs were a far cry to their modern counterparts. Initially engineered to be a valuable farming equipment, the machine became the core of an extremely competitive sporting and racing industry.
Long before Japanese motoring giant Honda Motors released the first modern ATV back in 1970, various American motoring corporations have been working, sketching and tilling a concept vehicle that can go off the road and navigate unusual driving surfaces with less effort. It can be said that the United States launched the first ATVs, though the date could not be confirmed. These ATVs are assembled with six wheels, all driven, and could pass through swamps, ponds, and streams as well as dry land.
The overall design of the old American ATVs was a notch different as well. Aside from six wheels, they were engineered for multiple passengers and were integrated with steering wheels or control sticks instead of the more familiar handlebar of a modern ATV. As for the materials, the old ATVs are assembled using hard plastic or fiberglass.
Akin to the United States’ early versions of the ATV, its Japanese counterpart was also built to be a farming machine. The early Japanese ATVs were widespread in farming towns that are located in the mountains of Japan. When Honda launched the first modern ATV, the US90, in 1970, it wasn’t long before its popularity and demands rocketed. The US90 owd its stake to fame through the James Bond movie “Diamonds Are Forever”, which featured the ATVs in some of its scenes.
With the worldwide reach of the James Bond movie, ATVs soon became the rave of the motoring world. The capability to cruise different terrains and trails was good news already. Such concept hit hard the Outdoors enthusiasts, specifically hunters from Canada and the United States.
But it was in the 1980s that the ATV really kicked into the cultural mainstream. It was during this time when the sporting version of the ATV was introduced. Big motor companies such as Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Polaris joined the ATV bandwagon and began manufacturing their own lines of the said vehicle.
There was also an issue of safety when companies began to manufacture and market three-wheeled ATVs. With concerns from the consumers growing, the production of three-wheeled ATVs were banned I 1987. Though the decree ended in 1997, no significant three-wheeled ATV was marketed.
Today, ATVs are now categorized into two types – the sporting type and the utility type. As the name suggest, sporting ATVs are designed for high speeds and are made of lighter materials with an engine for rapid acceleration. Utility ATVs, on the contrary are heavier, bigger and slower but are equipped with engines that enable them to carry heavy loads.
Undeniably, the ATV has now cemented itself as a premier ride for racing enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers. Its popularity steadily increasing, as indicated by the motoring companies joining the ATV bandwagon. There is no doubt that the ATV is here to stay.
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