2 posts tagged “all terrain vehicle”
BDJ Imports | All Terrain Vehicles
by Winter Hare
Quad bikes or all-terrain vehicles (ATV) are machines which often have 4 wheel drive capabilities which you ride by straddling them and using handlebars for steering… basically a motorcycle with four fat low pressure tires!
Quad bikes are designed to handle all types of terrains and are typically used by farmers, landowners, hunters, construction workers and the military. In most countries, quad bikes are strictly off-road machines only…
But in countries such as the UK, you can ride road legal quads on the public highways if you possess a full driving license.
The Early History of the ATV
As early as 1893, Royal Enfield created and released to the public the Quadracycle which remarkably resembles today's modern quads. Unfortunately for Royal Enfield, the production of the early motorcar soon replaced their Quadracycle.
Today, the quad market is dominated by Japanese manufactures…
Honda were the first manufactures to build and produce a three-wheeled ATV called the ATC90 in 1970, this machine was solely a recreational vehicle.
It was made famous in films such as 'Diamonds Are Forever' and popular TV shows such as 'Hart 2 Hart' and 'Magnum PI'. In 1982 Honda released their landmark ATV model the ATC200E Big Red…
It was the first utility three-wheeled ATV due to it having both suspension and racks. It became very popular with US and Canadian hunters due to its all terrain abilities. This model was the inspiration for other manufactures to enter the ATV market.
Later, Honda dominated the market with their sports models the ATC250R and the ATC200X. Other producers followed Honda in this market but found it very hard to compete with Honda's dominance.
The Beginnings of the Quad Bike
In 1982, Suzuki was the first ATV producers to produce a 4-wheeled ATV… QuadRunner LT125!
The QuadRunner LT125 was designed purely as a recreational machine for beginners.
Later in 1985, Suzuki became the first to produce a high-performance quad bike called the Suzuki LT250R QuadRacer. It had a liquid-cooled two-stroke motor and a sophisticated long-travel suspension. Early models came with a fully manual 5-speed transmission, whilst later models had a 6-speed transmission. The Suzuki LT250R QuadRacer was specially designed to be raced by highly skilled racers.
Both Honda and Kawasaki responded to the Suzuki vehicle by producing the Honda FourTrax TRX250R and the Kawasaki Tecate-4 250.
In 1987, Yamaha created the Banshee 350, it was a high-performance vehicle with a twin-cylinder liquid-cooled two-stroke motor from the RD350LC street motorcycle.
Later, Suzuki released the very fast LT500R QuadRacer, also known as "Quadzilla". It had a 500 cc liquid cooled two stroke engine with a 5-speed transmission and is believed to be the fastest production ATV ever produced.
Today's Quad Bikes
Today's quad bikes are split into two camps… sports and utility!
The sport models are often light, small, two wheeled drive machines with manual transmission, quick acceleration and can go as fast as 90 miles per hour. These machines are built with performance in mind. They must be light weight, with good suspension, high power and have a low center of gravity.
On the other hand, utility models tend to be vehicles which are bigger, heavier with 4 wheel drive with a maximum speed of up to 72 miles per hour.
Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1187179
Here it is July already and for a majority of the country, this is prime riding season. Like most of you, I certainly prefer to spend my time out roosting on the trails or track rather than in the shade of the workshop on these picturesque days. Always on the lookout for innovations and inventions that can make this prospect a reality, I’ve spent the early part of this season combing catalogs and websites in an effort to locate some neat little gems that make ATV life a bit easier. Some worked better than advertised, others not so well. Below are some of the proven winners.
While there is no substitute for genuine maintenance on your quad, the following affordable gizmos can turn dreaded hours of tuning into anticipated hours of riding. The only question that remains is why didn’t I think of that?
In random order:
LSP Lap Timer |
The LSP Lap Timer: Sure, $159 isn’t exactly chump change, but if you’re anything like me, it isn’t always easy to find someone willing to stand by with a stopwatch while you’re out cutting hot laps around the practice track. This push button beauty records up to 30 laps at a time and get this--it even flashes to let the rider know if his most recent lap was faster or slower than the previous lap. You’ll be surprised how much faster you can become by simply knowing this computer is clicking off the seconds. [ www.geocities.com/lspmx100/index.htm ]
Loctite Viper Lube: Available at most automotive stores for around $5, you really can’t miss with a tube of Loctite’s synthetic grease on your shelf. In addition to all of the usual applications of fine grease, I’ve found that this stuff works wonders when applied in a fine layer where your air filter seals to the intake. Most harmful debris by-pass even the most evenly oiled air filter and simply enter in the gap between the filter and the intake. An additional layer of protection there can make all the difference. Better still, a seal of grease can be applied around your air box lid itself if you’re planning a particularly dry/dusty ride or intend on doing some sand riding. Once back home, some Muc-Off on a clean rag will remove the grease from the air box lid and get things looking good as new. [ www.loctiteproducts.com ]
Muc-Off: Let’s face it; clean up after a long ride sucks! Any product that makes the process less time-consuming is all right in my book and new (to America) Muc-Off products have those of us who like to get dirty when we play in mind. I won’t pretend to understand exactly how their nano-technology formula actually works (having read Michael Crichton’s novel “Prey” I am a little afraid of the concept), but I do know that spraying their cleaner makes grime run cleanly off both plastic and metal. Best of all, the stuff is non-corrosive and biodegradable. [ www.muc-off.com ]
High Lifter Oil Cooling Kit: You’ve heard people say that the oil is the lifeblood of your engine? High Lifter not only agrees with this assessment but also offers up a complete kit that reduces the heat load placed upon both your quad’s motor and radiator. After a fairly painless install, the oil cooler not only increases the oil capacity of the machine, it keeps the oil from reaching extreme temperatures and hence from molecular break down. Cooler temps not only keep your machine’s oil optimal for wear protection longer, they increase the life of the engine itself (heat can be very destructive to the tight tolerances of a motor’s internals). This one is especially useful for those of us who like to play in the mud. [ www.highlifter.com/products.php?p_cat=4060&cname=Cooling+System+Upgrades%3A+Oil+Cooler+Kits ]
Works Connection Fuel Scew |
The Works Connection Fuel Screw: At $19.95, this thing isn’t just budget friendly; it’s downright amazing how such a simple device can prove to be so handy. Many of us non-fuel injected types know all too well the difficulty of screwing around with carb settings to compensate for changes in temperature, elevation, or even just track-to-track variances. The Works Connection Fuel Screw simply screws into the threads where a stock Keihin fuel screw would go and offers a knurled knob with number settings with which to work. Sounds simple enough, but I cannot stress the difference between using a screwdriver and hoping you didn’t turn the screw once too many (or few) opposed to thumb-turning this device with the much simpler notion of “setting #1 on the practice track, #4 up in the mountains” and so on. [ www.worksconnection.com ]
Slime ATV/Mower Tire Sealant: Slow leaks can be a major pain especially when your rims aren’t corroded and there is no logical explanation for why air refuses to stay within your tire. For around $9.99 per 24 oz bottle, Slime’s green goodness both prevents and repairs flats in about the same amount of time it takes to simply inflate a tire with air. The stuff can even seal punctures up to a quarter inch! It’s non-toxic, non-flammable, and water-soluble. Just be sure to get the stuff designed for tubeless ATV tire application. It doesn’t hurt to toss a bottle of this stuff in your tool pack either as the worst flats tends to happen when you’re miles from civilization. [ www.slime.com ]
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