ATVs in the Making
ATV stands for "all terrain vehicles" and originated in the 50's. The early models
had 6 wheels instead of the 4 that riders have now become accustomed to. The
first company to make a 3-wheel ATV was Honda in 1970. These 3-wheel ATVs
were used in "Diamonds are Forever" movie, which was a James Bond movie.
At that time they were called US90 and had large balloon tires compared to more
recent models, which use mechanical suspension and smaller tires.
ATV Changes
In 1982 Honda made the news with its landmark model Honda ATC200E Big
Red! It was one of the first of its kind with its featured suspension and racks. It
was the 1st utility 3-wheeled ATV to hit the market and it's ability to go just about
anywhere made it quite popular with the thrill ride seekers as well as the hunters.
Honda also made news when they started developing sport models! They had a
virtual monopoly on the ATV market due to their patents on design and engine
placement. In 1981 Honda introduced the first high performance 3-wheeler that
sported full suspension, a 248 cubic centimeter 2-stroke engine, a 5-speed
transmission with a manual clutch and even had front disc brakes.
If you were an ATV rider in the 1980's who liked the sporting trail, you probably
would've chosen the 1983 ATC200X model which was another model in what
became a landmark series of machines. This model has an easy-to-handle 192-
cubic centimeter 4-stroke engine, which is make it an excellent choice for new
ATV riders.
New ATV Manufacturers
Suzuki decided to give Honda some competition and was the first manufacturer
to sell the 4-wheeled ATV. In 1983 Suzuki introduced the Quadrunner LT125
model, which was favored as a recreational vehicle for beginning ATV riders. In
1985 they released the first high-performance 4-wheel ATV called the LT250R
Quad Racer! This model was so popular it was manufactured from 1985-1992
and even had 3 major engineering makeovers. This ATV became known as a
favorite among the highly skilled riders.
The Four Trax TRX250R
Honda was not ready to give up and stepped up the competition by releasing the
Four Trax TRX250R model. To date this model has never been replicated.
Kawasaki then decided to they wanted a piece of the ATV action as well and
released the Tecate-4-250 in 1987. Next was Yamaha who introduced a high-
performance ATV called the Banshee 350.
The Banshee 350
The Banshee 350 sported a twin-cylinder 2-stroke engine from the RD350LC
street motorcycle. The Banshee 350 was not a good ride in the dirt but was
preferred by those who liked to ride in the sand dunes. The Banshee has been
so popular that it remained available in the US until 2006. If you want the 2007
model you'll have to go to Canada to get it.
Since the ATV were first available to the general public in the 1970's they have
undergone a number of mechanical as well as cosmetic changes. There are now
a number of different ATV models available to meet the needs of all ATV riders.
