All Terrain Vehicles

The term "All-Terrain Vehicle" or ATV is used in a general sense to describe any of a number of small open motorized buggies and tricycles designed for off-road use. However, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) defines an ATV as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, and with handlebars for steering control. By the current ANSI definition, it is intended for use by a single operator, although a change to include 2-seaters (in tandem) is under consideration.

The rider sits on and operates these vehicles like a motorcycle, but the extra wheels give more stability at slow speeds. Although typically equipped with three or four wheels, six-wheel models exist for specialized applications. Engine sizes of ATVs currently for sale in the United States (as of 2008 products) range from 49cc to 950cc.

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I've not had much experience with motorbikes. Though I can ride a bicycle. So balancing the two wheeled beasts wouldn't have been a problem. They of course look like a lot of fun, but four wheels and encased in a shell of metal has always seemed the safer option for me.

Moving out to the country (surrounded by farms, paddocks and countless cows) we now have neighbours with ATV's. They're not intended for on-road use, thus us never having had neighbours previously with ATV's (while we weren't living in the city it was suburban).

The ATV looked like a lot of fun. A hell of a lot of fun. And I never having the experience with a bike didn't have the skill of that whole changing gears and the clutch thing worked out. But the neighbour across the road had an ATV that didn't require that.

I took it for a ride to get used to it. It was easy enough. I got aquainted with the machine as the next week I'd be helping him with mowing his grass. There's a lot of grass. And the grass is located between row upon row upon row of vines (he has a vineyard).

Now the ATV isn't one of those slick looking recreational numbers, oh no. We're talking 650cc 4WD (and 2WD) and costing more than any vehicle I've ever owned.

Now that might seem like a lot of money, and a lot of power, but this is a heavy duty workhorse. I tow a slasher behind it. Its other job is to pull a 400 litre tank that sprays the vines (to combat fungi and mildew, though we only half fill it to 200 litres because that's an awful lot of weight to lug around).

I ride it in low gear in 4WD mode. The first day I mowed the ground was still a little wet from the recent rain we had been having and the slasher trailer on some parts of the hill would tend to slide. Which would be disastrous if it took out the vines, indeed I envisaged it tangling up and tipping over the entire trailer, ATV and rider! But the Kawasaki Quad had enough weight and grunt to pull out of those situations.

The Kawasaki I have been using is a lot like this one.

I wouldn't mind one of my own. If only to get me from here over the road and up the hill to my neighbours house and go riding on his 120 acre property. Some of the scenery there is fantastic. Not to mention the fact that there's an old dairy that's been made into a magnificent function area. With a pool table and an 8 seater hot tub.

So my wife has given me permission to get an ATV of my own. This is what I'd like to get. Though this is what I'll probably get.

While neither would compete with the 650cc I'd still like something that had the ability to tow a trailer. And while not fully laden then at least enough to carry a big tent or a portable BBQ from one part of the property to the other.

Of course if my dream of owning such an ATV does come to fruition I will be posting photos of it here.

Four wheeled versions are most commonly called "quads", "four-wheelers" or "ATVs" in the United States and Canada, and "quad bikes" or "quad cycles" in other English-speaking countries. In Australia, ATVs are also known as "forbys", and in Israel can be called "Polarises" (After the company). Models with three wheels are typically known as "three-wheelers," and ATCs (or less commonly "All-Terrain Cycles" ).

ATVs can also be considered Off Highway Vehicles (OHV) or Off Road Vehicles (ORV), along with motorcycles.

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