All-Terrain Vehicles Champaign IL

All terrain vehicles, or ATVs, are a peculiarly American phenomenon, though the sport is starting to gain some foothold in the rest of the world, as well. Before we talk about buying and using ATVs, though, we should perhaps examine exactly what an ATV is and which uses ATVs are good for. All terrain vehicles are expensive and can be dangerous if used improperly, so make sure you know what you’re doing and are educated in the sport before getting started. There are some classes available to provide training in that area – check out the section later in this article for more information about ATV training classes.

An all terrain vehicle, as generally understood in the United States, whether dealing with Honda ATVs, Yamaha ATVs, Polaris ATVs, or any number of all terrain vehicles by other brands, all share a few basic specifics. First, they are motorized vehicles. Nearly all ATVs operate on gasoline engines; as such, they are illegal to use in some locations. Check out any place you plan to bring your ATV before your trip – if it is marked “no motorized vehicles,” you’ll have to find another place.

The standard definition of an ATV, as applies in the American legal system, is derived from the American National Standards Institute (or ANSI), and that definition is used in all laws, rules, and regulations regarding the use of all terrain vehicles in the United States. The definition is fairly simple, and includes only a few basic characteristics, which all ATVs, no matter which brand they are built by, stems. An ATV, by the definition of the American National Standards Institute, travels on low pressure tires (for off road and flexibility reasons), utilizes a seat straddled by the person driving – in other words, the same type of seat as most motorcycles have, where the operator sits with one foot on either side of the seat, like a saddle. Also, an ATV defined strictly is generally steered by the use of handlebars, in the same way as a motorcycle.

Another major feature of an ATV, strictly speaking, is at least one extra wheel. Most ATVs in the United States have four wheels, which provides increased stability, especially important in the many off road operations ATVs are typically used for. However, some ATVs, known as “three wheelers,” have – surprise, surprise – three wheels. Though not quite so stable as the four-wheeled versions (often also called “four wheelers”), three wheelers are still more stable than motorcycles and are built for agile, off road movement. Some ATVs are even equipped with more than four wheels, such as some six-wheeled models designed for specialized uses. For instance, some six-wheeled ATVs are built watertight and buoyant, so they can cross water like a boat, earning the term “amphibious vehicle” – civilian models are often used for things like duck hunting, and are based on military operation vehicles. In the United States, ATV engines range from around 50 cc to 950 cc in power, making for a very wide range of power, speed, agility, and affordability.

America, of course, is not the only place that ATVs are used. They are, in fact, available all over the world, though often under different names. They are especially popular in rich but sparsely populated nations like Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and especially in locations in those countries and in the United States especially dependent upon agriculture. Contrary to many popular beliefs, all terrain vehicles are not only used for entertainment, racing, and careening around the woodlands the way you so often see ATVs used in less agricultural areas.

Instead, many agricultural areas have turned the all terrain vehicles into the modern equivalent of the way horses were used in centuries past. Now, in areas of difficult, rugged, and rough terrain, instead of saddling up horses, ranchers often fire up their all terrain vehicles to run the fence lines or check up on the state of the back forty acres.