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A Brief History Of ATVs

Jan. 22 2021 Lifestyle By Langston Motorsports

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The history of ATVs is a fascinating one—full of more twists and turns than a powersports racing track. We’ve gathered up some intriguing bits of ATV history below. If you want to grab your own piece of history, shop the four-wheelers for sale at Langston Motorsports. Our dealership is located in Perris, California, and we also serve those in Temecula and Orange County.

The First Use Of The Term ATV

Originally, the term "ATV" referred to an entirely different powersports vehicle. It was the nickname for amphibious 6-wheeled vehicles such as the Jiger, Amphicat, and Terra Tiger. With these models, riders sat in a seat instead of straddling a seat. When the straddle-ridden powersports vehicles emerged, they took over the name "ATV" and the original models became known as AATVs (amphibious all-terrain vehicles).

The First ATV - As We Think Of It

ATVs as we think of them trace their history to a 1967 college graduate project. John Plessinger was enrolled at the Cranbrook Academy of Arts and Science with an assignment to create a motorized tricycle that could navigate difficult terrain. His model earned an A—and launched an entire new type of powersports vehicles!

After graduation, Plessinger approached various farm machine companies, Harley-Davidson, AMF, and other companies with the hopes of selling the patents and design rights. A company named Sperry Rand (now called Unisys), which was a Special Products Division of New Holland, was the most interested and best fit for the inventory. Part of what they liked is that Plessinger kept careful records of the mistakes he made along with ten different prototypes. This information helped speed up the process of getting the product to market and the Sperry-Rand Tricart began being manufactured in 1968.

During this time, snowmobiles were rapidly selling at about a million units a year. But they could only be used in the winter. Enter: the Tricart, which became the first year-round vehicle. The Tricart also enjoyed a few other claims to fame, including:

  • Being one of the highest volume ATVs ever made.
  • Being the first and only three-wheeled ATV with two seats.
  • Being incredibly stable due to the low center of gravity.
  • Being incredibly light thanks to the body and frame only weighing 35 pounds, which also allowed it to fit in a car trunk.

The Growth Of Early ATVs

The success of the Tricart prompted many powersports manufacturers to get to work crafting their own models.

In 1970, Honda was the first powersports manufacturer to follow up the Tricart. They debuted the three-wheeled US90 with a 7hp engine alongside the ATC90, which was designed for kids. Their ATV was used in the movie Diamonds Are Forever and the TV shows Magnum, P.I. and Hart to Hart, which helped boost its popularity.

Honda continued innovating their product line over the coming years. In 1981, they released the first high-performance three-wheeler with full suspension and five-speed transmission. The model, the ATC250R, took inspiration from motocross technology. In 1982, Honda released the first utility three-wheeled ATV: the ATC200E.

During this time, other manufacturers competed to develop their own ATVs. Companies such as Yamaha and Kawasaki built impressive models, but Honda continued to hit many of the industry's firsts. All of these early models were three-wheeled designs.

The ATV Becomes The Four-Wheeler

The first four-wheeler emerged in 1982. The Suzuki® QuadRunner LT125 sported an extra wheel alongside an odometer, five forward speeds, and a reverse speed. This innovative design offered improved performance and safety and other ATV manufacturers quickly followed suit.

  • 1984: Yamaha makes their first quad.
  • 1984: Honda makes their first four-wheeler, which soon dominated 69% of United States ATV sales.
  • 1985: Suzuki makes the first high-performance quad - the LT250R QuadRacer.
  • 1985: Kawasaki makes their first four-wheeler.
  • 1986: Honda makes the most successful racing quad in history - the FourTrax® 250R two-stroke. Honda also made the first four-wheel-drive model - the FourTrax 350 4x4.
  • 1988: Honda debuted the FourTrax 300 and FourTrax 300 4x4, which became the most popular ATVs in history. Over 12 years, there were 530,000 units sold.
  • 1988: Powersports vehicle manufacturers agree to stop selling three-wheeled models due to safety concerns brought up by the United States Government.
  • 1990s: Farms across the country use quads to get work done with the Honda® FourTrax 300 being the most popular.
  • 2001: Polaris® makes a Sportsman® model that has the largest engine on an ATV to date - 683cc.

Today, four-wheelers build upon this rich history to offer exceptional riding experiences. Quads are used for recreational riding, work projects, and everything in-between. Riders of all ages can enjoy the thrill of ATV riding.

Ready to shop quads for sale? Check out the selection at Langston Motorsports. Our dealership is based in Perris, California. We also proudly serve those in Temecula and Orange County, California.