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ATVs- Then And Now: A Brief History
Everything that you see around yourself is a result of years of evolution, modification, and changes, and the very popular ATVs are no exception to this universal truth. Just like all other things, even ATVs have an interesting history.
You might be seeing ATVs as a new normal in the motorsports section of the modern era, but it has covered a long journey to become a part of everyone’s garage. This is why, in this blog post, we will unearth the roots of ATV and cover the whole journey of ATV, beginning from its origin to its present-day status among riders.
The idea generation
Necessity is the mother of invention, and the same applies to the invention of All Terrain Vehicles. During WWII, Honda was the largest motorcycle manufacturer around the world, showing its dominance in the motorcycle industry from very long with Soichiro Honda as the owner and founder.
One day, Soichiro Honda (the owner and founder of Honda Company) ran out of fuel during WWII, and he was not able to use his car. This is where the idea of using a smaller engine to his bicycle came to his mind.
The shortage of fuel gave him this brilliant idea, and soon this idea spread like wildfire in the automobile industry. This spread of the unique idea became the reason for the establishment of the Honda Technical Research Institute in Japan. More than 18000 bicycle owners participated in the research, and this paved the way for modern-day ATVs.
The first ATV
The Jiger can be called the first ATV that went through various modifications and changes to finally become the modern-day kids electric ATV. The idea of ATV indeed came into existence in Japan, but the first company to come up with an ATV was a Toronto-based automobile company that launched the Jiger in 1961.
The 200 pound Jiger was a six-wheeled amphibious ATV with a horsepower of 5 ½. But the first target market of Jiger was not common people; rather, it was sportsmen and the people related to the military.
It took four years for companies to start producing these veteran ATVs in bulk, and even at that time, it was marketed as a ‘Go Anywhere Vehicle.’ Although the Jiger gained popularity among the customers, the first manufacturer of the ATV has to shut down their whole firm because of some financial issues.
The rebirth
Osamu Takeuchi can be called the father of modern-day kids electric ATV and all other types of ATVs as he was the one who gave another shot to the veteran ATVs. In 1967, the Honda company asked Osamu Takeuchi to come up with a new idea for motorcycles so that dealers can cope up with the dropping sales of standard motorcycles during the winter season.
After trying many designs and ideas, Takeuchi finally settled on the three-wheeler ATV as it provided better stability during the winter and even in muddy and slippery conditions.
The real challenge for Takeuchi was finding the right tires since the new vehicle was going to be used on different terrains. And finally, by taking ideas from the invention Amphi-cat, Takeuchi found balloon tiers as an impeccable option for ATVs.
The entry of the four-wheeler ATV
It was in 1982 when Suzuki launched the four-wheeler ATV, and this was the final touch given to the ATVs as this trend is still being continued. The four-wheeler ATV model launched by Suzuki is considered a revolution in the ATV industry, and this is what gave birth to both modern-day gas and kids electric ATV.
The first four-wheeler ATV that Suzuki sold in 1982 was called the QuadRunner LT125. And just after three years, the company launched its first powerful and upgraded four-wheeler ATV which became a big hit among riders.
The present scenario
Currently, ATVs have become one of the most admired and popular motorsports among various countries. And because of its growing popularity among kids, manufacturers have even started producing kids electric ATV and kids gas ATV in bulk.
Now, you will have both gas and kid electric ATV options, and get various options for modifications as well. In terms of power, the modern-day gas ATVs range from 110cc to 150cc, but in some cases, you will find ATVs beyond this average power.
Now, modern-day ATVs are used for various purposes, ranging from hunting to desert racing, and the main reason behind the popularity of ATVs is its diverse use and powerful performance. With time, ATV's target market is growing, which is why ATV will continue to be the star of the automobile sector for a long time.