ATV history

by Motor on Nov 30th, 2023 16:39 PM

Honda entered the 1980s with a virtual monopoly in the market, due to effective patents on design and engine placement. By 1980, other companies paid patent royalties to Honda to enter the lucrative ATC field with their own machines. Yamaha introduced their first ATC, the Tri-Moto YZ125. Kawasaki followed suit the next year with the KLT200, while Suzuki produced their first model, the ALT125, in 1982. As the popularity of ATCs increased dramatically, rapid development ensued. The ability to go anywhere on terrain that most other vehicles could not cross soon made them popular with US and Canadian hunters. As other manufacturers were entering the market, Honda was diversifying, offering the ATC250R, the first Sport ATC intended for competition, in 1981. The 1982 Honda ATC200E Big Red was a landmark model. It featured both suspension and racks, making it the first ATC designed specifically for utility, and would become the world's best-selling ATC. Honda followed that effort in 1983 with the ATC200X, an easy-to-handle 192 cc (0.192 L; 11.7 cu in) four-stroke Sport ATC that was ideal for new riders.
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Not to be outdone, Kawasaki and Yamaha responded with their own Sport ATCs. 1984 saw the release of the Kawasaki KXT250 Tecate, and Yamaha followed in 1985 with the Tri-Z 250. Both were liquid Cooled 250 cc two-strokes capable of giving the Honda ATC250R competition. In response to growing market, American Specialty manufacturer Tiger also introduced a series of ATCs, hand-built-to-order models that included the Tiger 500, the largest displacement ATC produced commercially. While Kawasaki and Yamaha both produced utility ATCs, famously making the KLT 250 Police and Yamahauler respectively, Suzuki turned their attention to building Sport Quads.
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Honda continued to diversify their line-up (at peak offering 10 distinct models), releasing the larger, fully suspended 250 cc Big Red utility ATC, and introduced the 350X Sport ATC, their largest displacement machine, in 1985. But the bulk of their sales were the 200cc line, offering six models and selling over 500,000 units in 3 years. Honda's response to the Tecate and Tri-Z, the liquid cooled 1985 and 1986 ATC250R, remains one of the most desirable ATCs of the era, and aftermarket support still follows the machine.

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U.S. manufacturers
Main articles: Tiger ATV LTD and Polaris Scrambler 250R/es

American-based manufacturers also produced ATCs in this period, albeit in small numbers. Polaris offered the Scrambler in 1985 and 1986, producing appx 1600 units. Speciality manufacturer Tiger ATV also produces a range of ATCs, but their liquidation in 1991 left no official record of how many units were produced. The collector ATV market estimates vary drastically, from 300 to as many as 1000 units total production. Tiger ATCs were offered for three years, with models using 80 to 500 cc (0.0800 to 0.500 L; 4.88 to 30.5 cu in) two-stroke engines provided by KTM and Rotax.

The Tiger 500 is notable for being the fastest consumer ATC available, with tested top speeds of +80 mph from the stock 42 horsepower (31.3 kW)@6500rpm engine and 5 speed gearbox. With final drive gearing changes, the ATC could exceed 100 mph. However, due to the rarity of the machines the brand never became well-known, and as all Tiger Models were custom-ordered and built to the buyer's specifications for the purpose of factory ATV racing, Polaris is generally known as the first American 'Production' ATV producer.

Production pause
Production of three-wheelers was voluntarily ceased by all manufacturers by 1987, in light of safety concerns, and ahead of any legislation.[6] Though later studies showed that three-wheelers were not considered more unstable than four-wheelers (although accidents are equally severe in both classes),[7] manufacturers agreed to a 10-year moratorium on production, and to collectively financing a +US$100 million ATV safety campaign. Despite the moratorium lifting, manufacturers did not return to the ATC market, focusing instead on four-wheeled ATVs. A ban on sales of new or used three-wheelers and a recall of all remaining three-wheelers was proposed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.[8]

These safety issues with three-wheel ATCs caused a shift in the buying public, as the sales of later four-wheel ATV models grew rapidly. While three-wheel models ended production in 1987, agreements between the major manufacturers and the US U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to officially cease production and finance safety campaigns moved forward. While the lighter weight of ATCs made them popular with certain riders, manufacturers continued to focus on ATV production.