I was out side a truck drives by with a Honda 3 wheeler in the bed powered by an 8hp briggs ! ! !

When did honda start making ATV's ?

Mike D

 

Wow, I really screwed up this edit...

 

Wow they been at this a long long time than. . .

Mike

 

Honda made their first quads production year 1984, the TRX200.

First production year for their first trike was 1970, the ATC90. I believe they came out with the first trike, while Suzuki came out with the first quad.

Pics:
http://www.atvriders.com/atvmo...story-atv-models.html


Info:
http://www.atv.info/article.cfm?id=168


Suzuki came out with the first quad, the LT125:

'In 1982, Suzuki took the lead in the hot new market for all-terrain vehicles by introducing the first four-wheeled ATV, the best-selling QuadRunner LT125. A full line of four-wheeled ATVs soon followed. Shortly afterward, competing manufacturers copied Suzuki's pioneering design concept and introduced their own four-wheeled ATVs.'

Here is a small list of 'Epic' Yamaha quads:
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sp...pic_atv/epichome.aspx


And Polaris entered the ATV market in 1985, with the Trailboss 250, with an automatic belt-drive transmission, chain drive, and 2-stroke engine. And the Scrambler 250, same engine/tranny/drivetrain as the Trailboss, but a trike(three wheeler).

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/polaris.shtml


Ok, thats enough of the history lesson for today...lol

 

yea yea I like the history lessons man so about when did Kawi and Cat start cranking out ATV's ? ? ?


Mike

 

Well, Kawi entered the ATV industry in 1981 with the KLT200 trike, first quad was in 1985 with the Bayou 185.

Kawi timeline:

http://www.kawasaki.ca/corporate/museum_atv.php


Arctic Cat started with quads(never did the trike thing) in 1996 with the Bearcar 454 4x4, marketed as the biggest ATV available at the time...problem for them, Polaris introduced the Sportsman 500 in 1996, taking away some of the Bearcats thunder...Arctic Cat had the old heel-toe shifter on their model, claiming that it was easier for novice riders to use. AC also had a unique rear suspension design, it was solid axle, but could articulate side-to-side for better flex over obstacles. Called 'semi-independant' rear suspension.

I couldn't find info about the 1996 Bearcat, but here is some info about the 1997, nothing changed other than introducing a Bearcat 454 2x4 model as well:

http://www.motorsports-network.../arctcat/arctatvs.htm


Can-am(Bombardier at the time) started in 1997(I think, MAY have been 1998), with the Traxter 500 4x4. It used a unique aproach to ATV design, as the fuel tank was relocated underneath the seat, and the area where it would normally reside was empty, allowing there to be a 'step-thru' area in front of the seat. It also was quite wide, and had a rear mounted radiator. It also used a electronic thumb shifter, for its 5 speed manual transmission. It also had an 'auto' feature, which when used meant the machine shifted thru the gears, not you. It also introduced the infamous 'Visco-lok', which at the time when few quads had fully locking diff's(except Polaris) it was widely appreciated.

Can't find info about that first Traxter, but heres a pic so you can sort of see the unique styling:

http://www.quad-infos.com/mode...raxter%20500%20XT.jpg


Any more questions?

 

Oh, and Polaris was the first mfg to produce an atv with a belt driven fully automatic variable transmission, back in 1985 with their Trailboss 250 & Scrambler 250 models. Kawi answered back in 1996 with the Prairie 400 4x4 auto, then Yamaha in 1998 with the Grizzly 600 4x4 auto, which was also the largest displacement atv available at the time. It was generally accepted that the Suzuki made AC500 & Quadrunner 500 models available at the time had more low-end torque than the Grizz 600, but the Grizz had more horsepower.

 

If it truly had a Briggs like you said, I doubt it was a real Honda.