Hello ATV riders,
I am a college student redesigning atv utility vehicles. I am in the research phase of this 6 month project. I am writing to this forum to get real feedback and responses to how one uses and lives with Atvs. Scince Atv (the utility vehicles in particular) being an funtional based product often are not designed with all its uses in mind. Often these products stay the same for years because upfront research and redesign cost lots of Money. This is a full scale project ( concept to fullscale working prototype) and your help may eventually fulfill your wants in the future of ATV vehicles. So I a on a quest to find out what you use your personal vehicle for and under what conditions.

I am would love to hear from you all. I have questions such as, What do you do with your ATV? ex, pulling, moving material, hunting, construction, recreation, etc.
What does your vehicle not do well?
How do you misuse your ATV, these are rugged vehicles and are put to extreme uses, what extremes do you use or not use?
What environment do you use it in? ex: your land, public land, on your farm, ranch, swamp, mountain terrain, etc.
How often do you use it?
Do multiple riders use it?
What are these vehicles missing for you enjoyment and use? ex: not comfortable, not enough grab bars, no cover from elements, cheap materials, etc.

What was caused you to buy your current utility vehicle??? cost, look, uses, etc.



By answering just one of my questions would be a great help and will lead to designs which will make the life for atv users better,safer and more productive. A simple few answers or a small story of how you live and use your atv would be great.

Thank you for your time and participation.

sincerely, Kirby Long

 

I own a Kawasaki Prairie 650 and love it!! There are a few changes that I would do, and one would be ground clearance. Up in the midwest we get a lot of snow and use them for hunting so ground clearance is critical. Another thing would be to change the 4wd switch to engage quicker. I also use it to move snow with a 50" plow which the front end is too soft, adjustable shocks would be nice. The motor is as strong as you need and then some. I noticed on other quads that the plastic scratches easy, especially the red ones. Different plastic or have them coated with something to prevent that. The cammo designed plastic does not show scratches near as bad! You probably won't get many complaints from Prairie 650 owners because they are a near perfect machine! Good luck.

 

I think it was a slap in the face to the American motorcycle industry that it took the Japs to come up with idea for a three-wheel workhorse. From what I understand, Honda developed their ATC for rice farmers who needed something that would hold up in flooded rice fields. At the same time, we were still dragging deer for miles just to get them back to our expensive (to purchase and maintain) 4WD trucks. Heck, now all we need do is purchase a standard pickup and leave the dirty mess to our ATV's.

The ATV story has also proven how we Americans often lack modesty when we find a good thing. I am convinced that if an ATV manufacturer were to build an ATV chasis around a V-8 engine, there would be a line of guys waiting to buy the first ones to hit the showroom floor. A 300cc engine will handle the person and cargo of most folks while a 400cc engine is plenty to pull whatever safe load you can muster. Anything more and you're wasting your money on something that gets you cold and wet in the rain.

 

Thanx for the replys,

Yes, it is enteresting where these vehicles have come from and where they possibly could be headed. Tons of jobs, cores, and intresting recreation can be soley handled by smaller vehicles. This is the pupose of my research and project. Although americans (or modern civilisations for that matter) will ever totally part with the full size car, I believe there is alot of room for growth in the future for smaller vehicles. Both in Urban/rural settings. Many new obstlcles lie the future around energy use. I believe small vehicles have great potential.

More in put on how you all use your vehicles and its role in your lives really helps. Story's would be great. Thanx again,

student...

 

well i would like to see them more utility than sport....and i would also like to see more warning lights like check air filter, oil temp, oil pressure, and others....if they are going to be used in the extreams they have to have the warning system to go with it. When you run a machine for 13 hours a day i have to say that a stupid HOT light is not enough cus anything else could happen. I use my 02 magnum 500 primarly for work and hunting......and having "no cover from the elements" is what it is all about otherwise you might as well use your truck......i would also like to see a stronger transmission not the clutch part either the gear case is what i am talking about. but other than that there isnt anything that needs large improvements......no sence in messing with somthing that works well for most all people...Polaris the way out.

 

I realize my ATV is a bit dated (1995) so there have been improvements since it was made, but I have a couple suggestions. First of all, on 4x4 models a tighter turning radius would be a great improvement. I know CV joints put a limiting factor on this, but sharper turns while riding trails is a constant wish of mine. While you're at it, CV guards should be standard equipment in my opinion.
Also, how about a little more aggressive tires on stock models? The wimpy tread patterns that they use are a disgrace to a machine designed for off-road use.
I have a lot of fun using my Honda for hunting, trail riding and pulling the kids on a sled when it snows. Good luck in your research effort!

JC

 

Here's my suggestion and don't laugh. I would love for there to be a backup light. I like to ride at night and using the brake as a back up light just doesn't cut it.