I know it may sound like a dumb question. But, just what is a Sports Quad? I know my Suzuki King Quad is not one. Is a Kawasaki Lakota a Sports Quad? If not, then why not?

My general impression is that a Sports Quad is chain driven, light-weight, has a small, or mid-sized 2 stroke motor, no reverse, nor electronic ignition. It has no racks and is 2 wheel drive. It is stripped down for speed and generally has been modified.

However, I know there are exceptions. For instance the Mojave has a four stroke motor. It certainly isn;t a utility quad.

How does one categorize a machine such as a Polaris Scrambler 500? It doesn't have independent suspension as you would expect to find in a utility ATV, and it has reverse and an electronic ignition. It has no gears and has 4X4 capability. Is it a sports quad?

Beats me!

 

I had a system to rate the types of quads that I put up on the old site a couple of years ago. Basically it is like this. If a quad doesn't have the reverse, long travel suspension, no "creature comforts" Manual shift-manual clutch and has a high power to weight ratio, then it is a High Performance quad.

If the quad has reverse, electric start, no racks or a few "creature comforts" and a lower power to to weight ratio, then it's a Sport Quad.

Standard racks on a machine, long travel suspension, drive shafts and some "creature comforts" move it into the Sport Utility quad catagory.

Racks, short suspension, very low power to weight ratio and a lot of "creature comforts" make a machine a Utility Quad.

I define "creature comforts" as any of the below:

Floorboards

Fully automatic transmission

Manual shift/auto clutch

Power outlet

Plush suspension

I know that the 4x4s aren't covered here, but these machines are usually either Utility or Sport utility. The lone 4x4 Sport quad would be the Scrambler 4X4 series (I know I'll take a lot of heat from Wolverine owners here, but sorry it has racks and shafts).

Also when considering what class a quad is in you MUST take it into consideration it's stock form. It makes little difference if a Suzuki King quad can be modified to a high performance machine or a Banshee into a work horse. That's the OWNER's preferance.

I hope this helps!

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Mike Chero 97 Polaris Sport 400L/ 97 Polaris Trailblazer 250ES

<A HREF="http://users.penn.com/~hal9000/mikeetta.html">MIKE & CELESTE'S ATV PAGE </A>

 

Thanks for sharing your classification system ("taxonomy"), Mike; yours remains the best I've seen.

One question: Regarding the suspension travel criterion; do not some "sports" quads have long-travel suspensions?

I don't intend this question as a nit-pick; instead, I ask for a clarification.

Again, thanks for sharing; your product shows considerable thought and effort.

Tree Farmer

 

Tree Farmer,

No, You're not nit-picking at all. Most Sport quads will have the long travel suspension numbers as do their High Performance counterparts. It is just that sometimes the weight will negate thse numbers. Remember that a Sport quad will have some extras that a High Performance quad won't. Like reverse.

This also brings up a good point. I don't think you'll ever see a REAR shaft drive on either a Sport or High Performance quad. Frankly, the drive shaft would have to be at extreme angles to get the suspension travel needed to qualify it as either. Besides, shafts tend to take up more weight as opposed to chains. The bane of the "go-fast crowd".

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Mike Chero 97 Polaris Sport 400L/ 97 Polaris Trailblazer 250ES

<A HREF="http://users.penn.com/~hal9000/mikeetta.html">MIKE & CELESTE'S ATV PAGE </A>

 

Using your criteria, I still am not sure whether my Kawasaki Lakota is a utility quad or sports quad. We only have those two choices on the topic board. There are no utility sports quads, etc.

The Lakota looks preety much like a Kawasaki Mojave, which I am sure is a sports machine. I think they use the same frame, suspension, and plastic. However, the Lakota has front and rear racks, a Bayou 300 cc four stroke motor, reverse, electric start, and I think it has the Bayou transmission. It weighs just under 500 pounds, so I wonder...

Kawasaki calls it a sports utility machine, but frankly it seems to have more sport than utility when compared to my Suzuki King Quad 300.

 

Kclayd,

Your Lakota does fall into the Sport/Utility catagory by virtue of the racks that come standard with the machine. When you really look at it, it is really nothing more than a Bayou motor (with chain drive) in a Mojave frame (with racks)and lights that actually work at night, due to having a battery. Your King Quad is the very definition of a Utility machine. Short suspension, shaft drive (gear on the back), racks, power outlets and a speedometer.

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Mike Chero 97 Polaris Sport 400L/ 97 Polaris Trailblazer 250ES

<A HREF="http://users.penn.com/~hal9000/mikeetta.html">MIKE & CELESTE'S ATV PAGE </A>