Dear Motorhead:
I am doing a report for school on the history of ATVs and I was just wondering Suzuki’s slogan is or was the first on four wheels. A few episodes ago you gave credit to Honda for starting up the ATV business.
Can you clarify this? Was it Honda or Suzuki who started the business?
Kory
Kory:
Thanks For your question!
It was definitely Honda who built the very first “All Terrain Cycle” a three wheeled “ATC” with high flotation tires.
There’s no debate on these three wheelers being the first “ATVs”. However, Suzuki in MY 83/84 launched the first “4 wheelers” they called them Quad Runners.
The first QRs were 125 and 185cc 4 strokes. To make things even more confusing, Honda was the first OEM to build a 4X4 4 wheeler. Are you with me?
So, Suzuki was the first to build an ATV with 4 wheels, Honda was the first to build an ATV – the three wheeled ATC and Honda was the first to put 4X4 in a 4 wheeled ATV.
That’s a concise as I can be – it’s a little confusing but if you listen carefully to our segment on Dirt Trax that’s how we spelled it out.
Thanks,
Motorhead Mark
