Off-road vehicle
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An off-road vehicle (ORV), sometimes referred to as an off-highway vehicle (OHV), overland vehicle, or adventure vehicle, is considered to be any type of
These vehicles are generally characterized by having large
Because of their versatility, several types of motorsports involve racing off-road vehicles. A common use of these vehicles is for sight-seeing in areas that are unpaved and in the wilderness.[citation needed]
History
One of the first modified off-road vehicles was the
After the
A huge wheeled vehicle designed from 1937 to 1939 under the direction of Thomas Poulter called Antarctic Snow Cruiser was intended to facilitate transport in Antarctica. While having several innovative features, it generally failed to operate as hoped under the difficult conditions, and was eventually abandoned in Antarctica.
After World War II, a huge surplus of light off-road vehicles like the Jeep and heavier lorries were available on the automobile market.[citation needed] The Jeeps in particular were popular with buyers who used them as utility vehicles. This was also the start of off-roading as a hobby. The wartime Jeeps soon wore out, though, and the Jeep company started to produce civilian derivatives, closely followed by similar vehicles from British Land Rover and Japanese Toyota, Datsun/Nissan, Suzuki, and Mitsubishi. These were all alike: small, compact, four-wheel-drive vehicles with at most a small hardtop to protect the occupants from the elements.[citation needed]
From the 1960s and onward, more comfortable vehicles were produced.[
Technical
To be able to drive off the
The choice of wheels versus tracks is one of cost and suitability. A tracked drivetrain is more expensive to produce and maintain. Wheeled drivetrains are cheaper and give a higher top speed. The tracked drivetrain has greater off-road capability.
Most off-road vehicles are fitted with especially
Many wheeled off-road vehicles provide power to all wheels to keep traction on slippery surfaces. For a typical four-wheel vehicle, this is known as four-wheel drive. Vehicles designed for use both on and off-road may be designed to be switched between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive so that the vehicle uses fewer driven wheels when driven on the road.[citation needed]
Criticism of off-road vehicles
Safety
SUVs are more likely to be in rollover
In the United States, light trucks (including SUVs) represent 36 percent of all registered vehicles. They are involved in about half of the fatal two-vehicle crashes with passenger cars, and 80 percent of these fatalities are to occupants of passenger cars.[6]
Environment
In the United States, the number of ORV users since 1972 has climbed sevenfold—from five million to 36 million in 2000.[7] Government policies that protect wilderness but also allow recreational ORV use have been the subject of some debate within the United States and other countries.[8]
All trail and off-trail activities impact
ORVs have also been criticized for producing more pollution in areas that might normally have none. In addition to
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Negative environmental effects caused by motorcycles to a portion of the Los Padres National Forest
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Negative environmental effects that occurred when off-road vehicle drivers left the posted trail in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Civilian off-road vehicles
Common[.
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Modified Jeep Wrangler off roading
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Polaris RZR, an example of a UTV.
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Sandrail at Silver Lake Sand Dunes
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Ford F-350 modified for driving on snow in Iceland
All-terrain vehicle
An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV),[22] a quad bike or quad (if having four wheels), as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, has a seat that is straddled by the operator, and has handlebars. As the name implies, it is designed to handle a wider variety of terrain than most other vehicles. It is street-legal in some countries, but not in most states, territories and provinces of Australia, the United States, and Canada.
By the current ANSI definition, ATVs are intended for use by a single operator, but some ATVs, referred to as tandem ATVs, have been developed for use by the driver and one passenger.[23]
The rider sits on and operates these vehicles like a motorcycle, but the extra wheels give more stability at slower speeds. Although most are equipped with three or four wheels, six or eight wheel (tracked) models exist and existed historically[24] for specialized applications. Multiple-user analogues with side-by-side seating are called utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) or side-by-sides to distinguish the classes of vehicle. Both classes tend to have similar powertrain parts. Engine sizes of ATVs for sale in the United States as of 2008 ranged from 49 to 1,000 cc (3.0 to 61 cu in).Off-road motorcycle
There are various types of off-road motorcycles, also known as dirt bikes, specially designed for off-road events. Compared to road-going motorcycles, off-road machines are simpler and lighter, having long
Commercial, military, and less common off-road vehicles
The military market for off-road vehicles used to be large, but, since
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Mahindra and Mahindra Classic used by the Indian Army
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Soldiers from the101st Airborne Divisiontest prototype off-road vehicles
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Experimental marsh buggy, 1928, stuck in mud
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Off-road bus in Iceland
See also
- Amphibious vehicle
- Off-roading
- Tread Lightly!
- Suspension articulation
- Sport utility vehicle
- Pickup truck
- Safari vehicle
- Overlanding
References
Notes
- ^ "Off-Road Vehicle Act" (Web). New Brunswick Acts and regulations. Attorney General, New Brunswick, Canada. June 27, 1985. Retrieved 2007-10-17.
- ^ MiG-registeret
- ^ "Mud terrain vs all-terrain tires – pros, cons & comparison". offroadium.com. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
- ^ https://pioneerrentals.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hagglund_BV206D6_en.pdf
- ^ Rodney E. Slater (U.S. Transportation Secretary) (April 9, 1998). "Secretary Slater Proposes New Label; Warning of Rollover Danger for Sport Utility Vehicles". News Release. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Archived from the original (Web) on 2007-02-13. Retrieved 2007-05-17.
- ^ a b Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D. (Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) (February 26, 2003). "The Honorable Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D. Administrator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation United States Senate" (Web). Testimony before the Committee on Commerce, Science, And Transportation, United States Senate. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Retrieved 2007-05-17.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Forest Service Rule Revs Up Off-Road Vehicle Fight" (Web). Article. Environment News Service (ENS). July 8, 2004. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
- ^ van Wagtendonk, Jan W. (2003). "Role of Science in Sustainable Management of Yosemite Wilderness" (PDF). USDA Forest Service Proceedings RMRS-P-27. 2003. USDA Forest Service. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
- ^ Rice, Kathleen C. "National Collection of Imperiled Plants – Pholisma sonorae". Center for Plant Conservation. Retrieved 8 June 2012.
- ^ "Mojave lizard may get protection; off-road vehicles are cited as threat". Los Angeles Times. 12 January 2008. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Officials seek to protect desert reptile". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Technical Notes" (PDF). Conserving Natural and Cultural Resources on Department of Defense Lands; Case Studies from the DoD Conservation Program (Page 13). US Department of Defense. 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
- ^ Kristine Sowl & Rick Poetter (April 16, 2004). "Impact Analysis of Off-Road Vehicle Use for Subsistence Purposes on Refuge: Lands and Resources Adjacent to the King Cove Access Project" (PDF). Izembek National Wildlife Refuge (page 6). US Fish and wildlife services Alaska. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
- ^ "Recreation Management Goals and Strategies" (PDF). Capitol State Forest Recreation and Public Use Plan—Part II (Page 45). Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-02-21. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
- ^ "Chapter 11. Field Management Status" (Web). Land Management (11.5.2 Identified Concerns of the Parks Department). Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
- ^ "Codes of Ethics Advocated by Groups Outside of Ontario" (Web). Trail Ethics. Trent University. January 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
- ^ "The Impacts of Off-Road Vehicle Noise on Wildlife". Archived from the original on 2010-12-25. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "Chugach National Forest – Home" (PDF). Retrieved 2 May 2015.
- ^ "Addressing the Ecological Effects of Off-Road Vehicles". Archived from the original on 2008-11-28. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "New Air Pollution Rules Target Off-Road Vehicles" (Web). Article. Environment News Service (ENS). September 17, 2002. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
- ^ "Final Rule for Cleaner Large Industrial Spark-Ignition Engines, Recreational Marine Diesel Engines, and Recreational Vehicles" (Web). US Environmental Protection Agency. March 6, 2006. Retrieved 2007-06-24.
- ^ "24556 Demonstrate knowledge of the safe operation of a light utility vehicle (LUV)" (PDF). NZQA. 2019.
- ^ "Standards for All Terrain Vehicles and Ban of Three-Wheeled All Terrain Vehicles; Proposed Rule". Consumer Product Safety Commission (Federal Register). 10 August 2006. Archived from the original on 13 January 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2007.
- ^ "How Many Wheels Did The Original ATV Have? – ATV Trail Reviews". 24 August 2021. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
Bibliography
- Allen, Jim; Weber, James J. (2021). The Four-Wheeler's Bible: The Complete Guide to Off-Road and Overland Adventure Driving (3rd ed.). Beverly, MA, USA: Motorbooks. ISBN 9780760368053.
External links
Media related to Off-road vehicles at Wikimedia Commons