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CELEBRATING THE 25th anniversary OF THE ATV24/Apr/2008 - By, Trevor HedgeWhile Honda is recognised as the first to introduce a three-wheel alternative to off-road motorcycling with the ATC90 it was more than a dozen years later when the first mass produced four-wheeler went into production and that honour went to Suzuki.The QuadRunner LT-125 was first built in 1982 and introduced into the world market in 1983. A year later Suzuki released the tiny LT50. That first junior ATV machine has turned into one of the industry’s biggest success stories and has reserved a very special place for itself in the annals of ATV history. Up to half of today’s adult ATV enthusiasts probably cut their teeth onboard an LT50 or the slightly larger LT80 machine Suzuki introduced in 1987.Remarkably, the last ever shipment of LT50 machines has just arrived on Australian shores. I am sure many people will buy one for the grandkids to use just to make sure they can keep one of these robust little pieces of history in the family for years to come. The LT50 can be seen as perhaps the four wheeled equivalent of Honda’s legendary Monkey Bike two-wheeler. Honda can lay claim to the introduction of the first four-wheel utility machine designed for the man on the land with the introduction of the TRX200 in 1984. Yamaha were not far behind and launched their YFM200 Moto-4 the next year. In 1985 Suzuki introduced the world's first two-stroke powered four-wheeler. The QuadRacer 250 was powered by the engine from the RM250 motocross bike and holds a very special place in the hearts of older ATV enthusiasts. Boasting an aluminium swingarm, triple disc brakes, alloy wheels and adjustable long travel suspension the QuadRacer heralded a new era for ATVs. Polaris and Kawasaki joined the ATV sales race i n 1985. Polaris brought snowmobile technology such as automatic transmissions to the marketplace. The following year, 1986, Suzuki introduced the QuadRacer 500. A fire breathing two-stroke powerhouse complete with double A-frame front suspension with 230mm of travel and four rebound damping adjustments up front and ‘Full-Floater’ suspension at the rear. The QuadRacer 500 is now a well sought after machine in the used market by collectors and maniacs alike. The sales brochure boldy stated the models intentions; “You glance into your competitor’s eyes and see concentration and concern. But you smile with confidence. Because you’re on the Suzuki LT500R. Almost 500cc of muscle ready to lead ahead of the pack.” Four wheel drive came to the ATV market in 1985 with the FourTrax 350 4x4. The revolutionary new Honda was launched with great fanfare underslung beneath a helicopter with all four wheels turning to demonstrate its unique four-wheel drive capability. Yamaha introduced the most well known ATV legend in 1987. The Banshee was powered by a twin-cylinder 350cc engine derived from their successful RD/RZ motorcycle line-up that itself earned legend status. The Banshee is still available in Australia today and has such a loyal following that many ATV buyers simply don’t even consider an alternative. In 1998 BRP (Bombardier) entered the ATV scene with the Traxter. The model scored immediate success and was voted ‘ATV of the Year’ in 1989. Seven years later BRP rebranded their ATV arm Can-Am. Their Outlander and Renegade 800 model is the most powerful ATV currently available on the Australian market and as a brand Can-Am are #6 on the overall sales charts behind Kawasaki. While the Banshee is the modern day two-stroke legend, Yamaha started its sporting four-stroke legend with the 660 Raptor in 2001. The Raptor has gone on to earn its own iconic status and is largely responsible for Yamaha’s domination of recreational ATV sales today. 2004 saw the first of the new breed of ATV machines powered by derivatives of the latest four-stroke 450cc engines used in two-wheel motocross. 2005 saw the development tables turn the other way somewhat with the introduction of Suzuki’s QuadRacer R450. While once it was the ATV market gaining innovations from their two-wheeled brethren, this time around it was the sports ATV that broke new ground with fuel-injection used for the first time in an off-road race machine. The lessons learned from ATV use allowed Suzuki to be first to market with a competitive fuel-injected motocross two-wheeler when the 2008 model RM-Z450 was introduced late last year.  1985 Suzuki LT250R  1987 Suzuki LT500R QuadRacer  2008 Suzuki LTR450 |
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