Recreational Vehicles

The best picks

By Charles Hoffman

Have you ever seen someone riding a recreational vehicle and wondered what it would be like, but you think that you wouldn't know what to look for in a recreational vehicle? In this article you’ll find information on some of the best types of recreational vehicles.

ATVs

Let’s begin with the ATV (all terrain vehicle). This type of vehicle is easier to ride than a dirt bike, but most of the time they are more expensive. You can find knockoff brands that are fairly cheap, but all you may get is a couple of months of riding and a whole bunch of headaches.

You can get an ATV for almost any type of riding you like, from racing to slinging mud to just your basic trail riding. If you are the type of person that would rather not mess with a clutch and shifting gears, they make models where you can just get on and go. If you like the advantage of shifting but are not very good at using a clutch, manufactures make models where all you have to do is shift - no messing with the clutch so you don't have to worry about grinding gears.

The ATV is a fun recreational vehicle and is one of the easiest to ride, providing a lot of fun for the whole family.

Dirt Bikes

These are cheaper for the most part, unless you get one that is ready to race right off the show floor. Just like the ATV, you can get cheap knockoff brands, but again, all you get is a bunch of headaches.

You can also get dirt bikes that don't require you to shift gears, or require you only deal with shifting and not mess with the clutch. Dirt bikes are most often raced on the track - you can use them to ride trails, but they are harder to keep your balance on in rough and tight conditions and so are best left to riders with more experience.

Most dirt bikes are faster than ATVs due to the weight factor - you have the same engine with the same displacement, but one is lighter than the other. Also, dirt bikes have bigger wheels which will give the bike more top speed then the ATV.

Options

When it comes to dirt bikes and ATVs, you are going to have to make a decision on a two stroke or a four stroke. The difference between a two stroke and a four stroke is like night and day.

With a two stroke, you will have to put up with the hassle of premixing your fuel. Also, two strokes require a rebuild after riding them for some time. With a four stroke, engines are very reliable, require no premixing and last forever. The only down side to a four stroke is that the two strokes have the potential to go faster than a four stroke if they are built right.

UTVs

Last is the UTV (utility terrain vehicle) - these things are expensive but will last forever. The UTV is like a mini pickup truck on steroids, and you can pretty much take one anywhere. They’re really tough, and although they won’t go as fast as an ATV or a dirt bike, they will go anywhere the other two can go. You can buy aftermarket parts to make a UTV go faster and handle a lot more abuse, but you are going to pay for it.

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