Quads Mini Bikes Atvs

Riding Road Quad Bikes

A quad-bike is a small, all-terrain vehicle with four low pressure tyres, a seat and handle-bars similar to a motorcycle. They were designed for agricultural use, for riding across fields, rough tracks and open country. Engine sizes range from 49 to over 700cc and a high-performance quad can reach speeds in excess of 80mph.

Many quad-bikes are not considered to be road legal due to their being designed for off-road use. In the UK, vehicles must comply with certain regulations if they are to be driven on public roadways. In the case of quad-bikes, the requirements are a horn, headlights and a speedometer which gives readings in MPH.

Quad-bike riders must also carry insurance and the bike has to have a number plate and tax disc. Many quad-bike manufacturers produce lines of both off-road quad-bikes and quad-bikes which have been designed to be road legal. An off-road quad-bike can be converted to a road legal one, though the expense of adding the necessary equipment and full regulatory compliance can be taxing.

There is more to adding indicator lights to a quad-bike than just sticking them on anywhere. Lights have to be placed at the proper height and comply with the regulations covering their color and flash intervals. Since the procedures involved in converting an off-road quad to a road legal one can be complex, there are road legal kits now commercially available. These kits include reflectors, lamps and other necessary equipment, along with instructions on their installation.

A road legal quad-bike is officially classified as a quadricycle and is registered as a Private Light Goods Vehicle. The rider must be aged 17 or older and have a full car driving licence or a motorcycle licence that dates from before February 2001. There is no special training required for riding on the public road and the wearing of a helmet is not required, although it is highly recommended.

Since the lower end quad-bikes (those with 100cc or smaller engines) are typically designed with riders under the age of 17 in mind, they are rarely road legal. Since their intended users are too young to acquire the proper licensure anyway, there is little reason for these quad-bikes to comply with the legal requirements for on road use.

Lower end road legal quad-bikes include models like the e-ton Viper EXL 150 ST, a quad with a 150cc engines and the Apache RLX 200S, which features an automatic transmission and an 180cc engine.

On the other end are far more powerful road legal quad-bikes, with models being able to achieve speeds of more than 80 mph; though it should be noted that the maximum speed permitted for use on roads is 20 mph. The Yamaha Raptor YFM700R is one such model with a high performance, lightweight aluminum frame and impressive 686cc piston. There are also slightly smaller sport quads for road use including the Quadzilla 450, with a 448cc engine.

Despite being designed for off-road use it was inevitable that quad-bikes would find their way onto the public highway, both for convenience and for fun. But it is important to be aware that not all quad-bikes are built as road-legal and therefore care must be taken before driving a quad on the road.