Introduction

What is that? Many of us have asked that same question when we hear a new term or phrase we are not familiar with. This section is dedicated to answering that question. We hope you find it useful.

Common ATV Terms Explained

Airtime: Length of time a rider is in the air during a jump.

ATV (All Terrain Vehicle): Commonly known as 4 wheeler or Quad. Also includes 3 wheelers.

Bottoming Out: Landing so hard from a jump that the suspension uses up all of its travel.

CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission): A fully automatic transmission consisting of two variable width pulleys and a belt. Different gear ratios are achieved when the pulleys automatically changes width and results in the belt riding higher or lower on the pulleys.

Four-Stroke: A type of engine with valves and cam(s) that produces combustion every four piston strokes.

GNC (Grand National Champions or the Nationals): A 12-race MX/TT series in the U.S.

GNCC (Grand National Cross-Country): A 13-race woods racing series in the U.S.

Goosing It: Applying lots of throttle in short burst to jump the ATV forward.

Holeshot: The first rider to get to the first turn.

Hydraulic Disc Brake: Stops the ATV by forcing brake fluid through lines when the brake lever is pulled. The fluid actuates the brake pads that contact a rotating rotor or disc to stop the ATV.

Independent Rear Suspension: Each rear wheel is suspended and moves independent of the other.

Knobbies: The type of tires usually on Quads. These tires have large knobs of rubber tread that are arranged and designed in various ways to grab the dirt or mud effectively.

Limited Slip: A type of differential which allows the wheels (front or rear) to spin at different speeds.

Mechanical Drum Brakes: Stops the quad when a brake lever is pulled which in turn pulls a cable which activate shoes that contact the interior of the drum.

Off-Camber Jump: A jump on a turn.

OHV: Off Highway Vehicle.

ORV: Off Road Vehicle.

Plastic: generally refers to the body on an ATV.

Powerslide: Sliding the rear end of an ATV by applying the throttle.

Quad: Another name for an ATV with 4 wheels.

Razorback: A sand dune peak that drops off steeply on each side.

Rollover: Rolling your ATV or tipping it on its side.

Skidplates: Plates that protect the underside of your ATV.

Speed Shifting: Shifting through the gears without letting off of the throttle.

Sport ATV: Generally refers to a 2WD ATV without cargo racks that is built for performance.

Sport/Utility or Utility: A 2WD or 4WD ATV with racks that is suited for limited sport riding and work related activities.

Swingarm: The pivoting support that connects the rear axle and shock absorber to the ATV frame.

Tear-Offs: Strips of clear plastic connected to your goggles. They are removed as they become dirty.

Two-Stroke: A type of engine with valves and cam(s) that produces combustion every two piston strokes. The fuel used in this type of engine requires a gas and oil mixture.

Wheelbase: The distance from the center of the front wheel hub to the center of the rear wheel hub.

Whip or Flag: A long flexible rod with a flag at the top.

Whoops: Rolling bumps anywhere from five to ten feet apart and one to three feet high

Have a question?

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