Quick guide - Road Legal Quad Bike

By Andrew Sutton

Road legal quad bikes first became popular in the United Kingdom before they spread to other parts of the world. The bikes can be used on roads so long as one has the required license, though road laws normally differ in most countries. Quad bikes can be defined as automobiles with four or three wheels, which can be driven by mostly adults or individuals who are above the age of 16 or 18 years depending on the state laws. In the early 1970s, road quads had three wheels and they were known to be three-wheeled machines that later evolved to be a four-wheeled bike now known as a quad bike or road legal quad bikes.

Originally, quads where off-road machines also known as All Terrain Vehicles or ATV and as a result manufactures opted to change designs to make these machines all purpose vehicles in order to satisfy consumer demands. Hence, quad bikes became very popular in the early 1990s after a four-wheeled quad-bike model was introduced to European markets by mostly Chinese manufacturers and other Asian countries. The new model was very modern and it did not limit consumers since they were able to be used for different purposes such as mountain clubbing and motor racing. Even children were able to use them since the new on road quad bikes catered more for the safety of users.

With several modifications, the demand for road legal quad bikes increased because now the bikes could be used on roads and even off-road, hence the brand increased with the market simultaneously. Basically, road legal quad bikes operate somehow like motorcycles, but the main difference is that the former has additional two wheels for more stability mostly during low acceleration. Additionally, road quad bikes have low-pressure tires and a steering control supported by handle bars and their design allows them to maneuver through any kind of terrain and can also legally move on roads.

There are several types of road legal quad bikes for instance children miniature quads, sort racing quad bikes and automatic quad bikes to mention but a few. However, the main determinant of quad bike models is the engine size, which ranges from about 50cc to 1000cc. There are some quad bike models that do not have sway bars; hence they will use a suspension attached onto the wheels of the legal quad bike. The automatic model is suitable for children since it does not require changing the quad gears each time the quad bike is moving.

The prices of street legal quads vary according to model and this cannot hold anyone back from purchasing these bikes since there are different models that can fit any budget. However, one should watch-out since some retailers offer quad bikes that do not meet set standards and might not be suitable for road use. Secondly, individuals who decide to order quad bikes through online means need to do research on the company selling quad bikes before making any purchases in order to avoid internet scams. Lastly, make it a point to test the quad bike before purchasing it, to avoid any future mishaps. - 30329

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