All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are the staple of outdoor recreation and rough-country occupations. Whether it is patrolling the US-Mexico border or reaching remote, road-deprived ranch land, ATV riders make their own trails.

Introduced to the mass market by Honda in the early 1970s, three-wheelers were the first popular incarnation of the ATV. The big, balloon tires helped soften the ride of early ATVs that lacked a mechanical suspension. A big boost for the three-wheeled ATV came in 1971 when the vehicles appeared in the James Bond movie "Diamonds are Forever".

Honda became the dominant maker of three-wheeled ATVs in the 1970s because of their ownership of patented ATV designs. However, as three-wheelers became more popular, injuries and deaths associated with three-wheeler accidents became more prominent.

One problem stemmed from the fact that at slow to moderate speeds a turn could make the ATV flip over. Another problem was that when a rider was on a three-wheeler, most of the weight was centered in the back half of the ATV. This meant that a quick takeoff by an inexperience rider could easily cause the three-wheeler to pop the front wheel off the ground, throwing the rider off the vehicle.

As concerns about safety increased during the 1970s, four-wheelers, also known as quads, took the place of three wheelers. In 1982, Suzuki introduced the QuadRunner, a beginner-level recreational ATV. Three years later, Suzuki premiered their first high-performance ATV called the QuadRacer. Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and others followed the successful four-wheeled formula and now all ATVs currently in production are quads.

However, even with the safety of four-wheeled ATVs there are still injuries and deaths. Since most of these injuries have been among younger riders, various standards exist in the United States to keep riders under the age of 12 from operating any ATV with a 90cc engine or larger. 

While some jurisdictions have varying laws regarding the proper age appropriate standards for adult sized ATV use, the manufacturers have addressed the issue by making smaller engine-classed ATVs for kids and teens.

In addition to having a smaller engine displacement, many of these ATVs also have a longer wheelbase and a lower center of gravity – all of which make the vehicle less likely to flip over on younger, less experienced riders.

Now, over 25 years after the introduction of the four-wheeled ATV, there are 50cc-engine ATVs with automatic transmissions designed for riders aged 6 to 12. In addition, Cheetah motorsports sells 110cc engines with automatic transmissions for teenagers.

The standard adult-class ATVs have 250cc engines and manual, five-speed transmissions.  Designed for recreation and utility, many of these ATVs usually have horizontal racks on the front and rear for carrying toolboxes, hunting equipment or camping gear.

One variation of the basic ATV is the Tomcar, which resembles a dune buggy. Developed by the Israeli military for combat operations, the rugged Tomcar has a high-ground clearance and a specially-designed suspension that rises, instead of lowering, at high speeds. This makes the vehicle safer for higher speeds in off-road environments.

Another variation is the MUV, short for Multi-purpose Utility Vehicle. The typical MUV is a four-wheeled ATV with a small truck bed in the back. Designed for off-road utility use on farms, ranches and other large private areas, the Honda version differs from traditional ATVs in that it has a steering wheel, instead of the motorcycle style handlebars seen on most ATVs. Most of the major ATV makers, like Kawasaki and Yamaha, have some kind of variation on the MUV.