3 wheelers, the beginings of ATV's?
December 17, 2009 by Jon Rhodig
3 Wheelers, they were weird looking and handled oddly. Above my mom riding the Terrain Cycle from Montgomery Ward.
With ATV Magazine doing a 10 part look back at the decade of ATVing, I thought I would bring back some memories of my youth as it relates to my entry into offroading. The 3 wheeler. First off the 3 wheeler, later dubbed the ATC standing for All Terrain Cycle, is an inherently poor design choice for any motorized vehicle. A tripod is very stable standing still, but when an opposing force is applied it becomes very unstable. This quote from “Super Hunky” Rick Sieman’s Ten Worst Dirt Bikes of All Time says it all with the ATC coming in at number 2 on the list.
“2. ANY THREE-WHEELER. Yup, the All- Terrain Cycle, or ATC, was introduced by Honda to let people who didn’t have the skills to balance a regular two-wheeled bike ride in the dirt. Cute little buggers, the ATCs sold like crazy. Then savvy people started noticing that they handled like a shopping cart loaded with bowling balls with one locked front wheel going down a flight of stairs.
People started doing wonderful things like riding over their own legs and biffing over
the bars when the things got into a high- speed wobble-you know, anything over 20 mph. Suspension on these early three-wheelers? Nothing. Zip. Nada. Zero. Just three balloon tires were there to take the impacts.
As the years passed, the ATVs got more and more powerful and they gave them forks and shocks. This let the unstable triangle wallow around, as well as defy the laws of physics when trying to turn. The rest is history. Three-wheelers are no longer being made. However, be warned! They’re still out there, wiggling and lurching around the trails and sandpits of America.”
Unfortunately here is how they sit as of 2009
Alright enough bashing on the beginnings of ATVing. Lets just chalk it all up to engineers and designers being young and stupid. This article is about the two 3 wheelers I grew up with before I found my love of 2 wheeled motorcycles. I will introduce each 3 wheeler and give an opinion of its performance (at the time). Ideally I would like to ride them again to have a back to back comparison just like the magazines do with current machines. Sadly even though I still have the machines in my collection they are in badly need of a restoration, so my opinion on the performance will be one of my recollection all those years ago.
Me age 3, I should have a helmet on, but things were safer back then, or so we thought.
First up the probably the most recognized of the 3 wheelers ever made. The US90 (or later known as the ATC90) from Honda. This little machine features a pull start horizontal type 90cc engine with a semi auto 4 speed with a hi/lo range transmission. A stamped steel 2 piece backbone type frame (similar in nature to the CT70 of the same vintage). Large 22 inch rimless balloon style tires with a tractor style tread pattern. Single rear drum brake operated by a foot peddle or hand lever. Throttle was a thumb type (never before seen at this point). Ignition is a 6V breaker point type with battery for a head light and tail/brake light. Power out put is around 7 HP through a chain drive to the rear axle. Also there is no suspension whatsoever.
Next up is the Montgomery Ward Terrain Cycle. This is definitely a less memorable machine from ATVing’s past. For a little clarification on machines of this type, distribution companies like Sears and Roebuck, Service Merchandise, J C Penny Co. all tried to get on the 3 wheeler and mini bike band wagon of the late 60′s and early 70′s introducing models like this for purchase through their catalog stores. The machines were built by 3 party metal fab job shops for sale through these companies.
The Montgomery Ward Terrain Cycle, again things were safer back then, trust me.
The Terrain Cycle featured a traditional pull start vertical (horizontal shaft) Briggs & Stratton 10HP engine, Comet variable speed CVT style belt drive primary with a jack shaft to a chain final drive to a split (break-away) axle. The frame was a welded tubular steel frame. The seating position was more like a car and your feet were held in stirrups of sorts stretched out in front. Brakes were a band type around a drum (unlike an expanding shoe/drum brake) there two rear only, one for each wheel and separate hand controls. Tires are a 22 inch square knobbies. Throttle is a twist type. It featured a headlight and tail light powered by the ignition system. Suspension was no where to be found as well.
Both machines were designed with the ability to some what be easily disassembled for transport in the back of a station wagon or large car (of the 70′s variety).
Before I conduct this little comparison between the two machines it might be wise to set the stage. Pretend its the early 70′s, an ATV is un heard of, motorcycles are primarily used as transportation/utilitarian purposes, and the lines between offroad and street models are blurred. Also most households had only one maybe two vehicles, and of those vehicles they generally were NOT pickups. Disposable income was not as available for “purpose” built machines thus why most Japanese dirt bikes were dual purpose as most Americans could not afford a bike that had to be hauled to the trail. Basically motorized vehicles purely for recreation were not a large segment of the market yet.
The ATC90 can be hauled in a trunk of a car! Photo credit 3wheelerworld.com
Alright I will go through some basic categories to compare the two and give my conclusion on which is the best value at the time.
Performance:
As far as all out performance is concerned, the Terrain cycle wins by default. Being the engine makes a few more ponies over the Honda helps, but the real value add is the fact that the CVT primary and chain final drive is virtually infinitely adjustable. The Honda’s transmission, while conventional by todays standards, is a bit rigid and non adjustable. Also Honda’s semi-auto transmission would baffle novices with its constant need for clutch adjustments as well as the 2 speed hi/lo shifting (which the machine needed to be stationary to switch between the 2 ranges). The Terrain cycle on the other hand was purely start and go. Savvy people could also switch out the various springs in the CVT pulleys to change how the power was delivered to the rear wheels. Top speed was also in the favor of the Terrain cycle over the Honda. These figures are purely subjective (having no way to verify at this time), the Honda probably topped out at around 30-35 mph where as the Terrain cycle in stock form probably could do about 40-45 and with gearing changes could probably get into the 50′s. Although for pure grunt the Honda wins hands down with its super low range it would allow that little 7HP engine pull twice its weight. The Terrain cycle was not a torque monster mostly because of the CVT drive when it comes to utilitarian purposes.
Handling:
In the category of handling there is not much to say. They both handle pretty odd to say the least. The advantage in handling would narrowly go to the Terrain cycle but only because of the split axle, the ability to have a rudimentary differential to aid in turning (keeping the front end from plowing while turning) also the use of the individual wheel brakes makes for even more control, albeit a bit cumbersome. The Honda features a solid rear axle so the front end pushes slightly more, especially at low speeds. Otherwise the handling is very similar with neither being spectacular.
Slightly different model of the Terrain cycle, photo credit 3wheelerworld.com
Build quality:
In this category the Honda gets the advantage for the simple fact of aesthetics. Both machines would have looked like they belong on the moon, but the Honda pulls off the legitimacy of a quality machine if only because of the use of (fragile) fiberglass fenders/bodywork. The Terrain cycle is largely like a go cart you build from a kit. The frame and drive line are plenty strong but lack the visual appeal. Although at the time some people might have questioned the strength of a thin stamped steel frame used on the Honda versus the “known” strength of welded tubular steel. As we know today that fact that the stamped steel frame would turn out to be plenty strong even if it looks a bit odd. Weight wise the terrain cycle tips the scales at a dismal 150 lbs while the ATC90 weighs in at a porky 228 lbs. It does carry its weight well though. All in all both machines were built well for the intended purpose the Honda wins for being the most utilitarian.
Price:
Hands down the Terrain cycle wins here with a price of around $300 (approx. $1,663.00 in 2008) vs. $595 (approx. $3,298.28 in 2008) of the Honda ATC90. Although considering Honda is in the business of selling motorcycles and ATC’s there is a lot of R&D dollars to recoup, where as Montgomery Ward’s ATC is purely marketed similarly to that of other sporting goods, like a tennis racket or bicycles. Honda has a very targeted market so the price is pretty competitive if you think about it.
Conclusion:
It may seem like the odd, hardly memorable, short lived Montgomery Ward Terrain cycle should have been a huge success and get credit for the ATV revolution. Ultimately the Honda is the birth of the ATC with Suzuki birthing the 4 wheeled ATV. Its a clear case of proper marketing and product development. The Terrain cycle was purely a toy where as the Honda put some utilitarian function into the packaging of a similar toy. The big question is “Which machine would I have chosen if I was back in 1970?” I think my choice would depend on my circumstances. If I was from suburbia looking to sample off road recreation I would have chosen the Terrain cycle and if that took I would eventually move into a newer model of a Japanese ATC. Although being I grew up in the heartland as a farmer the Honda would have been my choice, even if it would have been hard to purchase and get parts for at the time as the dealer network was not extensive (and no INTERNET) at the time unless you lived on the coasts.
If you would like to read a 1970 article featured in Cycle World testing the Honda ATC90 and the Speary Rand Tri-cart see my other blog posting, Take us back to where it all began…
And just for some fun here is some video of a fellow rider on a early Kawasaki KLT200
Last 5 posts by Jon Rhodig
- Take control, adjust your controls that is - August 20th, 2010
- Product spotlight, Tie Down Strap Sack - July 20th, 2010
- Ride with the Junkman, Webster Pass - July 10th, 2010
- Ride with TheJunkMan, Slaughter House Gulch - June 22nd, 2010
- Responsibility of the trail leader - June 16th, 2010
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That Terrain Cycle has been to the top of 13,000′ Red Cone in Colorado. The gearing was changed and it was geared as low as a Tote-goat. Has been broken in half many times requiring re-welding.
What a great blog – thanks Jon! I’m planning to blast around on my three-wheeler when I’m home at the parents’ for Christmas. I’m not sure how I have all my limbs after a childhood of constant ATC riding, but I pulled it off and love them – but I wouldn’t ever, ever jump it… And it’s crazy, after all these years it still starts right up whatever the temperature.
Dude, 3 wheelers still rule the scene. I have never even owned a 4 wheeled ATV – only 3 wheelers. I don’t want an extra training wheel up front.
To the guy who posted above me – seriously – they jump just fine as long as you are on the right one.
hmmmm can’ t embed youtube vids. Here is a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73nYiyU7_1c
Too bad you misrepresent the facts. In there own conclusions the CPSC found NO INHERANT design flaw with the ATC. The accidents were all found to be operator error and young kids…such as a 3 year old with no helmet on a ATC 90…riding machines to big for there skills/size. In fact if you look at the CPSC stats you’ll find per capita more deaths and injuries are associated with quads. Out of the 2200+ deaths on their list of trike injuries most were associated with alcohol, riding double, paved roads, young kids on high performance models. All stupid moves done by the operator not the trike. In fact trike related injuries declined after 1984 a year before the biggest year for trike sales.
In my 30 plus years riding trikes, bikes, quads. my worst injury was on a bike and my worst trike injury was a broken wrist.
first off, the ATC was a Honda name for there 3 wheeler. it was not the name for all 3 wheelers. just like TRX was for there 4 wheeler. Bill above is correct with what he said. i had 22 years on a 3 wheeler before i went to 4 wheelers. i never had an injury on a 3 wheeler but i have on a 4 wheeler. here are some pictures of my 3 wheeler days, i never got hurt riding one and as you will see, it is not because i never rode them hard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sczmc8CSEuc
Wow, glad you used so many sources for information for your article! LOL “Super Junky” Rick Semen is a washed up dirtbike hasbeen who’s bias is glaringly apparent. Why don’t you ask some of the old school trike racers of that era their opinion on the instability of the moving tripod? I mean seriously, they would know better than anyone right? Design is not the issue, ignorance, human error, and the CPSC are the real issue. Just look at what the CPSC tried to do with the youth segment of the ATV industry. They tried banning all the children’s ATVs because of lead content?! If your child gnaws on his ATV, then you have far bigger problems on your hands then the ATV. How about what the CPSC has been pushing with the UTV side x side market? Man, I guess they must have a horrible design flaw also? I’m so tired of the ATV industry being bashed on by people who don’t have their facts strait. How many injuries and deaths result from 2 wheelers annually? Tell me that.
Thank’s Bill! You said exactly what I wanted to say after reading this article. Three wheelers are no more dangerous than 2 or 4 wheelers. Like their 2 and 4 wheeled counterparts; they require some common sense (which does not seem to be too common BTW!), and a unique riding technique. Any one of these machines will be dangerous in the hands of an inexperienced or irresponsible rider. So before any of you who read this and decide to jump on the “Three Wheelers are Death Machines” Bandwagon, stop and actually think about what you are saying. Maybe try riding one sometime so that you can have an opinion that’s not based on BS propaganda of consumer advocate groups.
Wow, sure are a lot of people that seemed to either not read the article fully or could not see the saterical undertones of the article. Seems to me that the conclusion praises the 3 wheeler as part of out (ATVing) history expanding offroad riding from 2 wheels to 3 and eventually 4. And I didn’t read anything in the article that said anything about the CPSC being involved.
“Lets just chalk it all up to engineers and designers being young and stupid.”
That’s not satire Jimmy. Also, the CPSC is who forced the manufacturers to stop the sale of trikes in the United States by 1988. Do your research before you hastily reply.
We all have machines we prefer. I have a friend who would prefer to ride around on modified lawn mowers. My last quad was and probably will be my 06 Troy Lee. I ‘re-discovered’ ATC’s about 2 years ago and now have 3. Couldn’t get rid of the bike with the ‘extra’ wheel fast enough. Nothing beats ripping around on my 250r, chores with my Big Red or sliding in the snow on my ATC 70. Maybe someday I will ‘re-discover’ quads/dirtbikes but until then….. ATC all the way, thank you ‘stupid’ engineers.
Rick Rick Rick, hmmm where to start??? i wonder if you are willing to take the comments above and respond?? i am a Trike rider who will give up his ride when you pry it from my cold dead fingers.i mostly ride a 250R. but i have a 350x, a 200x, a yama tri-z, a 250sx. a suzuki 50… oh and 2 more Rs. plus a roller R that i will build, and a 500R that i may start working on. i have owned around 30 other trikes in the past. here is the kicker..i am still alive!!! and i have never owned a bike or quad.
some may say ppl like me just have no money to buy a newer machine. if that were the case, then why are ppl like me also building NEW trikes. also i have thousands into my favorite R.
please Rick pay close attention to my first request and answer up. with facts this time.
just wanted to add to my above post. did you know that there are still 3 wheeler MX races? i may not be the one to tell about the OTC races but after being off of 3 wheelers for 10 years i will be returning to them and racing in the OTC series this year. if these 3 wheelers are so dangerous and unstable, why don’t you have everyone you know come out and watch the carnage at a 3 wheeler MX race. maybe you could then write a good artical about how 3 wheelers are still something you can enjoy.
Eric, they may not want to come out to the Trike races. I think they will be disappointed that the trike classes are sometimes larger then the quad classes.
3-wheelers rule!!!!!!the fourth wheel is extra weight and not needed!!!!ive driven 2,3 and 4 wheelers and I prefer my 1980 Yamaha yt125(3wheeler)its 2-stroke and for anyone who thinks 2 -strokes arent reliable get a yt125 or 175 that runs well and drive drive drive till it dies if it will lol
1980′s Yamaha yt125 ?
Ryan are you really happy with this ?
could be! after all it says All terrain vehicles… nothing mentioned about three wheeled or four wheeled vehicles. So I reckon, if it can handle whatever rough terrain then ATV it is!!
Many persons they still like to use three wheel ATV but after come 4 wheel the people like to use only new technology because of more advance feature. I know this new technology ATVs are the best but i still like to use 3 wheel ATVs.
The 3 Wheelers all got a bumb rap. I set out a awhile back to find out why everyone called them death machines. I ride them as well as my family and I have never had any issues. I decided to contact the CPSC directly about the ban. Same story from them, they are dangerous. I said I want all the reports or deaths, injuries that inviolved “3 Wheeled” atv’s. I requested this info through the FOIA. I was absolutly shocked!! Almost all the reports where of drugs, alcohol, NO SAFETY GEAR, riding on public roads, improper ride age to machine, inexperience etc.. I cannot believe the atv’c where stopped. The CPSC relied totally on the fear factor. They used the media to promote their lies. There was some back office dealings going on. You can read the ACTUAL Morbidity reports etc from here: http://www.3wheelerworld.com/content.php?263-3-Wheeler-ATV-Accident-Reports
After I read the reports I requested EVERYTHING the CPSC had on 3 wheeled ATV. I got atleast 2GB of PDF files. Everything from memos, to ads, campaigns, meetings, hearings, courts, records, speding costs… it is all there. Read it. The truth about 3wheeled atv’s danger was completely and totally fabrcated. Here is a another link over on 3ww to Billy who is actively going through the data that was sent to me from CPSC.
I encourage the author as well as anyone else reading this to read the data, the reports and come to their own decision based on FACT not hearsay from people and CPSC.
If anyone would like to contact me you can reach me at hondatc@gmail.com
Thanks and long live the ATC (Honda Guy..hehe)
Sorry the link to Billy did not comes through:
http://www.3wheelerworld.com/content.php?248-ATV-Consent-Decree-(Trike-Ban)
Unless you have actual facts about them being inherently unstable (Yes, that means actually proving it, not sitting on your ass and assuming they’re unstable!), then mind your own business. Worst article ever. You should have also noted how heavy a quad is, and just how easy they are to ride on 2 wheels, let alone flip them.
As of 2010, I have 2 perfectly good working trikes, and thousands upon thousands more have the same. They’re still being used, and are still out powering and outrunning quads.
Whoa! a few of the comments are only directed at the initial paragraph. The article seemed to me to compare two different types of trikes. Those from a time when there was no real standardized design. I thought the article was great!
anyone who has ridden on 2 wheels, 3 wheels and/or 4 wheels knows that they ALL have different handling characteristics from each other….thats all it really comes down to is learning how to ride each one and not trying to ride a quad as you would a bike, and so on and so forth……funny how they never mention that quads handle much differently than bikes….i have owned and ridden all 3 types and i find them all fun in their own way. different from one another yes, but all fun, capable machines in their own ways. ya just have to understand that..i have never broken a bone in my life. granted, im not a moto-x star and mainly ride trails and seasonal roads, but still, 25 years of riding off road vehicles on 2, 3 and 4 wheels with no serious injuries is worth something i would think?? its more about whats between the operator’s ears than how many wheels are on the ground…..
i was raised on three wheelers,my first a 90cc and on to the big boys.i have had 90,110,185s,350x and a 250r all hondas thats why i use the red trike moniker.i have never been injured on any of my trikes,never.people get hurt when they hit stuff or stuff hits them{cars}.meaning they are riding outside of their skill level or in the wrong areas for such activety,i,e. roads.wear your safety gear,helmets, boots ,gloves ,eye protection and ride in safe known areas,scouted for dangers and obstacals.and you will live long.thanks for reading my entry
I think the authors of these coments need to read the entire article. I liked the “shootout” between these two machines. Cleary the conclusion of the article is that the Honda ATC won out over the “other” trikes of the day. There was no mention of the CPSC in the article.
Thanks Guru