Powersports vehicles have taken the world by storm over the past few decades, providing both professionals and recreational riders with the compact and versatile vehicles they need for riding off-road. Whether you want a trail-riding machine, a mudding vehicle or a workhorse for the farm or construction site, there’s a powersports vehicle out there to match.
Bright Power Sports in Lincoln Park is your Michigan powersports vehicle dealer. As such, we’ve taken the time to draw up a useful comparison between the two primary types of powersports vehicles, ATVs and UTVs, so that you can better determine which one will meet your riding needs.
All-terrain vehicles or ATVs, also known as four-wheelers or quads, are more on the recreational and sport riding side of things in terms of what they offer. ATVs are open to the air without seatbelts and don’t have much in the way of cargo space. They are operated with a set of handlebars and a throttle, similarly to a motorcycle.
Most quads have room only for one rider, the operator, but a few models have two-up seats that can allow for a second rider to sit behind the operator. There are even youth models that are designed to be smaller and less powerful for kids to ride!
The high speeds of four-wheelers make them ideal for racing, mudding and trail-riding. They can be taken on camping trips or to racetracks. ATVs can help you with work as well, as their small size and agility makes them easy to handle in tight spaces. Some models that are more utility-oriented have higher hauling and towing capabilities. Generally speaking, though, an ATV is a more recreational type of powersports vehicle.
Utility terrain/task vehicles or UTVs, also known as side-by-sides, are the workhorses of the powersports world. They’re often larger than ATVs by some margin, and this is primarily due to the fact that UTVs are designed with passengers in mind. Your average UTV seats anywhere from two to six people at a time, with the seats arranged in rows of two, leading to the moniker “side-by-side.” They also come with seatbelts for safety.
UTVs are operated more similarly to cars, with a steering wheel, gas and brake pedals. Most side-by-sides are open to the air like ATVs are, but there are some models with half-doors, windshields and covered roofs. You’ll find plenty of cargo space between the seats and at the rear of the vehicle, too, which is helpful for transporting camping gear, tools and general supplies.
UTVs have high hauling and towing capacities, which allows them to be used to great effect on worksites in the fields of construction, agriculture, landscaping, forestry, mining and so forth. They can even be utilized as general-purpose transport on campuses.
You can take side-by-sides out on the trail or go off-roading with them, and this is great for families who want to go on a fun adventure, but don’t need the speed and power of a quad.Which One Is Right For You?
If you plan to ride the vehicle alone and don’t need cargo space, an ATV is ideal. ATVs are more sport-oriented and recreational in nature, so they’re best if you just want to have fun. However, if you’ve got a family or a crew to transport or you require more cargo space or you want a vehicle that’s good for work purposes, a UTV is your best bet.
Ready to shop for powersports vehicles? Visit our dealership in Lincoln Park, Michigan, to take a look at our wide selection of new and used side-by-sides and four-wheelers for sale. We offer financing and trade-in options that you can discuss with our friendly staff. Bright Power Sports serves the greater Detroit metro area, as well as the whole of Wayne County, Michigan.
