It seems that 4-wheeler ATVs have become far more popular than dirt bikes.
I understand that a 4-wheeler has advantages as far as carrying cargo, and for a farmer or rancher, an ATV is like a small tractor. But it looks like most 4-wheelers are used for recreational purposes, and rarely used to haul cargo.
Decades ago, before the 4-wheeler craze got started, when I lived out in a very rural area, the choices were between a tractor or an off-road bike of some sort. Before the japanese motorcycle manufacturers started making a lot of dirt bikes, there were some American-made fat-tired off-road bikes available, but by the 1970s they were pretty much outclassed by the jap dirt bikes.
It seems to me that if you don't need to haul cargo, a bike has many advantages over a 4-wheeler, especially in terms of fitting through narrow gaps between trees where a 4-wheeler cannot go. I guess the 4-wheeler's fat tires give it an advantage on very soft muddy terrain, but those smaller diameter tires don't roll over obstacles as well, and a 4-wheeler is also a lot heavier than a dirt bike. There is no reason why a modern dirt bike couldn't be designed to have fat tires (since off road bikes did have fat tires in the past).
And last but not least, a 4-wheeler does cost a lot more than a comparable dirt bike, and the extra size and weight makes it more difficult to transport.
So I'm just wondering why so many people seem to prefer 4-wheelers over dirt bikes?
I understand that a 4-wheeler has advantages as far as carrying cargo, and for a farmer or rancher, an ATV is like a small tractor. But it looks like most 4-wheelers are used for recreational purposes, and rarely used to haul cargo.
Decades ago, before the 4-wheeler craze got started, when I lived out in a very rural area, the choices were between a tractor or an off-road bike of some sort. Before the japanese motorcycle manufacturers started making a lot of dirt bikes, there were some American-made fat-tired off-road bikes available, but by the 1970s they were pretty much outclassed by the jap dirt bikes.
It seems to me that if you don't need to haul cargo, a bike has many advantages over a 4-wheeler, especially in terms of fitting through narrow gaps between trees where a 4-wheeler cannot go. I guess the 4-wheeler's fat tires give it an advantage on very soft muddy terrain, but those smaller diameter tires don't roll over obstacles as well, and a 4-wheeler is also a lot heavier than a dirt bike. There is no reason why a modern dirt bike couldn't be designed to have fat tires (since off road bikes did have fat tires in the past).
And last but not least, a 4-wheeler does cost a lot more than a comparable dirt bike, and the extra size and weight makes it more difficult to transport.
So I'm just wondering why so many people seem to prefer 4-wheelers over dirt bikes?
