If you’re looking into buying your first powersport off-roading vehicle and you can’t choose between an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and a utility terrain vehicle (UTV), it is best to check each one separately and then side-by-side. You should also ask your dealership about a new vehicle maintenance program that can provide additional coverage to both types of vehicles.
Why do you need a new vehicle maintenance program or similar protection?
Briefly, you need this add-on as it covers service and maintenance for a specific period of several visits. For instance, if you purchase Torque Group’s Platinum Care Maintenance Program, you have several term options to choose from, starting with 12 months and going up to 48 months. With such coverage, you won’t have to worry about how to pay for your next scheduled servicing since it’s already been paid for by your maintenance program. You need only to show up.
What you need to know about UTVs
Choosing between an ATV and UTV, it’s best to start with the features of UTVs:
1. Safety
One of the most important differences between an ATV and a UTV that every off-roader should consider is the safety features. In a nutshell, there isn’t much to check with an ATV’s safety features as there aren’t any unless you have your unit customized.
A UTV, on the other hand, has a seatbelt that will keep you safely strapped even as the vehicle makes a sharp turn or swerves sideways. These seatbelts hug the driver, thus preventing him from moving left or right even as the car plows through extraordinarily bumpy and rough terrain. Some units also feature a roll bar that keeps the driver and passenger safe if the vehicle rolls over.
2. Cabin
An ATV is pretty much like a motorcycle because there is no protective cabin. The rider is just as exposed to the elements and perhaps just as vulnerable as there are no seatbelts or anything that will keep the driver from being thrown over in cases of a crash. In other words, there is no cabin to keep the rider safely “tucked” inside the vehicle.
With a UTV, a cabin with doors and a front glass isn’t uncommon, although most units just come with mere piping (like a skeleton of the vehicle, so to speak); but still, they aren’t as exposed as a motorcycle or ATV off-roaders.
3. Tires
What makes a UTV safer on the road is its tires, at least when compared to an ATV. UTV tires are smaller but “beefier” than that of ATVs. Its thickness and treading offer better grip and traction.
Want to learn more about the New Vehicle Maintenance Program from Torque Group? Please feel free to call us at (800) 859-0590. You may also send a message at info@torque-group.com.
