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Lateral directional dynamic response properties and handling characteristics of All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) have been the subject of several investigations. Experimentally measured steady-state and transient handling response parameters of four ATVs are presented, reflecting two traditional automobile handling tests, the circle-turn and the J-turn test. Two three-wheel and two four-wheel ATVs were tested. One of the three-wheel and one of the four-wheel ATVs were equipped with conventional, but lockable differentials. The J-turn tests yielded transient response properties including lateral acceleration and yaw rate response times to step steer inputs, and steady-state response properties such as understeer coefficient, steering sensitivity and yaw response gain. ATV J-turn test results are compared to J-turn test results from selected automobiles.

Because the great majority of All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) use a solid rear axle for improved off-road mobility, these vehicles typically transition from understeer to oversteer with increased cornering severity in tests customarily used by automobile manufacturers to measure steady-state vehicle handling properties. An oversteer handling response is contrary to the accepted norm for on-road passenger vehicles and, for this reason, has drawn scrutiny from numerous researchers. In this paper, an evaluation of ATV handling is presented in which 10 participants operated an ATV that was configured to have two different steady-state cornering characteristics. One configuration produced an approximately linear understeer response (labeled US) and the other configuration transitioned from understeer to oversteer (labeled US-OS) with increasing lateral acceleration in constant-radius turn tests conducted on a skid pad.