ATV top-speed laws....argument

[ATC crazy]

I am in sort of an argument with another member over at Bluetraxx about the top speeds of ATV's today. He says that there is a law that stated ATV's are limited to 75mph from the factory... I claim BS on this. What is your opinion?

This is his PM's


Can't recall where, but I know I read it someplace.

If there isn't ant rules or regulations against it, how would you explain the top speed of almost every sport machine ranging from 400~700cc is right around 70~74 mph? Larger quads have tons of acceleration, but the don't have any top speed advantages.


You stated:

""Also, I dont think the manufacturers want to add a 6th or 7th gear to them...they add weight and the engine does not have the power to effectively pull that tall of a gear. 75mph on these machines is fast enough for their size and riding areas. I dont know of many trails where you can get past 75mh either. I'm 99% sure that there is no laws limiting the speed of ATV's. If there was...dont you think there would be on cars too?""

I can agree on the more gears part, but the more gears aren't necessarily there for more speed, but for harder acceleration (getting to that speed quicker), and give the rider more flexibility. You have more selections and are more able to keep the engine in a desired area of the powerband, no matter what the riding condition. The more gears, the more versitility, more torque when you need it and more speed when you want it.

I'm not sure about how many more people get hurt on ATVs vs bikes, but you don't hear a lot about people wanting to ban motorcycles. Not many unskilled riders care to ride motorcycles. They feel there is a greater risk of injury. They see an ATV and think, it's like a car! I can't dump it! Only to become another statistic. ATVs have been "under fire" and the industry doesn't want any more heat. That's why they are so detuned and limit them to 75mph. You wouldn't believe how many adults, that are first time riders just get on a Raptor or a Bomber and have no idea what they are doing!

Automobiles on the other had are different issue. Unlike ATVs, you have to be licensed to legally operate one. Sometimes, by law, theses vehicles are insured. They have government regulated and maintained roads to travel on. Most of these roads have speed limits. And yes, there are manufacturers out there that put speed limiters in their cars. GM trucks for instance, have had speed limiters for quite some time now. I've been in some vehicles that will go as low as 80, and others as high as 90,(probably dependant on final gearing) then the ignition completely kills. The driver then has to put the vehicle back into neutral and restart the vehicle. These limiters can be cancelled throught the use of aftermarket programming devices.

I'm sure there is some law or regulation out there. I know I read it someplace

[Tri-Z Pilot]

I dont think there is a law, they probably just gear them that way for liability reasons, but doesnt the new kawasaki 700 vforce do over 80mph?

[ATC crazy]

, but doesnt the new kawasaki 700 vforce do over 80mph?

Nope

[Tri-Z Pilot]

Well anyways, I dont recall ever hearin about a law, probably just for liability reasons.

[TRI-Zbrian]

they have speed limiters on all of the new cars and such maybe one of these days they will put them on the new quads also but im sure they wouldnt put them on the quads that were built to race.

[Red Rider]

Most ATV's have a rev limiter installed, which keeps the engine from revving to high and self-destructing. If you limit the revs, you'll therefore limit the speed, but as I understand it, the main reason for them is to keep the engine from over-revving and self-destructing.

[SpeedBump]

But there is one for sure.....top speed IS 75MPH. My brother just went to the Bombardier Dealer to check into buying one, and was told about the top speed regulation. The dealer told him the VERY first thing to do with the DS650 is to change the gearing for MORE top Speed, because it was designed that way, but because of US Law, it has to be restricted to ONLY 75MPH. I will do some more research on it and reply back....if I can find more info.

[Billy Golightly]

I don't know about that Speedbump, theres a DS650 at my household here and its the fastest (Top speed wise) thing I've ever rode. Its waay to fast for any of my trails. Hell you have to slip the clutch riding in a field almost! Its geared 16/40 stock which is pretty damn tall by my standards. Infact there are new chain and sprockets ordered to slow it down. Its almost geared so high its worthless, I know it'll go faster then 75. Probably closer to 85. I don't have a radar verified reading and I'm familar with how un-presice a reading is beside of a vehicle but I'll have to get one soon.

[SpeedBump]

https://www.ehlertpowersports.com/subscribe/index.cfm?magID=6 I have this magazine in my locker at work ( the one with the DS650 on the cover) and THEY DO have the radar gun out. In the shoot-out they got into the "top speed" argument and used a calibrated radar gun to find out what the REAL WORLD top speeds were.....NONE of them were OVER 75MPH. Different terrains, different riders....all the same results.....I can't remember what the actual speeds were for each, so I will hold off making the call as to which was fastest, and what it's speed was until I can get to re-read the article.

[hondatrikesrule22]

Well,they may come from the factory under 75mph,but you can always make them faster :twisted: .

[ATC crazy]

I still highly doubt that there is a law on the top speeds. If there was, I'd think I would have read it by now in the 4 years of Dirtwheels, 4-wheel ATV action, and ATV sport magazines. I'll do some research online tonight and see if I cant come up with anything....

[250rAL]

Unless you're racing in the desert, why do you need to go any faster? I'd rather have better low speed control, especially in the woods. Mine would easily pull a taller gear but I left it stock for that reason.

[TRI-Zbrian]

yeah for pit ridign and stuff like that you dont want top end well u need soem but over all you need power and speed to get up those hills alot of peeps think that an atv is bad ass if it goes real fast but the only place u use that speed is when u are firing down toun roads and pissing people off :twisted: i cant complain though cause i do it my self.

[polabareus]

I know theres speed limits on how fast you travel but I have found nothing suggesting a regulated top speed for atvs. Think about it though, would you need, (or want for that matter) an atv capable of doing over 100mph? If your answer is yes you truly are crazy. Would any company really want the risk involved in selling an atv that would be certain to cause death due to insane amounts of speed?

[3 weelin geezer]

Where do you guys ride that going 75 mph makes for a long trip? I do say about 30 mph and it seems to me that I just got on. Then there is the surprise holes in the road from the rain. It would suck to tumble a couple hundred feet over rocks and cactuses that litter the place where I go near Las Cruces. :(

[Wickedfinger]

There is no ATV "law" anywhere that limits their top speeds. Thats just a bunch of baloney and it sounds to me like its one of those "dealer" legends. First off, it would have to be a federal law or a California State law to even apply to most of the manufacturers (Polaris, Bombardier, Arctic Cat's headquarters are all thankfully located "out" of that state) and it would be impossible to enforce. Theres also supposed to be a maximum dry weight law of 600lbs for all class 1 ATV's - (it dosent exist either) which is laughable - its just one of the CPSC's "Mis-Guided" Guidelines. There is however, a federal law concerning the tampering with a factory spark arrested muffler with the express purpose of negating its spark arresting ability.

[hondatrikesrule22]

I don't think there is either.My yami dealer has a 2003 limited edition banshee in the showroom,and it has $700 worth of work done to it :shock: (man is that thing nice).Don't the banshees push around 65 mph stock?I know that this shee does over 75mph :twisted: .

[Cooker]

I have no desire to find out what my Banshee's top speed is, I don't think I've ever had it in sixth :-D

[Cheap250]

nearly all new cars have governers a.k.a. speed limiters for example if you have the balls to take a ford mustang up to 140 it will completely shutoff.... ive heard that 660R's have a governor for 85 MPH but they can be taking out of the quad/car/bike/ whatever is on one....

[Wickedfinger]

The only "governor" an ATV has would be its rev limiter ... it has nothing to do with top speed nor would it have any way of knowing what speed the ATV is traveling.

[hondatrikesrule22]

One of the new Jaguars is limited to 155mph :shock: .

[85bigred250es]

I think Tri Z Pilot is right about the liability issue. I am just trying to locate the article I read at one point. If there wasn't some sort of limit set then why are manufactures not making atv's faster. They make them handle better but you genenrally here of atv's exceeding the 75mph limit. They are made faster by aftermarket parts but not of the showroom floor.

[trikerider2oo7]

There is probably speed laws on what the factory could make them, but they can't stop you from soupin it up to make it faster yourself.

[ATC crazy]

Don't the banshees push around 65 mph stock?I know that this shee does over 75mph

They go about 72 stock...

I looked all over the internet the other day, and some today and still havn't found anything on it. I already told him that I'm 99.9% sure that there is no law that limits their speed, and I stand by my statement. I just wasnt sure if they just made the law or not. Its like a car...there is no manditory speed limiter

[TravEX]

i read last year in Dirt Wheels, i think, that there is a common agreement (not law or reg) between manufactorers that production quads do not exceed 75mph. I think it's a good idea, cause after all, hopping them up is where the fun is at!

Here's a chart with APPROXIMATE top (stock) speeds. there will be some aguments, but they are close.

[polabareus]

I have now spent at least an hour and half searching for a definite answer to this question and I have found ABSOLUTLEY nothing suggesting a 75 mph limit, whether it be by law or an agreement between manufacturers. Im officially joining ATC Crazy's camp in saying that I'm 99.9% sure that no such "law" exists. If someone provides solid proof of this 75mph limit I'll admit I was wrong but it's going to take more than the recollection of a story a couple years ago in a magazine, sorry.