Quad Throwback: Suzuki’s First Four-Wheeler
Cassandra
- September 02 2009
- 5,930 views
- 50 comments
As I was snooping around on an old hard drive checking out the photos stored on it, I came across some of the very first four-wheeler ever made. In our first issue of Quad, I had the pleasure of interviewing Aki Goto, the man at Suzuki who came up with the LT125, the first ATV on four wheels. He shared with us some amazing photos (some even Polaroids!) of the evolution of the four-wheeler. From that first prototype (where the handlebars were set wider than the two front wheels) to today’s technologically drool-worthy quads, it’s been quite a ride!
2 Suzuki-Prototype-3.jpg
Here's a four-wheeler prototype, circa 1980.
Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts
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September 3rd, 2009 at 1:20 am
My comment is on the prototype. I really don't understand why engineers started with 3 wheels in the first place. Why when they finally got the idea, which just seems like a common sense thing, to got to 4 wheels instead of 3, would they place the wheels so close together? Tricycle front end tractors steer funny and won't go around a hill side worth a $h!+. It just seems like looking at the thing would tell you it's a bad idea. I really like the pic of the guy sporting the molestache and the sweet gear!!
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:00 am
Yeah, is that guy Burt Reynolds?
<img src="http://www.80s.com/vip/party/graphics/fashion/tv_movie_stars/BurtReynoldsSmokeyBandit.jpg">
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:36 am
DUDE! I think it might be!!! Now he has more plastic in his face than the Suzuki has for fenders!
It might be Tom Selleck.
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
I was actually thinking he looked like a young Sean Connery myself…
September 3rd, 2009 at 10:13 pm
What is really cool to me is the date on the last polaroid… You have to figure that if it was that far along in March of 1980, that the ideas and development easily started in the late 70s (at the very least, late 1979). Just cool to think that quads came from the 70s and not necessarily the 80s.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:58 am
I didn't even notice that. I was too busy trying to figure out something funny to say about molestaches! What's wrong with me? That could be one of our dads? What makes me feel good is that quads are a little older than me. I feel a little younger. I don't like the ugly thing and honestly I'd rather ride a Honda ATC70, but I'm glad this "thing" got the ball rolling in the right direction. The first motorcycles weren't much to look at either. I bet that little quad would be worth quite a bit if you could get your hands on it. This is the first time I have ever saw pics of it. I'd like to see Doug Gust give it hell, or maybe one of the Guetter brother flip it into the foam pit!!!
September 4th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Dude, you're right, it is Tom Selleck
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/3888428590_afe962d04d.jpg">
September 5th, 2009 at 2:30 am
I hope these pics aren't something you already had on your computer!!!!
September 5th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Those appear to be some of the first Suzuki quad picks but Rupp made a quad back in the early '70s called the Go Joe. They also had a 125 mx bike that, at the time, was faster and better handling than the Honda Elsinore 125 (#1 mx bike of the time). But I think that was about the time they started running into money problems. AND they had a side by side called the Ruppster. All before 1975.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
Man, I thought a quad couldn't look worse than they old Suzuki prototype but man I was wrong. That thing is
U G L Y!!! At least they had the wheels spaced out in the front. I have never heard of Rupp before. This post is bring out some weird stuff. Half naked dudes and jacked up quads. I,m afraid to look at this post again! Who knows what's next.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:29 am
Doggie - After some exhaustive research and working my contacts, remarkably, Sean Connery auditioned for the ad shot, but wasn't picked. This photo should explain everything:
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2464/3895422148_40472b0031.jpg">
Yes, this really is Sean Connery, circa 1974.
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