All-terrain vehicle with driver and passenger seating

Abstract

An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) includes a frame and a pair of front and rear wheels suspended from the frame. A straddle-type seat has a main portion and a secondary portion to accommodate a driver and a passenger. The wheelbase of the ATV is increased in length (compared to conventional ATVs) so as to increase stability and comfort for the driver, and/or to accommodate a passenger behind the driver. The passenger and secondary seat portion are disposed in front of the rear wheel axis and moved closer to the center of the wheelbase. Moreover, the combined center or gravity of the ATV, rider, and passenger is moved closer to the center of the wheelbase to improve stability, comfort and/or safety. The driver and passenger each have sufficient space to actively position themselves without significantly interfering with each other.

1 . An ATV comprising: 
 a frame;    only four wheels suspended from the frame, two of which are rear wheels and two of which are front wheels, the front wheels defining a front axis and the rear wheels defining a rear axis, the front axis and the rear axis defining a wheelbase between 52 inches and 72 inches, and each of the wheels including a tire inflated with an air pressure of less than 1 kg/cm 2 ;    a front fender connected to the frame covering a rearmost portion of the front wheels;    a rear fender connected to the frame covering a forward most portion of the rear wheels;    a power unit for driving at least one of the wheels disposed on the frame;    a straddle seat supported by the frame including a main seat portion which is dimensioned to support a standard driver having the dimensions and weight of a 50-percentile human male and a secondary seat portion, rearward of and adjacent to the main portion, which is dimensioned to support a standard passenger having the dimensions and weight of a 50-percentile human male, the main seat portion being disposed lower than the secondary seat portion;    a rear rack defining a surface supported by the frame rearward of the secondary seat portion, the secondary seat portion being substantially at the same level as the surface of the rear rack;    handlebars disposed on the frame for steering at least one of the wheels;    a pair of passenger grab handles disposed on right and left sides of the secondary seat portion;    a pair of driver's footrests, one on each side of the frame, each footrest suitable for accommodating en entire respective foot of the driver between the front and the rear fenders; and    a pair of passenger's footrests, one on each side of the frame, each footrest suitable for accommodating an entire respective foot of the passenger rearward of the driver's footrests between the front and the rear fenders.