# Why don't we see street-legal quads/ATVs on streets and highways? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 9, 2007, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616 "2007-09-09T22:32:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2007, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616/1 "2007-09-09T22:32:54Z")
We see street-legal dirt bikes, with turn signals/brake lights/headlights, etc… Why not quads? ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2007, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616/2 "2007-09-09T22:44:06Z")
What’s their top speed? That could easily be a reason for not allowing them on highways… As for just your typical streets, I’m confused. If they’re not allowed on streets, what exactly about them is street-legal? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616/3 "2007-09-09T22:45:53Z")
[QUOTE=Shamozzle] We see street-legal dirt bikes, with turn signals/brake lights/headlights, etc.. Why not quads? [/QUOTE] Because at highways speeds they would tumble faster than sack of kittens? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![AmalgramFour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@AmalgramFour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmalgramFour)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616/4 "2007-09-09T22:45:56Z")
I’ve seen quad bikes on the road from time to time, there was one parked at the pub down the road from me the other day. I would guess that they are not popular because not many people need their off-raod capabilities, and a bike handles and performs a lot better. ---
**Author:** ![AmalgramFour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@AmalgramFour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmalgramFour)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616/5 "2007-09-09T22:49:00Z")
Here are some road-legal quads you can buy in the UK: [http://www.stagmotorsport.co.uk/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=83&cat=Road+Legal+Quads](http://www.stagmotorsport.co.uk/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=83&cat=Road+Legal+Quads) ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616/6 "2007-09-09T22:52:23Z")
[QUOTE=AmalgramFour] Here are some road-legal quads you can buy in the UK: [http://www.stagmotorsport.co.uk/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=83&cat=Road+Legal+Quads](http://www.stagmotorsport.co.uk/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=83&cat=Road+Legal+Quads) [/QUOTE] Well, how about that? You don’t see anything like those quads in BC, Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616/7 "2007-09-10T00:40:04Z")
You can drive them on the roads in a large section of northern most Wisconsin. There are also sections were they are allowed on roads in other parts of Wisconsin, but that is to connect trail segments. The biggest reason they aren’t on the roads is that more people don’t want ATV’s on the road, so they don’t allow it. They can go fast enough to keep up with a car. They also have low pressure tires to ride nicely on rough terrain. ATV tires and suspension are not really designed for high speed road travel. Dirt bikes that can drive on a road are also licenced under a motorcycle license and you must have a driver’s license proving you are capable of operating one on the road. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616/8 "2007-09-10T00:55:01Z")
I saw police using them for crowd control in Stillwater, MN, during the Lumberjack Festival. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616/9 "2007-09-10T12:14:20Z")
The arguement I heard is emission controls,air bags, seat belts and other crash protection. What is a car, what is a bike? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2007, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-see-street-legal-quads-atvs-on-streets-and-highways/418616/10 "2007-09-10T12:41:49Z")
They’re legal to drive on the shoulder of the road a lot of places up here. Then again, so are snowmobiles.