Those who love extreme cross-country driving should pay attention to buggies – light vehicles on four wheels with a car or motorcycle engine. The device of this machine allows you to enjoy driving in a variety of conditions. Even the ones that don’t seem to be meant for it at all. Moreover, you don’t have to look for specially equipped tracks – an ordinary wasteland or a country road is enough.
Buggy Features
The first thing that distinguishes these cars is a low center of gravity and good cross-country ability. Thanks to these characteristics, it can easily move over rough terrain. This is also facilitated by an independent suspension, a shortened base and off-road tires.
Buggy manufacturers pay great attention to safety issues. Firstly, the frame protects the side from collisions. It is thanks to the frame that the car can even roll over without harming the driver. However, this should still be avoided.
The design provides four-point belts that securely hold the person in the chair. The bottom is sheathed with sheet steel about 1.5 mm thick. He is not afraid of any obstacles. The worst thing that can happen to such a bottom is a dent.
Other Features
In addition to the design features, there are others:
- The buggy cars are very easy to drive. To master the skills of driving under the power of a person of any gender and age. Except, of course, for small children.
- This vehicle can be used at any time of the year.
- High permeability: It is achieved thanks to the gearbox, which can be either automatic or mechanical. For a buggy, the first option is preferable, the main thing is that there is a lower gear. In addition, tires also affect patency. It should be noted that there are also two types of rubber: for off-road with a tenacious tread (low tire pressure) and for highways. Road tires are suitable for driving on asphalt.
- Speed:The vehicle can accelerate to 120 km/h, this is determined by the power of the motor. Given the weight of the machine (approximately 400 kg), a power of 20-25 hp is sufficient.
Differences from an ATV
Despite the external similarity, these two types of all-terrain vehicles differ in a number of parameters:
- Landing: In a buggy, it is automobile, while in an ATV it is motorcycle.
- Security level: The ATV is recognized as more traumatic. The buggy has a frame and four-point seat belts that securely hold the driver and passenger in the seat.
- Spaciousness: Unlike an ATV, buggies have a trunk or body in which things can be transported.
- Ease of driving: Due to the fact that the buggy is controlled by analogy with a car, it is easier to learn how to ride it than on an ATV. And those who already drive a car will not have to retrain.
Pros And Cons
Here are the pros and cons of buggy cars:
Pros:
The advantages include:
- Reliable design with low weight
- Ease of driving
- Increased strength of the frame and bottom
- High maneuverability
- Excellent stability on all surfaces
- High clearance, allowing you to ride on any surface, including stones, sand and mud
- Easy to do-it-yourself repairs and maintenance
- The presence of seat belts, fastened at 4 points
- Wide tuning possibilities
Cons
Buggies are also not without disadvantages. These include:
- Open body and low landing
- The need for regular preventive maintenance
- Not suitable for long distance travel
- The ability to transport only things, but if you need to transport more substantial cargo, you will need a car trailer
- Vehicle overturn risk
In addition, they are extremely uncomfortable to ride in bad weather.
Types
Currently, there are the following varieties of these cars:
- Racing: Designed for sport rallies and not suitable for overcoming difficult obstacles. They have rear or all-wheel drive.
- For trophy raids: Able to overcome the most difficult obstacles, including water. Available with all-wheel drive and with the most lightweight design.
- Beach: They can easily move on the sand, both dry and wet. They are light weight and all-wheel drive.
- Military: Having appeared in the United States, the buggy immediately interested the military as a compact vehicle with excellent cross-country ability. They are successfully used today for land operations in deserts and in difficult terrain. The most common area of application is patrolling territories.
- For trial another name is crawlers: They are designed for competitions in the passage of artificially equipped tracks with obstacles of high complexity. Outside of sport, they can be ridden on gravel, rocks, and rocky terrain.
