A quad / ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) is a four-wheeled, off-road vehicle for up to three occupants. In contrast to a passenger car, it has neither a roof nor side panels, the driver’s seat is saddle-shaped, and the steering is done through a handlebar. Quads have a fixed rear axle, which guarantees stability when tackling curves. The difference between a quad and an ATV lies in the use which is made of the vehicle: while the former is used as a sports and leisure vehicle, an ATV is utilized as a work vehicle.
Quads und ATVs possess a cylinder capacity, which ranges between 50cm³ and 1000cm³. They can be licensed according to different criteria: as a light motor vehicle up to 45km/h, as a four-wheeled motor vehicle for the transportation of passengers or goods, as a trailer-tractor up to 40km/h and from 4km/h, as a trailer-equipment carrier up to 40km/h and from 41km/h, and as an open passenger car. Accordingly, a quad/ATV must have suitable registration plates on. Quad and ATV drivers must wear a helmet and, if planned to drive on UAE roads, must also have vehicle insurance and registration.
Well-known quad manufacturers are Suzuki, BRP and Yamaha, and prices for brand new vehicles vary between 6000 and 80,000 Dirhams. It is popular for many drivers to hire quads for touristic tours. Once more, prices do vary, ranging from 200 AED to 1000 AED. Especially popular among tourists are the desert quads, where you can race against friends on the dunes of the deserts of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.