Abstract: An off-road vehicle includes an engine mounted on a rear portion of a vehicle frame and a recoil starter for starting the engine. The recoil starter has a pulley operatively coupled to the crankshaft of the engine, and a cord member wound around the pulley. The cord member has an outer end extending rearwardly from the recoil starter for allowing the cord member to be easily pulled from behind the vehicle frame.

Abstract: An off-road vehicle comprises a frame assembly constructed of a plurality of pipes including at least one lateral pipe extending horizontally and transversely of the vehicle, two front wheel suspensions having respective knuckle arms, two front wheels rotatably supported respectively on the front wheel suspensions, two rear wheels rotatably supported on lateral sides of a rear portion of the frame assembly, an engine mounted on the rear portion of the frame assembly for driving the rear wheels, and a steering mechanism having a steering column supporting a central steering arm on a lower end thereof and a central steering handle on an upper end thereof, and tie rods having first ends coupled to the central steering arm and second ends coupled to the knuckle arms, respectively. Also, the central steering arm is located upwardly of the lateral pipe of the frame assembly.

Abstract: An off-road vehicle has a hydraulic brake operating assembly mounted on a steering handle. The steering handle has a base, a rectangular handle portion integral with the base, and a cover covering the base. The brake operating assembly has a brake oil reservoir, two brake levers pivotally supported on lateral sides of the handle portion for braking front and rear wheels, respectively, and two brake master cylinders communicating with the brake oil reservoir through hoses and responsive to operation of the brake levers for generating hydraulic pressure. The brake oil reservoir is centrally fixedly mounted on the rectangular handle portion. The brake master cylinders are fixedly mounted respectively on the lateral sides of the handle portion.

Abstract: A cooling device is mounted on an off-road vehicle including a vehicle frame having a pair of main pipe members spaced from each other transversely of the vehicle and extending longitudinally of the vehicle, the main pipe members having rear portions joined to each other, a central roll bar mounted on the main pipe members substantially centrally in their longitudinal direction, and a rear roll bar coupled between the rear ends of the main pipe members and the central roll bar, and an engine mounted on a lower portion of the vehicle frame rearwardly of the central roll bar. The cooling device includes a radiator positioned in a space surrounded by the main pipe members, the central roll bar, and the rear roll bar, and mounted on a support pipe extending and joined between the main pipe members. The cooling device also has a shroud attached to the rear surface of the radiator, and a fan motor fixedly accommodated in the shroud.

Abstract: An off-road vehicle has a vehicle frame of piping, a power unit including an engine, a fuel tank, an air cleaner, and other components, and a double-wishbone suspension supporting a rear wheel on the vehicle frame. The vehicle frame has a side frame member positioned laterally of the power unit and a rear frame member positioned rearwardly of the power unit. The suspension comprises a knuckle having a proximal end and an upward extension, a lower arm assembly coupled between the proximal end of the knuckle and the side frame member, and a bifurcated upper arm having a vertex end pivotally coupled to the upward extension of the knuckle, a front leg pivotally coupled to the side frame member, and a rear leg being pivotally coupled to the rear frame member.

Abstract: An off-road vehicle comprises a vehicle frame, a pair of front wheels rotatably supported on a front portion of the vehicle frame, a pair of rear wheels rotatably supported on a rear portion of the vehicle frame, and a framework on each of lateral sides of the vehicle frame and including upper and lower pipes inclined upwardly in a forward direction and substantially parallel to each other. Each of the front wheels is rotatably mounted on the framework by means of a front wheel suspension mechanism comprising knuckle arm supporting the front wheel, a V-shaped upper arm having a base pivotally mounted on an upper portion of the knuckle arm and front and rear ends pivotally attached to the upper pipe at front and rear positions thereon, and a V-shaped lower arm having a base pivotally mounted on a lower portion of the knuckle arm and front and rear ends pivotally attached to the lower pipe at front and rear positons thereon.

Abstract: A fuel supply system in an off-road vehicle including front and rear wheels having wide tires, respectively, an engine mounted on a rear portion of a vehicle frame, and an exhaust pipe extending from the engine and disposed on one side of the engine transversely of the vehicle frame. The fuel system comprises a fuel tank assembly disposed on the other side of the engine transversely of the vehicle frame, and an air cleaner case disposed rearwardly of the fuel tank assembly. The vehicle frame comprises a plurality of welded pipe members. The fuel tank assembly has an outer peripheral flange supported at plural locations thereon by at least two of the pipe members of the vehicle frame. The fuel tank assembly has a cap for detachably closing a fuel inlet hole, the cap including a resiliently biased cover swingably mounted on an upper surface for covering a key slot from above.

Abstract: A four-wheel buggy with a riding saddle seat includes a vehicle frame, a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels rotatably suspended from the vehicle frame and projecting laterally from the vehicle frame. An air-cooled engine is mounted on the vehicle frame substantially centrally in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle frame. The four-wheel buggy also includes a pair of foot steps, a driver's seat mounted on an upper portion of the vehicle frame and supported by the vehicle frame, a handlebar operatively connected to the vehicle frame for steering the front wheels, and a body cover attached to the vehicle frame. The four-wheel buggy further includes a cooling fan unit mounted on the vehicle frame and including a fan and a drive unit for rotating the fan, and a control system for controlling the drive unit. The cooling fan unit is disposed in front of the engine for directing air from the cooling fan unit toward the engine.

Abstract: A transmission system for a motorcycle or motorized tricycle, comprising a main gearbox 3 having multiple gear steps, a sub gearbox 4 coupled to the main gearbox having two widely spaced forward gears GL, GH an one reverse gear GR; and one shift lever 14 controlling the selection of the gears in the sub gearbox. The reverse gear may be interlocked with the neutral and lowest speed gear of the main gearbox.

Abstract: A transmission system for a motorcycle or motorized tricycle, comprising a main gearbox 3 having multiple gear steps, a sub gearbox 4 coupled to the main gearbox having two widely spaced forward gears GL, GH and one reverse gear GR; and one shift lever 14 controlling the selection of the gears in the sub gearbox. The reverse gear may be interlocked with the neutral and lowest speed gear of the main gearbox.

Abstract: A front brake apparatus in a motorized three-wheeled vehicle of the type that a wheel hub supported rotatably on a front wheel axle is provided with a brake drum fixed thereto. A brake panel fixed to the front wheel axle is so provided as to be positioned axially outside the brake drum. The brake panel is provided with brake shoes arranged to be brought into internal contact with the brake drum. The invention is characterized in that the brake panel is provided with a drum cover which extends to cover a surrounding portion of the brake drum and serves to tightly seal the surrounding portion through a seal member. The seal member is positioned in an inside space defined by a wheel rim attached to the wheel hub.

Abstract: A shaft drive apparatus for transmitting power from an engine through a drive shaft to driving wheels. The shaft drive apparatus has a final output mechanism and a brake mechanism disposed adjacent to each other substantially axially centrally of an axle of the driving wheels, the drive shaft being disposed substantially on a longitudinal central axis of a vehicle body and between the final output mechanism and the brake mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for attaching a transmission casing and a brake casing in a motorized three-wheeled vehicle having a rear wheel axle interconnecting between a pair of right and left rear wheels, and a transmission casing housing a final stage driving mechanism and a brake casing housing a brake mechanism provided around the axis of the axle, characterized in that the transmission casing and the brake casing are composed of respective sealed casings, and the two casings are disposed side by side leaving a space therebetween, and are combined together at circumferentially arranged plural positions with plural fastening bolts. The two casings are fixed to a vehicle body of the motorized three-wheeled vehicle by utilizing at least one of fastening bolts for combining the two casings together.