ATV Slang Terms
Are you new to the world of powersports? Riders of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have their own set of lingo, just like any other enthusiasts do. If you aren’t experienced with it, then you may have trouble understanding what your fellow riders are talking about. And if you want to be an ATV expert, then it pays to learn some of these terms so you can communicate effectively with your fellow powersports enthusiasts!
Peak Powersports, LLC, is your local ATV dealer, based in Sheridan. We’re your Wyoming Polaris® ATV sales experts, so here are some of the slang terms around ATV riding that you may want to know for when you head to the off-roading track.
Vehicle Terminology
AATV (Amphibious All-Terrain Vehicle): an ATV that’s designed with the capability of crossing through water as well as over land.
Four-Wheeler: another term for an ATV that arose due to the fact that three-wheeled ATVs were the norm until around 1985, when a fourth wheel was added to improve safety and stability.
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): an ATV component that came standard with the vehicle as it was made in the factory, rather than an “aftermarket” add-on component.
Quad: yet another name for an ATV that comes from its four wheels.
Stock: any ATV that has all its original components without any aftermarket additions or modifications.
ATV Parts
Casing: an ATV’s transmission.
Go Juice: a term for gasoline.
Knobbies: the most common style of tires used on ATVs, which have knobs that help the vehicle to grip rough and muddy terrain.
Nose/Tail: the front/rear of an ATV, respectively.
Paperweight: any part of an ATV that’s broken beyond repair, thus rendering it as useful as a paperweight.
Skid Plates: metal plates that protect the undercarriage of an ATV.
Riding Terms
Airtime: the length of time that a rider spends in the air following a jump.
Bottoming Out: a harsh landing from a jump that uses up the suspension’s travel.
Digger: any crash or collision, which might also be called a “get-off” or “soil sample.”
Goosing It: applying the throttle in short bursts to cause an ATV to jump forward.
Off-Camber: a portion of a trail that’s on the side of an incline, usually very steep. Off-camber trails make it more likely that the ATV will rollover.
Poker Run: an ATV rally featuring five to seven different stops where riders gather up a playing card from a standard 52-card poker deck at every stop to create a five- or seven-card poker hand. Once all riders reach the end of the path, the rider with the highest-scoring poker hand is declared the winner.
Rollover: rolling over or tipping an ATV onto one side.
Roost: the dirt and debris that an ATV kicks up behind it as the tires spin. Short for “rooster tail” as this is what the debris trail resembles.
Squid/Squirrel: two terms for an unpredictable and reckless rider.
Whoops: bumps on a trail that are spaced five to ten feet apart to allow for jumps. Whoops may be anywhere from one to three feet high.
Yard Sale: any crash that leaves a lot of debris and broken ATV parts in its wake.
We hope this guide helps you to brush up on your ATV terminology. Want to check out some Polaris ATVs for yourself? Visit our website to see our wide selection of new and used Polaris® ATVs for sale at our dealership in Sheridan, WY. You can also talk to our staff about our financing options if you’d like to make use of them. Peak Powersports, LLC, proudly serves the city of Buffalo, WY.