The Suzuki Quadsport LT230S (commonly referred to as the ''LT230'' and also the "little brother" to the ''LT250R'') was the first sport variety

all-terrain vehicle An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is stra ...

sold in 1985. It is powered by an overhead cam 2-valve 229 cc ("230")

4-stroke A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...

single-cylinder engine A single-cylinder engine, sometimes called a thumper, is a piston engine with one cylinder. This engine is often used for motorcycles, motor scooters, go-karts, all-terrain vehicles, radio-controlled vehicles, portable tools and garden machinery ...

. It has a 5-speed manual clutch / manual shift

drive train A drivetrain (also frequently spelled as drive train or sometimes drive-train) is the group of components that deliver mechanical power from the prime mover to the driven components. In automotive engineering, the drivetrain is the components o ...

with reverse. The final drive is by 520-pitch chain. In 1st gear (stock) the quad would go: 16.7 mph (26.88 km/h); 2nd: 21.4 mph (34.44 km/h); 3rd: 32.2 mph (51.82 km/h); 4th: 41.9 mph (67.43 km/h); and finally in 5th gear the bike would go: 51.6 mph (83.04 km/h). It features hydraulic

disc brake A disc brake is a type of brake that uses the calipers to squeeze pairs of pads against a disc or a "rotor" to create friction. This action slows the rotation of a shaft, such as a vehicle axle, either to reduce its rotational speed or to hol ...

s front and rear, and independent double A-frame front suspension. The front A-arm suspension provided 6.3in of wheel travel. The rear is a

solid axle Solid is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being liquid, gas, and plasma). The molecules in a solid are closely packed together and contain the least amount of kinetic energy. A solid is characterized by structura ...

. All the shocks are preload adjustable. The ''LT230'' features a side-kick style starter, a feature not commonly seen on any

kick start Kick start is a method of starting an internal combustion engine (usually that of a motorcycle) by pushing a ratcheting lever with one's foot. Kick start mechanisms were almost universally a part of motorcycle engines before the mid-1970s, and w ...

bike. The ''LT230'' weighed in at only 309 lbs. The original retail price for the 230 was $1,969. In 1987, Suzuki released a slightly altered version known as the ''LT230E''. It featured a

semi-automatic transmission A semi-automatic transmission is a "theoretical" multiple-speed transmission where part of its operation is automated (typically the actuation of the clutch), but the driver's input would be required to launch the vehicle from a standstill and to ...

that had a different shift pattern than other listed models, electric start and recoil pull-start backup. After the ''LT230S discontinuation in 1988, the ''LT230E'' remained in production until 1993. Suzuki also produced, for a period of two years, the ''LT250S''. The suspension on the ''LT250S'' is a progressive rate with more travel. The ''LT250S'' is also wider and longer. The ''LT250S'', although meant to replace the 230, was cut from production in 1990, the second and last year of their production.

References

https://sites.google.com/site/suzukilt230svault/ LT230 {{All-terrain-vehicle-stub