What Are the Different Types of ATV Seats?

All-terrain vehicles (ATV) are often customized by their owners to create a vehicle that is tailor-made to the owner's hobbies and interests. ATV seats are often commonly modified to reflect the owner's personality. Back rests, modified covering materials and even the addition of another seat are some of the most common types of alterations to the vehicles. Many of the alterations and modifications concerning ATV seats are made on the side-by-side types of ATV. Seating upgrades to provide better back and head support as well as improved rib protection are common goals when replacing ATV seats.

One type of ATV seat commonly purchased to improve the comfort of a rider is a backrest-equipped version. Resembling a touring motorcycle seat, these ATV seats incorporate a cushioned backrest that fits snugly to the rider's back. This type of seat allows the operator to ride much longer without lower back fatigue that is often caused by the rough ride of an ATV. The backrest version is commonly purchased in concert with individual ATV seats designed for a passenger. Typically a little wider and thicker than stock versions, the passenger seats are often much more comfortable for the rider than the original seat.

Some ATV owners choose to replace a seat with a more unique version to better individualize an ATV. Camouflage, zebra stripe and heated ATV seats are commonly used as replacements to the original equipment. On side-by-side models, the seats are often replaced with a race-inspired seat. High-back bucket seats commonly swapped into an ATV are commonly equipped with head, neck and shoulder support far beyond that of the original factory equipment that was initially purchased with the ATV. These high-performance seats also incorporate a much denser foam inside the seat to better absorb the impact of rough trails.

Race-inspired seating for the traditional four-wheeled ATV is typically much firmer and is also often narrower than a stock seat. This allows the rider to move around the machine much easier when compared to movement that a tall and wide seat would allow. The firmer seat projects a much better feel of the machine to the rider while still giving a nearly stock appearance to the ATV. Some racing ATV seats will be color-coded toward a particular sponsorship or in the team's race colors. This is often accomplished through the use of seat covers or special paint designed to adhere to the seat's vinyl covering.