Patent ID: 8297394

Claim:
A recreational utility vehicle (RUV) capable of accommodating multiple passengers, the RUV comprising: right and left front wheels and right and left rear wheels, wherein the front wheels are spaced apart from the rear wheels by a wheelbase, and wherein each of the wheels is associated with a respective low-pressure tire having a respective internal pressure; right and left front fenders respectively extending behind respective rear edges of the right and left front wheels, respectively, and right and left rear fenders respectively extending in front of respective front edges of the right and left rear wheels, respectively; a longitudinally elongated multi-place, multi-planar saddle seat having a first section, a second section aft of and higher than the first section, and a transition portion positioned between the first and second sections; a longitudinally elongated frame to which the wheels, fenders and seat are coupled at least indirectly, the longitudinally elongated frame being sufficiently elongated to accommodate the saddle seat; front and rear suspensions coupled to and spaced longitudinally along the frame, said front and rear suspensions being sufficiently sized and sprung to accommodate the wheelbase and the frame and the saddle seat; a handlebar and a rack supported at least indirectly by the longitudinally elongated frame, wherein at least a part of the rack is positioned behind the saddle seat; a pair of grip handles on laterally opposite sides of the saddle seat, wherein the grip handles are in addition to the handlebar and the rack, and wherein the grip handles are positioned forward of the part of the rack and aft of the first portion of the saddle seat; and right and left foot rest surfaces that are respectively positioned between the right front and rear fenders and the left front and rear fenders, respectively, and that do not extend rearward of the front edges of the right and left rear wheels, respectively, wherein the transition portion of the multi-place, multi-planar saddle seat extends upwardly and rearwardly from the first section toward the second section for accommodating at least two riders in tandem; and wherein the second section of the multi-place, multi-planar saddle seat at least partially extends over at least one of a pair of drive shafts used for driving the front and the rear wheels.