Off-highway recreational vehicle

A side-by-side recreational off-highway vehicle having two front wheels and at least two rear wheels, the vehicle comprising:

• a chassis having a front portion, a middle portion, and a rear portion;
• the front portion being coupled to the front wheels, the rear portion being coupled to the rear wheels, and the middle portion surrounding an occupant compartment having at least two side-by-side seats for a driver and at least one passenger;
• wherein the chassis includes frame members of rectangular cross section and frame members of generally circular or oval cross section;
• an engine secured to the rear portion of the chassis;
• a transmission secured to the engine;
• a drive unit operably coupled to the transmission and drivingly coupled to the rear wheels, wherein the drive unit comprises a transaxle fastened to the engine;
• an airbox and a throttle body, wherein the airbox and the throttle body are secured to the engine and the transaxle so as to move with the engine and transaxle relative to the chassis;
• a plurality of body panels secured to the chassis, the body panels covering most of the frame members of rectangular cross section and leaving exposed a plurality of the frame members of generally circular or oval cross section;
• a passenger door coupled to the middle portion of the chassis adjacent a passenger seat, the door including a frame having an upper bar and a lower bar, the door further including a hand hold extending from the upper bar to the lower bar;
• and
• a driver door in the chassis middle portion and a rear cargo box attached to the chassis rear portion and positioned above the drive unit, wherein the plurality of body panels includes a separate body panel extending forward of the cargo box and forward of left rear wheel, between the left rear wheel and the driver door;
• wherein the separate body panel includes an opening allowing air passage, the vehicle further including an air intake conduit for providing combustion air to the engine, the air-intake conduit extending from the opening in the body panel to the airbox.

A side-by-side recreational off-highway vehicle having two front wheels and at least two rear wheels, the vehicle comprising:

• a chassis having a front portion, a middle portion, and a rear portion;
• the front portion being coupled to the front wheels, the rear portion being coupled to the rear wheels, and the middle portion surrounding an occupant compartment having at least two side-by-side seats for a driver and at least one passenger;
• wherein the chassis includes frame members of rectangular cross section and frame members of generally circular or oval cross section;
• an engine secured to the rear portion of the chassis;
• a transmission secured to the engine;
• a drive unit operably coupled to the transmission, the drive unit drivingly coupled to the rear wheels;
• a plurality of body panels secured to the chassis, the body panels covering most of the frame members of rectangular cross section and leaving exposed a plurality of the frame members of generally circular or oval cross section;
• a passenger door coupled to the middle portion of the chassis adjacent a passenger seat, the door including a frame having an upper bar and a lower bar, the door further including a hand hold extending from the upper bar to the lower bar;
• a rear cargo box positioned above the drive unit and attached to the rear portion of the chassis, the plurality of body panels including at least one bridging body panel extending from the cargo box to between the engine and the seats;
• and
• a rear separation panel extending downwardly from the bridging body panel to proximate a floor of the vehicle between the occupant compartment and the engine, wherein the rear separation panel is formed of at least one separate panel secured to the bridging body panel and includes a removable portion adjacent an engine component.

A side-by-side recreational off-highway vehicle having two front wheels and at least two rear wheels, the vehicle comprising:

• a chassis having a front portion, a middle portion, and a rear portion;
• the front portion being coupled to the front wheels, the rear portion being coupled to the rear wheels, and the middle portion surrounding an occupant compartment having at least two side-by-side seats for a driver and at least one passenger;
• wherein the chassis includes frame members of rectangular cross section and frame members of generally circular or oval cross section;
• an engine secured to the rear portion of the chassis;
• a transmission secured to the engine;
• a drive unit operably coupled to the transmission, the drive unit drivingly coupled to the rear wheels;
• a passenger door coupled to the middle portion of the chassis adjacent a passenger seat, the door including a frame having an upper bar and a lower bar, the door further including a hand hold extending from the upper bar to the lower bar;
• a plurality of body panels secured to the chassis, the body panels covering most of the frame members of rectangular cross section and leaving exposed a plurality of the frame members of generally circular or oval cross section;
• and
• an airbox and a throttle body, wherein the airbox and throttle body are secured to the engine and transaxle so as to move with the engine and transaxle relative to the chassis;
• wherein the drive unit comprises a transaxle fastened to the engine, the transmission comprising a drive clutch driven by the engine and a driven clutch driving the transaxle, the engine and transaxle being mounted to the chassis with vibration isolation members.