US Patent 7300382 Engine starting apparatus for an all-terrain vehicle

A starting system is operable to quickly start an engine of an all-terrain vehicle, even when a transmission gear is at a forward gear position. A CPU detects the gear position of the transmission based on a gear position control signal generated by a shift switch and a diode box. When the transmission gear is neutral or a forward gear position, the CPU enables the engine to start, according to a start command operation performed by the operator, with a crankshaft and the transmission disengaged from one another by a centrifugal clutch. When the transmission gear is in reverse, the engine is prevented from starting.