By the numbers
As summer rolls around, Wisconsinites are far more likely to get their kicks on wheels than they used to — registrations of off-road recreational vehicles have nearly doubled in the state in 15 years.
Registrations of boats, on the other hand, have gone down slightly.
The number of all-terrain vehicles, utility-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles registered rose from just over 275,000 in 2009 to 521,037 in 2024, according to data from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
All are registered not for highway use but by the DNR for use on trails. ATVs are straddled and have handlebars; UTVs, or side-by-sides, have seats and a steering wheel.
The number of boats registered in the state reached 629,000 in 2011 and has trended downward since, with 603,712 boats registered last year. In Wisconsin, all motorized boats, and sailboats longer than 12 feet, must be registered.
The underlying numbers
| Vehicle | Boats | ATVs, UTVs, OHMs | Snowmobiles |
| 2009 | 627,000 | 275,400 | 224,539 |
| 2010 | 616,000 | 287,163 | 229,333 |
| 2011 | 629,000 | 284,043 | 229,384 |
| 2012 | 622,000 | 300,611 | 218,738 |
| 2013 | 614,399 | 314,770 | 224,716 |
| 2014 | 628,277 | 332,989 | 236,248 |
| 2015 | 624,105 | 355,680 | 223,606 |
| 2016 | 611,876 | 362,140 | 202,429 |
| 2017 | 624,882 | 378,854 | 217,695 |
| 2018 | 615,305 | 399,024 | 192,168 |
| 2019 | 607,829 | 417,056 | 194,727 |
| 2020 | 620,812 | 446,884 | 221,078 |
| 2021 | 618,895 | 473,041 | 210,229 |
| 2022 | 608,723 | 488,920 | 207,373 |
| 2023 | 611,788 | 504,742 | 212,662 |
| 2024 | 603,712 | 521,037 | 192,523 |
