North Idaho ATV Association Events

Get to know your ATV!

Take him/her out carefully until you get to know how to handle him/her.
Learn how he/she will react to your riding techniques.
(Take training-Safety classes if your new to riding an ATV)
Know your ground clearance and exactly where tire placement is

All kidding aside take a moment and read the below information as it may make the difference in experiencing a safe and enjoying ATV ride.

Guidelines to live by

Until they start installing brake lights on all quads, raise your left hand to allow riders behind you to know of unexpected terrain changes or obstacles in the trail.

The ATV coming up the hill has the right of way. If it's a steep long climb, pull off to the side, and let them pass you before proceeding.

If you unexpectedly turn a corner or crest a hill, and there's another ATV (or anything) coming straight at you, make a quick turn to the right while slowing down. Hopefully your counterpart will do the same.

When coming up on someone on horseback, pull off to the side, stop your engine, and take off your helmet. A horse doesn't recognize you as a human, when wearing a helmet, as a result the horse may be frightened by this weird "animal".

Restrict your drinking alcoholic beverages until after the riding is over.

Always offer assistance to somebody in need of it. And always be prepared for medical emergencies with a good First Aid Kit, and Ace bandage for wrapping compound fractures

When riding in a new area have the more experienced riders lead, and watch how he or she handles some of the tricky situations.

Pick up any litter you find, even if it's not yours!

Use common sense when riding.

Don't follow closely:
When riding difficult terrain, don't follow the ATV in front of you too closely. If the terrain is challenging, the ATV in front of you may need to stop and back up. Sometimes the vehicle in front of you may even slide backward.

Crossing Obstacles:
Often you'll have more success climbing over obstacles by approaching them straight on. This holds true for downed trees as well as some stairstep hill climbing. With 4X4 ATV's, approach very slowly, and once the wheels are touching, give enough throttle to slowly crawl over the obstacle. ( Not too much throttle, or you may end up doing an out of control wheelie) When your front wheels pass over the obstacle, keep the momentum going so your rear tires will make it also. Or you may end up sitting on your skid plate, not being able to move forward or backward. Also be aware of what your ATV's ground clearance is, as well as your own capabilities.

Don't traverse a hill:
Always climb straight up or straight down a hill. Never try to climb at an angle. And do not try to traverse a hill. Your ATV's weight and the spinning wheels can cause you to slide further sideways than you intended. Depending on the steepness of the slope, sliding sideways can cause an ATV to start rolling.

Don't Spin Your Tires:
Don't spin your tires in mud sand or soft soils. If you sense that your tires are just spinning, and you're no longer making forward progress, stop immediately! Spinning your tires will only dig you down deeper, And if you get buried down to the frame, it will be much harder to free your ATV. If you sense that you are beginning to lose traction, turn your wheels from side to side in a 4X4. Sometimes this will give you a better bite

Stream Crossing:
Cross streams as slowly as possible, creating the least amount of disturbance. Do not cross at speeds that will create "rooster-tails" of water. Always' determine the depth prior to crossing

Turning around:
NEVER attempt to turn around on a steep narrow trail. If the terrain is unstable and your ATV gets sideways, there's a dangerous possibility that it could start rolling. If you fail to climb the hill, grab your brakes very hard immediately. If possible, put it in reverse, and let the engine compression and front brakes slow you while you back straight back down the hill.
WARNING: This is one of the most dangerous situations you can get yourself in. If at all possible check the climb very closely before hand, by getting off your machine and walking ahead.

Information and more tips like these can be found here.

http://www.atving.com/editor/general/trailtip.html

North Idaho ATV Club is not responsible for any information listed on our website.

Tips for living with an ATV