ATV rookie advice

[Mr.Topwater!]

Hi, everyone. I just bought my first ATV, never driven before. Mainly use for chores and a little off road. Any advice to ease into it before I become accustomed to driving it? Let's hear from you veterans. Thanks!

[OhioFisherman]

Start slow and get used to it.

[Fisherman]

See if you have an ATV club local to you, they will help you out and get used to riding everything from novice to difficult. Look twice before you leap, speed is definitely not a requirement. Always try to go with someone else, stuff happens to the best and an co rider can help you out of the rhubarb. I've got about 12 thou km behind me with only one little incident, couple of scrapes, nothing a couple of band aids couldn't fix. Wear some sort of eye protection. If stuff really goes bad, jump, don't ride it out. Let someone know where you are going and when you should be back.

[Big Cliff]

ATV club is an excellent start, dust masks if you are going on a trail ride will really save your lungs.

[canoecarrier]

Stay on the main trail, I know a guy that flipped his bike out on a rough trail in the bush. Broke his back and had to get air lifted out of there. Have heard of another one like that were it took the cops and fire fighters about 7 hours to find the injured person. Be very careful out there, only takes one mistake.

[Sinker]

The ganaraska forest is a good place to ride. Plenty of variety from beginners to some pretty challenging trails/hills/terrain.

 

$30/day, or $175 for a full year membership gives you access to almost 12,000 acres of forest. Hundreds of Km's of trails.

 

S.

[akaShag]

1. What Fisherman said.

 

2. In case you missed it, ALWAYS wear eye protection.

 

3.. Yes, ALWAYS

 

Happy trails!

Doug

[Sinker]

Lean back down steep hills....forward up steep hills.

[captpierre]

Remember if you go on municipal roads you need a helmet, insurance and a license plate.

Check local bylaws re what roads you can drive on.

[Woodsman]

Remember if you go on municipal roads you need a helmet, insurance and a license plate.

Check local bylaws re what roads you can drive on.

Also a valid drivers license.

And don't forget to insure your ATV meets the legal requirements to be on the road. Even missing factory stickers can disqualify it.

Also some (but quite far from all) Provincial roads allow the use of ATV's and are covered under the HTA.

[Old Ironmaker]

Just like with Motorcycles as a beginner never ride alone. You may think it is safe because you know the trail etc. but we can get over confident and decide that that creek looks easy. Overconfidence without experience is a bad thing. We found a buddy face up and out cold in a creek after he rolled a borrowed machine off the main trail and he had never ridden an ATV before, and no helmet. 12 staples to the noggin'. Had he been facedown he would be dead. This is not a stupid guy, my former business partner Type A personality with a overconfidence of all things.

 

Always bring along a phone and tell someone of your plans and ETA if you insist going solo which you will. They may look like toys but they are not. Congrats on the buy and be smart which equals safe.

[Fisherman]

One of my rules, if you have to ask yourself, then you probably shouldn't do it. And none of the "hold my beer and watch this". The last thud you'll hear is either you hitting something or something hitting you, neither of which will have a good outcome. If you survive either of those scenarios, look out for the wife and 12 inch cast frying pan, I've been told they hurt too.

Edited September 29, 2017 by Fisherman

[vance]

In 5 years I put 14,000k on my atv and I will say this be prepared and if you say to yourself I can do this STOP because in a lot of areas with no cell phone reception you will be at the mercy of someone running to get cell service to call a paramedic. I know of one instance where it took 5 hours to get a medivac for someone who rolled their atv down a hill broke many bones.

 

vance

[Fish Farmer]

One of my rules, if you have to ask yourself, then you probably shouldn't do it. And none of the "hold my beer and watch this". The last thud you'll hear is either you hitting something or something hitting you, neither of which will have a good outcome. If you survive either of those scenarios, look out for the wife and 12 inch cast frying pan, I've been told they hurt too.

And the winner is.

Edited October 2, 2017 by Fish Farmer