How to Ride an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safely

Every first time ATV rider or beginner has the first day jitters when learning the basic techniques of riding an ATV. To make this experience fun and challenging, it should be driven into the rider’s mind that safety is paramount and since ATV riding is typically risky, they need to practice safe riding to feel a true sense of accomplishment and excitement in the new sport that they have discovered.

Since taking proper certified driving courses before riding ATV’s is not possible for all riders, here are some basics tips to be followed to make your dream ride a safe one too:-

1. Familiarize Yourself with the Machine

The safest riders are those who know their machine and all its constituent parts inside out. Read the owner’s manual and figure out the way the machine works, and while reading sit on the ATV to get a better idea of all the machine control systems-the brake, the choke, gears, throttle, etc. and basic procedures for starting and stopping.

2. Before Riding, Inspect your Machine Properly

Pre-ride inspections are a must to ensure smooth journeys and reduce chances of injury and machine breakdown. Firstly, check the tyre pressure using a low pressure tyre gauge to ensure correct and same pressure in all the tyres. Overinflating tyres can cause their damage and under inflating them ruins their rims.

Check the various other parts of the machine such as wheel nuts, axle nuts, etc., and then test the action of the throttle, foot shifters and brake levers. Other important features to be checked are the oil, fuel and coolant levels, and if there are any noticeable leaks. Handlebars have to be checked for smooth movement, and even after all these checks, a tool kit and other emergency equipment needs to be carried for untoward circumstances.

3. Set Up a Practice Area

The practice area should preferably be a hard surface to learn basic manoeuvres, and also flat, open and free of any hurdles and obstacles. Public roads and paved areas cannot be used as ATV’s are meant for off road driving.

4. Practice Proper Posture

Proper posture is important to maintain control while riding the ATV and reacting quickly to situations like turning, scaling heights, crossing obstacles, etc. while shifting body weight. Proper riding postures include:-

(a) Looking well ahead with head and eyes up and focused. (b) Elbows bent and away from the body with the shoulders relaxed. (c) Hands should always be on the handlebars or steering wheel. (d) Toes should point straight ahead and feet should rest on footrests.

5. Starting and Stopping

While doing the practice runs, initial work must be done on simply starting and stopping in a straight line. Ensure steady movement of the ATV and use the front and rear brakes to bring the vehicle to a smooth, non-skidding halt. If your ATV is a shifting model do the course again, this time shifting gears, while increasing the speed in each attempt slightly.

Use your common sense to practice several turning exercises, and also practice going up and down hills to get the full training down pat to ensure a smooth drive in your next ATV outing.

For ATVs in Bangalore and ATVs in Mumbai, where the thrill of adventure driving is in its nascent stages, Polaris India has several dealers to whet the new appetite for ATV’s amongst the younger generation. Check out our full range of Off Road beauties online at Polaris India and let us know which is the smoothest looking quad bike!

Rajat Tyagi is an author and a blogger. He has experience in writing content on several topics including automotive industry, Off Road Vehicles, Atvs and much more. He is also a professional speaker and social media consultant.