Beginners Guide
Student Booklet Sample
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Intermediate Riding Skills
You have to know the land you 're riding on and what your machine
will do in order to get the most out of the ride. Choose the places you ride
carefully. Use existing trails. Stay away from terrain where you really don't
belong, like dangerous slopes and impassable swamps. Watch carefully for sharp
bumps.
Learn to read the trail as you ride. An expert rider looks well
ahead on the trail. Know what's coming, be prepared to react long before you get
there. Be constantly alert for hazards. Don't ride in situations beyond your
capabilities. Know how to adjust your speed to trail conditions and visibility.
An expert rider stays out of trouble not simply by handling the machine well,
but by being safe and avoiding risky situations in the first place.
Climbing a Hill
Remember:
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Some hills
are too steep for your abilities. Use your common sense. If it looks too steep,
it is.
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Some hills are too steep for any ATV regardless of your abilities.
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Never ride
past your limit of visibility - if you can't see what is on the other side of
the crest of a hill, slow down until you can get a clear view. The key to being
a good hill rider is to keep your weight uphill at all times.
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When
approaching a hill, you must keep both feet firmly on the footrests. Shift the
ATV into a low gear and speed up BEFORE ascending the hill.
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For small
hills, shift your body weight forward by sliding forward on the seat. For steep
hills stand on the footrests and lean well over the front wheels in order to
shift as much weight forward as possible. Make sure you have boots with good
heels.
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If the hill
is steep and you must downshift to prevent stalling, shift quickly and smoothly.
Also, don 't forget to close the throttle while shifting. This will prevent
front wheel lifting.
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If you don't have enough power to continue uphill but you have
forward momentum and enough
space to turn around safely, turn before you lose speed and then proceed
downhill.
If
you are riding up a hill and you lose forward
momentum, apply the parking brake before you roll backwards, and
dismount to the left. If you are physically able to do so, drag the rear end of
the ATV uphill. Stay on the uphill side and never stand downhill of the ATV.
Keep dragging it around until the ATV is angled downhill. Remount the ATV while
keeping as much of your weight as possible into the hill (uphill). Turn the
handlebars down- hill, slowly release the parking brake and ride downhill.
If you cannot drag the rear end of the ATV uphill, set the
parking brake, dismount to the left and turn the handlebars fully to the left.
As you stand on the uphill side, release the parking brake and pump the
handbrake to let the ATV roll backwards. This will turn the ATV sideways to the
hill. Reset the parking brake. Turn the handlebars to the right. Staying on the
uphill side, release the parking brake and pump the handbrake to let the ATV
roll until it is angled downhill. Set the parking brake and remount the ATV on
the uphill side while keeping as much of your weight as possible into the hill.
Slowly release the parking brake and ride downhill. This should work on most
hills, but on a steep hill, remounting is extremely difficult. In this
situation, concentrate on keeping as much weight uphill as possible.
Going Down the Other Side
When
descending a hill you should:
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Keep both
feet firmly on the footrests. Point the ATV directly downhill.
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Transfer
your weight to the rear, or it could flip forward.
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Shift the
transmission into low gear and descend with the throttle closed.
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Apply rear or both brakes to reduce speed. Do not use front
brakes only or it will flip forward throwing you off or landing on top of you.
Traversing a Slope
Traversing a slope means to go across it. Often when a hill is too steep it is
necessary to climb it by
traversing. The same is true when descending a steep hill, if
it's unsafe to go straight downhill then traversing the hill from side to side
is necessary.
Traversing
a slope is tricky. Use caution and avoid traversing slopes where there is
slippery or very bumpy terrain. Here are some basic guidelines to follow:
1. Keep both feet firmly on the footrests.
2. Lean uphill. You may want to put weight on the downhill footrest to increase
traction, but most
importantly, lean your upper body into the hill and steer
slightly uphill.
3. When
riding on soft terrain, gently turn your wheels uphill to keep your ATV on a
straight line across the hill.
4. If your ATV begins to tip, turn the front wheels downhill if
the terrain allows you to. If the terrain doesn't allow you to, dismount on the
uphill side immediately.
Tailgating and Towing
When you and your friends are riding single file, remember to maintain a safe
speed and allow for time to stop if the vehicle in front of you must brake
suddenly.
Check your
brakes and brake lights before going on a ride. Do your brake lights work? Do
the lights on the other vehicles work? Have you checked?
Do you and
your friends know the proper hand signals for turning, slowing down and
stopping? Not knowing how to signal or how to understand a hand signal could
lead to serious injury. Be sure you know the proper signals. Don't turn a fun
trip into an accident.
Your ATV is
also a great utility vehicle. It can tow heavy loads a lot easier than you can
carry them. But when using your ATV for towing. use the proper equipment and
position the load correctly to avoid possible damage to the load and to avoid
possible injury to yourself or others.
Use a rigid
hitch when towing anything behind your ATV. If you plan to pull a cargo trailer
or wagon, use a tow bar and load the cargo to get the lowest possible center of
gravity. Secure the load so that it will not shift when you turn or brake.
Remember, when towing a load, use the engine to slow the vehicle.
Downshift. Do not apply brakes suddenly. On slippery surfaces, downshift and
apply brakes equally (if equipped with dual brakes) and lightly. Always shift to
lower gear when descending a hill.
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