One of the fastest growing recreational activities in the US right now is the use of four wheeled All Terrain Vehicles(ATVs), also known as quads or 4-wheelers. Riding in wooded trails, barren deserts and sandy dunes that go on for endless miles is quickly becoming just as popular as riding motorcycles off-road.
Riding ATVs for recreation is definitely not new, in fact Suzuki introduced the first four wheeled ATV designed purely for recreation in the mid 1980’s, and Honda started selling a three wheeled cycle well before that.
Riding a Sport ATV Fast Means Body English
While ATVs are considerably safer and less prone to roll-overs and flip-overs than their earlier predecessor the three wheeled All Terrain Cycle (ATC), they can still be dangerous. They require more interaction than simply steering and throttle inputs, as you would in a car. You have to use your body to lean, similar to “hanging off” a motorcycle to make it turn to it’s fullest ability.
Sport ATVs are very light, they have 2 wheel drive with a lower center of gravity and accelerate very quickly. They can reach speeds of well over 50 miles per hour. These kinds of speeds in off-road conditions with a vehicle that offers almost no protection in the case of a crash can be a serious combination and should be respected.
Safety is Key on an ATV
As with any All Terrain Vehicle, it is very important to have proper training AND experience before attempting to ride one of these highly technical machines. Safety gear is an absolute must, including a helmet, goggles, boots, gloves, long sleeve shirt and long pants, and a chest protector.
Sport ATVs are dangerous on pavement, blacktop and other hard, grippy surfaces. The soft tires will make the quad very unstable in turns and when trying to stop.
Something worthy of mentioning is about the seats on sport quads. They're big. They look like they're made for two people, but they're not. Sport ATVs are specifically designed for a single rider.
The only reason that seat is so big is because you have to move around on the quad to control it properly. Similar to riding a motorcycle, you lean into turns and scoot forwards and backwards depending on conditions and traction needs.
Be safe and have fun.
