A first glance at an all-terrain vehicle is telling and deceptive. An ATV’s balloon tires and rugged suspension reveal it’s built for exploring the world beyond the pavement, but its four wheels and squat disposition make it look a lot easier to ride safely than it is.
Though the temptation after taking delivery of an ATV might be to set off for the nearest off-road riding area and cut loose, it’s wise to get qualified instruction first. More than 900 riders have died in ATV accidents since 1992, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and thousands more have been severely injured or paralyzed.
The commission has issued a safety alert addressing ATVs, and distributors of the machines, also known as four-wheelers or quads, are required to supply training to ATV buyers and their immediate families.
Several ATV manufacturers, including Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha, support a non-profit association called the ATV Safety Institute, which offers half-day, hands-on RiderCourses to promote safe, responsible riding. The class is free for families who purchase any member manufacturer’s ATV, but anyone can take the class for about $35. The institute will supply the ATVs and helmets, if needed.
Last month, four new ATV owners and I joined Doc Sorba, who teaches ATV RiderCourses at his rural homestead on the outskirts of Chesterton, Ind., for a class. Sorba, a five-time national champion AMA four-stroke quad racer, has been riding ATVs since 1969 and instructing riders for 15 years.
After Sorba, the most experienced ATV rider in the group was Ryan Cox, 18, of nearby Valparaiso, Ind. Cox, who started riding off-road vehicles when he was 8, was the only student who brought his own four-wheeler, a new Yamaha Warrior built for scrambling fast and jumping. The rest rode ASI-supplied mules of various sizes and brands.
Siblings Jackie and Mike Jones, 15 and 14 respectively, and Paul Studebaker, 44, all from northwestern Indiana, made up the rest of the class. I was the greenest in the group and the happiest to be in ATV school. The rest of them had new machines, but I live in Chicago, where an ATV would be as useless as a CTA card in Chesterton.
The five-hour course was a mix of classroom and riding instruction. The day began with basics, including introductions and discussions of safety gear and vehicle mounting. The first hands-on instruction came in the form of the pre-ride vehicle inspection, which should be performed before every off-road session.
We learned an acronym, TCLOC, to help us remember the steps in the vehicle inspection:
– Tires and wheels should be properly inflated and in good condition.
– Controls and cables should be familiar to the rider and in good condition.
– Lights and the electrical system should be up to snuff.
– Oil and gas should be at proper levels.
– Chain, driveshaft and chassis should be properly lubed and tightened.
The machines in our class, which included Cox’s sport model, a utility quad and three smaller entry-level rides, provided a lesson in the differences between control layouts from bike to bike. The Yamaha Bear Tracker that I was riding had a clutchless “five-up” shift pattern in the left-foot position familiar to motorcyclists. Other ATVs use a left-hand-operated clutch, and others have automatic transmissions.
The brake configurations vary, too, so it’s important to verify control locations before riding an unfamiliar bike. The Bear Tracker has a left-hand-operated rear brake lever, where the clutch lever lives on a modern street motorcycle. Twice during the riding portion of the class I grabbed for the clutch when attempting to upshift and ended up with an embarrassing but harmless (assuming nobody is riding up your exhaust pipe) rear-wheel lockup rather than the expected burst of speed.
Next we performed some light calisthenics to stretch and warm up. Riding an ATV is an active sport, as my muscles told me the morning after class, so it’s important to be in decent shape and limber before doing any heavy riding.
Finally, we got to start our ATVs to warm up the engines, following the steps in another acronym, BONEC:
– Brake: Parking brake should be engaged.
– On: The proper position of the fuel tank vent, fuel valve and ignition switch.
– Neutral: Though some ATVs start in any gear, neutral is safest.
– Engine: Kill switch should be in “run” position.
– Choke: Usually needed for a minute or two when starting a cold, carbureted engine.
The exercise proved to be a teaser. Once the ATVs were warm enough to run without a choke, we shut them off and went back to the classroom–Sorba’s garage, actually–to learn yet another acronym: SIPDE. Though the word didn’t make any more sense than the others when spoken, the instructor made it clear this was the money word.
Managing risk, Sorba told us, is essential to safe off-road riding. Though proper gear and a well-maintained machine are important, the mental cycle a rider should follow while on an ATV are represented by the letters in SIPDE:
– Scan and search terrain and environment.
– Identify hazards or specific problems on the trail.
– Predict what might happen depending on your course of action.
– Decide what to do based on your riding ability and ATV’s capabilities.
– Execute your decision.
Sorba likened the process to playing a chess match. I was beginning to feel like I was watching one. Though the instructor kept the classroom instruction lively, the cool, sunny weather outside had us all itching to ride. At last it was time to head out to the ATV course in the field behind Sorba’s house.
Riding an ATV in a straight line is as simple as driving a golf cart; it’s the turning that requires significant effort. Though motorcycle and ATV riders lean into a sharp turn to maintain control, there is one major difference. On a motorcycle, you countersteer to force the bike to lean into and make a turn. On an ATV, you point the handlebars in the direction you want to go and lean to keep the bike, and thus its rider, from flipping.
ATV’s are known for their tendency to ride up on two wheels in sharp turns. We learned how to keep all four wheels on the ground by leaning hard into turns and shifting body weight to the inside of the turn. We also learned how to turn on hills and make quick, nimble direction changes by throwing our weight in one direction while goosing the throttle. The maneuver causes the rear end to spin out and turns the machine.
After some practice making quick turns and swerves to avoid obstacles and some instruction on climbing over obstacles such as fallen tree branches, we went back to the garage for the final classroom session.
We talked more about SIPDE and studied examples from pictures of potential riding scenarios. We also talked about the responsibilities faced by ATV riders, such as packing out garbage rather than leaving it on the trail, protecting the environment and putting a positive face on the activity by respecting other people who enjoy off-highway areas.
The final installment of class was by far the best. Sorba has a quite respectable ATV trail set up on an abandoned railroad track along the edge of his property, and he took us for a ride.
The hands-on training had been fairly simple. Riding around a wide-open field and dodging the orange cones used to mark the course is different than riding through the woods while ducking and riding over sticks and branches. Putting around a field isn’t as fun as a trail, either.
After a 10-minute exploration of the acreage behind Sorba’s house, class was almost over. Our final trick was to ride over a 12- or 13-inch diameter log stashed near Sorba’s garage. The Jones’ bikes were too small to attempt the maneuver, which involves popping the front wheels over the obstacle and driving the rear wheels over, and Studebaker opted not to try on his small, lighter-duty ride.
When the instructor asked Cox, however, the 18-year-old with the hot new bike launched at the log and jumped right over it, leaving me the last one in line. I had to give it a shot after watching the kid pull it off nearly perfectly.
I took off for the log with the tightly clenched jaw of a determined and slightly nervous pioneer. The front wheels came right up over the log, and the rest of the four-wheeler followed just like it was supposed to. I wasn’t quite ready for the hard landing and bounced off the seat when the back wheels of the ATV hit the log.
Because I had such a tight grip on the handlebars, I stayed on the bike, but not without planting my left knee squarely in the middle of the ATV’s gas tank. Neither bike nor kneecap were injured, but it was a well-learned final lesson for the day: Never let peer pressure influence you to ride beyond you or your machine’s capabilities–especially when the “peer” is a much better rider.
SAFETY FIRST
When participating in any motor sport, it’s important to protect your body with the proper gear. Safe all-terrain vehicle riding requires essentially the same equipment a motorcycle rider should wear on the street, though ATV gear is designed for off-road applications.
According to the ATV Safety Institute, the following items are critical to safe riding:
– Helmet and eye protection: Though an on-road helmet with face shield may be worn, off-road helmets typically are designed to be used with shatterproof goggles that protect eyes from tree branches, dirt and flying debris. Many off-road helmets incorporate face protection and a sturdy visor, which reduces glare and further guards the face from branches. Helmets should display a DOT sticker, which means they meet minimum Department of Transportation standards.
– Boots: Cowboy boots or hiking boots that cover the ankle are much better than tennis shoes, but the best off-road footwear is stiff and sturdy and extends above the calf to protect ankles and legs from impact.
– Pants: Blue jeans are the minimum. ATV or motocross pants, which incorporate protective padding and abrasion-resistant fabrics such as leather or nylon, are best. Never wear shorts while operating an AVT or motorcycle.
– Shirt: Long sleeves protect arms from welts, cuts or scratches caused by tree branches or other hazards. The material should be heavy and resistant to snags and tears. A foam, plastic or fiberglass chest protector adds additional safety.
– Gloves: Good off-road gloves will help you keep a grip on the controls in any weather condition. Padded knuckles take the sting out of getting smacked by brush and weeds, and thick grips enhance control of the handlebars.
FINDING A RIDE
Students enrolled in ATV classes must ride a machine of the appropriate size. Children under 6 should not ride an ATV.
Rider’s age Engine size
6 and up Smaller than 70 c.c.
12 and up 70-90 c.c.
16 and up Larger than 90 c.c.
%%
To enroll in a ASI RiderCourse, offered in more than 1,000 locations nationwide, call 800-887-2887.
———-
Brian Neale writes 2-wheel Drive, a column about motorcycling that appears in this section on the last Sunday of every month. Contact him at motojournalist@hotmail.com. %%
