ATV Trail-Riding Tips

While many people choose to ride their all-terrain vehicles/four-wheelers as off-road vehicles on fields or in muddy parks, some prefer the idea of an established nature trail for their recreational riding purposes. These trails are designed to be safe and easy to follow, which makes them ideal for families with children. You can predict the route easily and won’t encounter any obstacles when riding an ATV trail. 

But riding a trail on your quad, even with all of its parameters in place, still requires an element of responsibility on your part. Mid-State Motorsports of Cookeville, Tennessee, is your one-stop shop for 4-wheelers. We’ve gathered up the best ATV trail riding tips to help you be respectful of other riders while practicing good safety habits on the trail.

Preparing For the Ride

First, you’ll need to start by preparing yourself and your 4-wheeler for the ride. Get yourself equipped with the proper safety gear, including a well-fitting helmet with high crash-test ratings; a motorcycle or motocross helmet will be your best bets. If your helmet doesn’t have a face mask, wear a pair of goggles for eye protection from flying debris. Aside from this, wear sturdy ankle boots, riding gloves, pants and long sleeves to keep your skin and limbs protected from scrapes and scratches.

Next, you’ll prepare your quad by getting it ready to go. Make sure it has clean oil, a full tank of gas and that all the tires are aired up properly. A pre-ride inspection will help you to determine whether anything is amiss with your four-wheeler. If you do find something you can’t address at home, contact the service department here at Mid-State Motorsports so our professional mechanics can help you out.

You’ll want to bring some necessary supplies with you, like a toolkit to help you address minor repairs on the trail, a first-aid kit to help you deal with injuries and illnesses, a flashlight, water and food, a GPS, a compass and a tire patch kit. It’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.

Being Respectful of Others

When riding on the trail, it’s important that you stay within the bounds of the trail that the owners have established. This is important for two reasons. One, this will help to keep you and other riders safe because you won’t hit any unseen obstacles or land your ATV in a ditch. Two, four-wheelers can do a lot of damage to the surrounding environment if ridden carelessly and you could end up harming wildlife if you drive off the trail.

Follow all posted signs on the trail such as speed limit signs. Go slowly around hikers and stopped ATVs, and pass other four-wheelers carefully. If you stop to have a snack or lunch, make sure to clean up all the trash you brought, as well as any other trash you see: practicing “leave no trace” ethics will ensure the riding area remains clean for others.

Remaining Vigilant

Even though the trail gives you an established and safe route to follow, you’ll still need to be vigilant. One way to keep your focus is to always ride your ATV while you’re sober and alert. Using alcohol or recreational drugs is a very bad idea as intoxication will impede your focus and make you more likely to careen into another quad or go off-trail. Don’t take undue risks like going too fast in a curvy area. Watch for people on foot and animals ahead of you so you can slow down in advance. Keep track of where you are using your GPS or map and compass so you don’t get lost.

Following these tips should help you and your friends or family to have a great trail-riding experience on your four-wheelers. Searching for quads for sale in Tennessee? Visit our dealership in Cookeville today to see our full stock of new and used ATVs for sale. Mid-State Motorsports proudly serves the city of Knoxville, Tennessee.