Your Guide to Basic ATV Riding Techniques

Riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is fun and exciting, and it is a fantastic way to explore the great outdoors. If you are new to the world of powersports or are planning to embark on your debut trip with your vehicle, this guide is for you. As your local motorsports vehicles dealership, we at Thompson’s Motorsports want you and your ATV safe and ready for your trips. Our experts have gathered a few techniques to ride your machine more safely and efficiently.

Keep reading this guide to learn more, and for more information, swing by our dealership for a friendly chat with our team. We are in Terre Haute, IN, and we are happy to welcome our patrons from Bloomington and West Indianapolis, IN, and Effingham, IL.

Adopt the Correct Riding Posture

One of the most critical ATV riding techniques to keep in mind is maintaining a straight-line riding posture. This unique pose will help maintain your quad’s balance and enable you to ride your machine for hours without any breaks. You will want to keep your head and eyes up, shoulders relaxed, elbows slightly bent away from your body, and place your feet on the footrests.

Master Starting & Stopping

Before you head to your favorite trail, practice how to start and stop your ATV. You will want to put your vehicle’s transmission in neutral, set the parking brake, and then turn on the fuel valve. You will also want to ensure your engine stop switch and choke are both in the ‘On’ position and that you can start the engine properly.

Once the engine has warmed, release the parking brake, shift into a gear, and then apply the throttle slowly and steadily.

Be Vigilant When Taking a Turn

You will often find that off-road locations have many winding trails instead of straight stretches, so you must be extra cautious when taking a corner with your ATV.

Make sure that you shift your body weight to the inside of the corner in which you are turning. To do this, you will need to tilt your handlebars in that direction and keep shifting your body weight as you complete the turn. If you notice your quad is starting to tip, you will want to lean further and reduce the throttle.

Slow Down on Inclines

You should avoid trying to scale any steep hills with your ATV, especially when you are still learning the ropes. If you lose control of your vehicle, you might flip over completely and sustain injuries.

If you think you can scale an incline, you will want to shift your quad into a lower gear and build momentum by increasing its speed. As you approach the slope, you will also want to move your body forward to place more body weight over the front wheels.

We hope these strategies help you ride your quad more safely and efficiently. If you need more advice or are still in the market for an ATV, visit Thompson’s Motorsports. We have an impressive collection of ATVs for sale, and we can help you select a model that matches your budget and unique requirements. You will find us in Terre Haute, IN, where we proudly serve those from Bloomington & West Indianapolis, IN, and Effingham, IL.