Any ATV ride is better than the alternative of not riding, but some rides are better than others. Soup up your riding adventures by trying out some of the following tips.
-Leave enough time to explore, take breaks, and relax. Riding just to watch the odometer turn is uninspiring. Ride enough to be satisfied, but not so much that you can't wait to get off.
-If you have the option, ride the rough trails first when you're fresh and alert. Save the smooth stuff for the end of the day when you'll enjoy it more. Your fellow riders will thank you; and so will your body.
-Eat well while on the trail. A cold sandwich from the gas station eaten curbside won't suffice. Find a cozy diner or barstool where real food is served. Make eating your destination and something to look forward to.
-Leave time for getting lost. What you discover may be well worth it. Besides, if time is on your side, you're not lost you're exploring.
-Be prepared. Inclement weather, flat tires, and getting stuck are part of the adventure. Overcoming these obstacles will make the ride more memorable.
-Dinner and a movie anyone? Bring movies and a portable DVD player. Invite fellow riders over for a popcorn and a scary movie.
After rereading a past blog on ethanol blended fuels, I realized my wording may have caused some confusion on the topic of fuel storage. I have since removed that blog for editing and will post it in the near future.
You're riding down a damp gravel ATV route when a riding mate behind you suddenly pulls over and stops, flashing his head lights to indicate some sort of trouble. You quickly slow down, do a u-turn and ride back. By this time, another member of your group has also stopped. Once back to them, you perform another u-turn so that everyone is facing the same direction on the same side of the route and not congesting any traffic that might pass.
Thankfully, it's only a flat tire and you have a repair kit. Besides, you were ready for a break any way and you're not on a schedule, so you take your time and chat before pulling out your tools.
Here comes that traffic you prepared for-a lone pick-up truck. It drives past you about twenty feet before locking up the brakes and slamming it in reverse, never a good sign. He backs up eerily past all your quads, then stops and rolls down the window.
He angrily asks, "Where's your registration numbers?"
What?
"I want your registration numbers."
Why?
"You were doing donuts on the road (he points to my tracks where I turned around) and I'm sick of you guys tearing up this road."
Obviously he is mighty upset, but he is also clearly mistaken. Now he's got you revved up, bouncing off the rev limiter, ready to dump the clutch and give 'er hell. What do you do?
I wish this was a joke, but this is a true story that happened to me a few years ago and similar situations have happened since. Promoting a positive image of ATV riders is very important to me because I know we're under constant scrutiny, so I do my best to follow the rules and take pride in riding responsibly. So when some bigot tries to pull a fast one on me, I'm rightfully angered. To make matters worse, on temper scale of 1-10 (1 being no temper, 10 being highly destructive) I rate somewhere around a 15.
All this happened pretty fast so I'm trying to think of what he may have seen. Maybe he saw my two u-turns from a distance and to him it looked like donuts. The gravel road is damp so my tires left tracks where I turned around, especially that inside rear that...
Universal joints (U-joints) require periodic inspection to prevent expensive repairs and trail side break downs. Not sure where to find them or what signs of trouble to look for? Read on.
U-joints are found in the drive shafts (also called propeller shafts or prop shafts for short), or what ATV manufacturers usually call the secondary drive. The secondary drive consists of the components that transfer power from the engine to the front and/or rear differentials (also called bevel drives). The amount and placement of universal joints in the drive shafts varies from manufacturer and model of ATV.
Constant velocity (CV) joints are not the same as u-joints. CV joints are located in the half shafts (commonly called axle shafts) that transfer power from the bevel drive to the wheel. It is important to note that CV joint is a generic term and covers various types of constant velocity joints. The outer type of CV joint (located closest to the wheel) used on ATVs are often the Rzeppa joint design while the inner CV joints (located closest to the bevel drive) are often a plunging tripod joint design.
Wish you could see what a trail looked like before you ride it? You can with Google maps!
Okay, so this isnt as cool as being able to see the future like Nicolas Cage in the movie Next, but it does help when plotting an ATV excursion and trying to minimize dull routes.
Go to the Google home page and select Maps from the upper left corner of the screen. As an example, type in Dunbar WI and press enter. What you see is a standard road map until you select Satellite. Zoom in as far in as you can and youll be able to pick out the railroad grade, trails, and our favorite businesses. In satellite view, hover the mouse pointer over the satellite tab to select or deselect the Show labels feature. Select the Terrain feature to see a topography map.
With a trail map and Google maps, I look at various trails and routes to see which ones look better to ride, before Im melting my tires on a paved road for 10 boring miles.
To further impress fellow riders with your navigational skills, right click on the map at an intersection or other point of interest and select Whats here?. Presto! Youre rewarded with GPS coordinates. While helpful for riding Wisconsin trails, this is necessary for exploring Upper Michigan, unless you want to run out of fuel and get help from that nice feller that plays a banjo real well.
Hello, Im new to the forums here. I have a 2008 Honda Rancher 420 that is used primarily for trail riding and light utility work around the homestead. What is the best replacement tire that is slightly more aggressive and better handling than stock?
Sometimes the answers that follow this question are misleading and downright hilarious. No, a 27 Mud Chucker is not the best answer. Yes, the Maxxis Bighorn radial is a great tire, but is not the answer to every tire question. What is the correct answer?
Its great that we have this problem; so many tires to choose from that vary greatly in design, performance, and price. Think back 15 years when it was a choice between knobbies, Chevrons, or Chevrons with knobbies.
What were lacking is a uniform rating system stating what tires are best for certain conditions; mud tires, general purpose, utility, turf tires, sport, rock, sand, winter, etc. Granted as of recent, the current trend is heading in this direction, but there are still plenty of options to choose from that often lead to option paralysis.
The PDF documents attached are of a rating system using a Microsoft Word table to state your specific experience with a particular tire. Send me a message with your e-mail address if you would like a copy in Word format. Intentionally, it looks like the tire rating systems currently used for other motor vehicles.
Now where do we put these ratings? Here in the WATVA website? A new website? These are great questions that I dont have the answer for.
Back to the original question: What is the correct answer? Please keep in mind the individual asking the question is trusting you with their money and will be disappointed to discover the 27 Mud Chucker is not the best tire for them. What is best for you, is not necessarily best for everyone (or anyone!) else. Different quads, riders, riding styles, and terrain determine the type of tire best suited for the task. More likely than not, there is not a single tire that is the best choice, but there may be a category of tires that should be considered. For the example above, I would recommend tires in the stock size similar in weight with a more aggressive tread pattern, and perhaps a radial for better handling and a larger footprint. 9 times out of 10, this will be a better answer than blurting out whatever tire youre currently using. Plus, youve greatly helped by narrowing the field and letting them decide what is best for their situation,...
Some of the best products are so simple, yet effective, that you wonder "why didn't I think of that?!" Warn neoprene winch covers are just that.
It was only after disassembling my winch for repairs that I realized how vulnerable it was to outside elements. There was literally sediment sitting in the bottom of the electric motor between the magnets!
Installation is as simple as putting on a hat, granted you have reasonable access to the winch. There are no straps or securing devices, but the stretchy neoprene cover fits snugly enough that it has stayed in place for the last 2,500 miles, including while being transported. Note that you may have to reposition your electrical leads to the winch for best fitment.
As advertised, the cover keeps out dirt, muddy splashes, and prevents snow from freezing up the winch in winter. While the instructions state to remove the cover for winch operation, synthetic rope easily glides past the cover without a snag.
With prices ranging between $35 and $45, it certainly isn't cheap. If you've got a winch worth protecting, it's worth it.
Benefits of a full face helmet with the advantages of an open face
·Removable sun visor incorporated (amber)
·Injection molded plastic shell
·Removable interior lining
·DOT approved
·Quick release attach system
·Weighs approx. 3.914 lbs
When parts were no longer available for my 10 year old HJC snowmobile helmet, replacement was necessary. Being a motorcyclist, I knew the functional advantages of a modular helmet and figured they would apply to a snowmobile helmet also. From the offerings at our local dealer, I went home with a CKX Trans Blast RSV modular helmet.
CKX helmets are supposedly a product of Kimpex, although I cant find a company website. However, there are numerous CKX helmet dealers and reviews via the Internet, with the vast majority of reviews being positive.
Numerous features combined with an aggressive look and comfortable fit prompted its purchase. The chin guard arches lower than most helmets, providing additional face coverage. Secured to the chin guard is the neoprene breath guard, which lifts up and out of the way when the chin guard is raised. An amber sun visor is also built into the helmet for those blindingly sunny winter days.
How well these features work in the real world of icy winds is a different story. When the first side wind hit me, sending a chill to the lower part of my face, my enthusiasm quickly faded. Because the chin guard and helmet are two different pieces, cold air blasts can leak in between. Not enough to cause frostbite, but enough to be irritating. Keep in mind this occurred while riding behind the supple coverage of a large ATV windshield.
Cabela's weatherproof ATV bags are one of many choices available when looking for soft luggage, but one of few that offers true waterproof characteristics.
The exterior is constructed of heavy vinyl while the interior has a soft nylon fabric. Between the two layers is a third layer of closed cell foam to retain shape. Six nylon straps are provided to secure the bag as you see fit. A robust zipper secures the top and allows it to be opened out of the way.
As the name states, this bag truly is weatherproof. During over 5,000 miles of use, none of my gear inside became wet or dusty. On extremely wet days, some moisture would seep past the storm flap and around the zipper, but never enough to cause problems. Even during sub-zero temperatures, the bag remained flexible enough to prevent tears from tree branches.
Like most products, this one is not without fault. With use, three of the six nylon straps tore the stitching where sewn to the bag. I was able to fix this with a large needle and heavy duty thread, but it wasn't easy. The straps are also sewn to the bag a few inches from the bottom, which pulls the side of the bag down when secured, yet still allows the bag to move excessively on the rack. There is no reinforcement to the bottom of the bag, so heavy items tend to push their way between the voids of the rack unless the bag is mounted on top of something rigid, such as a fuel pack. Since this bag, I've also sworn off zippers to areas that are regularly accessed; the zipper never broke, but it was a time consuming hassle. Lastly, the voluminous interior works well for clothing, but without separate compartments it is impossible to keep multiple items organized without additional bags for inside the bag.
One the positive side, it has withstood the test of time, works as advertised, and the "large" bag fits squarely on top of a fuel pack. It's also easily removable when not needed, leaving the rack available for whatever you see fit.
If you're in the market for a simple, durable, and weatherproof bag to mount on top a fuel pack, this one will do. But if multiple compartments, a rigid bottom, and zipperless construction are desired, there are better products available.
Our regular riding crew gets together this time of year to plan our monthly rides for the upcoming May through November riding season.
Each year, we try to pick out something a bit different than the last, even if it's riding the same trail system, but riding during a different season. And of course we have our favorites, such as riding the Langlade, Lincoln, and Oneida County trails in the fall.
This year, we plan to do another long distance Upper Michigan expedition, carrying our gear with us and staying at different places along the way. We had so much fun last year that we can't wait to do this ride again, hopefully riding different trails and utilizing the new Ottawa National Forest connectors (if they're approved). On the subject of the U.P., we're also looking into exploring the Hiawatha National forest which has numerous riding opportunities on very scenic trails.
With precious little vacation time, it's difficult to decide which trails make the list, but we usually use a formula that equals the greatest experience for the dollar and time spent.
Once we figure out where to ride and sleep, the next step is getting up to date trail maps and plotting our routes. Bless the map-makers that state GPS coordinates at major intersections; enter the coordinates to your GPS in advance and simply connect the dots!
This is also a good time to perform a riding gear evaluation. In the past, we've never brought along spare ATV tires, but I'd hate to ruin a riding event due to a tire damaged beyond repair. Do you develop a spare tire mount and take it with you or leave it at camp? Spare front, rear, or both? These are questions that need to be answered before we're halfway across Michigan with a flat!
Planning like this can be a lot of work, but it adds to the anticipation of the ride, which is kind of like enjoying the ride twice. Three times if I write about it here afterwards!
