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Nothing beats the thrill of going on mountain trails and marveling at nature’s best artwork. Nothing except combining the views with an ATV riding excursion that is.
For those who have never experienced the thrill of an ATV ride, you’re missing out on one of life’s best pleasures.
But for those who love ATV riding, sometimes the thrill wanes and the excitement loses its sizzle. What can you do to restore the first love you had for hitting the trails with your ATV? Well, friend, you’ve happened upon the best place a bored ATVer can happen upon.
However, before we get to the exciting part, let’s clear a few things out of the way first.
WHAT IS AN ATV?

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An all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is a vehicle (with 3, 4, or even 6 wheels) that
travels on low-pressure tires, features a seat that is straddled by the
operator, and has handlebars for steering and control. From the name, it is quite obvious that these kinds of vehicles were designed to handle a wide variety of terrain – in many cases, terrain impassable for other vehicle types.
Although ATVs are street-legal in some countries and states
within the United States, they are not street legal in some states. This means you need to know the laws surrounding ATV riding in your state.
Initially, ATVs were designed for agricultural purposes because of their, speed, all-terrain properties, and the fact that they leave a very small footprint compared to other types of vehicles.
However, in modern times, ATV riding is becoming more of a pastime and hobby for many riders than anything else. This has made ATVs become popular and with some models being made with recreation in mind.
Ready to hit the trail on your ATV?

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Hold your horses. Before we get to the fun and exciting part about ATV riding, remember, safety always comes first.
ATV RIDING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
As with all mechanized vehicles, safety is something that should never be overlooked – never. And so, before you go zipping off into the woods, here are a few ATV riding safety measures you should take to ensure that your excitement doesn’t end up in excruciating pain.
1. GEAR UP
No, I don’t mean changing gears up on your ATV, I mean you need
to wear the right protective clothing. Protective clothing not only protects you from harm in case of an eventuality but it is essential in guaranteeing a smooth ride.
Picture riding your ATV at a high speed and a fly hits your eye
or a small stone hitting your bare hands. If that has never happened to you, trust me when I say it can be an experience you’ll never forget.
That is why you need to don protective clothing such as
helmets, gloves, boots, and clothing that covers every part of your body.
2. NEVER OVERLOAD YOUR ATV
No matter how tempting it may be to carry your friend along on
your 1-man ATV, fight the temptation with everything you’ve got. ATVs are specially designed to distribute weight and maintain a delicate balance of weight.
In simple terms, they a have a center of gravity that can
easily be upset. Overloading your ATV will make it unstable and increase the risk of accidents and injury.
You also need to know the carrying capacity of your ATV before
thinking of adding extra weight. But as a general rule of thumb, if your ATV was designed for one rider, never pick up passengers.
3. RIDERS UNDER 16 MUST ALWAYS BE SUPERVISED
As much as ATV riding is fun and relatively safe, riders under 16 must always be supervised by an adult. The reason is simple - an ATV is not a toy and can cause grievous bodily harm or serious damage to property if care is not taken to use it properly. No matter how skilled your teen or kids may be, always have an adult supervise them as they ride.
4. KEEP YOUR ARMS AND LEGS INSIDE THE VEHICLE – AT ALL TIMES
This safety precaution cannot be overemphasized enough. All limbs must be kept exactly where they are supposed to be, even in the event of an accident. Most injuries on ATVs occur when the rider tries to jump off or brace themselves for a fall by sticking their hands or legs out.
Don’t.
ATVs are designed in such a way that if they lose their balance, the vehicle will touch the ground before you do. Trying to break a fall with your limbs will result in nothing more than broken limbs.
5. NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE
As with all kinds of machinery, riding an ATV under the influence of alcohol or some other substance is a sure recipe for disaster. And
if you are taking medication that affects your mental stability, the same rule applies.
Drugs and alcohol impair your judgment and negatively impact
your reaction times, making you a risk to yourself and anyone else who will be unfortunate to be in your path. Awesome!
These are just some of the basic safety precautions and
measures you need to take in order to have an exciting and fun time as you ride your ATV. There are many more and you would do well to participate in some ATV safety workshops wherever you can find them.
Now on to what we are both here for – ATV riding fun tips. Here
are 6 easy to implement ways of spicing up your ATV riding so as to avoid the boredom associated with monotony.
6 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR ATV RIDING MORE FUN

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Ready to hit the trails and have yourself some fun? Let me
share a few ideas that will help make your ATV riding maintain its thrills and
sizzles.
1. BUY THE RIGHT ATV
In order to have the best experience you can with your ATV, you
will need to make sure you get the right ATV
for yourself. Getting the right ATV involves a number of key factors
that we will go into detail below.
The right kind of ATV will afford you the ATV riding of your
choice. That simply means you will dictate the thrills (and spills) you will
enjoy on your exciting ride.
2. FILM YOURSELF RIDING
Another great way you can spice up your ATV riding is by
getting a camera (like the GoPro) and filming yourself as you go up and down
the trails (and dunes if available).
Not only will this make you feel like the star of your own
movie, but it will also help you continue enjoying the ride from your couch.
No, I don’t mean going with the couch tied to your ATV. You can continue
enjoying the thrill of the ride as you watch a replay of your adventures on the
trail.
Let me give you a few tips on creating the best POV movie of
yourself as you hurtle down the hill on your ATV.
One advantage you will get from capturing yourself on film is that it will give you an opportunity to observe your riding style and stance.
This will help you see where you need to improve on in order to transform yourself into an even better rider. So go ahead, get yourself a good camera and let the fun times roll.
3. ATV RIDING – MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR
Nothing is as satisfying as spending time with family and friends. And that is why the combination of ATV riding and a social gathering with those close to you is a sure recipe for an exciting and satisfying
afternoon.
There are many ways to can add some excitement simply by drawing in your family and friends to the excursion. One way you can add spice to your ATV riding is to host a BBQ where people can take turns riding your ATV. Another great way would be to go on a family excursion. If you don’t have enough ATVs for everyone, you can
always rent a couple for the afternoon. You can even have a picnic on the trail.
Time spent with family is always time well spent, and that’s especially true if it is spent ATV riding. The memories you create riding the trail or simply taking a few casual rounds around your property are memories everyone will cherish for a long time to come.
4. HOST A TRAINING DAY
ATV riding is always more exciting when done with a like-minded
group. And if the numbers are not as beefy as you would like them to be, host a training day.
In this variation of your favorite activity, you can gather your friends, family, or the public in general and offer them ATV riding
lessons. Of course, you’ll have plenty of time to show off your skills and bask in the adulation of your adoring fans. What can be more exciting than the hero of your day? This will especially work if you invite your ATV riding crew and each takes a group of acolytes (or soon to be).
Sometimes people fear powerful machines like ATVs and deem them
dangerous. But if you can host an event where you can teach the public how to ride them safely, you can break the stigma associated with ATV riding. This will also help you build a strong community of ATV riders in your community.
As they say, the more the merrier. And the way to build up the
community, and thus make ATV riding more exciting and fun, is by hosting events
where you can build the community.
5. GO ATV CAMPING
If you love the great outdoors (of which I think every ATV rider does), you can add more flavor to your ATV riding by combining your love for the outdoors and ATVs. The simple way to do this is to go on a camping excursion with your ATV.
Because of their small footprint, ATVs are a great way of enjoying
nature’s best. To have a successful ATV camping trip, you will have to
consider a few important points:
One reason why ATV camping is so exciting and fun is that you never experience the same terrain and views more than twice. The variety takes out the monotony of an ATV ride that would basically be a repeat of trails – the kind you normally do on your property or on familiar trails.
Another thing to note is that if you are going far, it’s better
you go with a friend (or as a group). Otherwise, it is important that you let someone know where you are going and have a schedule for checking in.
Looking for a way to make ATV riding fun? Go ATV camping.
6. HOLD (OR ENTER) SOME COMPETITIONS
If going far with your ATV is not possible, another way to make
your ATV riding more fun is by holding some local contests. These can take many forms from your tradition speed and skill contests to more unconventional ones like servicing races where riders are timed to see who can service their ATV the fastest.
If there are local ATV clubs around, then you can join those and participate in their competitions and other events. Nothing is as exciting as a competition. That is why hosting or
joining competitive ATV riding events are a great way to inject life into your favorite pastime. And the good thing is that there are ATV clubs that are all over the country. All you have to do is search for “ATV club near me” (Dr. Google is very good with that stuff) and go ahead and join the nearest chapter.
Believe me, they will be as excited to have you as you are to be a part of the family.
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