Every spring, as the snow begins to melt off of the mountains, I get excited to get my UTV tires rolling along the dusty mountain roads where I live and explore the beauties of a fresh, new season. Perhaps the thing I like to admire most are the fragrant and colorful wildflowers growing so abundantly alongside the ATV trails that I enjoy riding all season long. It seems that all throughout the summer I get so caught up in keeping my 4 wheeler tires from bouncing out of control on the rocky trails that I forget to stop and smell the flowers. That’s why I make it a point each spring to go on a wildflower sightseeing ride.

Packing
Just like any other ride, it’s important to take along all the essential safety gear like a full-face helmet, goggles, water, tool kit, map, and the like. Safety is a key factor in every ride, no matter what the purpose. Another never-leave-at-home item is my digital camera, and when you’re out looking at wildflowers, it’s a must. The trail can get awfully dusty, especially in a UTV, because the roof limits airflow, thus trapping dirt and dust inside the cockpit. To protect valuables, like my lunch, I have a few UTV accessories, such as storage bags, to keep them secure and dust-free. Once all my gear is ready to go, I have the luxury of being able to leave right from my driveway and head up the canyon road that is only a few minutes from my home.

Desert Beauty
The first time I started paying attention to cactus roses was when I saw John Wayne give one to Vera Miles in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. From that point on, I’ve enjoyed watching the pink, red, and yellow roses blooming in the hills and meadows here in central Utah. They have always seemed a bit of a contradiction to me - the soft and beautiful flowers growing in the midst of sharp, prickly cactus quills; a sort of natural barbed wire to protect them from ravenous herbivores (humans included) that are attracted by their bright colors and sweet fragrance.

Cactus Rose

Prickly pear cactus grows in abundance in these parts and the vibrant flowers stand as a beautiful contrast in the landscape. Most quad tires, even those in the worst shape, cannot be punctured by the small quills on these desert dwellers, but I hope most people think that it’s possible so they will leave them alone.

Prickly Pear Flower

Be mindful
A couple of summers ago, I rode alongside a high mountain field that, like an artist’s canvas, gleamed with thousands of bright yellow brown-eyed Susans as if it had been decorated for a special occasion. So breathtaking was this scene, that after we crested a hill, all of the riders in our group stopped to admire the scene before us. Then we noticed several sets of ATV tire tracks zigzagging randomly through the flowers leaving behind scars of destruction. I couldn’t bring myself to keep the pictures I took that day. In fact, I wish we would have caught the thoughtless fools who did this damage.

Leisurely lunch 
There are many other brightly colored and hard-to-locate wildflowers in the mountains in springtime. The brilliant white of sego lilies as they cluster in bunches close to the ground and the soft orange petals of globe mallow flittering in the wind at the end of long, wispy stems always remind of the fact that both of these plants provided food to Native Americans for centuries. Indian paintbrush was also an edible used by Native Americans, but the thought of ancient peoples using this plant to paint a colorful mosaic on an animal hide is far more idealistic to imagine.

Indian Paintbrush

The annual wildflower ride usually takes me a few hours, so I like to park my UTV under the shade of a sprawling pine tree and have lunch. This is when I come across the picturesque cliffrose poking out in dazzling contrast to the waxy green of a greasewood bush.

Cliffrose

Making sure to keep my Carlisle ATV tires fully on the trail, I walk the fifty yards to this serene setting while a gentle breeze allows both flowers and bush to wave at me like an old friend. On my walk back to finish lunch, the radiant hues of violet that emanate from a low-growing bunch of phlox catch my gaze.

Phlox

After lunch, the return trip rewards me with views of mountain snowberries, Queen Anne’s Lace, sunflowers, blazing stars and crimson red penstemons dangling like miniature baubles from brilliant green stems.

Penstemon

This isn’t my typical “guys” ATV blog, but everyone, no matter why you ride, should take a moment to enjoy the beauties of nature. For me it’s flowers in the springtime and wildlife in the fall. For others it might be a golden sunrise, the salmon tones of a cloud-filtered sunset, or even solemnity of a single tree growing atop a cliff. So, the next time you gear up and put those well-used ATV tires on the trail for a day of riding, don’t forget to pay attention to the wonders that are all around you.

Ryan Richards

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Saturday was Cinco de Mayo, a date we all recognize for General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin’s crushing defeat of the French Army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.  This is an important date in Mexican history, as well as that of the United States.  You see, since the Battle of Puebla 150 years ago this week, no European military force has invaded any nation in either North or South America.  To celebrate, most people participate in music and dancing and hanging César Chávez banners from their windows.  Personally, I prefer to celebrate the historical success of our friends in the south by getting my ATV ready for the season—followed by a barbecue, of course.

Your ATV Tires
Many folks in most parts of the country don’t do a lot of ATV riding during the winter, and instead, park their machines until springtime.  Well, here we are.  April showers have given way to May flowers, so it’s time to get those quad tires out of the garage and back on the trail.  However, if you’re like me, you’ll want to take care of your ATV before you ride.  So head out to the garage, crank up your Selena or Romeo Santos or Freddy Fender or whomever you like, and get busy kicking those 4 wheeler tires back into shape for the season.  Here are a few suggestions for taking proper care of your machine.

If you rode during the winter, you may have installed a good snow tire like the Kenda Snow Mad to get around on the slippery ice and crunchy snow of the season.  It’s time to pop those bad boys off and reinstall your all terrain tires, whether they be your used ATV tires from last season or that new set of Carlisle ATV tires you’ve been eyeballing at ATV Tire Store.  Make sure you have the right tire for the kind of riding you plan on doing this year.

Even though you may have changed the tires, don’t forget to inspect them.  Look for cracks, bulges, and tread quality, especially on used ATV tires.  Most important of all, inflate them to the proper level.  Manufacturers recommend specific PSI levels on tires for a reason, and you should take care to adhere to them.  Properly inflated tires improve safety, performance, and longevity.  Most ATV tire pressures range from 2-10 PSI.  Don’t just guess and over-inflate.  Higher pressure levels may be required for ATV hard surface tires, so be sure to follow manufacturer’s recommendations.

ATV Wheels
While you’re checking the breaks, take a look at the ATV wheels as well.  Check them for cracks or dents and to see if they are just plain broken.  It happens.  During the course of a season you bang into a lot of rocks or logs or trash cans in front of your neighbor’s house, and damage can occur.  Now, at the start of the season, is the best time to take account of these potential problems. 

Maintenance
Now, suit up, because it’s time to get a little dirty.  Check all the fluid levels on your machine.  If you didn’t change your oil and filter last fall, now is the time.  Remember that some models need the transmission oil changed as well.  Check the floor below for leaks.  The same goes for your air filter—clean it or change it.  Check your spark plug for proper gap and cleanliness. 

As for your gas, fuel left sitting for a long time can separate and gum up your carburetor.  It can also have difficulty igniting.   Did you remember to put fuel stabilizer in before you parked your ATV/UTV for the winter?  If not, drain the fuel in the tank and consider cleaning the carburetor if needed. 

Check the brake cables for tightness, kinks, or frays.  Get right in close to your ATV’s tires and check the brake pads.  If you need to pull the tires off to check the pads, then do it.  The last thing you want is for one of your kids to have brakes that fail while they are making their way down a steep slope or barreling towards a dangerous intersection.  The importance of the quality and condition of your brakes cannot be overstated.  Take care of them.  Whether you have Maxxis tires on your Polaris Ranger or discount ATV tires on your Can-Am Outlander, be sure you have a braking system that is in good working order.

If you drained the CVT compartment in the fall, be sure the drain screw or plug is back in place.  Check hoses for holes or cuts.  Lubricate everything that needs lubricating such as levers, controls, cables, etc.  If the battery died over the winter, charge it up.  A good way to avoid this is to start your ATV every month and let it run for 20-30 minutes.  Be sure to take a close look at the battery terminals and clean off any corrosion that is there. 

Don’t forget to test all of the lights for proper working conditions and pack extra fuses in your tool kit as well.  Look over all of your gear and ATV accessories.  Are all of the storage boxes properly attached?  Is your tool kit fully stocked?  Do you have all the maps you need?  What about insurance and registration?  Are they current and properly affixed to the machine?  Is your helmet in good working order?

The towing apparatus needs inspection as well.  Check the trailer hitch and lights for proper functions.  Inspect tie downs for rot, frays, or cuts.  Make sure loading ramps aren’t rusted or broken. 

Last, but not least, grab a hose or a power washer and clean everything.  Once you have finished, settle back with some José Cuervo or perhaps a nice tall glass of pink limonada and thank General Seguin and the Mexican Army for making this day possible.

Ryan Richards

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ATV riding is not for everyone, but for those people who embrace it enthusiastically, it is possible to travel around the world participating in ATV-related events, while meeting a wide-range of other ATV aficionados. ATV races, conferences, cross-country trips, and camping excursions are plentiful, and more pop up every year.

New events appear in every state each year, with New England showing the most growth. For hardcore competitors, there is the New England Motocross ATV Series, also known as NEATV-MX, which sponsors races from New York to Maine. The region also offers the AMA ATV Motocross Championships, which draws competitors from around the world. For people who are not interested in competing, New Hampshire and Maine offer an abundance of trails and camping excursions for ATV-ers, and more open each year.

ATV-ing is becoming increasingly popular, and as the demand for ATVs increases, so does the quality of ATV-related gear like ATV tires, clothing, camping and outdoor equipment for ATV drivers. If you need new tires, our store has your favorite model in stock.

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Because my wife has five sisters and one brother, I have six brothers-in-law on her side of the family.  They are all good guys (well, except for one who nobody can stand, but we never have the nerve to tell him), and we enjoy getting together from time to time for a friendly game of poker or to burn a few steaks on the barbecue.  They all live in Nebraska where there aren’t as many exciting off-road trails on which to skid ATV tires across mountainous terrain as we have here in the Western states.  That means that whenever they come to visit me I have to borrow a few quads from my friends with all sorts of promises that we’ll pay for whatever we break.  Notice I didn’t say “if” we break something, because “if” is not an option.  We always break something.  You see, my brothers-in-law are much better at charring steaks on the barbie than they are at riding off-highway vehicles.

For our first trip I selected a trail containing varying degrees of difficulty, but nothing that required technical riding skills.  I decided to put everyone through a short training course and allow them to practice awhile first.  Some of them had experience riding motorcycles, so I took some time to explain the difference of having four aggressive tires beneath them.  One of the most important tips that I shared was to resist the urge to put their foot down when cornering or tipping sharply to one side.  The larger, wider ATV tires will roll over a rider’s foot and crush their ankle faster than a Hollywood starlet can ruin her career.

Everyone gained confidence during the training session and all were soon zooming back and forth on the gravelly practice field we were using.  Thirty minutes later we topped off the gas tanks and I made a final check to ensure everyone’s gear bags, fuel cans and other ATV accessories had tight straps around them so they wouldn’t fall onto the trail where the ATV tires of these newbies could crush them.  Safety check complete, we strapped on our helmets and motored up the trail.  I was in the lead to set a safe and comfortable pace while my longtime and reliable friend, Jay, rode drag, bringing up the rear of our neophyte column so that we didn’t leave any stragglers behind.

We stopped every few miles to let everyone catch up and to enjoy the scenery.  Flatlanders from Nebraska don’t often ascend to an elevation of 11,000 feet and experience a high mountain conifer biome very often, so they needed opportunities to take it all in.  We crossed over a mountain on a series of trails that offered a nice variety of steepness, ruggedness, and beauty.  After a three-hour drive, we descended the mountain and stopped for lunch at the world famous Big Rock Candy Mountain, which today consists of a campground and a restaurant.  As we approached the highway leading to the restaurant, I reminded everyone that ATV tires are low pressure and will handle differently on a paved surface.  Everyone heeded my warning, even Milt and Kelvin who had both been riding more aggressively as the day wore on.

Once we had filled our bellies with delicious burgers and greasy french fries, the crew made preparations for the return journey.  This time there were a lot of questions, “Can I do a wheelie with a four-wheeler?”, “Is there a place we can climb over boulders?”,  “Can we go off-road?”,  “Are there any sand dunes around here?”,  “Why don’t we go faster?”  All of the questions indicated the guys wanted to add more thrills and excitement to the ride.  Jay and I deliberated over the possibility and decided that everyone was doing well enough to up the fun-factor just a bit.

I did my best to answer all of the questions, “No you can’t do a wheelie with a four-wheeler.  Some people can, but not you.  Keep all four ATV wheels on the ground, especially you, Kelvin!”,  “Yes, there is a place we can climb over boulders, but we’re not going to, you’re not ready for that,”  “As for off-road riding and sand dunes, there is a place that we can do both and even though we haven’t got the right tires, like the ITP Sand Star or the GBC Sand Shark, we can still have a whooping good time riding on sand,”  and finally, “Yes, we will go a little faster, but everyone needs to be very careful.”

On the way back over the mountain we freshened the pace quite a lot and the boys from Nebraska were in heaven.  They bounced against side hills, mock raced one another, slid around corners, and tore up the “dunes,” which were actually an expansive area of tailings from a nineteenth century gold mine, but these boys didn’t care.  Finally, after hours of off-highway vehicle bliss in the mountains, we began the long, slow descent to the trailhead from which we began our day.  

All was going well until the Kawasaki Kelvin was on stopped running.  We couldn’t get it to start, so the always-prepared Jay hooked up a tow strap and pulled him back via a road rather than the trail.  Since Bert was the best rider, I assigned him to ride drag behind everyone else to render whatever assistance he could, should there be a problem.  It was a big relief to me when we all met up at a clearing just below the steepest parts of the trail, “We’re home free now,” I thought to myself.  

Boy, was I wrong, for a few miles later when I stopped to let everyone catch up, no one came. It took only a mile of backtracking to find Milt splayed flat on his back in the middle of the trail, his ATV laying on its side, the engine amazingly still running, and the wheels spinning faster than a politician caught taking a bribe.   He obviously had veered off the trail and hit a tree, a collision that immediately brought the ATV to a stop and sent him tumbling pants over teakettle.  Shockingly, Milt only suffered a few cuts and bruises, but no broken bones or internal bleeding or any of the things that initially went through my mind.  We were even able to get all four ATV wheels back on the ground and drive it off the mountain.  Of course, once we knew Milt was ok, we made him drive the wrecked machine so the rest of us could still have fun—that’s just how manly men roll.

When we arrived home two hours later and broke the news to Milt’s wife Kassi, she cried like a baby before slugging him for causing her so much worry.  

All new riders should take an off-highway vehicle safety course, practice with friends, wear safety gear, and ride within their limits.  Everyone should take the time necessary to develop good riding skills before attempting difficult trails.  I wouldn’t trade this trip and the memories it gives me for anything in the world.  And, at the same time, I’d never do it again.  Whenever you ride, do so safely, and take along a few Nebraskans, because they will surely give you a great story to tell.

Ryan Richards

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Last Saturday I sat in my office trying desperately to catch up on stacks of overdue paperwork, but it seems no matter how much of the stuff I push from the “in-box” to the “out-box” it just keeps coming.  It’s the kind of duty that dream jobs are made of.  Actually, I probably do have what most people would consider a dream job; I’m the manager of several parks where ATV riding is a major component of what we do. So, yes, someone pays me to strap on a helmet, take hold of the handlebars, and steer my ATV tires across all sorts of terrain. Sounds awesome, doesn’t it?  Sadly, these euphoric episodes only occur after the all the restrooms have been cleaned, the bills are paid, the lawns are mowed, and…well, you get the point.  The fun only comes after we complete all of the real work.

Back to last Saturday.  I’m in my office, a pencil stuck behind each ear, clacking away at the keyboard on my computer when three ATVs roar by my window, racing past a stop sign, the riders never looking back.  I could tell they were kids, maybe about fourteen years old, no helmets, and even less sense.  Safety for all riders is our highest priority, and we especially focus on children, so, duty required me to take action should they speed by my office a second time.  I didn’t have to wait long, for within five minutes the hell-on-wheels gang zoomed into view, carefree and laughing, having no idea what horrors the pencil-eared fuddy duddy in the office was about to reign upon them.  Abandoning my keyboard, I dashed through the door just in time to intercept the ne’er-do-wells.

“Hey!  Stop!”  I bellowed.  “You just ran a stop sign.”  Three sets of Dunlop ATV tires skidded to a halt, and the boys looked at me as if I were a strange old man dancing around my porch and flailing ridiculously as I stomped out the flames engulfing a bag of burning dog nuggets.  For the next five minutes we discussed the density of the human skull and the importance of helmets and other safety gear.  All were under 16 years of age, and none of them had ever taken an ATV safety course. 

In our state, as in most, before a child can operate an off-highway vehicle they must complete a safety course that is available online or as a hands-on class.  Ages vary from state to state but in general terms, youth between the ages of eight and sixteen must complete a course in their home state prior to operating an ATV.  Additionally, most states require anyone under the age of 18 to wear an approved helmet with the strap properly fastened.  The following websites have excellent safety information, training opportunities, and state-specific information:

http://www.atvsafety.org/

http://www.atvcourse.com/usa/

After giving my new friends a stern lecture on safe riding, I informed them that they would have to round up some helmets and complete the online safety course before they could ride again.  Not satisfied with their reaction, I walked to their campsite to have a similar discussion with their father.  He graciously accepted three copies of ATV safety regulations and promised to keep his rambunctious little rapscallions off the quads for the rest of the weekend.  That was a big relief for me since the majority of off-highway vehicle accidents we experience here involve children who have never take a safety course.

The excitement over, I trundled back to the office for more thrilling adventures with paperwork.  Yay for me!

Three hours later I stood to stretch a bit and peer over the somewhat diminished mountain of overdue reports, hoping to get a glimpse of the Saturday sunshine that I was missing.  While looking across the campground, it didn’t surprise me to see my new friends, tearing through all of the unused campsites like they were racing for a million dollars.  This time I put on my official hat and drove my official truck to put a final end to this hooliganism.  When I arrived on scene it disappointed me to see a young child, perhaps only five years old, operating a full-sized ATV and the boys’ father nearby but not paying attention. 

Their dad patiently sat through another lecture about the commonality of kids damaging trailheads while inattentive parents ate lunch or loaded other wheelers onto a trailer.  His calm demeanor, however, broke when I offered to help load the rest of his machines so he and his little darlings could leave even more quickly.  The upside of the whole episode was that I got to spend the rest of the afternoon outdoors, albeit raking ATV tire tracks out of the campsites. 

Parents, please keep your kids safe.  Ensure they all complete required safety courses.  Put a helmet on every child you have; better still, set a good example and wear one yourself.  Put them on an appropriately-sized ATV; 500 CCs is way too much power for a ten year old.  Please supervise your children.  Oh, and if you love doing paperwork on Saturdays in springtime, I’ll trade you for a free campsite.

Ryan Richards

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A few years back two groups of trail riders, going in opposite directions, met at a crossroads in a remote mountain area and neither one wanted to allow the other to pass.  They began by shouting at one another and making threats.  Before long, guns appeared and an easily avoidable situation became potentially deadly in an instant.  Fortunately for all, reason took over and everyone hurriedly completed that age-old maneuver known as “getting the hell out of there.”

Incidents such as this one are rare, and I’m glad nobody got hurt.  When the report came into my office a couple of hours later it got me thinking about trail etiquette and what riders can do to be courteous to everyone they encounter.  Trail etiquette is important for everyone to observe, and by so doing, it will make the day one of great memories of the enjoyment you had.  After all, ATV riding should be fun.  Practice the rules of the trail and you won’t go wrong.

Share the Trail  Most of the trails out here in the West are designated for multiple-use.  ATV tires are just as welcome as bicycle tires.  So, too, are hikers, horseback riders, motorcyclists, and nature lovers.  When you ride, remember that everyone is there to have a good time and has the same right to do so.

Keep Off the Grass  I once heard a man ask a salesman where he could ride the new ATV he had just purchased.  The response was classic, “ATV stands for all-terrain vehicle, why, you can ride it anywhere you want to.”  Aside from a salesman’s bravado, be a responsible rider and keep all four of your ATV tires on the trail.  Many trails cross sensitive lands, private lands, watersheds, archaeological sites, wetlands, and areas important to flora and fauna.  Be respectful and remember that in many areas it is unlawful to ride off trail.

Along the Trail  Stick to the right hand side of the trail so that riders coming from the opposite direction can get past safely.  It is also a good idea to use hand signals to inform passing riders about how many people are in your group.  Riders going uphill need to keep their momentum so be courteous and pull over to allow them plenty of room.  If you have to pull over to talk or take a picture or change a tire, do so in a safe place so you never block the trail.

Keep the Dust Down  There’s no doubt about it, whether you’re tearing around with GBC Dirt Devil tires on your ATV or your UTV is outfitted with Dunlop tires, the dust is going to fly.  Remember that when you pass other riders along the trail, the dust you kick up is going to get in their faces and clog up their air filters.  Creating “rooster tails” may make you feel cool, but it also sprays dust and rock all over everyone else in the area.

Tread Lightly and Leave No Trace  These organizations have great, practical information on how to protect your privilege to ride.

http://www.treadlightly.org/

http://www.lnt.org/

Holy Cow! Don’t Fence me In  Livestock, especially cattle and sheep, is frequently present along mountain trails as well as many other places.  Slow down so you don’t spook them and slowly make your way past.  Remember that these animals belong to someone.  Additionally, whenever you go through a gate, leave it as you found it, either fully open or fully closed.  Never go around locked gates or fences.

Ride Prepared  Don’t be a burden to others because you didn’t think ahead.  You may not be able to avoid an accident but you can bring a first aid kit, an ATV winch, tools, water, a map, ATV accessories, and a helmet.

Observe Traffic Laws  Where applicable, follow all posted speed limits, stop signs, and rights-of-way.  Use proper hand signals when you are turning or slowing down.  It’s not only safe and courteous, it’s the law.

Be a Good Sam  If you come across an obstacle like a tree or a boulder in the trail, do your best to remove it so it won’t be a hazard to other riders.  Likewise, when you notice a missing or damaged trail marker, fix it if possible or report it to the appropriate authority.  When nature calls, adhere to Leave No Trace practices and be aware of watersheds when attending to personal hygiene needs.

Be a courteous and ethical rider and you and your friends will have a safer, more fun time on the trail; it will also keep you from getting shot.

Ryan Richards

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Ok, I admit it, when it comes to having good balance, I’m about as sure-footed as a skeleton on roller skates.  It probably has something to do with people dropping me on my head as a baby, but my mom swears that only happened a few times.  So, perhaps I should chalk it up to karma and getting what I deserve.  Either way, I have a bad habit of falling down, even from a sitting position.

When I was a teenager, my friend, Jay, and I used to ride his dad’s Kawasaki three-wheeler all over the hills around his house.  When we plopped the weight of our toothpick bodies down onto the seat of that beast, the fat balloon tires didn’t strain at all.  We felt as cool as Knight Rider having a conversation with his car.  The first time Jay allowed me to fly solo on the three-wheeler was also the last.  With the courage of youth, I gunned the throttle and aimed for the top of the steepest hill around.  About half way up, as my momentum slowed, I veered to the right, thinking that taking the hill at an angle would give me more climbing power.  That was a great idea for about three seconds at which time Isaac Newton taught me a very important lesson.  It’s a good thing I had a helmet on or today I’d be just one more reason why three-wheelers never made it past stage one in the Darwinian cycle of ATV evolution.  Naturally, I stopped operating off-road vehicles for a long time.

Fast forward twenty years to a time when manufacturers showed the good sense to put four ATV tires on their machines, probably with people like me in mind.  As part of our jobs, a co-worker of mine and I took a ride up a mountain trail on a matching pair of Honda Foreman 450s.  I started the ride with some trepidation, slowly rebuilding the confidence that Kawasaki so cruelly stole two decades earlier.  Just a few miles into the ride and all worries were gone, but then I saw it; a fallen tree stretched across the trail in front of me, looming large like the Mother of All Speed Bumps.  I watched in awe as my co-worker skillfully maneuvered his way over the log, shifting his body from side to side, maintaining his cool as two of the four ATV wheels hung perilously in the air.  Once past the log, he parked his Honda, jumped off and motioned me forward.

I carefully inched ahead, preferring “death by log” over admitting that I was frightened out of my mind.  As I throttled forward, the Goodyear ATV tires scratched and clawed their way up the log until they hung in mid air, and all I could see was blue sky.  “Give it some gas,” John shouted.  In a panic, I aggressively squeezed the throttle lever with my thumb and goosed it.  I remember John grabbing the front storage rack of the Foreman to keep it from flipping over backwards, but that didn’t save me.  Over the back end I went, again cursing Isaac Newton and this gravity malarkey.

Over the next several years, I managed to keep all four tires of the various ATVs I rode on the ground until one day when I decided I was good enough to take chances.  My first rollover of the day was simple enough—that’s right, I said “first.”  While turning around on a narrow trail, I crept a little too far up the side hill and tipped over onto my side.  Time seemed to slow to an excruciatingly sluggish pace as if to say to me, “Newton: 3, Richards: 0, and you really need to find a new hobby.”  The rash on my leg and the burn on my arm only punctuated my shame.  Unfortunately, Newton and his cursed gravity had one more lesson for me to learn that day.

The ride back to my truck at the trailhead allowed me to regain my confidence and rationalize that the side hill rollover had been an unavoidable accident, not my fault at all, just an unfortunate turn of events that I could do nothing about.  I arrived at the trailhead, the ATV ramp angling from the truck’s tailgate down to the ground, just as I had left it.  The sight of the ramp prompted another one of my unassailably genius ideas; to go up the ramp backwards.  It seemed so simple at the time, I mean, wouldn’t it be so much more logical to pull forward off the truck instead of backing down?  Who could argue with that?  So, up the ramp I went, rear end first.  About half way up, my brand new Bighorn Maxxis ATV tires somehow got off center, of course, through no fault of my own.  It was déjà vu all over again.  Time slowed, the fates laughing at my folly, and the ghost of Isaac Newton hovered above me, amused at my stupidity.  For anyone who hasn’t experienced it, I can testify that it’s quite humiliating to be heckled by a ghost wearing a powdered wig while you’re laying on the ground with a Honda Foreman on top of you.

Upon extricating myself from beneath my red and black captor, I righted the machine and began a damage inspection.  Not a thing had broken.  The quad itself, the storage box, the spare gas can, and all of the other ATV accessories thankfully, for me, lived up to their makers’ guarantees of ruggedness and durability. 

These events took place over a span of 30 years, but when I lump them all together, there are some important lessons that I can learn.  First, always wear a helmet and other safety gear.  Second, stop doing stupid things or attempting riding that requires skills I just don’t have.  Third, always use equipment such as ramps in the manner that the designers intended.  And, finally, for a man who once fell off of a horse named “Rainbow,” it wouldn’t be a bad idea to study Newton’s laws of gravity before I kill myself. 

Ryan Richards

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Whether you’re an ATV rider who’s passionate about tread or only care that your ATV tires are holding air, there are tire options for any need. Tires are the highest selling aftermarket component in the quad business.

First, it’s important to identify the type of riding you do. If you’re riding in mud, you’ll want self-cleaning mud tires with a tall tread pattern. But, if you take your mud tires on hard-pack trails, concrete or asphalt, the tread life will be shortened significantly.

If you’re a trail rider, trail tires offer a tread that can handle a variety of conditions. These are also known as all-terrain tires because they can handle just about any type of surface. If you’re a trail rider who encounters mud, sand, rocks, or all of the above, all-terrain trail tires are your best bet.

Racing tires are specially built for medium- to hard-packed trails and courses. If you’re a racer, it’s worth it to invest in high-quality racing tires.

Visit the ATV Tire Store to check out our huge stock of tires. We carry the top brands in ATV tires, such as Carlisle, Dunlop, GBC, ITP, Kenda and more.

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In some parts of the country, summer has come relatively early this year. This means that warm weather activities, like ATV riding, can begin a bit earlier. Whether you’re a beginning or advanced rider, the trails below offer a little something for everyone.

For beginners or anyone looking for a relatively easy ride, try Skyline Drive, located in Farmington, Utah. This drive is known for its spectacular views and is close to several cities, so getting to and from the trail is not difficult. It is considered to be one of the best summer trails in the US.

Jackman-Moose River Region trails in Maine cover 300 miles of wilderness. The trails snake through multiple types of terrain and afford riders excellent opportunities for hunting, camping, and fishing. Jackman also offers an ATV Jamboree every September.

For expert riders, there is the Pearl Pass trail in Crested Butte, Colorado. It receives high marks for its length (40.6 total miles), beautiful scenery, and challenging terrain.

Make sure you have the right tires for your trail adventures! ATV Tire Store carries GBC ATV tires, Carlisle ATV tires, and other major brands. Check out ATV Tire Store today.

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As parts of the world that were once considered remote and fairly uninhabitable transform into burgeoning towns and cities, various modes of transportation are becoming more popular and successful. One example of such a location is the United Arab Emirates, a region that was once miles upon miles of desert and little else. Until recently, traveling around this country required a certain level of flexibility. New roads and communities have been rising out of the desert at an almost alarming rate. However, no matter the amount of irrigation, construction, and development, the desert still dominates. Consequently, ATVs are quite popular in the region, and having the right ATV tires is vital for ensuring that it is possible to get around in parts of the area.

Whether the local population chooses Cheng Shin Ablaze or ITP Sandstar ATV tires, everyone knows that the tire tread must be relatively bald to function safely out in the desert. Tires with tread will simply bog down in the miles of sand surrounding the developed areas, and leave the ATV owner stranded. With the right tires, it is possible to enjoy everything the UAE has to offer, both its newly built areas, and the beauty of the original landscape.

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