Firstly when trying to decide which one I wanted to try I went and talked to a few of the people who have experienced Quad Bikes for many years. Once I had got all the basics of which ones to look at, off I went with my legal credentials so that I could test drive a couple of bikes to see what they were like.

Yamaha had only recently swapped the old 660 none fuel injection for the 700R fuel injected single overhead cam – and boy how different they would be when tested side by side.

The 660 I tried had done about 2000 miles and sounded like someone had thrown small stones into the exhaust system whilst it sat on tick over. But, as soon as you lifted the revs from the idle 800rpm that small tinkering noise disappeared.

I donned my helmet and gloves and off I went, rolling tamely down the road to get a feel of the response, handling and general road holding of the bike. First impression was that it felt very soft and moved around on the front end a fair bit, but this could be rectified for sure, and for only a few pounds.

Having gone through some lanes and over a couple of fields I found it was great fun, had all the guts needed and did run very well on different surfaces.

Within an hour I was back at the dealership begging for the 700R as my thoughts were very much: “Given the small faults I had found, they would have managed those easily on the new model!”

Wrong!

The engine did sound remarkably different and, had only covered about 300 miles less than the 660 I rode earlier. Again, slid on my lid and off I went taking the same route as earlier.

Oh my god, Yamaha had done something wrong surely – this Quad Bike had the handling like Bambi on Ice!

It was awful to ride in a straight line and needed some serious modifications to keep it from snapping at the front and directing me into the side of the road – surely this had been adjusted wrongly and the apprentice had set the tracking wrong?

It appeared not to be the case. After returning to the dealership I talked seriously with the technical guys and they confirmed the horrible nature of the handling and told me to try a “modified” version to get the true feel.

luckily, one was at hand and within minutes I was back off and testing something which looked the same yet probably looked a little lower – but that was it.

This was so different, you pointed it and it went the direction you wanted it to. How amazingly different from my earlier experience, this bike didn’t leap around and was far more stable on the road plus, you could feel the front end lifting as you accelerated away.

Off road was a complete hoot, you had the feeling of complete stability when pushing the back end out as you turned and with no fear it would lift on one side.

My mind was made up, I returned to the dealer and placed my order that day. These are the modifications that were done to the test bike I took out:

* Both the front and read shocks had been wound in nice and tight so there was very little rebound .
* Two inch spacers had been placed on the back wheels creating the stability
* Both the front and read suspension had been dropped by three inches. This was what stopped the front end from grabbing the tarmac so heavily making it feel like you were going into the ditch>

The total cost of the adaptations was just short of 180GBP – and probably the best money I could have spent on the bike.

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Riding Gear

Safety Gear

Navigation Gear

Survival Gear

Suitable Riding Gear: One of the accessory categories that will help to make any off or on-track ATV experience enjoyable is suitable riding gear. The conditions in which you are riding can be as diverse as the track or trail conditions and having suitable riding gear is important. If you don’t have proper wet gear a trek can get real uncomfortable, real quick. Being prepared for various weather or track conditions with suitable riding gear can enhance any excursion.

Riding gear is an essential ATV accessory that can help make any trek enjoyable even if weather conditions change.

Safety Gear: Another essential ATV accessory category is safety gear. It is crucial to not only have proper safety gear but to actually wear it too. Riding can be dangerous and perilous depending on conditions, and so safety gear is important to protect your body. Full safety gear including, boots, shin/knee guards, gloves, chest protector and helmet will help to keep you safe should you crash or take a tumble while riding.

Safety gear today may be considered and accessory, but every serious ATV rider should consider it mandatory.

Navigation Gear: Today the navigation gear that is available to the average ATV rider is quite sophisticated, and surprisingly affordable. If you make it a habit to venture into territory that is new and unfamiliar it is a good idea to have a GPS, map, or on a minimum, a compass. Having these accessories is a great precaution against getting lost, but also make sure you know how to use them properly too.

Today, sophisticated and affordable navigation accessories are available to keep any ATV rider on track.

Survival Gear: Trekking out into the wilderness for a ride on your ATV with only the clothes on your back is not a good idea. This is how many riders end up in trouble. A trek should always be planned and your ATV should be equipped at least with the minimum of safety gear should something go wrong. Essential on board safety gear would include tools, flashlight, food, water, and a basic first aid kit. An onboard safety kit can be purchased with all of these essentials included.

One essential category of ATV accessories that should be on-board every vehicle is survival gear, just incase of a breakdown, accident or emergency.

Before setting out on the trail always check to be certain that your essential ATV accessories are available, and in good working order. These accessories are designed to keep you and your riding party safe, so you can concentrate on an enjoyable riding experience.

A great way to get a good price on an ATV is to browse online auctions. Check out GIO Bikes for great prices on an ATV including 110cc ATVs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Billy_Whitmire

Okay, I’m off my soapbox now, and we would be supplied down to business.

When choosing a helmet there are a number of things to consider; in this guide we will cover the basics to get you going.

First, search for a helmet that is intended for being “off-road” ( from time-to-time labeled as “motocross”) – a common motorcycle helmet will provide safety, but it won’t give a few of the truly great features of a helmet made specifically for an ATV.

Second, ensure the helmet is comfortable – I know the first thing you consider with safety helmets is safety; but comfort is right up there. Check these things when comparing comfort levels: make a point there’s enough padding, check for a good seal around the ear (not touching the ear), ensure there’s a neck roll that cradles the back of the neck, and ensure the’re no straps or fasteners protruding in a helmet.

Next, and this is a big one, ensure that the helmet is DOT or Snell certified. Simple, if the helmet isn’t certified – don’t bother.

Also, you may be caught in the store and you have two safety helmets, and you simply can’t pick… Go with the one that has the most EPS. EPS is the hard form-type liner inside the helmet that actually absorbs the crash impact. Manufacturers can just put in the minimum, but some go above and beyond, so keep that in mind.

Finally, providing you have a face shield (and why wouldn’t you?) ensure it meets the VESC-8 or ANSI Z-87 standards, plus make certain the face shield doesn’t distort your view or flop around after you have opened it.

On final note: the materials that helmets are issued of deteriorate, so providing you have an old helmet (or one that has been in an accident because they are single use items) – get a new one.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wredan_Sudtin

Probably the most common is a large front bumper. These products are used to reinforce the strength of the vehicle as well as to provide a lot of practicality when using it out in the wild. These accessories provide a great deal of utility such as pulling extra weight also have other objects with tent posts tied to them for extra storage space.

Which brings us to the next best accessory for your ATV – the storage container. These products can be found in many different sizes and made to fit around many different parts of your ATV, whether the front or the back as well as alongside the fenders. These are usually heavy duty in construction, waterproof, and removable for easy and safe use.

In addition to accessories that go on your ATV, ramps are probably the most helpful accessory for owners. Many people don’t live near the wild where they ride their ATV, so they transport these vehicles by truck or trailer. Ramps allow the owner to easily move their ATV to and from their location without trouble and more importantly with safety.

Wenches are less common tools, but are extremely useful products. These products are attached to the front or back of your ATV and can be used to pull weight and even help you pull your ATV out of a ditch if needed just like a truck wench.

Finally, appropriate wear like helmets, goggles, and masks are also very important to keeping riders safe and comfortable. These products come in nearly every type of color and style, so you can stay cool looking as well as having all the benefits.

Alex Sutton lives in San Diego with his wife and two kids. For more information please visit ATV accessories.

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