5 Tips for Eco Friendly ATV Riding

Go green on the trails and make your rides less harmful to nature with Super Power Sports’ five tips for eco-friendly ATV riding.

While tearing up the trails on your ATV or UTV is exciting, it may have a negative influence on the ecosystem. If you enjoy ATVing, it’s critical to protect this natural environment and keep it open to off-road riding for many years to come. There are several methods to make your rides less destructive to the environment, whether you’re racing through woodland trails or splashing through mud. With ATV Trader’s five eco-friendly ATV riding guidelines, you can go green on the trails.

1. Stay on Designated Trails

ATVs and UTVs let you spend time in natural settings with heart-pumping trail riding. However, barreling through the natural habitat of native plants and animals isn’t the most environmentally friendly activity. Make sure you’re only riding on your own property or on designated trails.

If you’re on your own property, design your trail to have minimal ecological impact and be more sustainable. Riding paths should maintain the trail’s basic stability and shape without major changes. You should also ensure that your soil is durable enough for riding and won’t break through the ground’s vegetative cover.

Designated trails, including ones at an ATV park or national park, have paths that have already been cleared to avoid plants and wildlife, so you won’t have to worry about doing any more harm. It can also help to ride in the middle of a path to avoid widening it.

Be sure that you’re only riding in areas open to off-road vehicles. According to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), sensitive areas, such as meadows, lakeshores, wetlands and streams, should be avoided.

2. Ride an Electric ATV

You can still reach thrilling speeds on an ATV without guzzling gas and putting dangerous toxins into the air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the large amounts of emissions from ATVs help form smog and contain toxic compounds, so it’s important to reduce these for the overall health of riders and the environment.

Popular brands, such as Polaris, feature lines of electric vehicles that are more fuel efficient, produce lower emissions, and can tackle work and play. Instead of hearing the roar of an engine, your riding soundtrack is simply the sounds of nature and the terrain under your tires.

3. Clean Up After Yourself

ATV and UTV riding can be an all-day activity, complete with hanging out with friends and having a snack on the trails. Just make sure you pack up whatever you brought with you. If you have a utility four wheeler with storage space, bring some trash bags to clean up your mess once you’re finished. Littering can lead to a hefty fine, especially on trails at national parks and forests.

4. Keep Up with Your ATV Maintenance

Maintaining your quad is an easy way to reduce emissions, fumes, and toxins as you ride, no matter what type of off-road vehicle you have. Simply following your manufacturer’s recommended maintenance can help reduce the emissions from your off-road vehicle. You should also wash your ATV after a ride to avoid spreading noxious weeds from trail to trail.

If you have a gas-powered or diesel-powered ATV or UTV, consider using a synthetic oil. Synthetic oil not only extends the lifespan and efficiency of your engine, it can also improve fuel economy and lasts longer so you create less oil waste.

When you do have to dispose of certain ATV and UTV parts and fluids, make sure you do so in a proper, eco-friendly way. You should never simply throw away oil, batteries, and other harmful chemicals because these can be damaging to the environment. See what local businesses, such as mechanics, or recycling centers can accept used motor oil or lead-acid batteries.

5. Join a Club

A great way to participate in more sustainable practices is to join a club with like-minded off-road riders. Find an organization that is committed to being more eco-friendly and promotes conservation. Tread Lightly!, for example, is a nonprofit organization that strives to balance the needs of outdoor enthusiasts and the need to maintain a healthy ecosystem. Organizations like this offer educational programs and materials that promote positive, environmentally friendly offroading, along with hands-on activities and events.

You don’t have to feel guilty when you hit the trails in your off-road vehicle. By following these five tips, you can make your ATV rides more eco-friendly and enjoy your adrenaline-filled time in the great outdoors.

Best Safety Tips For Riding ATV and UTVs

If you haven’t quite made the plunge and bought an ATV or UTV yet, this information is still for you. Learning the ins and outs of the ATV/UTV lifestyle is an essential part of any rider’s journey. Take a look at our comprehensive ATV/UTV starter guide to learn the basics.

You just bought your brand-new ATV and you’re ready to hit the trails.

Not so fast!

With any off-road vehicle, it’s important to consider your safety while riding. Whether you prefer an ATV for quick turns and solo riding, or a helpful UTV for more specialized work like hunting and farming, are you really ready to ride? Let’s find out!

Because these off-road vehicles (ATVs and UTVs), like your new ATV’s, are meant to be used on unpaved (off-road) areas, there are risks involved. We’ve rounded up 10 safety tips for riding so you can be prepared for any conditions or circumstances that might happen.

Many ATVs and UTVs come equipped with safety features like brake wear indicators, safety flags, doors, seatbelts, and more. Other than the vehicle’s safety features, there are certain safety tips you should keep in mind while you’re out there.

If you haven’t quite made the plunge and bought an ATV or UTV yet, this information is still for you. Learning the ins and outs of the ATV/UTV lifestyle is an essential part of any rider’s journey. Take a look at our comprehensive ATV/UTV starter guide to learn the basics.

Pro Tip: Make sure you’re equipped with the following safety gear before you move onto the more adventurous side of riding! Follow our five safety tips for riding ATVs and our five tips for riding UTVs.

Five safety tips for riding ATVs

ATVs are popular, practical, and fun, but they can quickly turn dangerous if you aren’t staying safe and playing by the rules! Here are five safety tips to keep in mind before you hit the trails with your new ATV.

1. Wear the right gear

First, you need to make sure you have the proper safety gear. The absolute basics should be long pants, a long-sleeve shirt, boots, and a helmet. You can also get additional protective gear like an outside chest protector, motocross pants, motocross boots, knee guards, and more depending on how you ride. Let’s go over your ATV safety gear.

Helmet

Protect your head with a high-quality ATV helmet. Helmets should not only be comfortable and durable with the proper fit, but they should also be approved by the Department of Transportation, and in some cases, certified by SNELL.

Goggles

Goggles are also a great piece of gear to have, as they can protect your eyes from wind, rocks, dirt, dust, branches, and anything else that may come your way on the trail.

Toolkit

Everyone needs a simple toolkit. Toolkits should have a few basic items like a Swiss Army knife, duct tape, a trail map, a tire pressure gauge, a multifunctional screwdriver, and more. Other items can include vise-grip pliers, an air pump, tire plugs, and anything else you might need to get you back on the trails.

Pro tip: Don’t forget first aid! A simple first-aid kit should include Band-Aids, antibiotic ointment, gauze, and more. Trust us, it’s always better to be prepared.

2. Never ride alone

Never ride alone, and we don’t mean with a passenger. ATV riding can get a little sticky, so it’s a good idea to have some friends to ride alongside you in case you crash, run out of gas, get stuck, etc. Try to always ride with at least one other vehicle to play it safe.

Pro tip: Even if you drive in a popular area where there are many other enthusiasts or where you’re probably safe to ride alone, try to find a group to ride with so you don’t have to take your chances. Children should especially never ride alone and must always be supervised by an adult. Outdoor Safety 101 also says to always let someone reliable know where you are and when you expect to be back home.

3. No public roads!

ATVs are built for off-road riding, so keep them there! Pay attention to trail rules and regulations and stay off paved and public roads. Riding on paved and/or public roads can be dangerous because it makes it much easier for other vehicles to hit you, which is just a recipe for disaster. Also, be sure not to stray too far from the designated trails as there can be hazards you are unaware of!

Pro tip: Be cautious when crossing paved roads, and only do so where it’s legal and/or permitted.

Make sure you also follow trail etiquette. That means:

  • Stay to the right side of the trail.
  • Slow down around corners and near campgrounds.
  • Only ride on marked trails.
  • Have the proper paperwork, flags, stickers, etc.
  • This not only ensures your safety, but also the safety of others who are using the same area.

4. No passengers

Unless your ATV is specially designed for two riders, you should never have a passenger with you while riding an ATV: it dangers their safety and yours.

Having a passenger on a vehicle that is not designed for more than one person could throw off the center of gravity and cause you to tip over, especially if you’re driving at higher speeds. Also, if the passenger were to get injured, the driver and/or the owner of the vehicle are the ones responsible, which could create a legal and financial nightmare.

Drive safe and drive responsibly—no passengers!

If your friend is just desperate to ride with you out on the trails, tell them to check out the best deals in the industry on ATVs and UTVs so they can get one of their own.

5. Ride within your capabilities and choose the right ATV for you

No matter how you ride, what you ride, or when you ride, make sure you’re within your capabilities and have chosen the right ATV for your skill level. By riding an ATV you can handle, you can ensure a safer and more enjoyable ride.

Be careful not to attempt anything that requires more experience or skill than you have, as it can be dangerous. Instead, ride within your capabilities and don’t ride in areas you can’t easily navigate.

Can’t decide which ATV is best for you? There are so many great options, we know. Rollick breaks down the best ATVs for each style ranging from best in value to toughness to innovation, you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Pro tip: Even though ATVs are designed for off-roading, it’s best to stick to more established trails for your skill level because you never know what you could run into.

If you’re headed out to the woods in your new ATV or UTV, make sure you’re equipped and protected for the ride. Whether you’re racing on the trails, heading out for a hunt, tearing up the dunes, or working on the farm, it’s important to wear the proper gear, keep to well-known trails, and drive safe. Follow our 10 safety tips for riding ATVs and UTVs.

If you’re looking to price and buy an ATV or UTV, make sure to check out the Progressive Outdoor Vehicle Buying Program to search our vehicle inventory and get a special deal.