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The Best ATV Trails: One Man's Waste Is Another Man's Treasure.
Next time you hear about a magnificent riding spot, you might would like to ask some questions before you pack up to go ride there. Although all ATV's are designed for fun, they aren't all set up for having fun on the same territory, and a trail that is wonderful for some people might be a total bore or be impassable for others.
Twenty years ago most ATV's were quite similar. 3 wheels were a lot more regular than four, and they all had a useful feel to them. Today there's a large type of ATV's that are specifically intended to fullfil the needs of nearly any rider. Most ATV's have become very focused and are built for mud, rocks, work, or just plain speed. They have accessories like a 12 volt winch, gun racks, or just some nice foot pegs for comfort. However, because ATV's are so specialized, certain trails are much more suited to different types of ATV's. ATV's fall into 2 categories, sport and utility, and every style of ATV performs really well in a particular conditions.
For rock crawling and other extremely rough terrain, a large 4 wheel drive utility quad is the greatest, but skid plates are highly suggested. 4 wheel drive is vital for rock crawls since it is not uncommon to get a front or back wheel off the ground to get from one rock to another. Portable winches are also a requirement, in case you get stuck in a bind and need to drag your rig out. Although it's possible to prod a two wheel drive sport bike over some crazy rocks, you'd better take the right line through the rocks the first time as most sport bikes don't have a reverse. The suspension setups in sport bikes also make them a lot more difficult to get across big rocks; this is because the suspension is a lot more rigid, and most of them lack independent suspension. In many utility quads, it looks like the tires reach down and grab the rocks.
When it relates to mud pits, the utility quads, especially those with four wheel drive are right at home. The extra weight of these monsters, along with locking differentials, let the tires sling everything out of the way that it can't grab onto. Sport bikes can be lots of fun in the mud, but they are not the first choice for deep mud holes. Anytime you are crossing mud, speed is your friend, specially if you're on a sport bike designed for speed and acceleration, not the low end torque require to push through a wall of mud and water. But, stopping any quad in the middle of a mud pit, 4 wheel drive or not, can mean that'll you'll need to pull out your portable winch.
The biggest issue that comes up when talking about magnificent riding trails is what makes that trail great. A few people will say that mostly level trails with several hills and ditches are great riding; they just prefer to get away from everything and enjoy the great outdoors for several hours. Although there're many people that enjoy this type of ATV ride, it just won't cut it if you're in the mood to sling some mud, catch some air, or crawl up bluffs. Whatever type of riding you enjoy, you may be very disappointed if you unload at a spot and discover that the terrain brings out your quad's weaknesses rather than its strengths.
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