Powersports Advisor

ATVs are becoming extremely popular among families for outdoor adventures these days. Several decades ago, the notorious 3-wheelers started the craze, but proved to be too dangerous for the general public because of stability issues. Now, 4-wheel ATVs are the standard for all-wheel fun for the whole family.

Although ATVs are mostly user-friendly, many people become injured due to reckless riding and inexperience. We will show you how to “ease” into the world of ATVs and get started safely in this article.

As with any new undertaking, start out by collecting information, talking to experienced riders, and trying out the sport in a controlled environment.

First, Seek Out An Experienced ATV Rider

As with most new endeavors, it is always best to seek the advice and guidance of a trusted friend or acquaintance to get the skinny on getting started riding ATVs. We do not recommend going straight to the ATV dealer, as they want to sell you a new one as soon as possible. They will tell you what you want to hear…not what you need to know.

The best thing to do is to get out on the trail or the back yard with an ATV and an experienced coach or friend. You need to actually ride one to see if you like it…before plunking down cash for a new or used machine. Although most people fall in love with ATV riding, you may be the exception and not like it. Better to know this at the beginning.

Consider Taking an ATV Safety Course

Just like with motorcycle training courses, it is not a bad idea to enroll in an ATV safety course to learn some valuable skills and safe riding practices. As a man, I know we are hesitant in taking “safety” course, but consider that you can learn new riding techniques that can prevent injury and actually increase your “performance”.

If you are a bit apprehensive about ATV riding, the safety course is the way to go. They will ease you into the riding process and get you started on the right foot in a controlled environment. Never start out by hopping on a powerful ATV and try to ride with the experienced riders on the first day. Bad idea.

What About Buying an ATV?

We would suggest that you rent or borrow an ATV from a friend for your first experiences. When you know you want one, check out the used ones on Craigs List or the local paper. These machines last forever, so save a few thousand dollars and go with a used one for starters.

Once you buy one, have it serviced and checked out by a certified mechanic or dealer before riding to make sure all is in order (and to preserve your investment). Read the owner’s manual to get an understanding of what is required for maintenance, care and safe riding.

Get Out There and Ride!

No amount of reading is better than doing - for learning new skills. Just make sure that you take your time at the beginning and do not be too aggressive. Get to know the behavior of the ATV and build up your skills slowly. It never hurts to ride with more experienced people - however, always ride to your comfort level…not theirs.

If you approach ATVing with these steps, you will find that these machines can open up a whole new world of fun and adventure for many years to come. Enjoy!

The Green Movement has permeated the entire world and many extremist activists are fighting the use of motorcycles, ATVs, watercraft and snowmobiles on public lands and waters. They seem to have this image that we are tearing up the environment and bringing Planet Earth to an end. Not so.

It is easy to see how they have this image, as only the negative effects of the powersporting community are ever highlighted. We all know that most of our outdoor adventures are innocuous and not damaging to the environment. Some people abuse Mother Nature with their power toys, but most love the outdoors and treat it with respect.

On the flip side, most environmentalistsare not extreme and believe we can have our toys and protect the natural environment as well. The Earth is a big place, and our tiny footprints don’t leave much of a mark on the earth in the grand scheme.

Become a Green Powersports Enthusiast

Just because we enjoy the unlimited fun of internal combustion toys, that doesn’t mean we can’t do our small part to keep the Earth naturally beautiful and healthy. Here are some useful guidelines:

• Ditch the Two Stroke Engines: Although they are a blast to ride on the trails and in the water, it is well known that they are major polluters next to four stroke engines. I noticed that Venice has mandated 4-stroke engines to help clean up those precious waterways.
• Respect Nature and Others on the Trails: When you are out there, only travel on the marked trails and roadways. There is a reason that forest managers regulate these areas to protect the natural areas for all people to enjoy. When we go off trail, we damage sensitive ecosystems and cause erosion.
• Camp Responsibly & Respectfully: Just like everyone else out there…riders need to pick up their garbage, minimize campfire impacts, and protect waterways by not camping close to them. You should aim to leave nature the way you found it (if not a little better). We all love the outdoors, so we should do our part to keep it naturally clean and beautiful.
• Respect the Wildlife and Plant Life: These guys were here long before us and will be here long after us…so show a little respect. Just our mere presence is a bit stressful, so do your part to minimize it by slowing down for wildlife.
• Teach the Young Ones to Respect Nature: We all know the kids are watching us to see how to behave. This is your chance to lead by example and show them how to have our power toys without being detrimental to our beloved natural areas. Be a shining example of responsible riding.

We don’t have to be at odds with the environmentalists if we keep our end of the bargain. There will always be extremists on both sides causing trouble, but it is easy to ride the middle ground and do your part to keep the planet healthy - while enjoying powersports!

Having just sold my Kawasaki KLX400SR - an excellent dual sport bike - in exchange for buying a new Honda CRF250X, I have come to appreciate the versatility of dual sport motorcycles. Since my Honda is not dual sported yet, I am very limited in where I can ride it.

Even in my beloved Colorado with millions of acres of pubic lands, I am finding that a motorcycle without license plates is mostly parked - while a plated bike gets ridden all of the time. No more quick and exhilarating rides around the neighborhood, to the store, or to the trail head.

So I am in the process of converting the saucy new CRF250x into a dirt bike that can hop on the road as needed. Fortunately, Colorado is very loose in their requirements.

The First Steps in Converting to a Dual Sport?

Well, first of all, if you have a two stroke, you can pretty much forget it. I have heard that there are states that allow such a thing, but this is not the norm. I love two strokes, but you have admit, they are stinky and sharply noisy little critters.

Secondly, you need to check with the local DMV (yes, it is a requirement) and see what is required to convert your bike to a dual sport. I noticed that I got different answers from different dealers on what was required in the state of Colorado.

The DMV will have a checklist that you must follow to be in compliance - and you have to sign your name saying you have made these changes. That means you could get into deep do-do if you don’t.

The Changes to My Bike to Be in Compliance

The CRF has electric start and a decent headlight. Because Colorado is relaxed on motorcycles, the only changes I have made are adding a rear brake light switch, a clip on rear view mirror, a dual-filament brake light, and a little sqeeky horn. They also require DOT-approved tires…but I will take my chances with stock tires for now.

Don’t toss that factory odometer yet! To my surprise the DMV requires it (or an aftermarket speedo) - although I have no idea why this makes me more street legal. I have an aftermarket speedo/tach sitting the garage waiting to go on the bike.

Other states will require more change for compliance. These may include turn signals, parking lights, hi/lo beam headlights, steel gas tanks, speedometers, etc. If you want to take it to the max on dual sporting, just go down to your motorcycle dealer and look at what is put on dual sport bikes from the factory.

Where You Can Get the Necessary Parts

The defacto standard in dual sport kit manufacturers is Baja Designs. If you mention them around you gear-head moto friends, they will give you a nod of acceptance. They produce complete dual sport kits for most of the dirt bike lines on the market today. The components are made well by people who understand dirt bikes very well.

You can order a Baja Designs kit at a discount price by clicking the banner below (and searching for “baja designs” on their site):

This should get you started in expanding your dirt bike to the rest of the world of possibilities. I can’t wait to finish my dual sport project…just to have my bike to ride around the neighborhood. Happy trails!

CAUTION: ONLY READ THIS POST IF YOUR MARRIAGE IS ON GOOD TERMS!

So, you have been riding motorcycles all of your life (as a single male) and fantasize about your wife riding along side you. You imagine the two of you sharing new frontiers and vistas that are not available to the average car-bound person.

You also see the advantage of getting your wife hooked on the gear…so you have more leverage in buying that new bike next year. Good strategy…but proceed with great care. How you handle the delicate process getting your wife hooked on riding will determine whether you have many years of riding happiness - or a lifetime of disconnection and arguing!

For starters, you are not alone in your fantasy of couples riding. Thousands have gone through this process, and I am currently right in the middle of it! I will share my experiences with you in this post and more to come.

Start with Selling the Vision to your Spouse

Most reasonable women look at a motorcycle and say: “Why would I want to do that? It looks dirty, dangerous, and I have a perfectly good car!” Your job is to share your vision of what it would be like to be out on the trails or the open road with your best friend. Start there.

The first task is to get her (or him) hooked on the idea and the benefits of riding, then the rest will follow easily. If you skip this step, all I can say is good luck with the marriage.

Get Her Interested in a Motorcycle Training Course

This is the point that my wife and I are at currently. I bought her the bike and now she is slightly terrified of riding it. She drives a Audi with a 5-speed manual tranny, but has yet to translate those skills to a motorcycle. Our friends have recommended a training course to get off on the right foot.

At least if she completes the course, she won’t blame me for teaching her bad habits. The other benefit is that she gets her license automatically at the end of the course. I will keep you posted on how this goes.

This is the first post in an ongoing series where we expore the delicate process of getting the wife hooked on riding - whether on the road or in the dirt. Wish me luck!

By the way…the picture is not of us…but I thought it was pretty funny.

Hi Folks. Welcome to the launch of our fantastic PowerSportsAdvisor.com Web site. We are aiming to put together the most comprehensive site dedicated to the love of power sports on the Internet. Give us a little time and your help - and we will do just that.

In our searching of the Internet for good sites about power sports, we have come across many fine sites for motorcycle, ATV, and watercraft enthusiasts. They tend to focus on one area (like street bikes or ATVs). Our aim is to bridge the gaps on those sites to bring you a comprehensive knowledge base on many topics related to your beloved toys. And why not?…we are allowed to have many different power toys in this country (as long as the spouse approves…of course).

You and I are about to embark upon a great exploration adventure into the world of power sports and create many lasting memories along the way.  So, put your helmet on…or not for you rebels!

An Introduction to Your PowerSportsAdvisor.com Team

Our power sports team has always been a  group of power sports enthusiasts. In our journey into the finer points of motorized fun, we will be your guide and the moderator of this site. As long as I can remember as a little munchkin, I always was fascinated by the rumble of engines and the speed and power of motorcycles, ATVs, boats, and watercraft.

In fact, I remember being slapped on my first motorcycle long before I could drive a car in my childhood. Since then, I have been hooked.  As a matter of fact, my brand new CRF250X is sitting in the garage right now begging to be ridden.  The weather is warm and the Colorado trails are drying out.  Soon I will be pushing my new frontiers out in the backcountry with a smile on my face.

Great Family Memories on Motorcycles, Snowmobiles and Boats

As most adults can relate to who grew up with moto-toys, some of the best memories of my childhood were of outings with the family on snowmobiles and motorcycles. Growing up in Northern Wyoming, we always had a trailer full of Yamaha’s, Ski-Doos, and Artic Cats in the winter time. We would disappear into the Big Horn mountains for days at a time gliding through the powder. What’s better than that?

In the summer months, I remember lazy days fishing for wall-eye on the back of our cabin cruiser…getting sun-burnt and just loving the day. I think power sports provides the opportunity to bring the family together, without torturing the poor kids! We will provide some good ideas on this site for doing just that.

Well, it is almost embarrassing how clean my dirt bike is right now…so maybe when I get enough writing done for this site, I can take him out to get dirty. If you are in Colorado…I may see you out on the trails:)

Safe and Happy Riding!
~The Editor