ATV Skills
Mastering ATV (all-terrain vehicle) handling is essential for safe and effective use on your lifestyle block. Whether you're cornering, climbing slopes, towing a trailer, or training younger riders, correct body positioning and active riding techniques are critical to safety and performance.
Cornering Techniques
How you position your body has a big impact on ATV stability when cornering.
At low speeds, shift your hips to the outside of the turn and apply more weight to the outer footrest.
At moderate speeds, you won’t need to shift as far, but continue to move slightly to the outside.
At higher speeds, move your hips to the inside of the turn and put more weight on the inner footrest.
To transfer enough weight, you may need to stand on the footrests. This is part of “active riding.”
Riding on Slopes
Slope riding requires deliberate body positioning to maintain balance and reduce rollover risk.
On side slopes, move your body uphill to counteract the downhill lean of the ATV.
When climbing uphill, move your body forward to help prevent tipping backwards.
When going downhill, shift your weight back to keep the vehicle balanced.
Active Riding Techniques
“Active riding” is the term for constantly adjusting your body position to maintain ATV stability, particularly on slopes or uneven terrain.
Key principles include:
Knowing where and when to shift your weight
Standing on the footrests for better range of motion and control
Using your trunk and hips to shift the most effective amount of body weight
Rough terrain, steep hills and higher speeds demand more frequent and dramatic weight shifts. Standing while riding gives you greater control and allows you to adjust quickly and safely.
Loads, Attachments and Towing
Carrying or towing weight with your ATV alters how it handles, especially on hills and rough ground.
Never exceed the manufacturer’s load limits for front or rear carriers.
Distribute loads evenly to maintain balance.
Mounted sprayers or fertiliser spreaders can reduce stability on slopes. Consider towing heavier loads in a trailer.
When towing, aim for 10 percent of the trailer’s total loaded weight on the drawbar for proper balance.
Example: A 100 kg trailer loaded with 200 kg of hay has a total weight of 300 kg. Around 30 kg should be on the drawbar.
Too much drawbar weight makes steering difficult. Too little can reduce traction, which is especially dangerous when descending slopes.
Children and ATV Safety
While ATVs are stable machines, accidents often result from rider limitations rather than machine failure. Children in particular may lack the judgement, strength, and coordination needed to operate an ATV safely.
Riders must have the strength to shift their weight and maintain control.
Most ATVs are not designed for carrying passengers, especially children.
New Zealand statistics show that half of ATV-related deaths involve children under 12.
Children should only operate age-appropriate ATVs under strict supervision and never on steep, uneven, or high-speed terrain.
