Pechmial - I will elaborate now that I have the book in front of me.

Measuring the Student for Proper Fit on an ATV
from 2003 MN DNR ATV Safety Instructor Manual - Division of Enforcement

1) While seated, student can reach and grip both handlebars while maintaining a distinct bend at the elbows.
2) While seated, student can reach foot pegs/controls with upper leg nearly parallel to the ground.
3) While seated, student can reach and control throttle and handbrake while turning handlebars to extreme right and left.
4) There must be a 3 inch minimum space from top of inseam to the ATV seat while standing on foot pegs and holding handlebars.
5) Student has suffecient strength to set hand parking brake. can use two hands and be on or off of ATV
6) While seated, student has suffcient strength to press and properly enguage foot brake.
7) While seated, student has suffcient strength to operate shift lever
8) Student can opearate controls without looking at them.

Field Training Session
(summary)
Consists of Three courses (stations)
Station One -
Straight riding, braking and serpentine around cones.

Station Two -
Negotiating various ground obstacles
Students practice going over sumulated logs at various angles. Some are from a stop and one is done in reverse gear.

Station Three -
Students practice going uphill/downhill and side hilling. Students also practice tight circle turns and backing and turning along with hand signals and stopping and looking before crossing roads.

Summary of all requirements:

Complete part 1 - CD Course
Student CD Quizzes Complete (8)
Parent Signed Certificate of Completion
Parent Completed FIT checklist

Administration -
Instructor checked student fit
Parental release form Signed
Course Fee Paid $15.00
Student Passd Written Exam (80%)

Riding Skills Course: Pre-Ride/Start
Hand signal demonstration
Pre-ride checklist complete
Pre-start checklist complete

Riding Skills Practice/Eval
(as noted above)

Pre-ride checklist
Tires-wheels
Throttle
Brakes
Shif lever
Ignition switch
headlamp tail lamp
brake light
oil level
fuel level
air filter
drive train (shaft or chain)
any loose nuts or bolts
muffler

Pre-start checklist
Set Parking Brake
Fuel Valve On
shift in neutral
enging stop switch
choke on
start engine

I hope this helps

 

NGK425 - Good post. If you ever take up skydiving you will learn real quick the #1 rule that you either live or die by - If your going to be stupid, ya gotta be tough. It ablies to every sport.

First - here in Minnesota the laws are changing. The new youth ATV safety certificate ID becomes your drivers license when you get one. When you get one could be at issue as there are laws pending to delay your drivers license because of ATV violations. And... The laws have already changed to ticket the parent or other adult person responsible for allowing access to the ATV improperly used by a youth even if that adult person was not present at the time of the violation. Those violations can effect the adults auto insurance premiums. You may discover a lot more chains and padlocks around Jr's ATV going forward. The "man" is cracking down. The local CO told a recent story of calling "dad" at home and asking if he owned a Honda ATV - Dad said yes and he was told where to come and get it - and his kid, and bring your drivers license. Dad was ticketed.

So what can you do about it? Have youth riders complete the ATV training and certificate program. Knowledge is power and the program is a important safety education. And, learn and follow the rules. Yes - some people won't - see above.

Rules.. Rules are such a pain... But imagine if pilots ignored the rules - would you want to be a passenger on a jumbo jet when some yahoo in the front seat calls over the intercom and says "watch this!" How about just ignoring the traffic lights? THAT would be a short lived! How about the guy packing your parachute - no rules, just sqrunch it all in there - who cares? Imagine an airplane on instrument approach in the clouds and some yahoo elects to make up his own rules!!!

My expereince with youth is that they respect the adults that respect the rules. Whether it be in the car, in a airplane or on a ATV. Nobody wants to fly with a jack-*** pilot. Why would they want to ride 4 wheelers with one?

 

WhoDat, thank you for the more comprehensive breakdown. I know I will be instructing my children in these very skills BEFORE the classes, just to be sure they have them right. I won't even send them to the course until I am confident they can pass. Personally, I welcome this new training and certification for youth in our state. It's long overdue and very needed. Though none of my kids has been injured on an ATV, I have seen one child who was (and my wife, a former RN, many more). The biggest single cause of child accidents on ATV's is parent ignorance!

I am still a little dismayed over the CC situation, but really only because it inconveniences me. The largest ATV I have is 500cc's but doesn't have reverse. All the kids in question "fit" on this ATV but it can't be used in the testing and, therefor they won't be certified to ride it (only one of them is allowed anyway). This means I need to find someone who owns a 500+cc machine for my son to test on (my daughter can use the AC 400).