What is the best thing to do when you're going up a steep hill and the bike quits...weather it stalls or you bottom out, or whatever happens to cause you to loose your momentum and stop on the hill....what is the best thing to do??? coast down, or put it in reverse and back down???

what do you guys do???

 

Slam it into first and try to get going again if you have any momentum left. If not grab the front brakes and lean forward as far as you can then say a quick prayer :-). If it is not too steep back it down on it or get off and walk it down slowly.

 

Depending upon the steepness of the slope, you MAY be able to allow the machine to coast backwards into a slight turn until you are "sidehill".. at this point you can either attempt a restart or coast it down the hill in a forward direction of travel.

Ok, so it's not your lucky day and you are going to be sliding down the hill backwards..... (look at it this way, at least you won't have to watch the really bad crash that is going to happen)... The best thing that you can do (other than pray) is to place as much weight as far forward as possible and hold the front brakes hard enough to let the quad roll slowly back down the hill. If the quad starts to slide into a sidways direction, you will not have any choice other than to LET GO of the front brake and steer the frontend back straight... (NOTE: Let go of the brake ONLY long enough to straighten out the quad, then jump on the brake again - You may have to do this several times depending on the height and steepness of the hill).

After you do this a few (hundred) times, you begin to feel pretty comfortable with backing down hills.

Best of luck.

 

Just let it go down on it's own. You have to practice, at first it is REALLY scary but after a while you get used to it. I've backed down near verticle grades. The trick is to not hestitate, as soon as you notice you can't make it let off the gas (before your rear tires bury) and ride it down. I've been doing it for 20 years on three wheelers without front brakes.

Believe it or not when you get really good you will find yourself using the back brakes/engine a little. When used just right with a soft touch with really keep the speed under control much like mountain bikers use the front brake when going down really steep technical sections.

You really have to practice this but after a while you will find yourself backing down without even looking back.

Now if you get stuck on a really technical section, like something you climbed diagnally to avoid an obstical like a rock or a tree, the method above will not work.

In this situation this is what you do. As you notice you are not going to make it and you cannot back it down, you turn sharp to one side (lets say we turn to the right)and shift your weight in the direction of the turn. The rear tires will start to dig in, but the inside (right) tire will dig in a lot more. Now here is the tricky part, and it is much easier on a sport machine, you stick you right leg out for leverage and balance, and gas it. Before you gas it, your bike should be leaned over to the right about 30 degrees with the right rear tire buried. Use your right buried tire as an anchor as you whip the quad around and facing down. Now just ride it down. Again this takes lots of pratice but once you get the hang of it you will never find yourself walking the machine down the hill. It also looks very cool to watch someone do it. It looks like they are just flipping the bike around.

I hope this helps.

 

Where I live all it is is hillclimbs when we have enough room we do a quick u-turn on the hill or if we get stuck we jump off grab the front brake and pull the front end around using the bumper.

 

I wouldn't recomend using the front brakes because if you lock them up you cant steer . If you have "skill" such as my self you just back down the hill in reverse or just coast using the back brakes . you dont need to turn it around on the hill and drive down the hill thats for women and children .

 

Dont listen to all these post or you'll be injured sooner or later! The best thing to do is JUMP OFF QUAD RIGHT BEFORE IT STOPS! Make sure you jump off to the front brake side hold the brake on and grap front bumper while still holding front brake and pull quad around and get back on it and ride down. We climb just about all hills and trust me this is the best thing to do, if done properly your chances of rolling are limited a great deal.

 

I agree with extreme165! If you are on a manual clutch bike, presumably by now you are in first gear and the transmission will help hold you on the hill. Still, I try to set the parking brake too if there is enough time. (I don't agree with these guys who remove their parking brake to same a couple ounces of weight.) REMEMBER-on an auto clutch bike, the transmission will NOT hold you from rolling backward (unless you are in reverse), so setting the parking brake is a MUST. Hold the front brake, get off and turn the bike downhill.

 

Just do what I do on my rancher.. Throw it into first and just ease the throttle until you reach the top.. I am kinda crazy though. Once I was going up a REALLY steep hill in 3rd (rancher owners know this is possible) and I hit a rock and I accidentally shifted into 4th and my front end shot up into the air and the bike was standing straight up. I had to have my friend go the long way to the top and attatch a tow rope to my bumper and pull the front end down so I wouldnt go front over back and roll my bike down the hill. lol. Ride safe.... ha~!

 

Jump on the front bumper and grab the front brake. If that doesn't work kiss your bike good bye.

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