Hi, my name is Chris, I'm 62 and bought a Grizz 660 new in 03. I'm not a daring thrill seeker and rarely run it more than 2 weeks a year in the mountain trails during hunting season in far Northern CA. So I guess you could say I have about 12 weeks experience riding, not a lot I wear a helmet most all the time except when the weather exceeds 100 degrees and even then wear it while loading and unloading. I often hunt alone remote places and carry a plb, plenty of water, thermal emergency blankets and a first aid kit, as well as a cell phone (though often that service is not good).

Last Sunday I got myself in some real trouble and met a mountain trail that I felt I needed to pass, but, I know now, exceeded my experience and skillset. I'd like to paint the picture, the outcome, and what I think I did wrong. Then I'd ask for some feedback from those much more experienced.

I met another ATV'er who suggested a ridge 2 ridges over. There was one ATV trail over the first ridge. It was extremely steep, maybe 30-45 degrees and full of ruts from erosion, dry, mostly clay and rocks. I was several miles from my pickup. I put the Grizz in 4w high (not locked). Everything was working fine until near the very ridge when it got the very steepest and rockiest. At that point I lost most of my power, slipped off a rear wheel rock and started to go perpindicular to the fault line in a rut. Despite leaning as hard uphill as I could, to lower my cog, the bike started to roll and I new I was in very deep trouble. I think I acually recall saying aloud, "I wonder how this is going to end, can't be good"

As it rolled hard it through me clear downhill and I rolled maybe 10-15x. Dazed and hurt I looked up to see the grizz rolling short length sideways at me picking up speed and I could not avoid a direct hit. After the impact, I watched helplessly as she kept bouncing and rolling at least 30 -40x probably another 300 yds down the trail.

Though I was covered with cuts a scrapes, the most serious injury was to my thigh where I took a full weight blow from the ATV. Fortunately that hit was spread largely over my wallet in my front right pocket that almost certainly saved me from a fractured leg. I had a blood filled leg from knee to hip that inflated to the size of half a football and it was almost impossible to walk without great pain.

After settling back and surveying everything was bodily still together (no flapping appendages or head injury), I was able to slide my way down the hill recovering my rifle and as many plastic pieces/parts as I could grab. I got to the Yamaha and expected to find a "parts" bike. But aside from crushed cages around the front and rear seats and some missing hand gaurds bent levers and decorative plastic covers and some major scratches, all the main systems looked fine and no fluid leakages noted. Righted the bike, turned the key, hit the button and it fired right up and got me successfully back to my truck.

I know the outcome was miraculous and I shuould have gone directly out and purchased a lotto ticket but I was just fine getting back to camp and waiting to find where all the other injuries were the next day.

I'm thinking my biggest mistake was not being in low range where I would have been more likely to power straight ahead out of trouble.

I'm definately thinking, in retrospect, that I should have tried my damnest to bail uphill to avoid the bike, but it all happened so fast I don't know if that would have worked. One thing I know for sure is that like a bycycle, when you start to tip there is a tendency to try and put your downhill leg down to stop the roll. In a steep situation, this seems to almost assure your leg will be levered under the rolling vehicle.

I will do all in my power to never face this situation again, but should I find myself in a similar situation, I'd appreciate well intentioned advice. Maybe a backward roll out might work? just questioning?

I thought also about how much better it would have been traveling with a buddy, but I'm betting that if I had been, he would have been closer than 100 yards behind and would have needed miracle driving skills to avoid that several hundred pound missile bouncing at him.

Oh well, what an intro, I'm Chris, I'm 62, I'm still alive, and I have new appreciation for ATVing safely. Love to have suggested links for driving safety sites especially dealing with unexpected emergency maneuvering. Sorry for the long post.

Chris

 

I have so many friends who are "hunters" who only ride a few hours a year during hunting season. This makes them perpetual beginners, and riding like that they will never ever advance in their riding skill. They get themselves hurt.....lots!


As for power, it is better to make the mistake of being in to low a gear (low case in your example) and not need the power, than to be in to high a gear and get into trouble. Also, as I recall Yamaha's have an "open" differential, so lockers are a requirement.

No doubt, the hill that seemed so nasty to you, would probably have been a piece of cake for any experienced rider. So, my advice is to get out and ride and get lots of experience! Start out easy, then keep increasing the level of difficulty until you can ride the stuff with skill, that now really scares you.

Got into lots of hairy situations when I was a beginner! I rode dirt bikes as a kid, then switched to mountain bikes for economic reasons when I was in college. Later got into quads, and I am now getting back into dirt bikes. Right now, I would say I am an intermediate dirt bike rider, so I am out there challenging myself every ride....just like you need to do!!! It will change your life.....

Welcome!

 

welcome!

 

I can't add much of anything to ReconRanger's reply. The items you mentioned are good starts. Things I'd like to add are that you want to be careful when someone tells you a slope is "easy" or "not a problem". They may have a lot more experience than you and what is easy for them might be life threatening for you. When you get to the bottom (or top) of a steep hill you might want to walk some of it to see how it looks. If it is difficult to walk it will be difficult to ride. Low and slow is always the best bet with the conditions you described. Fast will leave your tires bouncing off of terrain rather than molding around and over the terrain. It's all about grip. Lock in the front locker before you go up or down. If you were just sitting and leaning forward that was probably not enough for the hill you were on. Many climbs require that you get up on your footwells and lean over the front end of the quad with your body on the handlebars. This moves the center of gravity even further forward. If you can control your fall in any way, look uphill to see where the quad is going and get out of the way. And if you aren't riding with a buddy you might want to reconsider the steeps, the deep water and mud holes, and the moving streams and rivers. Better to go a few extra miles than end up stranded. And, as ReconRanger said, "practice". Get out at least a few times per year before hunting season. You wouldn't start shooting at deer if you hadn't practiced with the rifle a few times. Same goes for getting to your hunting spot. I'm glad you're alright. Keep safe.

 

Welcome

 

Yamaha tends to build their quads narrow. You add in tall long travel suspension and IRS which can dive on the downhill side, and you have a recipie for disaster. While I do like the sporty ride of the Griz, I also feel like it is not as stable as a quad should be. This may all have contrubuted to your crash.

Another thing you learn quickly if you have sport quad experience, is to use momentum to get up a bad hill, rather than grappling for traction like most folks imagine that they must do on a big heavy utility.

 

Oh sixsixty Grizz, such a familiar story. Certainly agree with Reconranger's comments re practice AND the stability comment. I too ride a Yamaha 660 Grizz, would have been in low range and Diff lock. Better yet would be my wife's 2001 Yamaha Kodiak 400... just seems easier to run in the tough spots than the bigger unit. Glad to hear you aren't too seriously wounded.

 

Welcome to the forums, and good to hear you weren't seriously injured.

 

If the trail only requires speeds under 20 mph ,just stay in low range. In low the ATV will creep and crawl but in high while riding slow a shot of gas at the wrong time will break the rear wheels loose of traction, which is not good sometimes.

 

Good advice here. I have to agree with reconranger. Momentum can be a big key on the uphills. Choosing good lines is also big, and that will only come with practice. Something I haven't seen mentioned yet though, you always want to keep your weight to the uphill side, and you always want to use the braking system on the uphill side to avoid a rollover. When riding sidehill, remember that locking up the brakes will cause the side that locks up to slide downhill. While it is hard to keep from putting a leg down, that is a sure way to get hurt(as you already now know.) Better to train yourself to get your weight on the uphill peg if sidehilling, that way the rear is more likely to slide downhill on you than flipping over, and in a worst case scenario it is easier to bail. You might want to look into a riding course, and next time, avoid the hard stuff unless you have a riding buddy.