Hello,
I'm not sure where to post this question. Since there doesn't seem to be an "open" disscussion forum on ATV Connection, and I plan on buying a BF 650i this summer, I'll post here. Perhaps a few of you can help me with my quiery. As my name suggests, I'm a mountain biker at heart. I ride in the Pacific Northwest, rocky, rooty, steep, mossy "wet coast" terrain. I ride some pretty nasty trails and stunts, and I like to push the envelope. I just know I'm going to push the Brute too.........

My question is, how steep is too steep, and how rugged is too rugged to ride before doing an "endo" or flipping over backwards on a quad? What makes for a dangerous predicament?I've never seriously ridden a quad off road before, but I did own and ride a Big Red in my back fourty for a few years. It tended to sketch me out a little on the steeps, especially going downhill. I've experienced the rear end passing me going down hill on more than one occassion. Not fun!

So what can the Brute do? Rocky, boulder-strewn riverbeds? Have you ever attacked a hill and partway up / down realize you've bitten off more that you should have [too steep, too rough]? So what do you do, ride it out or bail? Break out the winch?
I do want to ride some of the challenging 4x4 trails we have here, but not roll the Brute just yet.
Thanks.

I'd like to hear some of your

 

According to my friends, I am crazy for some of the places I have taken my Brute. The Brute handles it fine, and most of all I am confident in my abilities to handle my machine. Once you get used to the handling you will learn fairly quickly what you can and can't do as your confidence level increases.

 

It's pretty hard to answer you on this but I'll try. First of all, I personally will not put my machine in a situation that will likely cause severe damage if I "don't make it". They just cost too much for that and I don't want to be laid up in a bed myself. I do enjoy riding tough terrain and climbing steep hills though.

With that said, I'll say this. Climbing straight up a hill, if done correctly, will not likely result in an endo. (you can and will flip over backwards if you don't use correct body positioning) The key to climbing is getting enough momentum built up to carry you over the top. On a 650i you will have plenty of power and can use 4x4 to make it that much easier. Just remember to lean well forward, pick a good line, and hit it with plenty of speed.

Some common mistakes:

Stalling and then trying it again......this is an easy way to flip it on you. If you stall, get the bike back down the hill.
Picking a bad line (ie. trying something too steep, loose, rutted, etc)
Riding beyond your ability level. Don't do that, Its just not worth it.


As for traversing side hills or off-cambers:

Lean to the up-hill side.
Don't lock up your brakes. Use just enough to slow the machine yet keeping the wheels turning. Locking the brakes can cause the machine to slide sideways.
Be careful, side hills can be tricky.


The 650 has excellent engine braking. It is pretty wide but exceptionally tall. This will lend to tippiness on off cambers as will the IRS.

For more info you can check out a recent back issue of Dirt Wheels magazine. It had an article on hill climbing.

Hope this helps.

 

I rolled my 03 prarie 650 3 months after I bought it. My mistake was three quaters the way up the hill I hit a bump and the front end came of the ground, After all four wheels were back on the ground I sorta lost traction and couldnt go nowhere the quad went side ways and Iwent with it, rolled with the quad about 6 times(according to everyone that was there to witness this event ) then the quad t-boned a tree. The hill I was trying to climb was just massive as heck. So just use your better judgment.

 

Of course it depends on the terrain and some stuff is just too steep to climb. However..

You should be able to handle almost anything on your Brute. Certainly more than your Big Red could. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I have a Vforce and I'm shocked at some of the stuff it climbs without hesitation. I would say just learn what you can do on the machine and then go have fun. Take the ATV SI course if you can.

 

Take your time, learn the machine and how to ride it. Start out on smaller, easier hills and such and gradually work your way up. Also, hook up with an experienced riding buddy that can help you out. The safety course should be a top priority also. On hillclimbs and such, I learned what my machine could do mostly by watching what other similar machines were capable of and then trying that which I was comfortable with. If you can climb it on a Mt Bike, the Brute shoud be able to tackle it too, provided the trail is wide enough. Downhills may be a different story, depends on just how crazy you are[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Thanks for the tips and input guys. It all helps.
Using correct body mechanics / english when riding for sure. How much time do you spend standing over sitting when an aggressive riding attitude is required for rough terrain?

I'm gonna have to start low and go slow I guess, in the name of safety and the all important learning curve of riding. Great advice there, thanks. For me, going slow and low, that's a tough act to follow. I'll try most anything once, and occasionally it bites me. Pushing the envelope on two wheels has added-up to a # leg x2, # clavicle x2, # hand, and many other countless bruises etc over the years. My mountain bike dosen't weigh 604 pounds [dry ]either!

There are lots of 4x4 roads around here to ride. Somewhere along the 4x4 routes there will be rutted wash-outs, exposed slippery bedrock, loose shale hills, deep and wide x road wash-outs and a combination of above. For riding downhill on this terrain, it'll be slow going, that's a given. No wheelie-drops off ledges for the Brute! [ well, maybe just little ones!] What about uphill though? Fast like a hill climb event or a crawling 4x4 pace, 1/2 speed of walking? Both very different approaches for sure.

There is a quad club membership fairly close to me that I'll have to enquire about. I have a couple friends with quads but they're strictly logging road-riders at most. I'm looking to ride off road for fun.

 

Don't be afraid to get off the seat! Any time the trail is rough, steep up or downhills, negotiating ruts and dropoffs are all times to be up in an attack position. Oh, and I'm sure she will wheelie drop off of ledges[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] Should be able to shrug off 3-5 footers no problem.

 

Buy a good set of tires matched to the type of terrain you are climbing,and never try to back down a hill if you get stuck . I have seen several people really muck up that way.

 

Just remember that if you get too steep and the machine flips over backwards you need to be able to get off of it in a hurry. If you are on the ATV and it flips over on top of you, as heavy as ATVs are you stand a very good chance of breaking your back and damaging your spinal cord leaving you paralyzed below the point of the break. If you're lucky that's just in the lumbar area and you just **** and **** into bags, use a wheelchair and oh your "junk" will never work again horndog. If your luck isn't quite as good and you break it higher up you et the whole quadriplegic treatment like superman had. Ventilator, 24/7 nursing care since you can't move your arms. You may be able to move your head around though. They can sometimes stick a rod to your forehead so you can tap out messages so you can use a computer keyboard. The rest of your body is hosed though and they have to strap you into your wheelchair. If it flips over on you and you break your spine up high enough you'll just be killed instantly. That or if it damages it enough to cause swelling you'll die before they get you out of the woods.

My point is that machine is very very heavy. When you're climbing particularly steep hills it has a nasty predilection to flip over on the operator. I know, I've had it happen and I've seen it happen. You have got to be so very very care especially these days as the machines have got so heavy. Be ready to bail if the front end come over. Better yet winch it up or have buddies there to hold down the front as you ride up a really steep hill.