Basic ATV Handling

ATV with small footprint is not very stable vehicle and some weight shifting is necessary for safe handling. The enclosed pix to some extent emphasis the message

The long seat is to help in weight shifting and not for carrying passenger. When we climb rapidly it may result in the lifting of front end as it happens in bajaj scooters and so it is safer to shift weight forward when climbing. Lower climbing speed will lesson the hazard and weight shift may not be necessary.

Descending is not so hazardous as the centre of gravity will be within vehicle. Still we shift the weight backward for better stability.

ATV has rigid axle at the back that do not allow the rear wheels to move at different speeds. The wear and tear on tyres are more so in hard surfaces. So while taking a turn at higher speed, we allow controlled slip by lifting one of the rear wheels. This is pretty easy once you know how to ride them. The picture illustrates one wheel lifted from ground.

Getting ATV ready to ride

Recently a friend suggested we bring out another ATV following  day. I replied   That is simply  impossible. I need a week to get  that machine ready. In perfect situation, we can open the packing and get ATV ready in four hours. I need much longer time because of my location and circumstances.

My farm workers are regularly irregular in turning up for job. They need to come to get the box out to the yard.

First the packing has to be opened and put all the four tyres on. The machine has to be lifted sufficiently to install the tires. Here is a small hitch. The tyres tends to loose air during storage and tubeless tyres get disengaged from Rim. It is not possible to pump air with hand pump under such circumstances. Large quantity has to be pumped quickly to seal the gap and we can easily do that with compressor. Nearest Petrol pump is ten km away. Recommended air pressure is just Ten pounds.

Handle bar is to be lifted into strait position and four bolts tightened. There is small chance the brake fluid drained on transit from the container on the handlebar. We have to ensure sufficient brake fluid.

The battery has to connected after making sure it is fully charged.

Next comes the critical tuning part. There is no clutch lever and the clutch is indirectly controlled by engine speed. So perfect tuning is a must with  smooth engine humming at idle speed. My local mechanic has to be free enough to come and do the job.

Standard tools that came with ATV are not sufficient. The front wheels need a box or barrel spanner of Size 12. Plug spanner that came from China is very delicate and do not last long. Naturally to put together the tools I use takes some time.

Talking to Chinese about ATV Tow hook

Chinese comprehension of English is very poor. They are very polite and try to help you but many times will not able to grasp exactly what you mean. Here is a example of what I expected and what I got.

  I knew that my Chinese manufacturer fabricate the frame shown in a earlier blog post   and get most components from outside and assemble ATV. So it was possible for them to reinforce the appropriate parts to make frame stronger. I had made it clear to them that I need a tow hook if possible in the backside and given certain parameters like strong support at lowest possible point so that traction is not compromised. I had sent a marked photograph to emphasis my point. I did not know exactly how much this ATV can pull but needed a strong hitching point.

When I got the ATVs delivered I found there was nothing in the back but a  hook strapped to high position in the frame in the front   It was pretty useless accessory that I got as a compliment. They simply failed to understand my explanation.

I had numerous confusion about faulty import papers too. Many Emails were exchanged. The crucial document - Bill of Lading they sent did not mention Container number. This document  should be perfect in all respects.   So searching right container in vast Mumbai port was like looking for a needle in haystack. Luckily I was able to overcome all of those hurdles and get those ATVs home.

50 km ATV ride along seashore.

Being very familiar with the route ahead of us, Rohit assumed team leadership as soon as he turned up. He briefed our First pilot Anil about Do and Donts during the ride assuring him that he will be constantly in touch with mobile phone. He also gave precise hints what constitute a landmark.

I had decided who will ride on different legs depending on accessibility with us on support vehicle. Road by the side of beach mean Twelve year old Sunil will be rider and lesser access with us mean Sixteen year old Anil will be rider. Anil rode major portion as Sunil had stomach upset that morning. Rohit’s little son Abhinav rode as a kangaroo rider for around 40Kms along with Anil.

Unexpected encounters Anil had on the beach was landmines. Our pilot kept on liberally blasting those bombs and showering his jacket with dirty stuff. The sanitation awareness and availability was extremely poor on the coastline. We had been forewarned by Rohit about this but it was not grasped by Anil. Moreover first 750 meters was very clean and Anil must have assumed the same thing all along and raised the speed.

Rohits friend Yathish Baikampady stopped Anil at Chitrapur. Anil first asked them for water to wash himself. He liberally applied Mysore sandal soap to get rid of the foul smell. Luckily Abhi who was sitting in the front was not bombarded with this. Beach cleaning kara seva was going on and we too were  given Tiffin and tea.

Seashore near Surathkal was full of rocks. ATV had to come out of the beach to cross that gap. By that time I picked up Anilkumar who arrived by bus and we rushed to beach near Sasihithlu. Anilkumar who took over driving Omni and handling camera did unburden my task considerably.

Anil and Abhi on ATV mostly had direct passage ahead of them whereas we on support vehicles had to take make more circuitous road and many times they reached the ,meeting point ahead of us. Rohit was engaged in multitasking - briefing Anil about the passage ahead, taking photographs till they are almost out of sight and rushing back to drive his car to next meeting point. He found time to click some birds too which is his favorite hobby.

Nibeesh on motorcycle was with us till afternoon and proved to be great help. It is difficult to make out once we reach next meeting point if kids on ATV had passed by or are behind us. Nibeesh helped us with locating the ATV team.
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After Sasihithlu next Six km the beach and road were parallel and within 100 m to each other. Sunil rode this part both ways. Finally we reached the beach edge at twelve thirty where the confluence of Nandini and Shambavi rivers join the sea.

I had confusion about crossing the rivers all along. Rohit said follow me and drove his car in NH 17. Anil was riding ATV and Anilkumar and myself was following them in our Omni. With so much potholes in national highway we can surmise that it is more suitable for ATV and not vehicles. The puzzled look of the onlookers on the road when they suddenly see ATV presented good entertainment to me and Anilkumar. Finally our procession stopped in front of a hotel in Mulki for lunch.

All children applied sunscreen lotion and escaped being roasted by Sun. The sunburn did not happen to us as we were not continuously under sun. The beach sand appears very similar all over but their structure varies considerably from place to place. When we compare dry or wet sand of various places we noticed the grip it gives to the ATV tyres do vary. This did upset my timetable as the sinking factor was more in some places.


I had made a list of spares and consumables and carried most of them along. As the sand thrown up by tires plays havoc on chain, I had carried spare chain and links. No component failed us on the except CD unit, that may be influenced by moist contacts caused by previous day wash. Now I have tested that CD unit which is also performing well. Good news is that Hero Honda CD unit works well with this ATV. The sockets perfectly fits each other.

High tides caused made us to take diversion in two places. Near Padubidre we had to come back to highway. Anil was able to climb to fisheries road near Uchila and cross that point. So homework we make with wikimapia.org is dependable only  to some extent. There is permanent cloud cover and shadow near Bhatkal is another example.

Finally Anil – Abhi reached Kaup lighthouse at four thirty. The google picture showed the bridge but I was not sure of approach road till we reached there. The dense vegetation had hid the road and our support vehicles went without problems.

I decided to do some riding after Five and hopped on ATV. A huge wave hit me within fifty meters that immobilized the engine. ATV rider had mobile phone all the way till then but I had neglected on this minor detail. So couldn’t communicate immediately with our team and lost some time.

Our team came back after waiting ahead for a while. Then it was getting dark and the rains started. So we decided to load the ATV into Omni. There was heavy rain by the time we hit highway & we came back via more roundabout Mudipu route.

 Next day I could make out the corrossion effect by sea water and ATV was given good wash by Sampath so that the salty layer was peeled off.

Toppling over ATV in beach mean no broken bones

We had wonderful moments beach near Mulki. Anil was practicing taking high speed turn when the centrifugal force was too much and he toppled over. Rohit who is a good wildlife photographer anticipated this and captured the scene.

While talking to Shankaranna sometime back I had justified taking the ATV to beach saying that it is possible to do maneuvers that will mean broken bones elsewhere. Here is the proof and Anil did not even have any scratches.