Hillclimbs FREAK me out!

[Ridiculous]

well, i just started riding. all my buddies have quads and i've always wanted one so i got one. we do a lot of trail riding and what not and whenever we come to a hill i always puss out. i guess i'm writing this thread looking for tips and tricks to climbing hills and getting my confidence up on hillclimbs as well. what advice do ya'll have for me. i know the obvious lean forward up, lean back down but there's gotta be more to it than that. granted my buds have been riding longer that i but still, is it just the fact that they have bigger balls than i do and i need to accept that or what,LOL

anyways, lay it on me!

[Ghost-Rider]

First gear, stand up, lean forward and go.

[xtullyx16]

start with small hills then get bigger as u get more confident.. but always have sumone with you for safety! and wear a helmet! lol

also you could ride with one of your friends and see how they handle they're quad when the go up hills.. i guess that could work?! atleast help

[Hondamaster5505]

i make sure other people could get up the hill before i attempt it.


Speed is key alot of times.

3/4 the way up is mainly momentum.

I used to puss out alot too, but im going bigger and bigger a little at a time.

For less stepp but very long/tall hills, sit in a normal position and gain a lot of momentum

For steeper hills that are long or short, lean foward slightly and do the same.

Ill tell ya what though, i would never climb hills if i had a 660 raptor, those front ends scare me!

Heres a small one i did

[Ridiculous]

cool, thanks for bein cool about this!

my dad has a farm and i'v got some sweet trails out there and my buddies have made some hill climbs and they're short but fricken steep (to me at least) so i just need more gradual ascending hills is all for now i guess

[trx400EXtreme]

ive climbed quite a few dunes in my day. the biggest thing is commit. dont get half way up and let off, cuz then you'll just bog out and stall.

[underpowered]

well id depends on the hill.

short steep hills. hit it 2nd gear on the gas. you will cost most of the way up.

i never climb in first, no need to really. on a raptor however, 1st might have to be used.

for longer hills, lean forward a bit, but not not much. 2nd gear all the way up on the feathering the throttle as needed.

techinical hills are tricky as you have to change your body position alot.

i say watch your buddies, see how they do it. but remember, don't gou out of your skill/comfort level. thats when you get hurt. also some people just have the hilclimbing knack, others do not. it takes alot of practice.

start small and work your way up as you get comfortable. eventually you will be able to go anywhere.

[TCracin440ex]

hm im usually one of the first guys to climb a hill....or im usually the one making them...idk why...just dont scare me....i used to not mess with them on my 400ex too much, once i got my 450r and got comfortable with the power i was making it was balls to the wall

like somebody else said momentum is key...


oh but somebody failed to mention that if you have a hill with a huge lip that tilts back at the top make sure u get out of the juice and let momentum take you the rest of the way over that lip if not you will flip back...seen it done before...

once you start climbing them you will keep goin bigger and bigger...

[underpowered]

Originally posted by trx400EXtreme
ive climbed quite a few dunes in my day. the biggest thing is commit. dont get half way up and let off, cuz then you'll just bog out and stall.

dunes are a totally different animal. sand don't hurt quite like rock and dirt does. i will try darn near anything in the sand, much softer landing lol

[Hondamaster5505]

Originally posted by Ridiculous
cool, thanks for bein cool about this!

my dad has a farm and i'v got some sweet trails out there and my buddies have made some hill climbs and they're short but fricken steep (to me at least) so i just need more gradual ascending hills is all for now i guess

For the steep short ones, just hit it in 2nd gear leaning foward a bit. Not too much though cuz you want traction also.

If you dont feel comfortable dont do em.

But yeah, if they're short, second gear your fine.

[zack221]

Commit to it like said before dont get half away and get scared and stop. Thats what sucks is getting back down it after you stop. I used to look at a hill for a long time and talk myself out of it but now i hit and dont think twice until i am at the top. I also do the same for a jump if i think about it i will talk myself out of it.

[Ridiculous]

Originally posted by zack221
Commit to it like said before dont get half away and get scared and stop. Thats what sucks is getting back down it after you stop. I used to look at a hill for a long time and talk myself out of it but now i hit and dont think twice until i am at the top. I also do the same for a jump if i think about it i will talk myself out of it.
that's funny, its deff. me right there. i'll just stop and stare at the hill and either talk myself in or out of it. usually out of it.

[CannondaleRider]

Just bomb em'....you'll make it up, lol

Just kidding, of course(not kidding in MY case, but that does not work for beginners who can't recover from a mistake very easily).

It just takes time, practice, and a building of experience. No one set of guidelines works for every hill situation, just takes practice.

[Hondamaster5505]

think of this while riding too.

I see your ridin a 400ex. Your has basically the same engine wise. If i do alright makin it up, you should do fine.

You just have to have enough balls to try it. Like i still have my limits, but i go a little bigger each time.

[ThumPIN_450R]

It takes seat time and confidence in you're self and a good feel for you're bike to climb technical hills. It will come with experiance all hills are differant. Like any other aspect I have found it's all a matter of just getting you're self to do it. Don't be afraid of crashing it's a part of learning.

[reptikes]

underpowered - said it the best. I myself like crazy steep hills and i do almost all of them in second gear. Once you get to the top of the hill you'll usally want a bogger one because you realize that it wasn't *****. If not then Hill climbs isn't your thing.

And there is a difference between going up a semi-steep hill and doing a ballz-to-the-wallz hill climb!

Flyin-Low - that wasn't a good example of a hill :confused: , my 9 year old could go up that hill no problem.

[chris46250r]

Originally posted by Ghost-Rider
First gear, stand up, lean forward and go.

I have seen so many people mess up thinking that is the way to climb hills. Granted you may end up that way but dont start at the bottom that way. On a sport/ mx style fourwheeler speed and momentum is your friend. I start out sitting right where I would be if cruising down the road. Hang on but stay loose. It just takes time and practice. And have your bike geared for at least a second gear climb that way if you do get in a bad situation you got first to fall back on. If you bog one out in first you aint got nothing left to try.

[bwamos]

I hate big hills w/ a passion.. lol. Of course I ride a 300ex w/ a stock swinger.

Downshifting is not fun on a big hill climb. But necessary on a 300ex.. lol. The #1 reason I put money into my 330 motor.. lol.

Luckily 400ex's are MUCH more forgiving on hills then the 300ex. Better power curve for hill climbing. Just put her in 2nd (or 3rd depending on the hill) and go.

If you don't make it up.. don't save the quad.. save yourself.. you can usually get off safely, get around the front and use the front brakes to get the quad to slowly slide back down the hill (holding in the clutch). Some people will say just rollt it back down backwards while on it.. but they aren't talking about the same hills I am.. lol. That's not a possibility, unless you like to do cartwheels w/ a 400lb quad. (Dirtbikes are much safer on big hill climbs.. you can lay them over.)

But, that being said w/ a 400ex it's not to bad. My rule.. if you're not comfortable with it.. don't do it. You'll eventually hit bigger and bigger hills until you find your and you're ATV's limitations.

Sand dunes are a different story.. they are a lot more forgiving... less tippy. Usually you can just U-Turn and try again. Fonud very few dunes that you couldn't. I've only been to Glamis, Oregon Dunes, and Little Sahara in Wynoka, OK though.

[400exrider707]

Like others said, momentum, and speed are your friends. You have to commit, once you hit the bottom of the hill you better be darn sure whether you're making it or not. Practice on smaller hills, it will come to you eventually. I personally like to have the tires spinning. I like to find a happy medium between traction and spinning. Traction keeps you moving, while spinning will keep the front end down. If you have enough power snapping the throttle wide open will bring the front end back down if it starts lifting. I dont know that I'd try that on a 400EX though. Just go out and find some small hills and ride up and down them a few times trying different seating positions and different throttle positions/gears.

[54warrior]

Why hasn't anyone covered what to do if you don't make it????

First off, if you stall out on the hill, you have to react quick!!!. Front brakes first, back brakes second. Dismount on the right side with your foot still firmly planted on the rear brake pedal. If it was a steep hill, you should have had 'spotters' and they should have ahold of your quad by now.

Next, your objective is to get the quad spun back around, facing downhill. Obviously, the path of least resistance is your best choice. Once you've started spinning it around, you can wiggle the front tires back/forth to get things straightened up. Make sure you've got most of your body weight over the rear of the machine at this point. Your best bet is to re-mount from the same side you dis-mounted. That way you can still keep all brakes applied. Jump on that thing and coast it back down the hill safely.

If things go bad-the only real advice is to get the heck out of the way, and watch your machine tumble!!


I'm not a great hillclimber, and I honestly don't like climbing hills that are "wide open" spoil pile, strip job type hills. My main reason is because, if I do flip, there's nothing there to stop my quad. I do like climbing technical, twisty, turny hills up across a wooded hillside though. Ones that require both down/upshifting, and if you don't make it, you can likely coast back against a tree, or worse, you'll only flip it once and a tree will stop it from tumbling the entire way down the hill.

[limetimeracerII]

Momentum is your friend, don't stand up, lean foward, make sure you don't run out of gear before you get to the top, most people like 2nd. I think most people who are scared of climbing hills are scared because they don't want the quad will roll on top of them. Just remember you can always jump off. Your machine might get damaged but you won't get hurt.

[<DRS>GPF]

as recommended, commit until its over and get gear.. (helmet, boots and chest protector).
Ive always used helmet and boots, but hadnt bought the chest/back protector until my last serious tumble made that mistake very clear.

when we head out to go riding, it takes me a bit to "get loose", but eventually we'll draw a crowd and the thrill just gets more satisfying when you top a tall rise in a wheelie.. just to be cool..

i truly get a bigger "rush" from hill climbing than i do jumping..(though its more fun to describe the air you got, than the hill you climbed)
IMO, the risk is far greater, particularly long climbs where you will likely change gears..

expect to tumble.. ive no idea how many bars and stems ive been through over the years(less than 10 on this quad)
it still doesnt stop me, though i heal slower these days..(could be from drain bamage though..)
remember, if you get ugly on the hill, get the 7734 out of the way and dont risk grabbing the quad until youre safe.. oh and "just go limp"..(our standing motto)

[gncc025]

Experience is the biggest part i think, but if its possible try to go down the hill first. youll get a good idea of how tricky its gonna be.then there are those hills that your not gonna want to go down. that should be your sign to be ready to either roll it or tell your buddy how "easy" it was and play it cool;)

[54warrior]

Originally posted by reptikes
Flyin-Low - that wasn't a good example of a hill :confused: , my 9 year old could go up that hill no problem.

Sorry, but yeah, I have to agree!

Here's a hillclimb, not too wicked, but you can hear the motor and how it's working!

I don't think you have to be logged in to view it???

http://www.paatving.com/mpegs/330rhillone.MPG


Not a great example of how to finish it off though. That looks like a pretty easy hill. Don't know who it is or where it is, but just remembered it posted recently on the paatving.com forum.

[reptikes]

Who ever it was that siad stand up hasn't done no real hill climbs! He might have climbed up a hill but he didn't do a hill climb. There is a difference. chris46250r, has i great post on hear, take heed.

[Ridiculous]

hey these are great guys. now i have a story of my own.

like i said before my dad farms here so there's tons of fields to ride in. so i went out tonight and farted around a little bit. and i was in this field and found some relatively good beginner hills. so i started messin around on them. i went up and down each time working on down because it got steeper as you go. well i got to this spot and it didn't work out so good. it was all grassy so it looked flat but it sure was not. i went up it and about half way up i hit a lip. bringing my front end up and flipping it over sending it tubmbling down the hill as i watched. not a good feeling. nothing bent or broke though so that's good.

but my point is that i did gain a lot of confidence from this experience because it was a good hill, and although wrecking ain't cool it did give me an idea of how rolling it feels and it wasn't bad at all i just landend on my butt and watched it tumble.

well, anywho, thanks guys for giving me the tips and tricks and not to mention the confidence.

[Hondamaster5505]

now thats learnin how to ride:devil:

I had to learn the hard way a couple times too.

Sometimes if im not too sure with a hill, ill attemp to climb up it to see if theres any hidden bumps/lips.

Anyway, have fun tamin the hills!

[CannondaleRider]

Originally posted by reptikes
Who ever it was that siad stand up hasn't done no real hill climbs! He might have climbed up a hill but he didn't do a hill climb. There is a difference.


It depends on the situation dude.

I've been up insane hills, where if you were to be sitting, you would not stay sitting on the bike for very long, maybe not even ON the bike for very long. Whooped up, chopped up, freakin nasty hills....where you have to stand, no matter what.

There's no "definition" of a hill climb...no situation is the same.

[reptikes]

Originally posted by CannondaleRider
It depends on the situation dude.


True, i stand up nearing the top of a hill climb more often than not. Your body tells you when to sit and stand on the hill your doing.

[700bRad]

Not afraid of nothing! put any hill in front of me and ill try it.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hondamaster5505
[B]i make sure other people could get up the hill before i attempt it.


lol.... im always the first in my group to try the hill, idky, but i never get scared to climb any hill.

But anyways, make sure you are in a low enough gear and due hills on ur skill level to start out with, good luck man.

[Scro]

Originally posted by 700bRad
Not afraid of nothing! put any hill in front of me and ill try it.

I wish I had more people like you come to Westpoint.:p I'm always up for seeing quads fall off cliffs, especially when it's not mine:devil:

[RideRed84]

The best advice I can give is if you know you can't make it DO NOT turn the quad sideways. My friend did that on his first ride an I thought he was dead. Luckily he got out of the way. But god forbid you don't make it, just jump clear away and let the bike go. Bent bars are better than broken bones.

[Seano300ex]

the key to hill climbing is momentum and being in a low gear.

[250r4life]

Originally posted by underpowered


i never climb in first, no need to really. on a raptor however, 1st might have to be used.


are you kidding? raptors are pure torque- if there is a bike that you shouldnt need to downshift into 1st, its the Raptor...

on my YFZ just by the feel of it, i can tell you exactly what gear im in... i get lost on the raptor cuz every gear feels the same- the bike just pulls... i can be 2 gears high in the dunes and that thing still just pulls like a son of a gun...

[250r4life]

Originally posted by Scro
I wish I had more people like you come to Westpoint.:p I'm always up for seeing quads fall off cliffs, especially when it's not mine:devil:

lol... :D

i second that...

[reptikes]

Heres a little hill for ya :devil:.

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[700bRad]

I dont want to be acting cocky or like an *** or anything but, peace of cake on a quad...

[chris46250r]

Originally posted by 700bRad
I dont want to be acting cocky or like an *** or anything but, peace of cake on a quad...

Then why are you?

[reptikes]

This guy wasn't so lucky!



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[700bRad]

Ouch! thats gonna ruin his weekend...

[Ridiculous]

crazy! he almost saved it too!

[Ralph]

All i have to tell you is front brakes!

If you loose momentum and think you wont make it, grab clutch and hit the front brakes, and slowly back down. dont try to turn and go back down or anything.

Hitting the rear brakes will send you *** over tea kettle.

If you loose it you need to react and jump off to the side. On a hill, if u loose it there is only one place the quad is going, down. Jump to the side and you will be fine.

Its kinda hard to give advice on this sort of thing without knowing how big/steep of hills your having trouble with...

Best thing would be to watch your friends and get tips from them since they can help you on the spot.

[Ralph]

that coulda been MUCH MUCH worse. He rolled down rather smoothly



Originally posted by reptikes
This guy wasn't so lucky!



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[Ridiculous]

Originally posted by Ralph
\!\

Its kinda hard to give advice on this sort of thing without knowing how big/steep of hills your having trouble with...

i understand what ya mean. but it's basically any hill taller than me :rolleyes: but i was just lookin for general advice is all

thanks

[mikeB]

as long as you hug the tank, and dont second guess the hill you should be fine.

Make sure you can find a line first tho =P