Hang -up from a bang-up!

[Bbro]

Hey all!

I'm new to this forum and still a bit of a ameature to ATVs. I have ridden one most of my younger life (30 yrs old now) but it has only been "light" riding I have done, i.e. flat trails, no mudding, no aggressive hill climbing, etc.

Back on Christmas Eve last year (2007), I attempted to climb a rather large, steep and intimidating mountain-side trail. Well, with my inexperience in traversing such a trail and being overly confident, I started up it "balls to the walls" so they say. Well, one split-second error let to another and next thing I know the quad flipped over on top of me, my head hitting a rock (which was BY THE GRACE OF GOD was covered over a little by a layer of leaves which padded the impact of my noggin' against the rock). Oh and the quad which I was riding was my dad's Foreman which ended up tumbling end over end about 7-8 times down the mountain side. (Plug for Honda Alert! After ALL the tumbling and such it was only a little flooded, cranked right up and rode over 3 miles the back way home).

THEN I purchased an 07' Honda 420EFI. The VERY FIRST day me and my dad (who has been riding ATVs since he was just a wee little lad) went riding, I ended up flipping my new quad!! (Shall omit the cause of this incident as it will surely lead to unwanted jeering and ridicule).

SO NOW, I am about as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs when I go riding where there are steep inclines to be navigated. My dad isn't phased with this as he is somewhat of a veteran with ATV riding. But I just can't seem to shake the fear I have now acquired from my incidents earlier this year.. And honestly, I hate taking my quad up a steep hill side.. I'm not a small fellow by any stretch of the imagination so I feel rather ummm.. Top heavy. Which adds to the unfavorable odds of my head meeting tera firma (but I do wear a helmet).

Is this nervousness/fear rational? I have gone up a steep trail several times since then (praying to the Good Lord all the way), BUT I have also had my dad take my quad up a couple times instead of myself on the ones that I had a bad feeling about. Will this fear pass? And are quads really designed for steep or not so steep hill climbing? To me, it seems the center of gravity, short build and narrow well base is not a good design for this type of riding on a constant basis? I know that accidents will happen to you if you ride ATVs long enough.. But dang, IF I can avoid them at any measure I will!

Thoughts, comment, suggestions, ideas? :ermm:

[Ruby Soho]

to get over it your gonna have to do it.

its like jumps, say you have a 50ft double. never hit it before, and you go for it and don't make it. you'll be afraid its gonna happen again until you go out and try it again and make it.

go out there and bite the bullet and over come it

[54warrior]

Start on smaller hills and build your confidence. Practice NOT making it. Know how to dismount without flipping it. Know where the front brakes are, Become 'one with the machine'.

Gradually work your way up to larger stuff. Practice body positioning, learn how it affects how the quad is balanced.

[mod440ex]

like stated above start on smaller hills and work your way up to the bigger ones. if you dont feel comfortable have someone go up and spot you that way if the front end starts coming up they can try and grab it and kepp it from coming over on you. and from experience dont try to ride the atv back down, if you think its going to go,at least until you get a little more experience, get off of it. its alot easier to change hanlebars than it is to over come a major injury. hills are all about momentum, start out with hill that have a long run at them and work you way up with those. this fear will pass if you work on smaller hills and progress that way. good luck:macho

[ZeroLogic]

Riding isn't for everyone. Everyones going to fall and get scared. Its just getting the balls to do it over again. Leaning and moving your body around plus knowing the torq and power of your machine your riding helps. Some riders get hurt, some get up, some don't and some can't.

[54warrior]

Don't forget that some obstacles are simply "not doable" on some machines. Sure you might have the sack to do it, but your machine might not be able to conquer the obstacle, no matter how good of a rider you are.

Practice.

Some of the hills and such I found so intimidating.. I used to have my dad take it up. (This was when I first got the blaster)

One day, as my dad was getting off his to take mine up once again, I said f*ck this and just did it. I was tired of being the one that couldn't go up them.

Well, after doing it once I realized how easy it is, and now im a pretty damn good rider these days if I say so myself.

So it may seem initimdating now, but after doing it once or twice you realize it's not as bad as your mind makes it out to be.

Never panic. 75% of the wrecks ive had in the past was because I panic'd. Just relax and concentrate.

Now I love hills:D

[Bbro]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! Its just going to take time for me to build up my confidence.. Small steps.. I know to some this might not be that big of a deal. But I hate getting to a spot to ride and thinking of what injury I will get this time around.. I know you have to be mindfull and carefull about your riding environment but seems like the fear of flipping over has taken the fun out of riding when I know there WILL be a steep incline to ride up or down..

But like you guys said, it just takes practice and biting the bullet.

Thanks again!

[ZeroLogic]

Riding scares everyone. Its an adrenaline rush and most of us love it! I know everytime I strap on my helmet I think man, this might be the last time I will ever be able to ride my bike. But I put that in the back of my mind and say I can do this.

[ricksmx865]

one other thing if your gonna climb a hill, climb it! your going to have to learn to commit

keep riding man, good luck and have fun with it!

[jcv400ex]

Everyone miss the "thank God the rock was moss covered for protection for my noggin"????

My first suggestion would be to wear a helmet...:ermm:

[ZeroLogic]

Originally posted by jcv400ex
Everyone miss the "thank God the rock was moss covered for protection for my noggin"????

My first suggestion would be to wear a helmet...:ermm:

I caught that.:ermm:

[trx400EXtreme]

Originally posted by ricksmx865
one other thing if your gonna climb a hill, climb it! your going to have to learn to commit

keep riding man, good luck and have fun with it! commit, thats the most important word when it comes to hitting jumps and climbing hills etc... if you start, and then half way through, chances are your gonna wreck, especially on jumps.

[bean2080]

i have a utility bike also and i hate climbing big hills on it, it just feels like its going to tip over. whenever im on my 400, i will climb anything, i think its just alot lower than the utility and it makes it feel more safe. if one of your buddies has a sport bike or something give it a try on it.

[Bbro]

Originally posted by jcv400ex
Everyone miss the "thank God the rock was moss covered for protection for my noggin"????

My first suggestion would be to wear a helmet...:ermm:

Yeah, it was my dad's quad and he generally doesn't wear a helmet nor did he have one at the time this happened. BUT believe ME I wear one when I ride at all times now for sure!