If you’ve recently purchased a new ATV, you may be a bit nervous about your very first trail ride. While it’s totally normal to be a bit anxious about your first ride, we want to encourage you to take a deep breath and lay your worries to rest. It’ll take a little practice, and with the helpful tips below, we’re sure you’ll be riding your ATV like a pro in no time!

Always Be Prepared

No matter where you’re riding, it’s important to make sure you’re prepared. Make sure that you and your group are dressed safely in long sleeves, pants, goggles and helmets, sturdy boots, and gloves. In your cargo area, bring along extra food and water, first aid, and tools. If you’re riding where the weather can turn on you, make sure you pack a poncho and/or other rain gear, as well as a GPS or map. Finally, don't forget to bring along good judgment and common sense, don’t ride under the influence, and don’t try to ride in a manner that exceeds your abilities, or the comfort level of your passengers. 

Take Responsibility for Your ATV Riding Area

Maybe you’re riding in an area that you consider to be your stomping grounds, or maybe you’re going out to explore a remote trail in the backcountry, but either way, you’re probably not the first to ride the trail, and you likely won’t be the last. Make sure that while you’re riding, you’re taking care to maintain the natural beauty of the area you’re riding in. Sure, maybe no one will notice if you leave a few flakes of candy bar wrapper behind, but micro trash will pile up quickly if an area sees frequent use, and patches of garbage have a way of ruining scenic vistas. 

Stay On the Trail

It can be fun to race with your friends, but if you’re diving off the trail to zip past, you’re doing some pretty serious damage to the environment around you. Even hikers have to stick to established trails to prevent erosion to sensitive trails, so imagine the damage that 100 rogue ATVs could do to a trail over the course of a year. Don’t try and take shortcuts, and if you are forced off the trail by an obstacle, do your best to minimize your impact.

Looking for some high-quality riding gear or ATV accessories for your first ride? Then you’ll want to visit us here at Langston Motorsports in Perris, California! We proudly serve the nearby areas of Orange County and Temecula, California, and offer an enormous selection of ATV parts, equipment, and accessories for you to browse through.