Back

UTV Trail Riding Tips and Etiquette

May. 3 2024 Ownership Tips By Windy City Motorcycle Company

Share

Gearing up to hit the trails on your side by side? Read on for tips on how to stay safe and maintain the riding areas, ensuring they will remain open and accessible for everyone to enjoy!

Don’t Ride off the Trail

Some people have a hard time understanding that ‘Off-Road’ doesn’t mean ‘Ride Wherever you Want’. Unless you’re on private property, you must keep your UTV on the trail for several reasons.

Reason #1 is safety. It’s not uncommon for an inexperienced rider to cut across a switchback or head through the trees…only to find that they’ve pushed their UTV farther than it will go. You can wind up stuck, rolled over, or injured when you go bushwhacking. That’s why it’s important to stay on the trail and stay safe. 

If you need another reason to stay on the trail, then consider the amount of stress your side-by-side puts on the ground when you ride. If you head out across a field one day, and another rider follows your track the next, and then another rider follows that trail…you’ll have a deep worn track in no time. It can take years for the trail to recover back to where it was. Staying on the trail is an important part of caring for the trails that you share with all other riders, so be considerate and keep yourself on track.

Be Ready for Anything

When you’re out on the trail by yourself or with friends, things can go wrong. That’s why it’s important to be prepared before you embark on your off-road adventure.

For example:

  • Make sure you’ve got appropriate equipment for the place you’re riding. 
  • Keep a tool kit handy for any quick repairs or adjustments you may need to make on your UTV.
  • Make sure you’ve always got a well-equipped first aid kit on hand in case of a medical emergency.
  • Having a winch installed on your side-by-side can be a big benefit in many situations, either for getting yourself unstuck or helping get your buddy unstuck.
  • Other accessories that can help improve UTV ride would be LED lights for visibility and a cargo box to carry all of your gear safely and securely. 

Politeness and Manners

When you’re riding on a public trail, always slow down around corners to avoid a collision with other riders. 

When you do encounter another group, it’s polite to give the larger group the right of way. If you’re leading the passing group, it’s also good practice to signal how many riders are in your party so the waiting group doesn’t take off before your stragglers go past. 

If you see someone who needs a hand on the trail, don’t blast past them; stop and see if you can help. 

When you have a faster group coming up behind you, it’s also good manners to allow them to pass so you don’t slow them down. 

All in all, be friendly and polite on the trail, build friendships, and help to make the riding community more inviting for everyone!

Are you in the market for a UTV? Windy City Motorcycle Company is a side-by-side dealer with a variety of UTVs for sale. We proudly serve Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Chicago, Illinois, and Detroit, Michigan. We also serve Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.