How Can You Drive a Quad Bike Safely During Bad Weather?

It can usually go without saying that trying to drive when the weather is bad is not always the best idea. Whether the roads are iced over and there is black ice all over the place, or the rain is coming down in sheets so thick you can’t see more than a few metres ahead of you, there are always risks to driving in inclement weather. More often than not, cars have features implemented to help combat some of these troubles. Sadly, many quad bikes do not have as extensive features, which can make it somewhat difficult to drive safely when the weather turns sour on your way back home. However, as with many things, knowing how to drive during the bad weather is going to be key.

Knowing How to Handle Your Quad Bike During Bad Weather

First things first, you absolutely must know how to handle your quad bike. If you are unfamiliar with any aspect of your quad bike, then you should not be driving on the roads at all. As long as you are familiar with how your bike works, you will be able to make the most of a bad situation when the weather turns sour. If you recently bought your quad bike from a supplier of road legal quad bikes, then here are a few things you can do to familiarise yourself with it.

You should read the manual, giving extra attention to any safety instructions that you come across. You should always be wearing appropriate protective gear when you are biking on the roads, as if you were riding any other bike. If there are videos or training courses, you can opt to watch and participate in those which can help you feel more comfortable with the bike before going on the road.

Always, always maintain your balance and centre of gravity. The biggest cause of crashes is when a quad bike rolls over or overturns, which is usually caused by incorrect balance. This is especially important on inclines and turns, and you need to be especially wary of this during bad weather when your tyres might not have as much traction on the road. Similarly, you should use correct riding posture, as this will help you maintain that centre of gravity.

In a worst-case scenario, and the weather has become so bad that you cannot safely continue riding, you should park the quad bike in an appropriate place and find some shelter to wait out the weather. It is always better to lean toward the side of safety than trying to risk making it through the bad weather.

Knowing Your Limits

Arguably one of the most important aspects of this is going to be knowing what your limits are, and what the limits of your quad bike are. You should always be looking at weather forecasts in advance so that you can be as prepared as possible. You should have an idea of just how much your quad bike can struggle through certain weather conditions, and you should know what you are capable of putting up with as well.