From my personal experience, it takes less than 15 minutes for people to learn how to ride a quad. The tricky part that people need to learn is the location of all ATV controls and how to brake. Knowing how to brake is super important on an ATV, especially if you are riding in a group.
ATVs have two brakes that riders can use. One is located on the handlebars and it actions both the front and rear brakes. The second ATV brake is located at the footrest position and it actions the rear brake. This is the brake that ATV riders will use most of the time. The handbrake works by squeezing the level against the handlebar. The intensity of the brake is controlled by squeezing harder. ATV riders need to release the lever to disengage the brakes and free up the wheels. The foot brake can be actioned by pressing on the foot pedal (usually located on the right side), similar to how a car’s brake pedal functions.
Knowing how to brake an ATV is essential if you want your first ride to be safe. Don’t worry; here is where my expertise comes in. Stick around because I will show you how to brake on an ATV and also share some trade secrets.
How Do You Brake On an ATV?
Have you ever ridden a bike? If yes, then you will be able to master braking on an ATV quickly. The ATV has two brakes. The first one is the handbrake, which, as its name implies, is located on the handlebars. The handbrake is usually on top of the gas throttle and works by squeezing the lever.
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It’s important to mention that the handbrake actions both the rear and front brakes. This is why you need to be delicate with the handbrake. If you press it to the max while riding at fast speeds, all four wheels will block, and the ATV will begin drifting out of your control. Therefore, you should try and be smooth with the lever, especially the first time you squeeze it. After giving it a few test tries, you will be able to achieve the braking effect you want every time.
The foot brake is generally located right next to the right footrest. This foot pedal usually operates the rear brakes and this is why ATV riders use it the most. If you just want to slow down, you will have a much better time controlling the four-wheeler when you activate the foot brake. The foot brake works really simply. You just press the pedal down with your foot until you reach the level of effectiveness that you want and lift your foot to release the brakes.
Sidenote: I want to stress how important it is to ride ATVs safely and avoid slamming the brakes as much as possible. If you are riding at 20-25 mph and you slam on the brakes, you will be in for a bad time because the quad will start drifting, and you can get hurt.
Should I Use Front Brake or Rear Brake on an ATV?
In general, you want to use the rear brake that is operated by the foot brake. The rear brakes give you more control when slowing down and won’t cause the ATV to drift as much. If you are riding down a steep hill and need to keep the brake actioned so that you don’t gain too much speed, you can always use both the front and rear brakes simultaneously. Just keep in mind that you can lock up the wheels if you overdo it.
Braking Tips for Beginners
Since you are reading an article about how to brake on an ATV, chances are that you are now getting ready to go on an ATV tour for the first time. I know it can feel scary to get on an offroad vehicle and this is why I wrote a guide that shows you what not to do on an ATV. That’s not all. I have also prepared a couple of braking tips for beginners to make your first time riding an ATV a fun experience. Without any further ado, let’s jump into it:
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Leave one or two fingers resting on the brake lever
One of the most useful tips that I can share with new ATV riders is to leave one or two fingers resting on the handbrake lever at all times. This makes it super easy to squeeze the lever if an obstacle appears and you need to brake ASAP.
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You can use both brakes at the same time
When I first started riding ATVs, I would either use the hand or footbrake. It took me some time to realize that you can use both of them in situations where you need to brake fast. However, you should keep in mind that doing this will lock all four wheels, and you can drift. This is why you should always wear protective gear.
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Don’t fully lock up your ATV’s wheels
The most common mistake I see beginners making is pulling the handbrake level to the max anytime they want to brake. This is never good because it locks up the front wheels and if you have enough speed, you can drift and hit an obstacle. It’s always better to slowly squeeze the lever so that you are always in control.
Final Words
Learning how to brake on an ATV is not difficult. Once you figure out the locations of the hand and foot brake, the only thing left remaining to do is to get a feel for how hard you squeeze (or press) the brake. My advice is to randomly brake a couple of times during your first ten minutes of riding so that you have enough time to get a feel for the brakes.
