Preparing for an Off-Road Adventure

Ready to take your powersports vehicle to the backroads and tear up some turf? The ability to embark on off-road adventures is, after all, the reason you purchased the vehicle! An off-road adventure is a great mix of adrenaline, speed, and conquering terrain. But before you head out on the trail, it’s important you put in the legwork of proper trip preparation. This helps you enjoy a fun and safe ride. We created a guide to preparing for your adventure below. For all your powersport needs, visit Abernathy’s Cycle. We deal in everything from dirt bikes to ATVs. You’ll find us in Union City, Tennessee.

Understanding Your Vehicle

Before you can enjoy a successful off-road adventure, you’ll need to know how your powersport vehicle handles. Practice driving it around until you feel comfortable with turning, accelerating, and braking. A class can help ensure you learn the correct riding technique (and can give you plenty of tips for making the most of your machine).

You’ll also need to know the dimensions of your ride, such as the height, width, approach angle, and departure angle. This helps you navigate through tight areas without incurring any damage. You should also have a firm grasp of where the air intake and engine computer are found so that you can know how deep of water you can cross.

Preparing Your Vehicle

You can’t take your powersports vehicle immediately from your garage to your destination. First, you should conduct a pre-ride inspection. This helps you catch any issues in the convenience of your garage (near a mechanic) rather than in the middle of a ride in the backwoods. Tires tend to be the most commonly damaged parts of a vehicle, so you will want to thoroughly inspect these. Make sure they are properly inflated and have the right tread levels. Top off any fluids (and always fill up with more gas than you think you’ll need). Test your steering and your brakes. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, bring your machine in to a mechanic or dealer (like Abernathy’s Cycle).

Next, you’ll need to pack supplies. You need the essentials for riding as well as emergency supplies. This includes a mini toolkit with a wrench fitting your vehicle’s bolt size, a first aid kit, waterproof outer gear, one gallon of water, snacks, a knife, a flashlight, fire starter, an extra gas can, a map, and a flat tire kit.

Be intentional with how you pack your supplies. Everything needs to be tight and secure. In a crash, loose items can become a dangerous hazard bouncing around. You also need to stay within your vehicle’s gross weight capacity.

As you load your gear, try to distribute the weight evenly. Putting too much behind the rear axle can cause your vehicle’s rear to sag, which hurts your departure angle and clearance. Putting too much weight on the roof rack hurts your center of gravity, which makes the vehicle less stable.

Preparing Your Route

Spend some time studying and building your route. This helps prevent scenarios where you underestimate the time it takes and get forced to navigate trails in the dark. It also helps ensure you bring enough supplies (like gas and water) to stay safe and comfortable. Keep in mind that trails can get compromised and rendered temporarily unusable (due to situations like a bad storm causing debris). You’ll want to check the trail’s site before you leave to make sure your intended route is good to go.

For all your powersport needs, visit Abernathy’s Cycle. We offer a range of new and used inventory for sale. We also offer parts replacement and service appointments to fix your ride right up. We proudly serve those in Union City, Memphis, and Nashville, Tennessee.