ATV's are high speed off-road vehicles, designed to be used in the most difficult terrain and on steep slopes. There is inherent danger in any such activity. However, used properly and within the limits of both the rider and the machine, the ATV is as safe as any mode of transport. In order to improve the safety of ATVs, follow the following guidelines:

• Read, understand and apply the guidelines of your user's manual.
• Take an approved training course (see below)
• Drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions
• Never carry a passenger (the long seat is for drivers to shift their bodyweight forwards or backwards for different slope conditions)
• Always balance a load correctly
• Avoid traversing steep side slopes
• Ensure steep slopes are within your capabilities and that the machine is loaded correctly prior to attempting them
• Do not tow excessive loads with unbraked equipment.

Head protection is vital. Should you fall off your ATV, it is the only protection you will have. There is no law to say that you must wear a helmet if riding your own ATV on your own land, however you are taking un-necessary risks every time you do so. Employers must ensure that their employees wear appropriate safety equipment at all times.

Motorcycle helmets to BS6658: 1985 are recommended, but other BSI approved helmets which give both top and side head protection can be used, providing it has a chin strap.

Other safety clothing is optional, depending on your activity. Strong boots are always a good idea, as well as gloves. Sports users in particular should wear goggles to protect their eyes from flying dirt, and body armour is highly recommended.

Professional training is highly recommended for personal users of ATVs, and a legal requirement for employees. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, an employer must provide 'such instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of his employees'. Under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), the employer must provide adequate training and ensure that the ATVs are only ridden by employees who have received appropriate training in their safe use, including the use of any towed equipment or attachments. The same requirements apply to the self-employed.

Training courses for Utility ATV's are provided by Lantra, while sports quad training is provided by EASI or the Scottish Auto-Cycle Union. Please contact us for details.

It is recommended by the ATV manufacturers that children under 16 years old should not ride adult ATV's. The reasons for this include physical size and strength required to operate an ATV safely, coordination, visual perception, emotional maturity and the ability to reason and make good decisions. On this basis, the following age guidelines have been recommended:

• ATVs under 70cc are suitable for 6 year olds and older
• 70cc to 90cc ATVs are suitable for 12 year olds and older
• ATVs over 90cc are suitable for 16 year olds and older.

However, the final decision on the suitability of the child to ride a particular ATV rests with the parent or guardian. As a good rule of thumb, the child must be able to stand on the footrest and have a clearance of 3 inches between the seat and 'the seat of his pants'. He or she must be able to reach and work all the controls comfortably. Generally, they should be able to judge speeds and distances, be able to follow rules and instruction, understand the consequences of unsafe acts and have good hand and eye co-ordination. Always ensure they have suitable protective equipment and understand the parameters under which they are being allowed to ride (e.g. only under supervision from an adult, only in this field, never on the road, no faster than xmph etc).

Should you wish to buy your child their own quad bike from ATV Engineering, please be aware that we are regulated by the Consumer Protection Act 1989. This means that we can only supply bikes for under 16 year olds, as per the age guidelines given above, that are restricted for speed. Quads must have a top speed of 30 mph unrestricted, but be restricted to 10mph for 6 to 12 year olds and 15mph for 12 to 16 year olds. This restriction is accomplished by thumb throttle limiters and/or by CDI control (electronic ignition). These rules are intended for the safety and welfare of your child. They do not apply to two wheeled off-road motorcycles. Under the same regulations, we are prohibited to supply three wheeled vehicles (trikes) for off-road use.

Quad bikes were orignially designed for off-road use only. They have special low pressure tyres which are not road legal. Most bikes have a fixed back axle, which makes them unsuitable for cornering on hard surfaces. The factory supplied lighting kits do not conform with the Road Traffic Act. From a comfort and vehicle safety standpoint, the ATV must meet certain vehicle harmonic requirements.

The answer, therefore, is no in most circumstances. However, for limited road use as an agricultural vehicle, the bike can be modified to comply with the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989. This means it must have indicators, dipping headlights and brake lights, all set at the correct height and location on the bike. Likewise, the ATV must comply with the relevant sections of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. As far as we are able to tell, this means that the ATV must have a horn, a speedometer and the fuel tank must meet with specifications. The ATV is exempt from an MOT but must be registered and display a number plate. Third party insurance is also essential. ATV's have a 20 mph speed limit on the road.

New rules introduced a few years ago, now allow for quads to be used on the road legally if they are homologated or have passed a SVA test. Homologated quads are passed as road legal as a 'type' and are therefore sold by the manufacturers as legal for road use. Off-road quads can be modified and put through their SVA as a quadricycle. This means that their output is limited (to around 18HP), they must pass emissions tests, have mirrors and road legal lights, have independant front and rear brakes and a hand brake and steering lock (this list is not comprehensive!). Road legal tyres are also required. Road legal quads must undergo annual MOT testing after 3 years, and currently there are limited facilities for this test. Some road legal quads are homologated for 2 riders. A driving licence is required, but not a helmet (although we thoroughly recommend you wear one for your own safety). The quad needs to be insured for road use and have a valid tax disc.

Yamaha have a range of homologated quads. Please contact us for details.

You can ride your ATV on any private land with the permission of the land owner.

The Buchan Off Road Motor Cycle Club in Aberdeenshire is the most active club in the area. Please call us for contact details.

Some house insurance policies will let you add your ATV, providing it is itemised. However, specialist insurance companies are your best bet. Try Bradstock Insurance Brokers Ltd (the ACU's insurance broker). Failing that, contact the Association of British Insurers on 0171-600-3333.

You may be required to register your ATV in order to qualify for insurance. This involves filling in a V55 registration form and paying a one off £25 fee. You then qualify for a Q plate for limited use and your machine is entered on the DVLA's register.

Where possible, keep your ATV locked in a garage, shed or outbuilding. Wall or floor clamps are available for securing your ATV in an unlocked location. However, one of the best theft deterrents is the Datatag system. This system consists of electronic tags (transponders) which are fitted to your ATV in order to assist the police in identifying the ATV. In addition to these transponders, the Datatag kit includes engraving for plastics, Ultra Destruct Labels and 750 Datadot microdots which can be applied to virtually any component. Once applied, the kit makes the bike so easily identifiable, that the thief runs a huge risk when he tries to sell it, or even break it for parts. The system has already had a major impact on reducing the theft of motorcycles. Please contact ATV Engineering for further details.

Yes there are. ATVs generally run on standard unleaded fuel. Some ATVs, such as kids quads and sports quads, run on a mixture of unleaded and two stroke oil. However, for the high mileage user concerned about the cost of fuel there are currently two alternatives, diesel and LPG.

There is a limited range of diesel ATVs on the market, but these are able to run on standard red diesel. Advantages are that they are cheap to run and convenient to refuel if you already have red diesel on site. The downside is high initial cost, relatively poor performance (compared to equivalent petrol ATVs), diesel fumes and noise. Some of the newer diesels are addressing the latter of these problems.

LPG conversions have recently become available for the Yamaha Automatic ATV's. This consists of an additional fuel tank for the LPG (mounted on the front or rear rack, or even under the front fenders) plus an LPG injection kit. The result is a dual fuel ATV, with almost all the performance of a petrol ATV (there is a slight loss of power or approximately 10% while running on LPG). Running costs are similar to that of diesel, performance is far superior and pollution is reduced. Refuelling can be done from an LPG tank on site, rented from any of the major fuel suppliers. Conversion kits can be transferred from ATV to ATV at minimum cost, thus reducing the price of new conversions.

Both of the above options are available from ATV Engineering. Please use the enquiry form to contact us for details.