Graemetic Ltd - Easi ATV training

Published by Farmers Guide, November 2007.

ATV training aims to save lives

Suzuki UK kindly loaned three quad bikes to the organisers of Power in Action for use at this year's event, but not before everyone who would be using them had gone through the ATV industry's Easi Rider Course. Farmers Guide Deputy Editor Graeme Kirk was among those to take part in the training.

THERE'S little doubt that all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), particularly quad bikes, have revolutionised many aspects of UK agriculture. Whether they are used to spread slug pellets on crops, or allow shepherds to cover the ground much more quickly to monitor their stock, they have proved an efficient and cost-effective addition to many farms.

What can't be denied, however, is that they can also be dangerous. High-profile accidents involving comedian Rik Mayall and singer Ozzy Osbourne have both hit the headlines, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that ATVs are responsible for at least two deaths each year and more than 1,000 serious injuries.

And it would be wrong to assume that these deaths and injuries all involve inexperienced leisure users. The HSE's annual reports of farming fatalities regularly include tragic instances where people have been killed while using quad bikes.

In many cases, the accidents can be attributed simply to lack of training and the failure to wear appropriate safety equipment - particularly a helmet. Legislation under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 means that farm staff have to be provided with appropriate training before being sent out to work on ATVs, but there is still a problem with farmers - and especially those of advancing years - who buy and use quad bikes with little thought of finding out how to use them correctly.

To try and address the issue of quad bike safety, the majority of the manufacturers selling them in the UK now offer free or subsidised training with every new machine. The training is provided by the European ATV Safety Institute (Easi), which was set up in 2002 to provide a national programme of ATV safety education, training and awareness. A not-for-profit business, Easi is currently sponsored and supported by Honda, Yamaha, Polaris, Suzuki and Kawasaki, although more manufacturers are expected to join the scheme from 2008.

The Easi Rider Course was originally developed by the ATV Safety Institute of America, where deaths peaked at almost 100 annually before training was introduced. The course is described as an exciting, hands-on, outdoor adventure for anyone interested in learning to ride an ATV. For a novice like me, whose only previous encounter with a quad bike was at a corporate event that nearly ended in a broken ankle when I tried to put my foot on the ground while negotiating a corner too quickly, that proved a fair description.

During the course of about five hours the instructor, Andy Heitman, guided me and three other ATV newcomers (courses never have more than eight participants) through 16 lessons aimed at instructing us in the basic techniques for operating a quad bike safely. These included the need for safety equipment, pre-ride checks, starting and stopping, quick turns, hill riding, swerving and riding over obstacles.

The most important piece of safety equipment is a well-fitting helmet, and it was made clear that you should never ride without one; indeed many of the fatal accidents around the world could be avoided through following this one rule alone. Goggles, or a visor, to protect your eyes is another must, while using gloves and wearing boots that protect your ankles are also recommended, as is wearing long trousers and clothing that covers your arms.

Once you are correctly dressed to ride your quad bike, you should always carry out a pre-ride check to make sure the machine is up to the job. In practice, the main items that need to be checked are the fuel level - you can travel a long way in a short time with a quad bike and they are heavy to push home - and the tyre pressures.

Although they tend to operate at low pressure, the amount of air in the tyres is critical as this is central to the machine's suspension set-up. Too little, or too much, air in any one tyre can make a quad bike unstable and downright dangerous.

Obviously it's also worthwhile to check that the brakes work, any lights are operating correctly and that everything is secure and there is no loose bodywork or parts working themselves loose.

Mr Heitman was keen to get over the message that riding an ATV is like operating no other vehicle, which is why training is so important. It is completely different to driving a car or riding a motorbike, and unless you master the techniques for riding quad bikes safely, you will always be at a higher risk of injury.

One of the major features that makes the quad bike riding experience unique is the fact that it has no differential on its drive axle. This makes the machine tend to want to go straight at all times; turning, therefore, requires one rear wheel to lift, and as that wheel lifts the rider must shift their weight to control this effect and prevent the bike from turning over - a simple bit of knowledge that would have helped in my own early experience of the machines.

In fact, just about every lesson involved us using our bodies to manage the weight distribution on the ATV for different manoeuvres. Standing and leaning forwards to go up slopes and leaning back to go down slopes all helps to maintain a constant centre of gravity and keep the quad bike where it should be - squarely on the ground and under control.

All the practical lessons involved a demonstration by the instructor followed by each student carrying out the same sequence of manoeuvres under his watchful eye - and getting instant feedback on anything that was not done correctly, or done particularly well! Each lesson is progressively more challenging, but the course is structured in such a way that students are able to constantly build up their confidence to move onto the next step.

Although Easi Rider Courses are held all over the UK, I travelled to Easi's base at Small Dole, West Sussex, for my course. This meant that at the end of the morning's lessons we were given the opportunity to ride around part of the Golding Barn Raceway moto-cross circuit.

Although well equipped by the morning's activities to tackle the steep slopes, both up and down, and the challenging and inclined corners, I hope the few minutes on that circuit remains the most frightening thing I ever intentionally do!

For more information on the Easi Rider Course, visit: www.quadsafety.org; call 01903 816286; or talk to your local quad dealer. Agricultural Information Sheet 33 from the Health & Safety Executive provides information on the safe use of ATVs. It can be found online at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais33.pdf; or call HSE Books on 01787 881165.


Published by Farmers Guide, November 2007. ATV training aims to save lives Suzuki UK kindly loaned three quad bikes to the organisers of Power in Action for use at this year's event, but not before everyone who would be using them had gone through the ATV industry's Easi Rider Course. Farmers Guide Deputy Editor Graeme Kirk was among those to take part in the training. THERE'S little doubt that all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), particularly quad bikes, have revolutionised many aspects of UK agriculture. Whether they are used to spread slug pellets on crops, or allow shepherds to cover the ground much more quickly to monitor their stock, they have proved an efficient and cost-effective addition to many farms. What can't be denied, however, is that they can also be dangerous. High-profile accidents involving comedian Rik Mayall and singer Ozzy Osbourne have both hit the headlines, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that ATVs are responsible for at least two deaths each year and more than 1,000 serious injuries. And it would be wrong to assume that these deaths and injuries all involve inexperienced leisure users. The HSE's annual reports of farming fatalities regularly include tragic instances where people have been killed while using quad bikes. In many cases, the accidents can be attributed simply to lack of training and the failure to wear appropriate safety equipment - particularly a helmet. Legislation under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 means that farm staff have to be provided with appropriate training before being sent out to work on ATVs, but there is still a problem with farmers - and especially those of advancing years - who buy and use quad bikes with little thought of finding out how to use them correctly. To try and address the issue of quad bike safety, the majority of the manufacturers selling them in the UK now offer free or subsidised training with every new machine. The training is provided by the European ATV Safety Institute (Easi), which was set up in 2002 to provide a national programme of ATV safety education, training and awareness. A not-for-profit business, Easi is currently sponsored and supported by Honda, Yamaha, Polaris, Suzuki and Kawasaki, although more manufacturers are expected to join the scheme from 2008. The Easi Rider Course was originally developed by the ATV Safety Institute of America, where deaths peaked at almost 100 annually before training was introduced. The course is described as an exciting, hands-on, outdoor adventure for anyone interested in learning to ride an ATV. For a novice like me, whose only previous encounter with a quad bike was at a corporate event that nearly ended in a broken ankle when I tried to put my foot on the ground while negotiating a corner too quickly, that proved a fair description. During the course of about five hours the instructor, Andy Heitman, guided me and three other ATV newcomers (courses never have more than eight participants) through 16 lessons aimed at instructing us in the basic techniques for operating a quad bike safely. These included the need for safety equipment, pre-ride checks, starting and stopping, quick turns, hill riding, swerving and riding over obstacles. The most important piece of safety equipment is a well-fitting helmet, and it was made clear that you should never ride without one; indeed many of the fatal accidents around the world could be avoided through following this one rule alone. Goggles, or a visor, to protect your eyes is another must, while using gloves and wearing boots that protect your ankles are also recommended, as is wearing long trousers and clothing that covers your arms. Once you are correctly dressed to ride your quad bike, you should always carry out a pre-ride check to make sure the machine is up to the job. In practice, the main items that need to be checked are the fuel level - you can travel a long way in a short time with a quad bike and they are heavy to push home - and the tyre pressures. Although they tend to operate at low pressure, the amount of air in the tyres is critical as this is central to the machine's suspension set-up. Too little, or too much, air in any one tyre can make a quad bike unstable and downright dangerous. Obviously it's also worthwhile to check that the brakes work, any lights are operating correctly and that everything is secure and there is no loose bodywork or parts working themselves loose. Mr Heitman was keen to get over the message that riding an ATV is like operating no other vehicle, which is why training is so important. It is completely different to driving a car or riding a motorbike, and unless you master the techniques for riding quad bikes safely, you will always be at a higher risk of injury. One of the major features that makes the quad bike riding experience unique is the fact that it has no differential on its drive axle. This makes the machine tend to want to go straight at all times; turning, therefore, requires one rear wheel to lift, and as that wheel lifts the rider must shift their weight to control this effect and prevent the bike from turning over - a simple bit of knowledge that would have helped in my own early experience of the machines. In fact, just about every lesson involved us using our bodies to manage the weight distribution on the ATV for different manoeuvres. Standing and leaning forwards to go up slopes and leaning back to go down slopes all helps to maintain a constant centre of gravity and keep the quad bike where it should be - squarely on the ground and under control. All the practical lessons involved a demonstration by the instructor followed by each student carrying out the same sequence of manoeuvres under his watchful eye - and getting instant feedback on anything that was not done correctly, or done particularly well! Each lesson is progressively more challenging, but the course is structured in such a way that students are able to constantly build up their confidence to move onto the next step. Although Easi Rider Courses are held all over the UK, I travelled to Easi's base at Small Dole, West Sussex, for my course. This meant that at the end of the morning's lessons we were given the opportunity to ride around part of the Golding Barn Raceway moto-cross circuit. Although well equipped by the morning's activities to tackle the steep slopes, both up and down, and the challenging and inclined corners, I hope the few minutes on that circuit remains the most frightening thing I ever intentionally do! For more information on the Easi Rider Course, visit: www.quadsafety.org; call 01903 816286; or talk to your local quad dealer. Agricultural Information Sheet 33 from the Health & Safety Executive provides information on the safe use of ATVs. It can be found online at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais33.pdf; or call HSE Books on 01787 881165.
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