Riding a quad bike – all you need to know

Thinking of buying and riding a quad bike?

One of the myriad of alternatives to driving a car is riding a quad bike, also known as an ATV (all terrain vehicles), also, more formally, known as quadricycles. They’re a fun, adventurous, motor vehicle – great for on and off-road riding, and for utility use; at horse stables, supporting agricultural needs etc. Two Wheel Centre don’t sell any second-hand models but we are official Quadzilla agents, and have a fair few models available here and in-store! Our workshop staff are also fully qualified to repair and service quads – so once you’ve purchased, we can look after you later on as you need it. If you aren’t that familiar with quads, we’ve put some more info together below…

What makes a quad road-legal?

Some quads or buggies are designed to be off-road and should be used in fields and other adventurous, traffic-less settings. However, many have been designed for the road and for it to be legally acceptable, the quad bikes must pass a few stringent tests to gain EEC approval, which should lead them to be awarded with a COC (certificate of conformity).

What else is important if you want to ride a quad bike on the road?

Here a few points to consider…

• An MOT certificate: A quad bike that is three years old, or older, requires an MOT certificate to be used on the road.
• Registered: The bike must be registered with the DVLA and have both front and rear number plates.
• Insurance: It’s legally required for a bike to have third party insurance for being driven on the road. The new CIE (Continuous insurance enforcement) regulations set out that legally the quad bike must be insured at all times – this protects both you and the other party should you be involved in a crash. Our recommended insurance company, Bikesure, offer a specific quad bike policy, it’s so specialised there’s even a separate name for it, Quadsure, which can be reviewed on their website. It’s important to note when shopping around for this that quad bikes are lower risk vehicles than motorbikes, and insurance prices should reflect that.
• Helmets and gear: Riders aren’t required to wear any form of crash helmet but we would highly recommend it, even though riding quads is generally considered safer than a bike, it still leaves you vulnerable to accidents. It is generally more popular to opt for a Motocross helmet as they complement quad bikes in both function and style. In addition to a helmet, we also recommend investing in some protective clothing, whether that’s the more casual Kevlar jeans, waterproof textile jackets or textile bottoms. Gloves and boots are additional options too.
• Petroleum: Quad bikes run on regular unleaded petrol, there’s no specific quad bike liquid required.

Do you need a licence?

A quad bike is classed as a B1 vehicle by the Government – unlike with scoots and bikes, you don’t need a specific licence to ride a quad bike on the road. However, you do need a car driving licence, or if it was issued before January 1997, a category B1 licence. Therefore, you must be 17 or older, with the exception of those receiving the higher level of mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance where riding at 16 is legally ok.

How about off-road driving?

You aren’t required to have a driving licence to ride a quad bike off-road, nor do you need to tax or insure the adventure vehicle – although Quadsure do also offer this, covering fire and theft. However, you could record the details of the bike in a specific off-road register, which isn’t required, but may help the police to find the bike if it’s (fingers-crossed-it’ll-never-actually-happen-but-just-in-case) stolen.

Quad or motorbike?

If your finances restrict you to deciding on either a quad or a bike, what are the main points to consider?

• How many riders? Many quads, such as the Quadzilla MBX750 are only suitable for a solo rider – which isn’t what you’re after if you want to whisk your partner or mate away on a ride. However, the Quadzilla Z6 EX 4 x 4 is a more of a buggy, fitted with seats for two.
• Insurance price: Quad bikes are generally considered safer and so your premium is likely to be much cheaper than with a bike
• Licence requirements: you don’t need to fork out for, or put yourself through the challenging course of obtaining a full motorcycle licence. If you can drive a car, you can legally ride a quad bike.
• Your riding needs: if you’re looking for a commuter vehicle there’s not much hope in Harley that this will do the trick in British weather. However, quads are very fun, more practical and can be enjoyed in both the summer and the snow.
• The rider’s age: if the children are 16 years old or younger, they can ride the quad off-road at speeds of up to 30mph with adult supervision – christmas prezzie idea perhaps?

Still unsure if riding a quad bike is for you? Why not have a mooch over to our showroom in Mansfield Woodhouse and have a browse or chat to our team!

Please note: This information was true as of 19th May 2015.