Quad Bikes - Curse or Cure?

**INter674** · 25th October 2009, 07:26 PM

Just returned from the West Coast of Tassie, three days of sheer 4x4 bliss...BUT have to say the area is being ruined, yes ruined by quad bikes. I love them, don't get me wrong, but they are carving new track arouns every hole with water in it...simply because they dont wan't to get wet I guess.

The impact is now very clear to see, it's like Southport in places, just less deep and narrower track ruts, but destructive just the same. My worry is that 4x4 cars will get the blame, or as we know, this will add to the collective 4x4 eco - centric hatred of all 4x4s.

AND they travel into the most ridiculous place...I mean up the side of sheer faced dune, ripping out the vegetation as they go - places you would never get a conventional 4x4

And as for policing them, riders just laugh when Parks turn up, and speed off knowing they will never be caught.

And as for closed track, well they just go around the gates, as do trail bikes too.

What to do...well I'm seriously thinking of getting one to cure my jealosy of their freedom given 4x4 cars are so restricted here now, and it will only get worse as more tracks are 'closed'!!!

Am I being too critical here?

**Piddler** · 25th October 2009, 08:00 PM

I have one and spend a lot of time on the West Coast,
try it they are great on the Cape dunes.
Cheers

**dickyjoe** · 25th October 2009, 08:03 PM

I wouldn't be without the Honda on the farm. I guess thats different though

**2_door** · 25th October 2009, 08:12 PM

I liken them to jetski's & trail bikes

Okay in the right hands ie people who do the right thing but in the hands of idiots they are dangerous.

I am seeing alot more out and about on the tracks and my biggest gripe is that they get bogged so easily and then have no recovery gear, relying on the 4x4's to winch or pull them out.

If they want to play with the big boys, then they need to drive responsibly (well better than they do) and carry their own recovery gear.

On a farm, thats completely different, but if they want to share the 'public' areas, then alot of them have to get their act together.

Dont go down that route Eric, although a double diff locked 35 inch simex clad quad would be a sight to see

**Hymie** · 25th October 2009, 09:41 PM

We got rid of the quad bikes from work as they were an OH&S risk, according to the boss.
So he bought 2 Yamaha Rhinos, verrry nice!

**CraigE** · 25th October 2009, 10:52 PM

Used right quads, bikes, jetskis, 4x4s etc are all great. The problem is the 20% odd of owners who are tossers and inconsiderate of others and who just dont care what they ride on or over.

**Phoenix** · 26th October 2009, 09:43 AM

Interestingly I've heard parks are getting tough on them in tassie. Especially unlicenced ones.

Apparently unlicenced vehicles that should be on RV plates etc (like quads) are being confiscated on sight now, and even checking camping grounds for them!

Bloody good to hear. Much as they have their place, and can be great fun, the idiot element seems to be able to afford them too easliy and runi great places for the rest of us.

**PhilipA** · 26th October 2009, 10:52 AM

The worst I saw was at Yahwal where a 10 year old was dinking his 8 year old sister , neither with helmets.
They seemed to survive but a time bomb.
Regards Philip A

**willem** · 26th October 2009, 04:39 PM

I used one for a month at Pickertaramoor on the Tiwi Islands for a month. It was very useful transport - with limitations tho - around the construction site. Go anywhere and a lot of fun. The main use for me was transportation. With my limitations on walking, if I was wanting to tour I would take a quad bike along just to get around. Brilliantly useful!

Having said that, people using a quad bike to wreck the environment deserve the same condemnation that people using a 4WD or a trail bike to wreck the environment get.

Willem

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