Let me begin with a question: when was the last time, a gift from someone surprised you? In my case it happened on Christmas, when I was given a voucher for one hour drive on
Let me begin with a question: when was the last time, a gift from someone surprised you? In my case it happened on Christmas, when I was given a voucher for one hour drive on a quad from my girlfriend. There are a lot of things I could expect from her, but not this. Let me explain – this is a person, who calls my CBR a moped and motorcycling in generally is for her a childsplay for childish big boys. I must admit, that it is very hard to surprise me, but she did it. Today, 23th of May the day has come – I went to use the voucher and drive a quad for one hour around wilderness of Czerna.
At the starting point I was at 10.00AM. But the road before the meeting was also pretty challenging. Winding, very tide (I am fighting with all cases of comparison that are comming to my mind – I hope you appreciate this), steep, sometimes extremly, road. I do not want to imagine, how someone could event try to climb this way in the winter. I guess this was the reason, the owner of czerna.pl company got the idea to organise trips with quads and off-road cars. Maybe this is the only option?
As soon as I got through the gate, two quads appeard in front of me. At this moment I have to tell you, that this was my first occasion to handle this kind of a machine. I have never driven quad before. My excitement about what was comming was getting bigger and bigger. Before we started the engines, there was a short session of instructions. For me, as someone, who is driving motorcycle for a few years, the biggest surprise was throttle, which was placed under right part of a steering handlebar. It looked a little bit like derailleurs in bicecycle. The other topics were rather obvious – stay behind the leader, turning using steering rather then body balancing, which does practically nothing, both legs on pads, etc. Either way, the only thing I was worried about was a fear of the quad outweighting me on a steep driveways, like I saw it a lot of times on YouTube. However, the time has come. Shoes over the ankle, jacket, helmet, motorcycle gloves and lets go…
First impression was generally OK – a little bit like driving a go-kart, if carefully dealing with throttle. At least until we got off the asphalt to the forest, climbing a little bit. At this moment, although the behavior of the machine was – for me, newbie – totally different, I had no problem to get used to it after a few minutes. The real fun started for me a moment later, when we got into ruts on slightly declivous way. I understand the smile that probably came on a face of people advanced in driving quads, but I have to remind you – it was my first time. Body balancing started to avoid falling down; planning the way of driving to reduce the possibility of unnecessary problems… Generally I was following the tracks of the leader, but a few times I decided to go the other way, e.g. by leading the wheels on curbs of ruts rather then the bottom parts. Probably the last few sentences are extremly boring, but you have to believe me – I had a lot of fun with this! Moreover, when a roe was running by us and I had a moment to look at the breathtaking sightseeing behind the blooming canola – these are the moments worth living for…
Right now I must give you a hint about something. When buying the voucher, my girlfriend asked the instructor to do the best he can to discourage me from quads and probably as a result, from motorcycles in general. About the motorcycles – thats only my guess. Such attempt was comming a few moments later. Honestly, climbing up the hill with a quad is a great fun. But going down the hill – is not (at least for me). At the first time, I was almost certain, that I will fall of and the machine will run over me. Because I didn’t doubt the machine. I was afraid, that I will make a mistake and would have a chance to see the bottom of the quad. However after two or three tries I got some self-confidence. Not too much. Just to be sure, that it is not as easy to get of the vehicle as it looked.
Actually I wonder, how much mistakes I was making during the driving. Not enough to have the accident of course. But I guess, that this ride could have been much fluent and better, if only I would prepare myself somehow. Well… I will remember to do this next time.
At some point we reached a place I could call a cross track for newbies. Just to be clear – I did not have any ambition for something harder. It was already pretty tough for me to catch up the leader. Steep driveway down – checked. Turning driving down – too. Steep driveway up – also. Squeezing between trees, moving through the ruts, some mud fun – checked, checked and checked. I was tired like after a slight workout. I felt my hands and legs pretty well. Running around this track looked a little bit like a freestyle drive of monster trucks. I was enjoying it a lot! A few times, when I thought that I will fail doing somethings, but somehow going through, I was feeling a huge satisfaction. Every next moment I wanted more. I was having so much fun driving this quad, that I didn’t know, when we got out of this playground. When we were comming back, I couldn’t believe, that one hour of driving is almost over. No words could describe the pity I felt, when I was getting off the quad.
I think, that now is the time to mention a few words about the area, where we were driving and the machines.
I want to calm down everyone that wants to start the cruscade because of running in forests, farmlands, destroying the nature, etc. I am also against doing such things – devastating the home of wild animals or destroying someones work. However I consider hanging the cords in the forest as a traps for motorcycles and quads to be much worst crime. I am not saying that they are innocent. But killing for anything, something like this. For gods sake… Please… Sometimes I think that thinking is extremly painful process for some people. Well, coming back to todays drive. All the tracks were developed on area, which was owned by the czerna.pl company and trails used by farmers to drive with tractors. We didn’t run through any field, we didn’t devastade any plants or wild nature. Everything was performed as it should.
Now something about machines. The quad, I was driving today was Suzuki Eiger 400 4×4. As I mentioned before, I am newbie in quads topic and I do not know, what should I consider as advantages or disadvantages of particular model. This is why I will present you my subjective opinion of someone, who was dealing with such vehicle for the first time. First, some raw parameters (having info from Internet) – one cylinder engine of 376 ccm generates 25 HP and 28 Nm. Yes, it looks not too imressive. But I can ensure you, it is more than enough for a beginner. This quad has enough torque – if engine had more power, then it could be much harder for me to get comfortable to drive it. Another thing in this machine is total lack of any electronics – everything is mechanical or hydraulic. It is hard for me to explain, but I think, that it is easier for me to handle a vehicle, that has no computer. There is no middle part between me and the machine. As soon as something happens, quad or motorcycle makes a reaction for a road conditions, I can feel the machine and am able to work. Well, I understand, that others may think differently, but this is my opinion. Handling this Suzuki was pretty easy, however in tight corners it required some strength and power in arms. I am curious, if this is only in this model or it is common for quads in general. If someone is close to the topic, please leave the answer in the comments section. This quad fluently reacted on accelerating even in more problematic situations, like climbing or balancing in the ruts. Generally I was surprised, how easily I was able to find myself comfortable in dealing with totally new type of a machine. After few minutes and passing a few terrain obstacles, driving this Suzuki was a real pleasure for me!
Summarizing this hour from my life – extraordinary experience! I did not have such fun for a long time. I definitely have to come back, when it would be raining or just after the rain – driving this track when its muddy must be totally different feeling. It looks like it is true, what they say about man – they grow up till they’re 5 years old. Then they just grow. Like me – almost 30 years old and still smiling, when thinking about having fun in mud… For czerna.pl and organizer – congrats for what he prepared. But the greatest bows I am directing to my girlfriend – Honey, thank you!
At the end I invite to comments section. If you would like to share your thoughts and describe your experiences on quads, leave a note below. See you in next posts!
