Although certain kinds of ATVs are setup for pushing through deep mud, the technique for getting to the other side remains the same.  When crossing obstacles like mud, the biggest risk is getting stuck, which means coming to a stop.  Because of this, speed is your friend, although you can hit a mud hole too quickly.  However, hitting the mud with speed will usually give you the momentum to slide over the mud hole and out the other side even if your tires won’t grip much.  In some cases, you may want to keep at least one tire on solid terrain, if possible, so that your quad has something it can grip.  You can do this by straddling the ruts and staying on the high ground, or by leaving one tire out of the mud.  However, if the mud hole is too deep, you may tip your ATV over into the mud.

Some say that you should stand on your pegs when entering a mud pit so that you are more ready to respond to the uneven terrain.  However, keep in mind that you may meet a lot of resistance when you hit the mud, causing you to come to a near-stop very abruptly.  If you are standing when this happens, you might go for a dive in the mud.  Although standing up may work for some people, you need to be comfortable and balanced enough to be prepared to unseen rocks and roots in the mud, as well as the possibility of a nose dive, or suddenly catching traction with the throttle wide open.

One mistake that many new riders make is giving their ATV too much gas once they start to lose traction.  Once the mud starts to fly, more gas is not always the solution, since flying mud means that your tires aren’t gripping anything solid.  Sometimes a tire that is spinning a little slower will grab onto something that it would just grind against with more throttle.  This is especially true if you come to a complete stop in the mud.  When getting your quad moving again, easy does it, since too much gas means nothing but slinging mud.  However, to get out of most spots after coming to a stop, some wheel spin is necessary, but more wheel speed usually doesn’t mean more traction.

When you get into the mud, keep in mind that the tires with the most weight over them will be the most likely to get traction.  So, if your quad is two wheel drive, you will want to keep some of your weight over the back axle, which will drive those rear tires through the slippery mud on the surface and down to something it can grab.  Shifting your weight side to side can also help one of your tires get the traction it needs to pull you out of the mud.

Four wheel drive makes short work of a lot of mud that gives two wheel drive quads a lot of trouble, but four wheel drive is by no means an end-all solution for deep mud.  Some mud pits may be entirely too deep for a stock setup, and a snorkel kit and exhaust extension may be needed just to ensure that your engine doesn’t suck in a bunch of mud and debris.  For mud this extreme, four wheel drive is a necessity, and a set of aftermarket tires with a more aggressive pattern will also help pull you out of the mud.

No matter what kind of ATV you take through the mud, keep in mind that you may only have one shot at getting through without getting a tow.  The more you know about the particular mud hole, the better, but an experienced rider can tell a lot about a mud pit by its looks and how soft the rest of the trail is.  However, a hole you can get through one day may swallow your quad after a good rain or may change drastically after other people have ridden through.  The key to conquering mud is keeping cool and having several ways to get your tires to grip instead of slip.

ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) were first developed during the 1950s. The earliest models had six wheels instead of the four that riders are now familiar with. Honda was the first company to make the 3-wheel ATV in 1970. These were famously displayed in the James Bond film, ‘Diamonds Are Forever.’ Originally called the US90, the ATV was purely for fun, made with very large balloon tires instead of the mechanical suspension and smaller tires eventually introduced in the early 1980s.

One of the most important versions of the ATV was the 1982 Honda ATC200E Big Red. It was a landmark model in that it featured suspension and racks. This made it the first utility three-wheeled ATV available on the market. It was popular due to its ability to go anywhere on any type of terrain. The fact that it could go over types of terrain that most other vehicles could not eventually made it very popular with hunters in both the US and Canadian. It was also very appealing to those who were looking for nothing more than an exciting ride on the trails.

Soon Honda broke new ground by developing sport models. Honda seemed to have a virtual monopoly on the market, due to its patents on design and engine placement. The 1981 ATC250R was important because it was the first high-performance three-wheeler, featuring full suspension, a 248-cubic-centimetre two-stroke motor, a five-speed transmission with a manual clutch and a front disc brake. For those who enjoyed the sporting trail, the 1983 ATC200X was another in a series of landmark machines. It was developed with an easy-to-handle 192-cubic-centimetre four-stroke. This simple design was seemingly perfect for new participants in the sport.

Honda soon found itself competing with Suzuki. Suzuki led the industry in the development of 4-wheeled ATVs. It sold the first 4-wheeled ATV, the 1983 QuadRunner LT125, used primarily as a recreational machine for those who were just beginning to ride ATVs. In 1985, Suzuki stepped up their game when they introduced the first high-performance 4-wheel ATV, the Suzuki LT250R QuadRacer. This ATV was in production from 1985-1992, during which time it underwent three major engineering makeovers. This vehicle became the ATV known as designed primarily for racing by highly skilled riders.

Honda then responded a year later with the FourTrax TRX250R. This ATV has never been replicated.
Kawasaki joined the battle to develop better ATVs when they introduced their Tecate-4 250. In 1987, Yamaha introduced a different type of high-performance machine – the Banshee 350. The Banshee 350 featured a twin-cylinder two-stroke motor from the RD350LC street motorcycle. This ATV was heavier and more difficult to ride in the dirt than the 250s .It soon became a favorite with riders who preferred the sand dunes. The Banshee is still a hugely popular machine, but 2006 was the last year it was available in the U.S. Riders will be able to pick up a 2007 model in Canada, however.

ATVs were first introduced to the buying public in the 1970s. They immediately caught on with those who were interested in doing something different outdoors. Original versions featured much larger tires and were offered in both 3-wheeled and 4-wheeled models. Soon, though, the 3-wheeled models of the ATV were prohibited, as they gained a reputation for being too dangerous. ATVs have since undergone a number of cosmetic and mechanical changes. Companies such as Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha have developed a number of models that serve ATV riders of all tastes and interests.