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View Full Version : Two person ATV's and places to ride?


Tourmeister
04-22-2004, 01:17 PM
Howdy,

:tab So recently, Dad bought two really nice Bombardier ATV's. They are two seaters by design. They are four wheel drive with 4 wheel independent suspension, blah blah blah... They are a real hoot to ride through the woods. His intention was that he and Mom would ride them, my Nephew Justin would be a passenger with Dad.

:tab So Dad starts checking around to see what is involved with riding in the nearby National Forests on the myriad trails they have. The ATV's have to be registered. To register them, you must first take a Safety class. Bombardier will pay for the safety class. When Dad called to register for the class, they asked him for the VIN for each ATV. When the VIN came back indicating the ATV's are two person ATV's, they told him he could not take the class. Apparently, you can only use a single person ATV to take the class. Since the VIN gets kicked out of the system, there is no way to get Bombardier to pay for the class since he would not be using the ATV he just bought!! It get's better... It turns out that in Texas, by law you cannot carry a passenger on ANY ATV when riding on public lands. So even if he could take the class and get registered, he still could not use the ATV's out in the forests!?

:tab Well, Dad zings off a letter to his State Representative informing them that the law is outdated and needs to be updated to reflect the fact that several manufacturers are now making ATV's specifically designed for carrying a single passenger in addition to the operator. Lord knows how long this process will take?!

:tab Which finally brings me to the point of this post. Does anyone know of any good places to ride ATV's that is PRIVATE property in the greater Houston area? He's not looking for a racing venue, just somewhere with trails to explore.

Adios,

HiSPL
04-22-2004, 01:25 PM
That really blows :evil: I hope they don't do the same thing to 4 wheelers that happened to 3 wheelers. I loved riding my 3 wheelers back in the day. I never could get comfortable on a 4 wheeled ATV. It just wasn't the same IMO. I hope your Dad gets this resolved quickly.

Tx Rider
05-07-2004, 09:19 PM
None that I know of, grew up riding down towards Friendswood and Alvin.

I always just hit all the oil lease lands that run for miles north of Hwy 2004, but it's tresspassing and if caught you could get a scolding or something, not something I would recommend to my dad though and I'm not there anymore. :)

There are several places up here around Dallas. Decent ones east, west and north.

If he's up for the drive the red river ranch rocks, 2500 acres of dirt for your riding pleasure for $7.00 a day.

http://www.redriverdirtriders.org/Park%20&%20Terrain.htm

This place has terrain from sandy creek flats to hills a goat would look twice at and plenty of everything in between. Always lots of families with ATV's there, but usually in the tamer trails where the enduro bikes don't go.

Would be a bit of a trek from Houston though. Other than that most guys I know with ATV's ride theirs on deer hunting leases.

gotdurt
05-14-2004, 11:01 AM
For those looking for Sam Houston Nat Forest trail info, check these sites for maps, rules, closures, events, etc.

http://www.southernregion.fs.fed.us/texas/recreation/orv_info_ang_dc_sab.shtml
http://www.trh-cycle.org/

Tourmeister
05-14-2004, 01:49 PM
Hehe, you could have just made one new post :-P You have got to come over and ride Dad's ATV's. They are a blast! With the thumb throttle, they should be easy on your wrist.

Adios,

gotdurt
05-14-2004, 01:57 PM
ctrl+c/ ctrl+v, it's easy and gets it seen... the rules out there are often neglected as a result of ignorance, I want those trails to still be open when I can finally afford another dirt bike....

Anyways, that would be fun. I need to go out and see your folks anyway.

X1Glider
07-09-2004, 01:14 PM
Other than Sam Houston Nat'l Forest, there are some trails on the east side of 45 off of Cypresswood. Been there once about a year ago. Can't imaging it'd be gone by now. The trail head is near a school.

If you don't mind a bit of a drive further north, there's the muddy Alta (I can dig the location up later) and Barnwell Mountain in Gilmer.

gotdurt
07-09-2004, 01:30 PM
The problem there is that pretty much everything on Cypresswood is private property. The only trails I can think of in that area (I lived there) are some in Spring between Aldine Westfield and Treaschwig (they are near a school), but that area is definately posted (I used to ride my mountain bike there). The last time I went, I was on my dirtbike, and there were chains across the entrances.

There are more trails closer to 1960 near another school, but those are private property also, not that it stops anyone...

Tourmeister
07-09-2004, 01:51 PM
With all the rain in the last month, it has been a moot point. All the forest trails have been closed. I don't think he has had the ATV's out for some time now. Casey, you need to come over and we'll take them out into the forest!

Adios,

gotdurt
07-09-2004, 02:01 PM
I'll come out shortly after the triumph is up and going.... and the baby is born.... I'm sure I'll be able to use a short break!

Tourmeister
07-09-2004, 02:55 PM
Speaking of babies, when are you due? Boy... Girl? Know yet?

Adios,

gotdurt
07-09-2004, 03:06 PM
She's due August 27th. It's a boy, of course (that's what I shot for). ;-)

X1Glider
07-12-2004, 05:07 PM
The problem there is that pretty much everything on Cypresswood is private property. The only trails I can think of in that area (I lived there) are some in Spring between Aldine Westfield and Treaschwig (they are near a school), but that area is definately posted (I used to ride my mountain bike there). The last time I went, I was on my dirtbike, and there were chains across the entrances.

There are more trails closer to 1960 near another school, but those are private property also, not that it stops anyone...We're most likely talking about the same places.

I used to ride my mountain bike off Cypresswood many years ago when some trails were just being cut. This was just west of the courthouse, near the country club. No parking either.

The other, near a school just east of I-45.

Like you said all private property.

Parks in Houston are disappearing all the time because the greedy *******s in office are squandering the revenue. Close a few more parks down so we can have some more money. No wonder kids are hanging out on the street corners up to no ood. nowhere else for them to go.

Including us older kids.