Xtreme Powersports Australia is a motorcycle parts store based in Mount Gambier who has both an online and offline presence, but are they worth it?
We decided to do a bit of research as we didn’t see too many customer reviews or experiences out there on the internet. We’re coming to you with an unbiased opinion and have no business relationship with Xtreme Powersports Australia.
Let’s jump straight in
Xtreme Powersports Australia
Based at 68 Stuart St, Mount Gambier in South Australia, these guys don’t really sell dirt bikes. Instead they mainly focus on parts.
We previously reviewed Blue City Motorcycles who can serve you very well if you’re in town. What they lack is the depth of parts available unfortunately with stuff often needing to be carted in from Adelaide or the eastern states.
So Xtreme Powersports Australia sells not just parts but a whole heap of other gear too. If you’re looking for riding gear, jet ski parts or simply batteries then you’ll be certainly looked after here.
Do they have everything? No, but no store has. We have covered the biggest Australian dirt bike part stores previously but often it’s a case of shopping around on Google for parts.
Store review
Just remember that we’re very much unbiased here and are simply sharing our opinion. We don’t get paid to do store reviews.
Most people who have used Xtreme Powersports Australia have enjoyed the experience. Complaints are rarely found but remember that some people do make mistakes along the way – it’s just human error.
Things like making customers wait is something they could improve on. With any store, they always have room for improvement here folks.
You’ll find their eBay store to be going quite strong and it’s where most of their sales come from for both ATVs and dirt bike parts.
When they started
We believe the history behind a company is important. When did they start and why? Are they truly knowledable about what they sell?
These guys started over 10 years ago and have since built quite a following. Their friendly staff have a motorcross and supercross background across both the South Australian and national levels.
Going forward it seems they continue to grow year on year.
Social media following
It’s really hard to find much about these guys on social media. They don’t have a YouTube or Instagram page which is where most dirt bike riders hang out nowadays when they aren’t twisting full-throttle.
You’ll find their Facebook page here which doesn’t have much traction with the occasional post. This means they’re either out riding all day every day or busy fulfilling online orders or just simply serving customers in-store.
Is it a red flag? Not really. We’ve found dirt bike stores in country areas typically aren’t up to speed on consumer trends and rely on existing relationships built over years.
Final verdict on Xtreme Powersports Australia
So would we recommend them? They started in 2008 and their Facebook page started in 2014. When you look at their eBay store there is 30,000 feedback suggesting strong reviews at 99.7% rating.
They stock just about everything under the sun for jet skis, ATVs and dirt bikes. Shipping can be a little slow if you live in the eastern states, but worht the wait considering how much you can save compared to the big guys in town like MX Store.
It’s clear that these guys mean business and if they have what you need – We’d say go for it!
Live in Darwin and keen for a place to ride your dirt bike? There happen to be a few great places you can ride registered and unregistered bikes.
We’re going to share with you what the best places are and this is based on where others are riding. We’ve done the research for you so you can load up the trailer and head off sooner.
Darwin’s best places to ride dirt bikes
We’ve certainly got some options for you! Some of these are also suitable for adventure bike riders looking for a quiet escape.
Here are the best (legal) dirt bike riding spots near Darwin:
1. Gunn Point, Darwin
The closest place in Darwin to take your dirt bike easily has to be Gunn Point. This is a great place to also take 4×4 and is only about an hour out of the CBD.
You can ride a dirt bike here on the beach or take one of the numerous scrub tracks. Watch out for other vehicles. The NT police often patrol this area so you’ll need to have a registered trail bike + full license to avoid any troubles from the local constables.
2. Top End Motocross Club
A strong recommendation from Frontaer is to join the Top End Motocross Club down in Palmerston. As a non-for-profit association, they provide coaching for kids while also having a great track setup.
If you’re looking for a place to ride an unregistered dirt bike anywhere near Darwin, then this is the place to do it. TEMCC welcomes beginners of all ages.
3. Darwin Motorcycle Club
One good alternative is the Darwin Motorcycle Club. They run group rides and enduros quite regularly with racing itself not required.
Membership is quite cheap and they welcome locals and those out of state as well. If you’re looking to make some friends and find some undiscovered riding spots, then this is a solid starting point.
4. Litchfield National Park
Located only 90 minutes from Darwin is Litchfield National Park. You simply head straight down the highway. There are 2 unsealed roads making this a great spot for adventure motorcycling as well as registered dirt bikes.
If a day trip is what you’re looking for, then this is a good solution. You can leave in the morning and return by the afternoon. There is fuel available nearby for those who have small fuel tanks, though we recommend following the road trains down the highway. Bring your own water.
The track you’ll want to take is the Reynolds River Track which is a tough spot and not for the beginner rider. 4x4s often struggle with this route.
5. The Daly River
While you’re at Litchfield National Park, you may as well do The Daly River too. This is a beautiful spot for a weekend camping adventure.
You can stay overnight at the Daly River Inn which offers meals and camping facilities, or a hotel room if you’re looking for a bit of luxury.
Be mindful that this river is loaded with saltwater crocodiles. This isn’t so much of a dirt bike riding place but more of an adventure stopover.
6. Cox Peninsula
There are many tracks and spots within Cox Peninsula that dirt bike riders have formed over the years. Little trails that head into the scrub lands. This spot is only about 40 minutes from Darwin and is basically the ‘long way around’ to the other side where Darwin faces.
There isn’t much to see or do here apart from ride your dirt bike. Also, some spots are restricted to locals only based on the heightened pollution in the area.
7. Mary River National Park
This is a beautiful spot and not too far from Darwin. Mary River National Park has multiple offroad tracks that you can explore on 2-wheels, provided your motorbike is registered.
The fishing here is also remarkable so if there is space in your panniers, pack a collapsable fishing rod. The two tracks you’ll want to take is Hardies track or the Wildman track, both popular with 4wd vehicles.
8. Kakadu National Park
Who hasn’t heard of Kakadu National Park? There are certainly some places where you can take your adventure bike or registered dirt bike.
The ideal track to tackle is Jim Jim Falls. It’s a rugged spot but also very popular in the cooler tourist months. For fast flowing open country, this is a good spot to be riding on 2 wheels.
Also while you’re in the area, check out Nitmiluk National Park and Edit Falls. It’s not really a good spot for dirt bikes but a great stopover for a swim without the crocodiles.
9. Butterfly Gorge
If you head down to the famous Douglas Hot Springs, then there is a gate that leads down the 4×4 only track to Butterfly Gorge. Being a dirt bike, you generally will be given the OK to travel down this track. It’s the NT after all with less of a police state.
This track is closed for the entire wet season and often for 2 months afterwards. It becomes simply impassable until around June. However, once you take this 17km offroad track you arrive at a beautiful spot that very few grey nomads will ever experience.
10. Judbarra/Gregory National Park
Fancy a 5.5 hour trip down the highway? Load up the dirt bike and head down to Judbarra/Gregory National Park. This is a great place to let loose.
Make it a long weekend trip and stop at any of these other spots along the way. Once you get to Katherine, turn right instead of heading south to Mataranka.
In summary
We hope this has helped you in finding some good offroad motorcycle tracks where you can ride your dirt bike, or places where you can take your 4×4. Darwin is the ultimate destination place and the territory way of life is alive and well.
As with anything:
Take plenty of water with you, even in the cooler months
Be croc-wise! There are salt water crocs in many of these areas
There are others using these tracks so be mindful and respectful
Wear all your protective gear out there on the tracks
Bring a mate who can join along apart of your tour
Join a club! It’s honestly the best way to meet others
Stay safe out there and we’ll see you on the tracks! Just keep in mind that some of these spots can close due to seasonal changes.
Blue City Motorcycles are a well-known local motorcycle store in Mount Gambier, but are they worth buying from? In this review, we’ll give you the low down.
Note: We have no business relationship with this mob and simply are providing an unbiased opinion as fellow dirt bike enthusiasts.
If you’re curious if you should be opening the wallet, then we’re here to help you.
Blue City Motorcycles Review
Right – let’s get into the nitty-gritty of it all. Are they worth visiting in-store or buying from online? Remember we’re merely sharing our research and opinion here from an unbiased approach which we think you’ll appreciate.
Blue City Motorcycles only has the one store in Mount Gambier and it’s quite a big dealership. There are sales staff as well as the mechanics out the back designed to really help the customer. You’ll find plenty of parking and enough to bring in a trailer if needed.
Store evaluation
When looking at their store, we can see that they’re quite diversified. They offer both new and used motorcycles from several brands including Honda, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha. This is great news as there are stores that only serve one brand exclusively and somehow think they’re superior.
Lady in Red! We love their Honda range
You’ll also find lawnmowers though this is something they just do on the side. In addition to all those road and offroad motorcycles, you’ll find replacement parts and accessories which are most commonly genuine manufacturer stuff and not the cheap Chinese copies.
When they started
Their business opened more than 40 years ago and have a long an established history in Mount Gambier as true locals. They aren’t an Adelaide shop who decided to move when the competition got a little tough.
Yep the legendary unbreakable DRZ-400
Given their local knowledge and rich heritage, they have built themselves a strong reputation over these decades with customers going back year after year. Tom Jeffries is the owner after having bought it in 2009.
Social media channels
What we’ve noticed with a lot of these motorcycle dealerships is that they generally aren’t savvy with social media. Luckily, Blue City Motorcycles has caught on to the wave at least on Facebook.
See their Facebook page here. They are doing updates here every 2 to 3 days which is great, with the page starting in 2012 so they’ve been at this for a while.
At this stage they don’t have a YouTube or Pinterest account which would be really helpful for customers who can’t quite get into the store.
Customer experiences
Customer reviews and experiences with Blue City Motorcycles are mostly positive with old fashioned Mount Gambier service being one of their tell-tale signs.
Complaints are seldom found which is great to see. As with any town-based dealership, you’d expect them to make things right if things do go wrong.
Online vs offline
Can you order online with Blue City Motorcycles? Yes – you can and they have discount/coupon codes as well. Very few people actually go in this direction given how close they live to the actual store.
Oh hello there KTM!
If they don’t have what you need then they can certainly order this in either from Adelaide or from the eastern states. Expect to be waiting a few days though as you’d expect.
Final verdict on Blue City Motorcycles
We would certainly recommend this crew if you’re looking for genuine service without waiting days for stuff to come through from Adelaide.
What are your alternatives if they don’t have the parts or gear you’re chasing? We’ve showcased the best Australian online dirt bike stores but expect to be waiting up to a week or more for delivery.
Either way – most Australian dirt bike stores do the right thing.
Right so you’ve got a dirt bike to go riding with and you’re new! We’re going to guess that you’re super motivated to really improve your skills.
These 21 dirt bike riding tips will help you simply get better behind the bars and essentially become a better rider on 2-wheels.
This applies whether you’re just into recreation or racing MX or enduros. Given the evolution of models now available in the dirt bike world, the sport is now accessible to riders of all backgrounds.
Best Dirt Bike Riding Tips
There are many things to learn and we will cover plenty of them here. Through learning to ride your dirt or trail bike properly, your skills in throttle control, selecting the right gear, clutch control and situational awareness on the trails will improve massively.
From this you can expect to power more confidently through turns and handle varying terrains at any speeds. Essentially – you’ll be safer and faster.
This all begins with practice and lots of it. You can’t expect to become Travis Pastrana or Ricky Brabec overnight.
For total beginners, here’s our 21 dirt bike riding tips that will massively improve your skills:
1. Learn To Use The Brakes Properly
It’s much easier and often safer to use the front brakes, but using the rear brakes softly is also recommended. At times if you apply too much rear brake then you’ll feel it locking up and while this feels unsafe, it can also lead to faster track times.
Braking at the right time with solid control is key
Excessive use of the front brake and catching it too quick could send you over the handlebars. At the same time, slowing down too gradually is also counter-productive for fast flowing enduro tracks and competitive racing.
The trick is to find where you can stop as quickly as possible while also maintaining control. Practice stopping hard in a straight line in an open and flat area multiple times and you’ll get a good sense of feeling and control.
2. Grip With Your Dirt Bike With Your Knees
Often we see new dirt bike riders using their hands in a death-grip position. Wrong move! This will fatigue you very quickly and you’ll be out of the game in under an hour.
This rider is gripping with his knees while his wrists and arms are quite loose
Riding a dirt bike is very different than riding a mountain bike. You’ve got a large area at the front for the fuel tank on a dirt bike and we always recommend beginners to grip with their knees. Modern day dirt bike trousers actually have grips sewn in for this very purpose.
Use those knees for grip so your arms can now be free to actually handle the bike properly. Your arms should actually be quite loose and you should build enjoy confidence to actually ride one-handed if needed.
3. Use Your Body Weight
As Bruce Lee said “Be Like Water, My Friend”. Use your body weight to help you with cornering as well as keeping the front tyre down when going full throttle.
Use your body weight to get around corners easier.
When you’re descending, it’s also good to keep your weight all the way back with weight on the rear wheel. If your front tyre locks then you’ve still got a second or two up your sleeve with your body weight at the rear of your dirt bike.
If you watch MX racing videos you’ll see riders turning with their leads pointing in the direction of travel. This heaps them get around those corners quickly.
4. Master Your Dirt Bike Throttle Control
Learning to throttle out properly ensures you can actually accelerate properly and are maximizing the entire rev range for your motorcycle.
Throttle control is important existing corners and ascending hills
You’ll want to switch gears at the right time for the current conditions and the upcoming ascent, descent or corner and you’ll want to do this as smoothly as possible.
Not only can good throttle control help you improve your speed, but also help you slow down your dirt bike too through gear compression. Ensure you’re properly ‘revving out’ without reaching the red line if you’re optimizing for speed.
5. Know Your Gear Ratios
Knowing how fast you travel in each gear and how aggressive you get up to speed is very helpful for simply becoming a better rider. With most dirt bikes, the lower gears are where you’ll get the most aggressive acceleration and need to change up quickly.
Master those gear ratios with practice and adjustments where needed
If your terrain is open country side and you’re a speed demon as opposed to the tight forest rider, then you may wish to upgrade your rear sprocket which will give you a bit ‘extra’ on the throttle with wider ratios.
Knowing your gears is also best done through listening to your motor, as opposed to listening to the rev range. To practice, we recommend finding a wide open area with no other dirt bikes around so you can hear when you’re revving out and ready for the next gear.
6. Follow Existing Riding Lines
If you’re racing or simply partaking in an organized dirt bike ride, then it’s always best to follow existing riding lines with fresh ruts and lines. Other riders have already figured out where to take their front tyres and experienced riders are always up in front.
Follow where riders have been before instead of forging a new track to look cool
Also observe how they rode up those hills. Did they simply keep the power on or did they back off in certain sections? Did they stand in the attack position or simply sit and ride it all the way through?
These existing riding lines are also those which have compacted soil. There’s nothing worse than having your dirt bike bogged or simply slipping over in a muddy section when everyone else chose the existing line. Success leaves clues out there.
7. Train Your Eyes To Be Like a Pack Predator
You really need to stay alert out there and avoid any accidents which could impact you or other riders. Being mindful of what’s coming up on the track and what’s happening around you is very important.
Look at those eyes! This rider knows where he’s going
In the wild of the animal world, pack predators look for their targets as well as their hazards. Often we see riders with tunnel vision who are simply focused on the next obstacle. Where they look is where their handlebars also go. Wrong move!
You need to look ahead, left and right…as well as listening for dirt bikes coming up behind you! It’s quite a lot to take in and you need to be prepared mentally as you often aren’t riding solo. Now don’t get us wrong here – you will also want to look where you want to go, but don’t ignore the hazards on the trails.
8. Become a Clutch Master
Once you’ve got the gear ratios mastered, you also want to become a master of your own clutch. You’ll want to know *exactly* where that contact point is.
Learn your clutch control is an open area without distracting noises
Avoid dumping the clutch or applying too much gas. This costs you lap times, acceleration, fuel and also creates more wear on your clutch and gearbox. Let’s not forget the embarassment of a non-intended wheelie or motor stall.
For many riders, it takes months until clutch and gear control become second nature. There is nothing that really speeds up this process other than practice and using the same dirt bike over and over again.
9. Learn The Attack Stance
To really become a performance rider, you’ll want to get away from the ‘Sunday rider’ style of sitting on your seat and cruising along with all the time in the world.
Notice this rider isn’t exactly sitting down. He’s crouching and has bent knees and elbos.
If you really pay attention to the top dirt bike and enduro riders in the world, they all have an attack stance. That is – knees bent, elbows bent and they look 50 to 200m ahead on the trail.
As they are riding significantly faster, they can absorb the shocks with their body after their dirt bike suspension has worn away most of it. This stance is also quite neutral and is ideal for mild hill climbs and descents.
10. Use The Two-Figure Rule
What is the two-figure rule? No – it’s NOT something done late at night in the bedroom. In the dirt biking world, the two-figure rule provides better handlebar control for the rider.
Yep – two fingers is all you need most of the time. This applies to dirt bike riding as well. 😉
We’ve mentioned prior about using your knees to grip. As you do, your hands can become more lighter and nimble. A mistake that many beginner dirt bike riders make is using their entire hands to use both the front brake and clutch.
All you really need is 2 figures as these levers don’t have that much resistance to be properly used. The two outer fingers and the thumb should remain on the grips while the index and middle fingers are used on the levers when necessary.
11. Have Your Suspension Adjusted or Upgraded
If you’re a new rider, then this is best done is a dirt bike shop. They’ll often offer to do this for you if you’re buying one from a dealership.
Consider rear and front suspension upgrades for better control and improved lap times
Essentially manufacturers always set up the suspension for average-weight riders of average height and experience. You’re probably not that person.
By having your suspension adjusted or even upgraded you can actually get better control and improve your riding skills and lap times. With suspension it’s essentially the sag with the springs. You can actually do this yourself with some YouTube tutorials.
12. Build a Better Cockpit
Most dirt bikes come stock standard. After a few months, they are anything but stock-standard because riders realize how much adjusting they need.
If you’re new to riding, you’ll soon discover that many dirt bike riders make changes to their handlebar areas. But why? Manufacturers set their cockpit areas up for average riders just as they do for suspension. You aren’t average and to find the best fit takes some experimenting.
You may find narrower bars or wider bars are better suited for you and your style of riding. There are actually many more variations in handlebars which include the rise, height, control length and amount of clamp area. We personally like anything from Renthal and Protaper.
13. Adjust The Footpegs
If you’re riding your dirt bike long distances then eventually you’ll get sick of the short footpegs commonly found on dirt bikes. Extending these out an extra inch or two can literally make all the difference between confidence and concern.
Notice the foot peg here on this dirt bike really extends out for the rider which undoubtedly leads to more confidence when standing on the pegs.
Most riders on stock dirt bikes are riding with their instep as opposed to the ball of their feet. Given how much wider dirt and adventure bike boots are when compared to the human foot, manufacturers are simply making pegs too lean so they look flush in the dealership but don’t meet real-world requirements. An upgrade to a proper enduro or adventure-spec foot peg is one best things that a beginner can do to improve their skills.
This way your ankles can really move around properly and securely while becoming another swivel and shock absorber. Not only this, but it really helps with steering as you can now steer with your feet, not just your hands or body weight.
14. Use Bunny-Hops To Get Over Obstacles
Just like when you were a kid and did little wheelies to get over obstacles, you really need to do the same with riding your new dirt bike.
Once you learn bunny hopping, you won’t go back to casual riding. It becomes like 2nd nature.
By lifting up the handlebars and doing bunny-hops, you reduce the pressure on your front suspension while also lessening the shock on your arms and shoulders. Most importantly – you simply get over these hazards quickly and on to the next.
To go one better – add a little throttle just before the log/bump that you’re coming up to pop that front tyre slightly in the air while leaning back. The rear tyre should gracefully pounce over it.
15. Wear The Right Protective Gear
We’re not referring simply wearing protective gear. Yes – that’s important and yes, you should wear it. Instead, we’re referring to the right gear for the conditions.
If you’re wearing a winter enduro jacket on a hot day, you’ll simply fatigue so quickly that your riding skills will dimish. If you’re on a group ride, expect to resort to being the last rider before the sweep.
When going for a ride, plan to wear the right gear and always ensure you have a hydration pack, even for a cold day. You’ll be surprised by how much water you drink out there.
16. Adjust Your Dirt Bike Tyre Pressures
Tyre pressures really are based on different riding conditions and adjusting the tyre pressures really can improve your speed and reduce the ‘jumpy’ nature of your handlebars when transcending hazards.
Dirt bike tyre pressures only need mild adjustments unlike 4×4’s.
If you’re in a rocky outcrop area then you’ll want to pump up pretty high to avoid pinch-flats. Sand riding with a dirt bike or on a muddy MX track and you’ll want to drop them a little.
A note on this though: 4×4 enthusiasts typically drop their tyre pressures very low when riding on sand or mud to have a bigger tyre footprint. On a dirt bike, you’ll only want to drop a little bit of air since your dirt bike weights much less than a car and will still ‘glide’ over the sand.
17. After a Few Months, Start Smoothing It All Out
Riding motorbikes offroad is like yoga. Yes – we’re serious about that. If you look at the best enduro and MX riders in the world, what they do is move into a flow-state with everything smooth and consistent.
You won’t find crazy stopping or inconsistent gear changes. Instead they simply maintain momentum and flow on the trails whether riding for recreation or racing on the competitive scene.
Smoothing it all out will stop you becoming fatigued in the first 20 minutes of a weekend ride. Sure – you might not be so fast on the trails initially but you’ll enjoy the ride and gradually improve your skills.
18. Know Your Existing Limits
Did you know other riders who are total show-offs? They aren’t the type to read dirt bike riding tips and believe they simply know it all. You’re just waiting for them to take a spill on the tracks. Yeah…don’t be that person.
Most dirt bike riders are males and therefore give in to peer pressure. Avoid this bravado and need to show off. Beginners to the dirt bike riding world should focus on enjoyment as opposed to the need to prove skills and ability.
Avoid powerful big bore bikes. For total beginners, we recommend a 250 initially and a 450 after 2 to 3 years of riding, unless you are sand riding most of the time. Also – join a riding club and hang at the back of the pack and see how they ride.
Your main focus should always be on coming home with a smile on your face, not injuries and scars to prove your worth. That starts with finding an enthusiast bunch of fellow dirt bike riders who have less of an ego.
19. Buy The Right Upgrades For Your Dirt Bike
We’ve talked about the right dirt bike protection gear but many people also forget about the gear for their dirt bikes. You know – things that can improve its performance.
Let’s start with the tyres. Most manufacturers use pretty average tyres and when it’s time to upgrade, we’d recommend spending the little extra for quality. Tyres can massively improve your lap times and cornering abilities, but also reduce your likelihood of a pucture.
Other upgrades include steering dampners and a quality seat. The dampner can create more of a flow and reduce the ‘stutter’ when steering through heavily rutted sections, while seats simply lead to move comfort. Some of them have extra grip so you can further use your knees.
Lastly – the grips. Most grips are pretty average even if you have a good set of dirt bike gloves on. Get yourself on to a brand-name grip that’s designed for your style of riding, whether that’s MX, weekend trails or enduro racing.
20. Your Mindset Is Key
Riding a dirt bike is like learning anything new. It’s 80% psychology and 20% practice. One of the most often missed dirt bike riding tips is based on your mindset and honestly, you and your mindset will make or break your abilities out there on the trails.
Yeah…we get it. Thinking positive and motivational pump-ups aren’t the style of dirt bike riders globally. We’re already pretty well sorted in our lives, but trust us…this stuff works.
Keep an open mind and be prepared to learn from others who are much more experienced than you. But just remember – no matter how experienced you find other riders, they are also still learning every day, albeit with more experience under their belt.
Instead of thinking “I won’t be able to do this”, just break things down into bite-sized chunks. That way the next 200-foot hill climb starts to look easy once you plan it out and see how other riders accomplish it without breaking traction at the rear wheel.
21. Get Some Professional Dirt Bike Riding Lessons
Dirt bike riding lessons aren’t just reserved for those who are beefing up their MX skills or are becoming adventure motorcycling junkies. Joining a dirt bike riding school or simply getting some private lessons 1-on-1 is plenty to help you master the skills.
How do you find these? Often you won’t find trail bike riding schools out there. The best way is to join a club and find who’s running it and approach them to see if they can help you with a few hours of training and coaching.
Call up your local dealership which often can point you in the right direction. You can also jump into local dirt bike riding Facebook groups and see who’s leading the group as they’ll be open to spending a few hours with you one afternoon to help you improve your skills.
Trust us – it’s only going to cost you a few hundred dollars but creates so much confidence out there on the trails. Often these guys and girls just want to see beginners become more capable riders and don’t have the judgement that MX riders typically have.
It’s time to start
We hope these dirt bike riding tips have really opened your mind as to what’s possible. What was your favorite? You can let us know in the comments.
Just remember that riding a dirt bike offroad as a beginner isn’t hard. It just takes lots of practice and a willingness to learn.
Find a cool group of riders to hang with and follow their lines. There is a lot that beginners can learn from other riders who have been on the trails before.
Fuel up that bike and start twisting that throttle a little more.
Loading up an ATV into a truck bed isn’t easy work at all and a pair of loading ramps are highly recommended. Unfortunately not all of them are the same, with some being inferior and others being superior.
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These ATV ramps for loading a truck are our best recommendations based on user experiences and reviews, for both stock and lifted flat-bed trucks.
In most instances, the longer your ramps are the better it is for the safety of you and your quad bike, and longevity of the ramps. This is even more important if you have a lifted truck where the bed is an extra foot or so above the ground.
Essentially, the safest ATV ramps range between 10 ft and 12 ft as they provide a safer loading angle.
Best ATV and 4-Wheeler Ramps
We’re offroad motorcycling professionals. In creating this guide for ATV quad bike ramps, we’ve separated this across multiple categories:
Most secure ATV loan ramps
Best quad bike ramps for lifted trucks
Cheapest ramps for loading an ATV
Ramps made in the USA
Let’s begin.
Most secure ATV load ramps
Without a doubt the most secure ATV ramps are those which are full-width. Because of how wide they are, you limit the chance of riding off the ramps when loading.
One of the biggest advantages is how easy they are to also load dirt bikes into the back of a truck. There is a lot of space for the individual to stand securely and have full control over their offroad weapon.
However, the challenge is storage space. These are huge! You may have to purchase a set of roof racks of find alternative means to offload your ATV once you get to your riding destination. People who have dirt bike trailers and toy haulers typically purchase these as they have plenty of interior space for storage.
For a safe feeling, you can’t go past the offering from Black Widow. This Punch Plate Tri-Fold ATV Ramp is literally the most secure model you can purchase.
It comes in a set width of 54″ and you can choose between a 77″ length (6.4 feet) and 93″ in length (7.75 feet). The later is recommended even if you have a stock-height truck bed.
The ramp is tri-fold so you’ll be able to store it in the bed quite easily. This model comes with two tie-down straps to connect to your vehicle when loading so the ramp itself doesn’t slip.
While not as secure (especially for loading dirt bikes), these are still an awesome quad bike ramp to purchase. They are lighter than the Black Widow’s which means you can handle them quite easily.
The width is narrower at 50″ and it comes in 70″ and 78″ lengths, with us naturally giving preference to the 78″ version.
What’s unique is the rubber-coated top to reduce scratching on your tub liner. This also comes with two straps to secure the ramp to your vehicle.
Load capacity: 1,750lbs
Best ATV bike ramps for lifted trucks
If you have a lifted truck then the correct type of ATV ramp to buy is often the longest you can afford. Anything 10 feet or longer is ideal as this reduces the angle in which your 4-wheeler needs to climb, leading to greater safety and security in the process of loading and unloading.
The challenge though is the storage space that the longer ramps take, both in the back of your truck and at home in the garage.
With no assembly required and the length that owners of lifted trucks need to load and unload their ATV quad bikes, the winner is Titan. Their ramps are slightly arched creating more security for the user.
The reviews on the Titan 10′ ATV loading ramps are very strong at an average 4.5 stars. Some complaints stem around the flexibility of these ramps (understandable, given how long and skinny they are) as well as golf cart users attempting to use them and they break. Essentially – use these within their specs.
We would love to see Titan go a little wider and more stronger on the centre beam, otherwise these are great ramps.
In life you get what you pay for. The runner up on our list goes to BestEquip with their ATV loading ramps. The reviews on this show that they aren’t strong enough so we’ve updated our recommendation to instead show their car loading ramps which should be more than adequate for ATV loading.
You’ll need to purchase 2 of these as they are sold individually. They fold in half and you can lay them in the back seat once you’re done loading.
Included are 2 safety straps and you can load other things with these, including lawn mowers, dirt bikes and small garden tractors.
Load capacity: 800lbs
Cheapest ramps for loading an ATV
As we’ve mentioned, in life you really get what you pay for. We don’t recommend cheap ATV ramps given the damage you could cause to your 4-wheeler, your truck, yourself and bystanders.
However there are people who only load and unload their ATV every few months and just need something affordable. For that reason we’ve done the research to find you the cheapest ATV ramps currently available.
For under $130 you can purchase the Tooca 2-piece ATV loading ramps. These are half-fold so you can throw them in your passenger seat once done.
The reviews on the Tooca loading ramps are quite reasonable at 4.5 stars with the ramps themselves offering good value. Currently the price represents the cheapest ATV loading ramps on the market yet aren’t tainted by negativity and complaints.
These are also incredibly light at under 16lbs. You can use it to also load lawn mowers and other machines at home.
If you pay slightly more, then you can get the Clevr ATV loading ramps. The reviews on these are superior and those with lawnmowers and dirt bikes love this.
The finger points that lay on your tailgate are quite long and are fluorescent so you can see them in the dark. Often if you pay a little more than the cheapest price then you’ll simply get a better quality ATV ramp.
The clevr ATV ramps have solid reviews on Amazon now averaging 4.5 stars. There are a few complaints suggesting the ramps do break but this rarely happens.
Load capacity: 1,500lbs
ATV Ramps made in the USA
We have found 2 ATV ramps made in the United States so you can avoid the cheap Chinese-made materials. Yes, these are inheritly going to be more expensive but it’s well worth the price to support local jobs and the economy.
These have been manufactured from high-strength and lightweight aluminum with the weight capacity extending up to 3,000lbs! If you’re looking for true reliability then this is it.
Big Boy also makes 12 foot ATV loading ramps which aren’t easy to find on Amazon. The reviews on their ramps are very positive given how strong these are.
The catch is: The weight of the ramps (sometimes exceeding 100lbs) and the price (above $700) really do make people look at the cheapest options. Just remember that the cheap options are always made in China where as Big Boy supports local jobs and the economy, while building a product that actually lasts more than 5 minutes.
Load capacity: Between 2,000lbs and up to 3,000lbs depending on the model chosen.
Another great Made in USA ATV Ramp is the Rool-A-Ramp tracks which have heavy-duty clearly displayed in their design. Because they’re made in the United States, you can trust that they’ll actually do what they claim to do.
These are available in 11 different lengths which is sensational.
Item
Length
Weight
Capacity
A11202A19
3 feet
20 lbs
2,000 lbs
A11203A19
4 feet
26 lbs
2,000 lbs
A11204A19
5 feet
32 lbs
2,000 lbs
A11205A19
6 feet
38 lbs
2,000 lbs
A11206A19
7 feet
44 lbs
2,000 lbs
A11207A19
8 feet
50 lbs
2,000 lbs
A11208A19
9 feet
56 lbs
2,000 lbs
A11209A19
10 feet
62 lbs
2,000 lbs
A112010A19
11 feet
68 lbs
2,000 lbs
A11211A19
12 feet
74 lbs
2,000 lbs
A11212A19
13 feet
80 lbs
2,000 lbs
This is the Roll-A-Ramp ATV Product Guide as of May 2020
What’s unique about this product is that they literally roll up instead of rolling up, hence the yellow tabs. This way you can store them in a backpack.
Truly a sensational product if you can afford the price and demand strength instead of average-quality Chinese products.
What to look for with ATV guides
Here’s a quick buying guide if this is your first time buying a ramp
Length
Ideally (as we’ve mentioned more than once in this article) you’ll want to find a ramp that’s longer rather than shorter. Anything 10 foot or above is ideal as otherwise the angle can be too steep and you may loose traction.
Price
Find an ATV ramp that isn’t the cheapest out there. Often the cheap models break quite easily and are only designed to be used every 6 months, not every weekend. We recommend models made in the USA.
User reviews
Look at what people are saying about the ramp that you’re considering. We’ve only featured ramps on this list that people are genuinely using right now to get their ATV on and off their flatbed truck, whether it’s lifted or standard height.
Warranty
If your ramp breaks, you’ll want to get a refund. The issue is that some of these companies don’t provide warranties even if the ramp breaks well before the breaking point.
Load capacity
We recommend going for 200 to 300lbs higher than the weight of your ATV quad bike + yourself as the rider. Remember that you’ll be on the ramp when you load and unload so it’s not just the weight of the vehicle itself.
Country of Origin
Yes – we’re raising this point again. Most ramps on this list come from China and the quality can be really good, or simply really bad. If you spend up on quality you generally get a stronger ATV ramp that lasts for years. However if you’re going to spend that much, why not buy something made in the United States or your own country, such as Australia? Food for thought.
In summary
We’ve covered the top ATV ramps for getting your offroad machine on and off your truck. Each ramp set mentioned here is unique and they all do the job at varying degrees of confidence for the rider.
We recommend spending up some additional dollars for the best outcome – that is to own a ramp that lasts for years and doesn’t fail halfway through loading.
Got any questions? Let us know in the comments below.
