Help with ATV Riding or UTV

[WolfpackFishNGuy]

I'm looking at getting a Polaris Ranger or a 4 wheeler. I spend most of my spring, summer, and fall in the Crane Lake Area.

From my understanding in order to drive my 4 wheeler on the county roads I need to drive the 4 wheeler in the bottom of the ditch or on the outside slope of the ditch. I'm curious to know why the Polaris Rangers can drive on the shoulder.

Also if you are riding on a county road that doesn't have a rideable ditch can you legally ride on the far side of the road following rules of the road.

Since I spend so much time up north I'm considering purchasing the Ranger since I can run it on the shoulders and I can legally drive it on the roads so I can do exploring and get me back and forth to my hunting locations.

Another question I have is Can you by a 2 person seat for a true one man ATV and still be legally riding this with 2 on trail or on ice?

[landscaper]

Ranger is a CLass 2 ATV and Class 2 atvs(anything over 1000 or 1200 Lbs) can not be ridden in the ditch so there i guess that makes them only on the side of the road

[Dave S]

Some of the laws have changed recently.

There is a line that runs from approximately Taylors Falls west to I-94 and North to Fargo. Anything North and East of that line is open year-round to ditch riding unless prohibited by the local braches of Govt. South and West of that line is the Ag Zone and ditches are closed from April 1st to August 1st. This is for Class I ATvs.

Class II ATVs are allowed to ride on the extreme right hand side of county and township roads. State highways are off limits to either class.

In any road-right-of-way that is legal to ride Class I ATVs in the ditch, you may enter the normal traveled portions of the road, without haste to avoid a hazard, and must re-enter the ditch ASAP when it's safe to do so. If there are extended sections of county road without a rideable portion of ditch, I would avoid riding there.

As far as the 2 person seat on a single machine, I will first say that I would recommend not going taht route. But it is legal to ride 2-up on trail or on the ice as you stated.

The problem with the aftermarket products supposedly designed to accomodate a second rider, is the machine was designed or intended to safely carry 2 passengers. Anytime you add more weight to the back of a single passenger ATV, you're putting the weight behind the rear axle and in turn lightening the front of the machine, making it more difficult to handle and steer. Especially in an emergency or quick response situation.

If you plan on carrying a passenger on a regualr basis, I would suggest looking at one of the purpose built 2-up machine by either Can Am, Polaris or Arctic Cat. If inline seating isn't your thing, then the UTV (Class II)is definitely the way to go.