letting someone borrow atv

[mud slinger]

We have 2 new machines and are going out of town with a bunch of friends (and people we don't know).  Do you guys/girls let others ride your machines?  I'm not sure of the liability issues, but really don't feel comfortable with this. Any experience with this?  Would you let someone inexperienced drive your new machine?  It just seems too easy for an accident to happen.

[Rich]

The easy answer is NO. You have a perfect excuse since they are new machines you are expected to want to ride them yourself. Let them learn on someone elses old ATV's.

[baddog]

Unless you really know them and trust them then I agree with Rich the answer is NO.  When I was younger my father loaned my machine to some family friends for a weekend, well when it came back I noticed a few things were wrong with it.  They crashed it and tried to hide the fact by fixing the damage, problem is they fixed damage that I caused when I crashed it, that is how I knew they wrecked and never said any thing.  So unless you really know them and trust them completely just tell them too big of a liability to loan out your machines that you have invested your money and time into.  Good friends that I trust completely I let ride my machine but they are far and few between.

[Crusty]

I believe that I've heard the beginning of this sad story before....

I can't see it.