Like most riders you are probably ready for the snow to melt so you can get out and hit the trails this spring, but is your machine ready?
There are 5 areas that I will discuss in a 4 part series that will help riders get their machines ready for spring, (1) Fluid Levels (2) Battery Condition (3) Tire Condition (4) Carburetor Condition (5) Safety Check Continue reading ‘How to Prepare Your ATV For Trail Riding After Winter Part 1 of 4’ »
If your ATV sat outside uncovered all winter, your tires sustained more wear and tear than they would have if they had been stored inside or if they had been covered. After sitting all winter your tires are probably low, fill them up and thoroughly review their condition. Make sure that you fill them to the PSI recommended by the manufacturer. We have seen first hand how an over-inflated tire led to a blow out that caused a machine to roll at high speeds on a gravel road, and how under-inflated tires led to a 2 inch gash in the sidewall when the wheel hit a rock 17 miles from the truck.
You should check for:
a. Tread wear – make sure that you have enough tread left to maintain traction and control of your ATV on the terrain you plan to ride. Continue reading ‘How to Prepare Your ATV For Trail Riding After Winter Part 2 of 4’ »
In the first article of the series we discussed how to change your oil, in the second we talked about tire evaluation and repair. This article is going to focus on (1) battery evaluation; and (2) maintenance and air filter evaluation/cleaning.
1. The best way to prevent battery power loss during extended periods of non use is to hook your battery up to a trickle charger. If you choose this option, make sure that you follow the manufacturers guide lines and instructions very closely. I have heard of instances where the improper use of trickle chargers has caused fires which resulted in significant property damage. Continue reading ‘How to Prepare Your ATV For Trail Riding After Winter – Part 3 of 4’ »
So far we have discussed changing your oil, checking/repairing your tires, evaluating and maintaining your battery, and cleaning your air filter. The final article in this series will address the two remaining topics: (1) Draining your carburetor and (2) Safety checks.
(1) If you properly prepared your machine for winter, you started your machine, turned off the fuel and let it run until the motor used all of the fuel in the carburetor. You then added fuel stabilizer to the fuel in your tank to prevent it from turning into gel. However if you did not follow this step, you will want to drain all of the fuel out of the carburetor before you start your engine. You will also want to evaluate the condition of the gas in your tank. Continue reading ‘How to Prepare Your ATV For Trail Riding After Winter – Part 4 of 4’ »