5 simple and practical ATV care tips

On wet rides in the fall or winter, mud is all over the place, the thermometer drops and your ATV quickly gains a few grams, trapping mud and very sticky mud.

You can't miss a good cleaning session. It may seem like a tedious undertaking, but proper maintenance of your ATV will make you feel "like new" and will significantly extend the life of the components.

Here are our tips for cleaning and maintaining your ATV!

Use a suitable cleaning agent.

Try ATV aerosol cleaners! It is extremely effective and practical.

Spray on, leave on for a few minutes and then wash off. Any residual soil that is otherwise difficult to access will disappear instantly.

Be sure to rinse well, especially if your ATV has anodized components to keep them from discoloring in the long run, as be careful, these chemical cleaners can be very powerful.

Don't put too much on the machine, it is not necessary.

After rinsing, dry your bike: this will prevent some iron-based components (such as chains) from rusting.

Nous recommendations:

• Muk-Off
• Syringe
• WD-40

Clean and lubricate the chain

A clean chain means the transmission does not squeak, runs efficiently and / or shifts gears smoothly. This is an increase in smoothness and efficiency.

An old toothbrush is perfect for this.

Then clean, wash and dry the chain before applying a lubricant such as a syringe (wax based). Leave it on for a few minutes, then wipe off, rotate the cranks, shift gears to distribute the lubricant evenly.

A common mistake is to apply too much lube without wiping it off: a great way to attract even more dirt to the chain. In this matter, the best is the enemy of the good.

Inspect Your Pendants

Dirt will damage the seals, so wipe them down regularly, check the bushings and put some Teflon oil in them to keep them safe.

You can also follow our advice on how to adjust the suspension.

Check tire pressure

In winter, temperatures can cause tire pressure to drop and minimal losses result in steering wobble, making the ATV heavier. Keeping your tires properly inflated at all times is an easy way to keep your ATV ready to go without deforming it.

Find special tips by reading our tire guide.

Check all small components

You don't need to do this after every trip, but from time to time. This can save you irritation from a moving or noisy component, or worse, breakage while driving. Look at the clamps, set screws, brake pad centering, brake clearance, spoke tension, and wheel runout.

Follow our guide to fix all squeaks on your bike.