ATV Info & Quad Articles
Extra caution needed for winter ATV riding
There is no stopping ATV fans who are hard cores from riding their ATVs even during winter time. What's some snow and mush got to do with having fun, anyway? Some might even go as far as to think that the mush, water, cold and blistering cold contribute a whole lot more to the fun! But there should extra precaution taken if you plan to ride this winter time…er…ANY winter time, actually. When the temperature drops, the level of caution should go up. That's why some people prefer to keep their ATVs all caved up inside their garage until the temperature goes up again.
Well, there are ways to get around the temperature problem. You see, when the weather is cold during winter, there are several things that will happen to your ATV parts. For one, the clutch. And secondly, the flywheel. Actually, more accurately, the clutch and the flywheel will sometimes stick together because of the cold. When you ride your ATV under this condition, you might suddenly jerk forward unexpectedly. This could cause two things, severe damage to your ATV and possible personal injury. To avoid this problem, when you start the engine of your ATV, you should press the clutch hard…and we mean REALLY hard until it goes all the way in. one thing to remember when riding your ATV during winter time is that the indicators on your ATV could be deceiving, so, don't rely too heavily on it. Rely 35% on your instincts.
When the engine's started up, hold your front brake down VERY TIGHT once again before putting your ATV into gear. This is because you want to ensure that your brakes are in working order…even if your clutch isn't. So, don't skip this part. It's important!
There's another thing that we feel that we should mention here about ATV riding during winter time…and that's wearing the right apparel. Get those winter appropriate clothing out and wear them. The most important part of the ATV is the rider on top of it. Wear it and keep warm simply because you shouldn't catch anything you don't want to catch. It's as simple as that.
An experienced ATV rider will know that there's always a need for extra care when it comes to riding an ATV during winter time. The ground is extra slippery so give yourself enough time to come to a complete stop. Jam braking is out of the question because you'll send yourself (and your ATV) spiraling out of control. The transition should always be gentle and slow…and that includes revving up the engine. Get moving really slowly and give yourself some time to stop. As long as you keep to these few rules, you should do fine on the ice. Have fun, by the way!