5 Ways to Destroy Your Brand-New ATV
Destroy — put an end to the existence of (something) by damaging or attacking it. It’s a word that doesn’t belong in the same sentence as ATV — specifically your brand-new ATV.
Today, Go Fast Girls (GFG) is sharing a few of the ways to ruin your ATV or quad (like crashing), but more of the unknown ways that are quite common.
From neglecting minor maintenance issues to bad habits or untouchable to the laws of gravity, here are five easy ways to ruin your quad.
With ATV sales on the rise around the country, it’s important to stay up-to-date on protecting your ATV.
“Despite the economy’s current landscape, Suzuki’s motorcycle and ATV retail sales have been remarkably strong over the last two months,” stated Rachel Anderson, Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. Lead, Press Relations & Marketing.
Don’t Get Left in the Dust: 5 Ways to Destroy Your ATV
Never Clean the Air Filter
I love losing horsepower… said no one in the motocross industry ever. If you want to keep your ATV running smooth, maintenance is the key. If you slack on the maintenance and run an engine with a dirty air filter, it is one of the easiest ways to ruin your ATV. Sucking dirt particles into the engine not only wears out the engine — but will do serious harm. Replace or clean your quad's air filter regularly.
Never Change the Oil
Got oil? Then you are good to go, right? Don’t be ridiculous. If you want to be on the fast track to ATV racing stardom, you must start with a solid foundation. Just like the air filter, oil manifests everything from dirt and debris — to junk and metal gunk. Oil is in a sense the glue that drives the engine. When its left unattended, it can lead to a quad crime scene. Don’t forget to change the oil.
Crash and Lose it All
What do you know about Murphy's Law? Unlike your motocross competition, you just can’t beat it. As hard as it may seem, rides that require breaking your machine — should probably be avoided. When you flip your ATV, run through a tree, puncture the front end, it typically doesn’t sit well with your quad. If you happen to crash, do a quick check to keep from losing it all. What are you looking for? Check the controls: throttle, brake, clutch, and shifter. Check the tires and wheels. Check the steering and the handlebars. Once you take the trek home, complete an in-depth inspection of your quad. And most importantly — fix what needs to be fixed before you go on another ride.
Never Grease Parts
Grease me up says your favorite quad mate. Before you get gassed on race day, make sure you take the time to grease prominent parts. Grease up the pivot bolt, axle, steering stem bushing, bearings, etc. Neglecting this important step can lead your essential components to dry out and crack. By keeping these components lubed on a regular basis, your ATV will ride smoothly for a long time. Grease up. Gas up.
Never Tighten the Bolts
Ride until the wheels fall off. At least that’s how the saying goes, right? No, please don’t. Make sure you take time to tighten the bolts on your ATV. You can’t learn the in and outs of motocross ATV racing or win your next race if parts are falling off your machine. Grab a torque wrench or a socket once and tighten up.
Take our word for it. This advice will save your ATV from damage. Now get back in the race. Go Fast Girl.
