After you have first purchased an ATV, your first desire might be to hop on it and start riding. However, you should temper this desire and instead perform several preventative maintenance tasks. The previous owner, such as Monarch Honda, might have prepared the ATV for you to start riding, but it’s better safe than sorry.
Check the Fluids
Look at all of the fluids and top them off. This includes the oils and coolants. Read the owner’s manual to find out where the oil and coolants are stored. Then, twist off the caps and fill the reservoir up. You can check how clean the oil is by dipping a zip tie into the reservoir, pulling it out and looking at the oil.
ATVs usually require better gasoline than a car, so you will need to find out what gasoline is best for your ATV. Also, the previous owner might have used regular gasoline, which can cause damage to the spark plug. Therefore, you should consider simply replacing the old spark plug with a new one since it is only a few dollars.
Inspect the Air Cleaner
For offroad vehicles, a properly maintained air cleaner is essential. If you do not maintain the air cleaner, mud and dirt will cause the engine parts to wear prematurely. Many of these are very expensive.
Check the Air Pressure
Like with other vehicles, you will need to check the tire pressure. If the ATV doesn’t have good enough tire pressure, it will be harder to steer it. If the tire pressure is too great, your tires will wear down very quickly. Look at the owner’s manual to find out how much air pressure you need.
Tighten Your Parts
When an ATV is transported to a dealer, some of the parts can sometimes loosen. Tighten the lug nuts, which only costs one lug nut wrench and a few minutes to tighten. Aluminum wheels especially need to be tightened regularly because the lug nuts are known for coming loose.
Test Drive
After you have inspected the ATV, take it for a spin through an offroad area. Drive relatively slow so you can become accustomed to controlling it and remain on dirt roads. Not only can you get practice handling the ATV, but you can also practice cleaning it.
Clean the ATV and Check for Condensation
Like most offroad vehicles, ATVs tend to get dirty. You will need to perform a condensation check because water condenses when the hot differential and gear case touch cold water or mud. This can cause the oil to become contaminated. You may need to check the oil to determine if it is milky. If so, replace the oil.
When cleaning it, you will first want to presoak it with water. Then, rinse the ATV down to remove the mud, dirt and debris. The most effective way remove the mud and dirt is to use a pressure washer. Spray off as much mud and dirt as possible. Then, use a brush to spot clean the rest of the ATV. While cleaning can be a hassle, the mud and dirt can cause the ATV to corrode faster and it will not last as long.
