Every year, the quads emerge from hibernation (except for the select few that go year round). As temperatures rise, it’s time to wake up your side-by-side and do what you do best—or, if you’re a new rider, it’s time to get ready for that first ride ever.
But before you get out there, you’ll want to make sure everything is ready to rock. Otherwise, the much anticipated adrenaline-charged adventure will be over before it starts. That’s why we’ve put together this handy pre-ride checklist of the must-dos to get your ATV or UTV ready for riding.
Your Pre-Ride Inspection Checklist
#1: Visual Once Over: The first thing you need to do is walk around and give her a once over. Look for any obvious blunders like cracked plastics, a janky suspension part, or something even worse. Once you’ve established the buggie is looking as fly as ever, it’s time to get your hands dirty.
#2: Radiator Inspection: You know how critical a radiator is. Making sure the coolant is good to go is just as critical. Check all the nooks and crannies of that radiator to ensure no tree limbs or debris are hanging out where they shouldn’t be. If you skip this part of your maintenance checklist, you’re gonna have a bad time.
#3: Tread Check: Sub-par UTV or ATV tires can make or break a ride experience, real quick. These are easy to inspect and only take a few minutes. Get up close and personal, glidIng your hand around to check for punctures. Then eyeball the treads for premature wear. Trust us, the last thing you want while out on your first ride is a summer blowout.
#4: Oil and Gas Assessment: Old fuel is the worst of the worst when it comes to your ride’s engine. A sitting bike is a magnet for expired gas, whether a Can-Am, Polaris, Honda, or Yamaha. Checking there is no residue in the petrol is crucial to your cause. The same goes for oil. These vehicles need servicing often, especially when sitting on the bench during the cold seasons. Changing the oil is much less of a hassle than replacing a motor. We’re just saying.
#5: Brake Evaluation: Four wheeler brakes are nothing to mess with. The brake pads need to be at minimum 1/8-inches thick or else. Gang, safety is a virtue, and there is nothing more terrifying than knowing your limits and not being able to stop. Not to mention the hella bad damage metal-on-metal causes to the calipers. Maintain so you can move on.
Are You Missing Anything?
Now that you’ve finished this inspection checklist, you might be realizing you don’t have the goods you need to ride the way you want.
Maybe it’s all good—or maybe you need some new tires. Or a full RZR oil change kit. Or a new oil filter for your Polaris RZR.
In any case, Side By Side Stuff has your back, with all the ATV and UTV aftermarket parts and accessories for your riding.
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