By Jack Griffith

You have your ATV now you need to individualize it and get those much needed accessories to make it function that much better for your needs. Yet you don’t know what types of aftermarket parts you need.

There are many different aftermarket parts available to choose from. I will discuss a few of these parts and types of parts to give you an idea of what is out there for you to purchase.

Performance parts of course are on the top of the list. Whether you purchased your ATV for recreation or work you will definitely want to check out the many different performance parts that you can buy. Performance parts will help optimize your ATV for either work or play. This could include parts for speed or power.

Next we need to discuss the virtually unlimited aftermarket parts for work. These parts would include such things as; trailers, baskets, winches, plows, log splitters, garden implements (such as a rototiller, or seeder), and sweepers.

When you have an ATV it can make doing chores around the house or job site that much easier and fun to do.

If you live where you get a fair amount of snow buying a snowplow for your ATV can greatly reduce the time it takes to clear your driveway and side walks.

Some aftermarket accessories that you purchase can be towed behind the ATV where they are easily attached and detached to make life that much simpler.

There are also many parts made that will greatly increase some of your favorite sporting activities. If you enjoy hunting or fishing activities there are many parts that can be purchased that will make these sports easier and more enjoyable.

Some of these parts could include such things as; portable ice shanties, gun cases, winches, and luggage racks.

There are times that you are going hunting way out in the wilderness where you just cannot get with a normal vehicle. Outfitting your ATV with some of these parts will allow you to get into the rough terrain where you know the big game is.

Safety is always a concern so when looking at aftermarket ATV parts don’t forget to check out those much needed and helpful safety parts. A good example of a must have safety part would be the flotation devices that mount to your ATV. If you’re on the ice or in the swamp it could just save your life.

By Jason Gorka

People who enjoy the sport of riding ATVs know that there are many different manufacturers who produce these machines. They are also aware of the different manufacturers and style of ATV tires that are sold too. Anyone who is new to this sport should know the different types of tires and what types of terrain they are designed to be used for. Having this information will allow new riders to make the right choice when choosing their tires.

Most new machines come with stock tires that are basically good for various types of terrain that beginning riders would ride on. These tires typically have a good amount of tread that will help the rider gain traction on dry or wet ground. These tires are typically not the best to be used in sand or large amounts of mud. These tires are often referred to as trail tires.

ATV tires that are best used in muddy areas are referred to as mud tires. These ATV tires are much lighter than the typical trail tires are. This type of tire is also much tougher, and more aggressive, than typical trail tires are too. Mud tires get more traction than other types of tires do in the mud. This additional traction allows riders to ride through larger amounts of muddy terrain without getting stuck.

Another type of popular ATV tire is the sand, or paddle, tires. These tires are characteristic by the paddles spaced out on the tread. This style of tire is most commonly used in very sandy areas. The paddles allow the tires to grab the loose sand and gain traction as the machine travels across the terrain. Many people use paddle tires only in the back with their front stock tires remaining on the machine. Other people use a set of front tires that are smooth except for a long narrow paddle running across the middle of the tire.

There are many different manufacturers, and styles, of these different types of ATV tires. Each style has it’s own advantages and disadvantages. The style that a person chooses will be based on the individual’s riding style and preference of aggressiveness in their tires.

ATV Tire Chains

By Butch Nelson

ATV use and enjoyment has increased tremendously over the last few years. Along with the increase in popularity there has been a natural increase in accessories to use with you ATV. One of those accessories that has proven very useful are ATV tire chains.

If you have ever used tire chains for anything you know how beneficial they can be for gaining traction in snowy or even muddy terrain. That is, of course where much of your ATV use takes place, in snowy or muddy areas, so properly fitted ATV Tire chains can provide the needed traction for whatever task is at hand. Weather you are just enjoying riding in open country and happen to get your self stuck or you are plowing or blowing snow with your ATV, tire chains will help with traction.

One of the nice things about using ATV Tire chains as opposed to tire chains on a car or truck is the ease of putting them on. With a truck or a car there are fenders in the way of the installation that sometimes requires some dexterity to accomplish the installation. On an ATV the wheels are open and very easy to install the chains. The one exception to this may be a 6 wheel ATV that might not have a great amount of room between each wheel, but that is still easier to deal with than what you may have to deal with on a car or a truck.

In order the install ATV tire chains is a simple process when done right, but can be a bear when a person doesn’t know how. Here is how I install tire chains: Simply lay the chains on the ground behind your ATV tire. Then Back over the tire chains to about half way. Then latch the inside chain and then the outside chain. It is a good idea to install them in nice weather to understand there fit and maybe cut off extra links, so that when you are in the snow or mud it is easy to do.

In short, the small investment that you may make in buying a set of ATV tire chains will pay back in many rewards in the future if you operate in less that ideal weather conditions.