Ask the Editors: Help me Make my ATV a Winter Beast
We say this often but it certainly warrants repeating here- don’t be afraid to dig into snowmobile accessory catalogs when trying to locate cold weather riding bits. A lot of the innovations that grace that industry are specifically designed for dealing with low temps and harsh conditions and best of all transfer nicely to the act of riding an ATV as well. That being said, there are a few key areas that you can target that make all the difference between an enjoyable cold-weather ride and wishing you were home under a blanket.
Handwarmers
Keeping the cold, moving air off your digits is absolutely crucial. There are a variety of means to accomplishing this from plastic hand guards, to handlebar mitts to battery-powered heated grips. We’ve also been known to stuff a chemical heat pack in each of our gloves on those particularly chilly days.
Windshield
This one can be extremely beneficial, trouble is it is nowhere near as universally applicable as handwarmers when it comes to mounting one on your particular make and model. Some companies offer universal snap on windshields that fasten to the handlebars, which is certainly better than nothing, but your best bet is to locate a mounting kit specific to your ATV for maximum wind-cutting defense and durability.
Enclosure
Again, not every make and model applies here (namely sport quads are usually omitted even from universal enclosure kits) but if you can find one for your particular make and model, it’s astonishing what a difference simply being out of the elements can provide. Best of all, most cab enclosures encompass part of the engine and/or head pipe, meaning replenishable heat is trapped inside the cockpit to further aid in the comfort factor without any of the exhaust gasses.
