All mine have sat outside. A tarp will fall apart pretty quickly. Even a cover will eventually.

You can make a pretty cheap shelter. Get some treated lumber for the base. Frame up a small shed just a little bigger than the quad. Roughly make three walls about 8 x 5. You can make it a little shorter, but this gives you a little extra storage and less plywood to cut. Three sheets make the two sides and the top. Cut another for the back end. Go to the paint department at lowe or home depot and get the scrap paint. Get a broken pack of shingles. You can make a door if you want, or get that tarp you were gonna use and just cover the front opening with that.

As stated earlier, you'll still need to use some type of rodent (or wife) protection.

 

1st rule of atv club....

there is no atv club

 

I have 3, two of which sit outside for the better part of the summer- in winter, they get parked in the shed, barely enough room. kids ride them pretty regularly, so not much sitting time. And mine is usually just used to chores around the house- mowing plowing, pulling logs,etc.. they definitely don't have a a lot of down time. So they are made to be outside, muddy and wet. Would be nice to store in a heated garage though-would make maintenance in the winter a bit nicer