First posting...Woo Hoo!

I recently bought my first ATV - a heavily discounted 2008 Recon - and love it. I have some land with lots of tight trails and a few flat straightaways. This tiny ATV seems like a perfect fit. ES shifting is a blast.

Although I would never do it , I can also ride the dirt roads around my house. This time of year, the roads are snow covered with plenty of road salt mixed in. Does anyone have experience with salt exposure? With consistent sub-zero temperatures, pressure washing is not a viable option until Spring. Am I significantly shortening the lifespan of my new Recon?

Thanks.

 

Welcome to the forum, and enjoy the new ATV!

Hondas have pretty good paint and powder coating, but a constant blast of rocks, gravel and salt is going to cause corrosion and shorten the life of anything you drive in those conditions.

For me, if I needed to ride on the salted road for some reason, I'd do it, but I wouldn't go ride in the salt just for kicks.

If you do have to run on that stuff, as soon as possible I'd get it washed off, and touch up any paint nicks. It would also be a good idea to disconnect the negative battery cable and take apart all the connectors and hit them with dialectric grease and reassemble.

Anyway, have fun.

 

ReconChuck
If I were you I’d stay out of the salt especially the de-icer, which is either calcium chloride or magnesium chloride. Extremely corrosive. By the way, I’m looking for a Recon, how much of a discount did you get? I’ve seen 2009’s listed for $2579 but that’s in Mississippi. Long ways from me.
Stan

 

We've had bikes in with frames rusted thru , some with the frame rusted right off.. I would stay out of the salt if possible..

 

Based on the replies here and a few other searches: Riding on salt covered roads appears to be a bad idea. ATV's are clearly not built to withstand extended salt exposure. After closer initial inspection, I can see ATV cables, exhaust and suspension parts are most vulnerable. And like some have mentioned: frame failure is also possible in the long run.

Where I live Canada, there are few thaws until March. Pressuring washing at home will be difficult. I can take my ATV by trailer to a truck wash bay - but that is a big pain.

It probably sounds odd, but ATV riding in the snow is at least as enjoyable as fair weather riding. More terrain is actually accessible when frozen. I don't want to give up my winter fun.

Has anyone tried oil spraying or WD-40 to help resist Winter's carnage?

 

When i used to plow I would trailer my quad around and ride on salty roads. The biggest thing is to get it off when your done. You don't have to pressure wash it, just rinse it with water from a hose. The salt comes off easy.

I never had any problems. Just get the salt off asap.

 

In my opinion it should really effect your ATV anymore than it would effect your car or truck... I ride my 250r in the snow all the time, it goes down a salty road every so often, when I get a decent day, maybe like 30 degree's or so I run it up to the quarter car wash and spray it off.

 

Kinda had the same thought after doing some riding on trails and roads this weekend. So i trailered them and hit the local car wash on the way home. Washed off nice, but had two ice pops once I got home. Now I wish I had a heated garage.

 

A word on power washing - it's ok , but too strong a pressure should be avoided, particularly around seals and electrics. A few times we have gone to collect atv's and the guy would have just washed it -- then he'd say 'well it ..was.. starting'
Salt - it's better to coat the atv with a sealer of some sort, before riding , and dielectric on the connections as Jeffin TD says. WD40 is ok, old oil if you don't mind it dripping on the floor after.
I have some gunk that we spray onto every ATV as we are by the sea and salt is an all year problem.....; it stays on the frame for up to a year---- used to use it on all my bikes in England where the roads were salted half the winter.
We are

 

Pressure washing will do more damage than the salt imho. I'd take a tight but rusty bike over one with trashed bearings any day of the week.