post winter trip care
 

So what do you all do after a cold weather ride when your machine is coated in a rock-hard mud/snow/ice mixture? I don't have a warm shop or garage to let everything melt and I store my machine outside under a tarp, so I'm wondering what the best thing to do to clean up after these cold rides. Yesterday we packed out hunt camp and drove out in a blizzard. It wasn't cold enough to freeze up the muddy trails, but cold enough for everything to freeze solid on the ATV and trailer before I got home. This morning I took everything to the car wash and hosed off the major chunks of ice and mud. Then I started it up, let it warm up, drove it around the block a couple times, working any ice or water out of the brakes and suspension, etc. I put the cover on the machine while the engine was still warm under the assumption the engine heat would help melt off any ice before it froze up solid on the machine. I know plenty of people that don't even bother cleaning up after a ride like this, they just ride their icy, muddy machines all winter and then clean them in the spring. Any other suggestions?

post winter trip care
 

pull it out in the sun during the day and the sun should melt it off or if you really want to take the ice off use a blow dryer should do the job or if its muddy and icy throw a bucket of hot water on it and clean it the best you can with a rag