I noticed that my other set of tires that I have sitting in my barn are starting to get hard and dont look like what they should(like dry rotting). What could I do to prevent my tires from going bad when not using them. Also...I am going away for which could be upto 6 months and need to know what things I should do to keep my atv from having any problems when I return.

 

I'd move the tires into a garage or some place that is better sealed from the elements. I'd say the biggest thing to remember about the ATV is to make sure the gas is turned off. I recommend turning it off then starting the quad and run the gas completly out of the carb (until it dies). You might want to consider a quad cover, too. If you're planning on freezing weather you might want to be sure you have plenty of antifreeze in the radiator, I'm sure over time the expanding and contracting of freezing water isn't good on seals and such. Be sure to change your oil first thing when you come back from your 6 month vacation. Use lots of WD-40 on the chain, rust spots, or potential rush spots, WD-40 is awesome at keeping rust from forming and doesn't hurt anything if used in mass quantity. I'm sure there's other things to consider, but this is a start, hope it helps!

 

Good info.
I agree with leaving the gas tank and float bowl dry. At the minimum, add stablizer to the gas , and turn the gas off, and run the float bowl dry.
UV rays attack rubber, so make sure the tires are covered from sunlight.
If you cover the quad, dont use plastic, because itll just trap the moisure, and rust the quad. If you cover it make sure air can still circulate around the quad.