A Guide to Traveling With Your ATV

If you’re the proud owner of an ATV, chances are good that you don’t have a riding area in your own backyard, as much fun as that would be. So you have to transport your ATV to wherever you want to ride, whether you’re dune-hopping, mudding or heading to a nature trail. 

Transporting your ATV is somewhat challenging, especially when you want to make sure that you’re ready for your off-road riding adventure. Gina's Motorsports of Monee is your Illinois ATV dealer. We’ve broken down the steps you should take when traveling with your ATV.

Do a Pre-Ride Inspection

First off, you’ll need to look your ATV over from top to bottom until you’re satisfied that it’s in as good a condition as possible. Air up your tires to the manufacturer’s recommended psi levels, check the condition of your oil and change it if necessary, fill up your fuel tank, test your brakes and make sure that there are no glaring issues with your vehicle. Remember that you can always contact the service department here at Gina’s Motorsports of Monee if your ATV needs some professional attention.

Load Your ATV Safely

Whether you’re using a toy hauler, a cargo trailer or the back of your pickup truck to haul your ATV, you’ll need to ensure that you’ve loaded the vehicle safely. You’ll want to park your trailer on flat, even ground and pull the ramp down, making sure it’s not unbalanced. Then drive your ATV slowly but steadily up the ramp and into the trailer. 

Engage your parking brake and put the ATV in gear (this helps to prevent the ATV from rolling). Use ropes, bungee cords or tie-downs to lash your ATV down; you can pull the ropes or cords through the suspension system to really secure the vehicle in place. Give it a push to make sure it won’t shift while in transit.

Don’t Leave Your ATV Unattended

If your ATV is in a secure enclosed trailer, this isn’t as much of a concern, but if it’s on a flatbed trailer or in the back of your truck, then you’ll need to keep an eye on it. Whenever you pull over for gas, food or a bathroom break, make sure that you don’t leave the ATV unattended. Have one of your companions stand guard. You can even invest in a security cable or lock to deter thieves.

Tow Safely

When towing something heavy like an ATV, you’re going to need to exercise caution on the highway. First off, make sure your towing vehicle is in good shape with properly inflated tires and a full tank of gas. Double-check your hitch to ensure that the trailer isn’t going to come off your towing vehicle. As you drive, try to go five to ten miles under the posted speed limits. Give yourself more space to bring your towing vehicle and trailer to a complete stop. Try to avoid changing lanes or swerving. Watch the traffic ahead and be ready to make adjustments if there’s construction or a traffic jam. Let your passengers give you GPS directions and tune the radio so that you can focus your full attention on driving. 

We hope this guide helps you to travel safely with your ATV so that you can enjoy all your off-roading adventures this summer! Still trying to find the perfect ATV? Browse our website to see the fine selection of new and used ATVs for sale at our Monee, IL, dealership location. Gina’s Motorsports of Monee proudly serves greater Chicago and all of Kankakee County, IL.