Do you love the thrill of riding your ATV along the dirt road? ATVs are amazing, and like any other complex machine, they have thousands of components. However, you can now gain access to some parts. If you own or plan on buying an ATV, it is essential to understand the workings of the primary components. Knowing the parts can also help you to do minor repairs and fixes on your own instead of calling your mechanic. The ATV consist of several components, which vary depending on the model. Here are the essential components of an ATV.
- Suspension. Most ATVs come with independent suspension for each wheel. Such suspensions help when you negotiate rough terrain and challenging corners. The good thing is that you can easily remove these units if you want to repair or replace them. Suspension units are also adjustable. As such, you can set them to the correct settings depending on the terrain you will negotiate.
- Exhaust. The exhaust is usually hidden under the fairing to protect you from the heat that builds up during use. You can quickly locate the exhaust system by removing the panels and maybe the seat. ATVs allow you to change the exhaust system to squeeze a little more horsepower out of the engine. However, this is not necessary unless you compete at a professional level.
- Handlebars. Just like in motorcycles, ATVs have handlebars for steering. The handlebars have several controls attached to them to help you control your ATV. The throttle is a twist grip, similar to that in a two-wheeled motorcycle. You will also find the clutch, front brakes, lights, and ignition switches mounted on the handlebar.
- Protective Bars. There may be multiple protective bars that protect the ATV in case of a collision. ATVs also come with other protective bars that protect the rider. Manufacturers include a single bar across the front part of the ATV and others on the side to protect the machine and the rider. You will also find a chain guard, which is vital for safety and protection.
- Engine. There are two types of engines that power ATVs; two and four-stroke engines. Two-stroke engines are rare, but they offer more power to weight ratio. However, a four-stroke engine is easy to maintain, and it is more reliable than a two-stroke. As such, you will find more four-stroke engines in modern ATVs. Two-stroke engines use a mixture of oil and fuel to make them run. This combination has to be pre-mixed, which is more complex than filling your ATV with fuel as you do in a four-stroke. However, you can look for a two-stroke engine with an oil injector to do the job for you. Engines also come in either one or two-cylinder versions with power between 100 to 800cc. When looking for an ATV, bigger is not always better since riding demands several things, including physical movement and turning bodyweight into bends and corners. Powerful ATV models can be hard to control for inexperienced riders.
- Transmission. Modern ATVs come with continuously variable automatic transmission (CVAT), which link to the engine. Since it is automatic, you do not need to worry about changing gears. Automatic transmission is helpful if you are using your ATV for labor purposes. Your ATV will choose the best gear for the job depending on the weight, speed, and amount of effort required for the job. Some ATVs come with a manual transmission, where you use the clutch to shift gears.
- Wheels. Wheels are among the critical components of an ATV. ATV’s wheels give it an advantage over other vehicles because they grip the trails and allow you to ride to places other vehicles cannot. Wheels vary in size. Sometimes you may need big wheels while other times you will require smaller ones. Wheels are measured in diameter, width, and offset. However, the measuring can be daunting. A series of numbers correlate to tell you the wheels you need to buy for your ATV. The first measurement is the height or diameter of the wheel. Here, you measure from the center to the bead seat to the opposite edge of the bead seat. Getting the width involves measuring from the outside of the wheel to the inside bead.
If you need any ATV parts, start your search by visiting Tokyomods. Once you know your ATV, you will identify the features in your ATV, locate problems and perform repairs.
