Ever wanted to get out and ride, but just didn’t want to brave the cold winter weather? Ever tried a set of heated grips? These magical little devices are a Godsend when it comes to cold-weather riding. They’re also very affordable and super easy to install. We recently hooked up a set of Cycle Country’s Heated ATV Grips on our test quad. Here’s a rundown of the install process:
The Cycle Country Heated ATV Grip kit comes with three main components: The grips themselves, a power switch with various mounting hardware options, and the necessary wiring for hooking up to a power source.
Obviously, to begin the install, the first thing you’ll have to do is remove your quad’s existing grips. You can either cut them off or, even easier, use an air compressor to force them off. Once the grips are removed, make sure you clean your handlebar surface, removing any adhesive and allowing for an ideal mounting surface.
Next, before you slip on the new grips, be sure to figure out how you’ll route the new grips wiring cables. Different handlebar set-ups will require positioning your grips wiring slightly differently. Once you’re ready, go ahead and apply your grip glue and slide the new grips into place.
Now it’s time for setting up your power switch. The Cycle Country kit comes with either a bar mount for the power switch, or a bracket that can be used to mount the power switch to handlebar-area components. We chose this option as it leaves more room around the controls. Thankfully, choosing your mounting option is the hardest part of this step. Either way you go, hooking up the mount takes no time at all.
Finally, you’ll need to route the supplied power cables to your quad’s battery. To do this right, you may need to remove some body panels so you can ensure all the cables are tucked away nicely. Once your cables are routed properly, finishing the job simply requires hooking up the positive lead to a switched power source and the negative lead to the negative battery post.
Now you’re done. All that’s left to do is hit the power button and tackle the cold winter air! You won’t believe the difference these grips make during a chilly ride. They really are one the best bang-for-the-buck items you can get for your ATV this winter. Get yourself a set today!
Plow kits for ATV’s are some seriously handy devices, especially if you live in snowier climates. We recently installed and tested the Piledriver Plow System from Quadboss and came away pretty impressed with the results.
Like most ATV plow kits, there are three main components to the Piledriver system: the mount, the push tube and the blade. To assist in the power operation of the blade, this system requires a winch on your ATV, something that isn’t included in the kit.
We chose to mount up the Piledriver to our current four-wheeled test mule, a 2011 Polaris Sportsman 550. Before we could attach the Piledriver mount, we had to remove the stock skidplate from the Polaris. Once ready to go, the universal mount supplied with the Piledriver kit is a snap to attach, either bolting directly to your ATV’s frame or, as in the case of the Polaris, using the Piledriver’s supplied side brackets. Remember that when attaching the mount, it’s important to place the front rod of the mount plate about 30-34” away from the fare lead roller on the winch.
Once the mount is installed, the next step is blade assembly. Dropping in the locking plates and struts was easy enough, as was attaching the wear bar. Adding on the springs and skids completed the blade assembly and left us with just the push tube to attach.
We first hooked up the blade to the push tube, then used the preinstalled winch and mounting plate to attach the entire assembly to the ATV. Easy enough! To unhook the Piledriver, simply lower the winch, pull the release lever and back your ATV away from the plow blade.
We’re always impressed by the utility an ATV plow provides, and the Piledriver kit is no exception. Whether it’s gravel, dirt or snow, this plow kit will make short work of your shoveling chores in no time.
