A quad bike combines the strengths of a motorcycle and a four wheel drive vehicle, taking you where a car cannot go: forest tracks, sand pits, spring mud. The price of that freedom is constant dust, mud, water and sand in every component.
Regular care after each ride keeps the machine safe, powerful and long lived. Here are six steps, from washing to protecting the electrics and shining the plastics.
What you will need
Important: Keep WD-40 and silicone off brake discs, pads, tyres, the seat, handlebar grips and footrests. Work with a cold engine and the ignition off.
Step 1
Wash the quad
Wet the whole machine with a pressure washer and blast off the bulk of the mud and clay from the plastics, wheels and frame. Do not aim a strong jet at bearings, electrical connectors, the radiator or the air intake. Apply car shampoo or a motorcycle wash, scrub stubborn dirt with a brush, rinse and dry.
Remove tar and oily marks left on metal frame parts with WD-40 Multi-Use.
Step 2
Clean the air filter
The air filter and airbox are often forgotten, yet off road a filter can clog with dust in a single ride. Clean it after every ride and replace it as soon as it wears out. Wash a foam filter by hand in warm water with detergent, wearing gloves and without wringing it hard.
Rinse, dry, soak it in dedicated filter oil, squeeze out the excess and refit it. Let the filter dry well before starting the engine.
Step 3
Clean and lubricate the chain
Remove the chain guard and spray the chain, sprockets and swingarm with WD-40 Smart Straw: it softens caked dirt and drives out water. Scrub with a chain brush or an old toothbrush, repeat if needed and wipe the chain dry.
Then, turning the wheel slowly, apply WD-40 Multi-Use evenly along the full length of the chain, treat the sprockets too and refit the guard. Check chain tension according to the manufacturer's manual.
Step 4
Clean the brakes
Clean brake discs, calipers and pads only with a dedicated brake cleaner that evaporates without residue: spray and wipe to remove dirt and brake dust. Check pad thickness and disc condition.
No lubricant on braking surfaces: if any gets there, degrease thoroughly.
Step 5
Protect the electrics
Water and mud quickly corrode the starter relay, wiring connectors, battery terminals and light contacts. Treat them with WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner and go over them lightly with a soft brush: oxidation dissolves and conductivity returns.
The outer metal parts of connectors can then be protected from moisture with a thin coat of WD-40 Multi-Use.
Step 6
Bring back the shine to the plastics
Finally, apply WD-40 Specialist Silicone to a soft cloth and wipe over the plastic bodywork: it gains a deep colour and a water repellent film that mud sticks to less. Treat the metal frame and suspension arms with WD-40 Multi-Use for corrosion protection.
Tip: After winter rides on salted roads, wash the quad the same day: salt and moisture can start corrosion on the frame and fasteners overnight.
What next
Wash the machine and clean the filter after every ride, lubricate the chain every few rides and always after rain, and do a full service with an oil change according to the manufacturer's schedule. Before winter storage, treat the frame and fasteners with WD-40 Multi-Use.
These uses come from the experience of WD-40 users in many countries. Always follow the instructions and warnings on the product label.
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