17. Grease Zerk Fittings.
Greasing the pivot points on all new quads is extremely vital to longevity. Make sure each place on the ATV that will accept a grease gun tip gets a once-over. Be sure to read the owner's manual for proper grease type and placement of each type. If water and grit get in your machine's moving parts, you can bet that expensive repairs are just around the corner.
18. Follow Break-In Procedures!
Most ATVs have a simple break-in procedure that you'll have to study up on in your owner's manual. The initial break-in is designed to properly seat the valves and piston rings. Making sure to follow OEM specs will ensure the newest lion in your pack will be running for a long time to come. Most manufacturers require an oil change along with an oil filter change after only the first few hours on the motor. It never hurts to take preventative steps to make the fun last longer and keep you out of the shop.
19. Set Up The Suspension.
Go ahead, don't be afraid to play around and dial in your shocks. As manufacturers have to account for a variety of riders' weights, they usually set up stock suspension to accommodate heavier pilots. Many of the new ATVs these days come with sag, compression and even rebound adjustments. Others may only have preload adjustments. Either way, you can dial them in to improve their ride performance. Who knows, you might be able to edge out your buddies with nicely dialed-in suspension.
20. Protect From The Wet.
Last on our list but certainly not least by any stretch of the imagination is to protect your quad's electrical components from the damages of water. When water meets the electrical connections in your quad, all kinds of problems can and will erupt. Something that's been effective for me is applying a liberal dab of dielectric grease to all electrical connections throughout the quad. The dielectric grease helps to repel water from seeping in the connections and causing electrical shorts.