Preparing an ATV for Transport

Choosing the right transportation company and organizing everything is important, but as equally important in transporting your ATV is properly preparing it as well. That's because if you fail to prepare it properly, you could potentially incur extra damage fees and the related hassles that go along with transportation delays and so forth. One thing to note is that an ATV, unlike other vehicles, is prohibited from being driven across the country, as, even if it were allowed, it would be a logistical nightmare.

Many of the same tips that you'd use to transport a motorcycle, RV, or regular automobile applies to preparing an ATV for transport. Check out the following guidelines:

Make Sure That It's Fully Functional

Even though your ATV has to be transported, rather than actually driven any measurable distance, it still needs to be fully functional. That's because it still has to be placed on a trailer and then eventually taken off the trailer, which is often done by physically driving it. You should always make sure that:

• All of the lights properly work, including the brake lights, signal lights, and emergency lights.
• Its battery is fully charged.
• Make sure that the tires are properly inflated.
• Check to see if there are any fluid leaks, some of which could be hazardous, especially being stored in a trailer.
• Make sure the gas tank is filled to the required level, as per the instructions of the auto transport company. Some companies, though rare, will even make you empty out your gas tank completely. Nonetheless, most will ask you to make sure that your gas tank is either a quarter full or half full.

Document It For Insurance Purposes

It's better to be safe than sorry, so no matter what insurance coverage you have, you should always make sure to document how your ATV looks before handing it over to the driver during the pick up or drop off point. In order to properly document it, you should carry out the following steps, in order:

• Thoroughly clean it and wash it.
• Carefully inspect it for any scratches, dents, and marks that may be present.
• Take close-up photographs of any damage that you may see, as well as photos of the entire ATV. Be sure to do so from multiple angles.
• If you are able to detect any performance or mechanical issues with it, document each and every one of them.
• Make sure that you have all of the important invoices and other files from repair shops, the dealer, and so forth in order to present them to the auto transport company.

You should always be as detailed as possible in inspecting and taking photographic evidence, as well as written documentation, of the state of the ATV. It will expedite the insurance claim process if something happens and will give you the best chance of resolving the issue as amicably as possible.

Remove Personal Items and Accessories

Regardless if you document what's on the ATV, you should always remove any personal items and accessories that you may have on or in it. Anything that's loose or hanging on it should be removed, and any added accessories that can easily be removed should also be taken away.

Related Information

• ATV shipping rates
• How to ship your ATV internationally

Let A-1 Auto Transport help you ship your ATV!