Suzuki LT-A700X - Riding in Cold Weather; Riding through Water

3-20
RIDING THROUGH WATER
You can ride the vehicle through shal-
low water. Make sure the water is not
deeper than 30 cm (12 in) and is not
flowing fast. Choose a good place to
cross before you ride through any
water. Look for a spot where the
banks are gently sloped on both sides
and the bottom of the stream is hard.
If you are unfamiliar with the area,
park the vehicle and inspect the
stream first to find a suitable spot for
crossing. When crossing, operate the
ATV at a slow, steady speed. Be care-
ful not to damage banks when cross-
ing.
RIDING IN COLD WEATHER
Pre-ride Inspection
Check that the throttle and all control
levers move freely. Make sure that the
footrests, shift levers, and rear brake
pedal are free of ice or snow.
With the transmission in neutral,
move the ATV forward and backward
to check that the wheels roll freely. If
you cannot move the ATV, the tires
may be frozen to the ground, or the
brakes may be frozen to the wheels. If
the tires are frozen to the ground,
pour warm water around them to melt
the ice. If the brakes are frozen, bring
the ATV to a warmer area to thaw out
the brakes.
WARNING
Operating this ATV through deep
or fast flowing water can be haz-
ardous.
The ATV tires may float, causing
loss of traction and loss of con-
trol. This could lead to an acci-
dent.
• Never operate this ATV in fast
flowing water or in water deeper
than described in this section.
• Remember that wet brakes may
have reduced stopping ability.
Test your brakes after leaving
the water. If necessary, apply
them several times to let friction
dry out the linings.
CAUTION
Operating the ATV in water, sand,
or mud causes rapid brake wear.
Excessive brake wear can cause
the brakes to be less effective.
After repeated operation of the
ATV in these conditions, bring it to
your Suzuki dealer to have the
brakes inspected and cleaned.
CAUTION
Using engine power to free up fro-
zen wheels can damage your ATV.
Severe damage to the drive train
may occur if you use engine
power to free frozen wheels.
Before riding, manually move the
ATV forward and backward to
make certain that all wheels roll
freely.