Riding Your Side-by-Side in the Snow

Winter is advancing upon us, which means snow is going to start falling soon. If you don’t want to give up your powersports adventuring, then you’ll need to figure out how to adapt your riding. You can use your side-by-side even in the snow, provided you take the proper precautions for yourself and your vehicle.

Not sure where to begin with this process? Crossroad Powersports, located in Upper Darby, is your Pennsylvania UTV dealer. To help you prepare for winter adventuring, we’ve provided these tips for riding your side-by-side in the snow.

Get Your UTV Ready For Cold Weather

You’ll want to begin by preparing your side-by-side for the cold. Swap out your engine fluids for products that won’t freeze up. Antifreeze instead of coolant is a necessity, for example. You can also add some accessories to your UTV to make it safer and easier to ride in the snow. Snow tires will offer you more traction than your standard wheels. You could even get tracks to further improve traction.

A snow-plow attachment will help you push the white stuff out of your path, and it can also help you keep your driveways and roads clear. Adding a full cover or at least a windshield to your UTV will help reduce wind fatigue and prevent precipitation from hitting you.

Keep Yourself Warm

Now you need to prepare yourself for cold temperatures and wet or icy precipitation. The cold can become more severe when windchill is factored into the equation, making hypothermia and frostbite more likely. Toss in the fact that you’re going to be traveling at faster speeds and you’ll need to really wrap yourself up to stay warm and dry.

Layer up in wicking clothing underneath your outer layers, which should be waterproof. Snow pants and a snow jacket are great options. Thin polyester layers that keep moisture off your skin will be best. Wool socks with insulated boots will keep your feet warm and secure, and insulated gloves will protect your hands as you ride.

Your standard helmet will be fine for riding your side-by-side in the snow, although you may need a face shield or goggles that have anti-fogging capabilities to prevent condensation from your breath obscuring your vision. Wearing a thin wool hat under your helmet will prevent heat loss. You could also wear a cowl or snug scarf for warmth.

Practice Good Safety

Aside from gearing up yourself and your side-by-side, you need to be practical about safety. Ride in reasonably clear weather and during daylight hours. Temperatures will likely be too cold when the sun goes down, and you don’t want to ride in the dark when you’re liable to hit obstacles. You also don’t want to ride in very poor weather, so check the forecast to make sure a blizzard isn’t on the horizon. High winds and extremely cold temperatures are also to be avoided at all costs.

You should pack water and some high-energy snacks to keep your body fueled up since you’ll burn more calories in the cold as you try to stay warm. Go slower than you normally would—it might be tempting to go at high speeds, but this isn’t safe when traction is reduced.

We hope this guide helps you to stay warm and dry and comfortable as you ride your side-by-side in the snow. Still don’t have a UTV? Come see us at our Upper Darby location to check out our selection of new and used UTVs for sale. Crossroad Powersports serves the greater Philadelphia metro area, as well as our neighbors in Wilmington, Delaware.