ATVs are the Swiss army knives of vehicles. They’re lightweight, portable, and compact, plus with a few attachments and accessories, you can use them for almost anything. While you may buy an ATV for its recreational uses (off-roading, anyone?), you’ll find they can also be surprisingly utilitarian.
Which is good, because the season of the cottage spring cleanup is nearing, and you may find yourself having to do a lot of hauling and moving—all of which your ATV can help you with. Cottages can need a lot of maintenance, especially as they’re often left unoccupied, but with the right tools, cleanup can be as enjoyable as a night on the lake. You just need the right ride paired with the right accessories.
Here are five tasks that a Honda ATV will transform from potentially unpleasant to oddly satisfying:
Collecting firewood
When you’re chopping and hauling wood, your ATV can make the task easier. Attach a trailer or skid behind your ATV to haul wood and get to work. If you see a particularly tempting fallen branch off-road, you’ll be totally ready to go bushwhacking and grab it. And after all that hard work, it’ll be the perfect time to crack open a beer and sit in front of a roaring fire.
Snow shovelling
If you’re a winter cottager, you know the benefits of heading out to cottage country in the winter months: peace, solitude, and endless skiing opportunities. You also know the pain of shovelling mountains of snow. But with an ATV plow attachment, you’ll be moving those mountains easily. Remember being a kid in the sandbox, pushing sand around with your toy trucks? Well, this is the grown-up version. It’s so easy, you might find yourself doing the whole block.
Winching
After a harsh winter, there are plenty of reasons you might need a winch. You may need to clear fallen trees from a walking path, or tow a vehicle that’s gotten bogged down in the spring mud. Well, an ATV is the best tool to help with the task. It’s small and agile enough to reach out-of-the-way spots that need attention, and strong enough to help you haul any stubbornly stuck debris. And since it’s specifically designed for all terrain, it won’t end up getting stuck and needing towing itself—a pretty significant perk.
Building and landscaping
The start of spring at the cottage means it’s time to think about your next building project. And depending on the scope and location of your build, you may need some help hauling tools and materials around your property. Whether you’re moving lumber, loads of gravel, or walkway stones, using an ATV for the heavy lifting means you’ll have more time to kick back and enjoy the lake.
Hauling your canoe
An ATV hitch can turn your ATV into a powerful hauler. Paired with a canoe dolly, it’s the perfect way to tow your canoe, kayack, or even jet ski to your favourite paddling spot. And if that spot happens to be a fishing hole, you can stow plenty of gear in your ATV’s rack bags.
