Spending time with friends or family in the garage working on your ATV is not only the perfect use of a weekend but the only way to improve the performance and comfort of your quad. Every vehicle owner, ATV or otherwise, has had to complete regular maintenance to ensure optimum performance of their vehicle. Things like oil changes, tire pressure checks, transmission fluid, and coolant maintenance, and other basic adjustments will definitely extend the life of your ATV. If, however, you want to improve performance by more than just a tiny bit, there is a lot more that you can do to unlock the true potential of your ride. The extra performance that you’ve been searching for maybe only one or two small upgrades away, and like with any other vehicle, tweaking certain parts and/or adding aftermarket parts can greatly increase the performance of your ATV. Whether you just want to have more fun on the trails or are ready to dive into the world of ATV racing, we are here to provide all of the information you need to take the next step in your offroad journey.

Getting Started with ATV Performance Parts

Riding an ATV or driving any other off-road vehicle is one of the most exciting hobbies a person can have. The speed, sounds, smells, and pure adrenaline that is ATV riding can be intoxicating, but can we make it even more exciting? Whether you just ride for fun with your friends and family or are diving into the world of ATV racing, some upgrades may be just what you need to hit that next level. Getting started with ATV performance parts can seem more than a little intimidating, but with a little guidance, we should be able to get you up and running in no time. While there is always one more part to upgrade or one more thing to fix, we want to get you moving in the right direction with some of the most popular and effective upgrades available for your ATV. Throughout this article, we will share with you our picks for the best ATV performance clutches, sprockets, carburetors, grips, engine kits, exhausts, and ATV brakes! First, let’s look into your clutch assembly, and how it can be improved!

Best ATV Performance Clutch

The clutch in any vehicle is a fairly simple part as far as it’s function is concerned, but also one of the most important. In the simplest terms possible, the clutch transfers power from the motor of the vehicle to the wheels, but you probably already know that if you are looking into performance ATV parts! The first part of the clutch that you may want to upgrade is the clutch basket itself. While you may be accustomed to replacing a worn basket after the tangs begin to show notching where the plates engage, you may never have upgraded the part itself. It may seem like a trivial upgrade, but not only can it increase the lifespan of your clutch, but also help with engine temperature due to increased oil circulation leading to better all-around cooling. If you are looking into a new clutch basket, we suggest the Hinson High-Performance Clutch Basket, as it’s not only used by most factory teams and riders but also has been proven to increase clutch performance and life while also improving heat dissipation within the clutch assembly. This basket is precision machined from billet T-6 aircraft quality aluminum…they really aren’t messing around. The Hinson allows the whole clutch assembly to spin much more true, creating less heat, and a smoother all-around experience. When used with other Hinson clutch components, you can also almost entirely eliminate clutch chatter. That brings us to our next performance upgrade, the Hinson Clutch Plates, and Spring Kit. Created to pair perfectly with the clutch basket we just discussed. This kit is also tested and raced by many factory teams and riders, and one you can really count on to perform. With high production tolerances and its high-quality aluminum construction, this kit will definitely enhance your clutch’s life and increase your ATV’s performance that extra little bit you need.

Our Top Performance Sprocket

Sprocket is more than just a fun word… There are two sprockets on almost every ATV, both located on the same side of the vehicle. The drive chain connects the two sprockets and ultimately is what makes your ATV go. Just like with our clutch upgrades, it may feel silly to upgrade a part that doesn’t seem like it would increase performance, but a sprocket upgrade can change a lot about how your vehicle functions. You have a choice to make when changing your sprocket, however. You can either gear down by installing a larger rear sprocket, gear up by installing a smaller rear sprocket or keep your gearing the same by not changing the size of the sprocket itself. Gearing down will increase the final drive ratio and reduce top speed, but increase acceleration. Gearing up does the opposite, by increasing top speed, but potentially decreasing acceleration. While sprockets are usually brand-specific, we’ll share two of our favorites here.

The Sunstar Rear 36 Teeth performance sprocket is a Honda-specific part but made with the highest quality aerospace-grade T6 aluminum that guarantees not only high strength but is also super lightweight. Its exclusive tooth-and-valley design gives your chain 24% more contact area for a better transfer or power to your wheels and a larger area for the chain to distribute its energy, resulting in a nearly indestructible sprocket.

The Sunstar Rear Sprocket 41 Teeth is the Yamaha-specific counterpart. It is made of the same high-grade aerospace T6 aluminum, and ready to take your Yamaha ATV to the next level! Whether you are looking to change the way your ATV performs, or just increase the lifespan of your sprockets, upgrading them is a great choice.

ATV Carburetor

If you ride a fuel-injected ATV, you can skip this whole section. If, however, you ride an ATV with a carburetor, it’s one of the most important parts to maintain, and upgrading it can make a big difference in performance. No matter how high-octane your fuel is, or how much of it you have, without a carburetor, internal combustion is impossible. The carburetor works by mixing your fuel with air and then passing that perfect mixture through the intake manifold, and letting the engine take combustion from there. Many older ATVs can have issues with hot engine starting, but with the right performance carburetor, you won’t have to worry about that particular issue any more. With an integrated hot start assist, you won’t have to worry about letting your ride cool down before heading right back out on the trail or track. It has a tunable leak jet to maximize the volume of fuel and duration of the spray for all conditions.

If you aren’t looking to upgrade anything to do with your carburetor, some maintenance may still be in order, and may still give you the performance boost you need. Feel free to shop our inventory of ATV Carburetor Parts and find the kit you need to make your old carburetor new again.

Best ATV Grips

When it comes to upgrading your ATV, performance may seem like the most important focus, however, we think that being comfortable is just as important. Sometimes the stock grips that come with bikes or ATVs are either uncomfortable for your hands, or just don’t have the features you’re looking for. Whether you are looking at buying custom grips, repairing grips that you already own, or are looking for something else related to ATV grips, we’ve got you covered..

The Protaper Pillow Top Grips are some of the most popular grips on the market for very good reason. They utilize a unique traction pattern made from a vibration-reducing gel-like material to maximize not only grip but the comfort of the rider, which we think is just as important! With an inner core compound formulated to bond perfectly with your handlebars and anti-rip tips, not only will they be comfortable and safe, but they will last you a long, long time.

Another top choice for upgraded grips is the ODI ATV Rogue Lock-On Grips. Like the Protapers, these grips boast incredible shock absorption as well as deep groves and texture to improve your grip as well as channel away dirt and debris. These are easy to install, as durable as any other grips on the market, and 100% guaranteed slip-free performance.

Even with the very best grips and gloves, you know how hard riding can lead to blisters and other skin issues on your palms. The Risk Racing Palm Protectors are made to be worn under your gloves and offer full coverage palm protection. They are designed to reduce vibration and most importantly, prevent those nasty blisters from ever forming.

Best ATV Performance Exhaust

Every vehicle we drive or ride has an exhaust, but if you want to take your ATV to a trail and have it perform at its peak, you are definitely going to want to upgrade your whole exhaust system. Yoshimura is a company well known for its work alongside factory racing teams and riders, so they know what the racers want. The Yoshimura Signature RS-2 ATV performance exhaust is a testament to that work. This exhaust is a stainless steel-aluminum construction with a diamond-shaped muffler and maximized internal volume. Every component of this exhaust is tested, documented, and marked as required by federal law, so you won’t have any surprises when you install it on your ATV. Speaking of installation, it has a very easy-to-follow installation guide, so any garage mechanic can set to work on this weekend project without fear.

If you ride an older ATV and don’t plan on hitting the race track, but want to keep your ride up to date and as safe as possible, a spark arrestor is a necessity. The FMF TCII Universal Spark Arrestor is the perfect choice for the job. This unit is the perfect option for adapting a performance spark arrestor onto an older bike and comes with all of the hardware you need to ensure any mechanic, home or professional, will be able to complete the install without an issue.

ATV Performance Brakes

One of the first things many people upgrade on their ATV, before diving into engine components, is the brakes. Sure, brakes aren’t going to give you a horsepower increase, but they can make you faster by improving cornering and stopping distance. You can upgrade your brake pads to different materials to increase longevity and efficiency in certain terrains, and upgrade brake shoes to do the exact same. EBC makes a great series of brake shoes, though depending on your vehicle you may have to check the fitment until you find the correct set. A great example of their quality is the EBC Grooved Brake Shoes. These are FG rated and include high friction grooved linings to improve performance. They get even better as they heat up and are mainly meant for use in muddy or wet conditions. They also produce standard brake shoes, as the EBC Standard Brake Shoesprove! These are FS-rated and have a higher rating and better-stopping power than O.E.M. shoes. As we stated before, these are vehicle-specific, so be sure to find the ones for your particular ATV.

Brake pads are also important to consider, as they come in all types of materials for different terrain and usage scenarios. The EBC R Series Bronze Coded Brake Pads are an example of extremely high-quality pads made out of sintered metal for use in extreme wet and muddy conditions. These aren’t standard road pads but will perform amazingly in their intended setting. For a more everyday pad, the EBC X Series Black Coded Brake Pads are a great choice, as they are made from a Kevlar aramid fiber composite for all-around performance.

Find Your Favorite ATV Performance Parts at ZMP!

No matter what you are looking to repair, replace, upgrade or change on your ATV, you can find all of your favorite ATV performance parts at ZMP. We really do have it all.ATV wheels and tires, ATV cylinder kits, and so much more. Feel free to hop on over and check out our full selection of ATV Performance Parts!