I've owned this Big bear for about a year and I'm just amazed how slow it is. my wife's 97 Suzuki 250 will run circles around it. When I shift my wife's Suzuki into Lo it shifts exactly like my Big Bear.

1st gear only last a fraction of a second!

I've seen some other big bears have a hi/lo lever but mine doesn't.

I love the way it looks and everything but I want different gearing!!!
here's a pic of it.

 

What's the top speed on it? Usually you can't get much higher than 15 mph in low range.

 

Actually I think that is normal. My moto4 is incredibly slow and tops out at just under 40. First gear on mine tops at about 5, 2nd at 10, 3rd at 15-20, 4th at about 25, and in 5th 35 is pushin it. I'm pretty sure your big bear and my moto4 have the same engines.

 

It doesn't have a speedo so I can't confirm the speeds. I know it's faster than 15mph though. Probably in the 30mph range but that's strictly guessing. I'll compare it to my moped which has a 30mph speedo and see how it fairs.

If it seriously is just always going to be like this...I think it's time to trade for an older wolverine. I could use the disc brakes anyway.

Mud is fun and all but I want to be able to haul *** too.

 

The big bear is a full utility machine. They weren't designed to be fast, just to pull like a mule. With shaft drive theres not much you can do with your gearing, so yeah I guess it would be a good time for you to trade up. The top speed of a wolvy is around 55 I think. Still not that fast compared to big bores, but I don't think i'd want to go much faster than that on a utility quad. I know I came damn close to killing myself with our prairie 400 just going 55. It was plenty quick, but weighed 650lbs and was extremely tippy. That thing was a friggin death trap.

 

yeah I'm definitely not looking for a full sport nor do I want a full utility. it's unfortunate I had to learn this way but oh well. I love the motors and shaftdrive but the final drive gearing is absolutely worthless if you get one without the ability to select between hi/lo.

I will see if anyone local wants to trade.

I'm not hurtin to get rid of it so atleast I'm in a good position.

Thanks,

Jason

 

the top speed of mine in low range, with the stock size tires is about 30, and 50 in high, hope this helps.

 

big red...thanks man. I'm definitely in LO then.

But the odd thing is...my engine doesn't have a place to select though???

Did some big bears not come with that option?

If I could some how find out how to put it in HI I would be SO happy. Currently the speed is the only thing that makes me want to sale it[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

that is really f*ckin weird...i havnt seen a bigbear with out high/low before do you have a pic of the other side? i know the older ones (from the 80's and early 90's) had a shifter that goes rev/low/high on the left front fender and on the newer ones such as yours it should be where the pull start is like on my kodiak can you get a pic of the shifter that you go into reverse with?

 

David...I sure hope you're right.

I've looked ALL over but I have no idea where it would be located. I bought this thing used so I didn't know it was supposed to have a HI/LO but after riding it for a while...I know it should.

If I could find out how to switch it into HI...I would fall in love with it!

If you click the link below you will see that my big bear does not have the hi/lo select:
click here for the big picture....