i am just wondering if i ride my quad in the snow if it is going to harm any components, also is it better to stick the atv in a heated garage or let it freeze. my dad has this weird idea that if it freezes it would be better because then the water would not get into all the bearings and such.
quick replys would be great cuz i dying to go riding.
Thanks,
Chris

 

If you let it sit out and freeze, that cold morning start is going to be even MORE brutal on that engine. Put it in the warm garage.

-Matt

 

Keep it in a garage! If your dad want's to get technical, remind him that metal shrinks in the cold, which can make you tolerances (piston rings, bearing to surface) larger, which is usually not good. Also, If it gets cold, the oil will become thicker, which will cause more strain for your motor when it's cranking.

 

allright thanks for your helps guys
Thanks again,
Chris

 

Just make sure that when you put the EX away after being out in the cold to top off the gas tank because of condensation. Water in your gas is not a good thing.

 

I ride my 400ex in the snow all of time...I do keep it in a garage and haven't had any trouble. When you first start it up, the motor sounds like it's going to explode though. I run Maxxis SUR TRAC tires backwards with ice studs, this works great. Watch out when landing from jumps on hard crusted snow. My front tires dug in and now i'm healing up from broken ribs. It would be nice if there was a way to plug it in for a few hours before you ride(to heat the oil up). Is there anything out there?

 

Why would you need to heat up the oil if you keep it in a heated garage>?
ALSO if you ride down the road make sure you clean it or else the salt on the roads will ruin your bike, it will get all rusted and the aluminum head REALLY hates the salt, a friend of mine bought a 300EX that had been a road rider and there were HOLES ! in the cooling fins of the head becasue it wasnt cleaned !!

 

I had the axel bearings go out on mine after riding through the snow. It had been through water, dirt, & mud too, but the snow seemed to be the final blow.

Most MX tires are terrible in snow.

 

killer250r...note that I didn't type the word "heated" before garage.