Guilty as charged!! Great info. will head the advice, very important indeed, could save accidents, much as mine was possibly caused by! This is very possibly what happened to me!! Tire dealer installed new tires just before the trip, and I never checked tire pressure, yet we all know, I also knew, but ignored/forgot to check! They always pump up tires to pop the bead, but they forget/dismiss/not their responsibility to adjust tire pressure for different riding conditions....that's our job/responsibility!! My buddy Chris alerted me to this same condition, at Wayne Nat forest, 2 weeks ago, on a different atv, again after the tire dealer had just installed new tire w/ 30#'s in tires, where only 3-4# are needed, in those 20'' atv tires for trail riding. So very important, especially on these heavier machines!! That is very possibly why my heavy 800# KQ bounced/rolled over on me so fast!! Here I'v been blaming the quad, instead at the idiot riding itI really appreciate this, I finally understand why it happened so fast, had me scratching my head, trying to figure it out, since it happened! Learn something new every day, but this is indeed a very serious topic to keep open, often! I'll definitely double ck my machines, and others riding with me from now on, before every ride!

 

I actually run my tires about 2-3 # less than they reconend on my SxS. I dont ride hard nor do I corner hard, softer tire is better on sand and more puncture resistant. That read did give me some ideas for making some suspension changes for my style of riding.

 

Yeah I feel ya's. When I brought my new machine home in 2013 I had no idea shocks and tire pressure made such a difference in the ride. I had 15lbs in all the tires and the shocks where on full so it would look good on the showroom floor. After finding the above post (3 years ago???) I've been continuously playing with the set up and I still haven't found that sweet spot. But I am close enough to be comfortable. I think right now I'm at 4psi in the front and 3psi in the rear. Shocks set at 2 in the front and 3 in the rear. It gets me around pretty good but I'm like Kymco and aren't a wildly fast rider. I do like to occasionally open her up on the straights but most of my riding is done on trails in the woods so I'm probably averaging under 10 mph's an outing.
I do most of my riding at my hunt club in Eastern Virginia and during the off season we do get together and ride around some. I'm surprised how many guys have their shocks set all the way up so they can get that max ground clearance but you can see them struggling to keep their machine under control when it counts. I've got a 2" lift and 27" Zillas so I'm good on clearance but even before those additions there was nothing I encountered that couldn't be cleared without the pressures and shocks set on max!
I did invested in a good low pressure tire gauge (the stock one from AC sucked) and check and adjust the pressures every time I ride. I'm hoping that 1 time in the future I'll find that sweet spot for my riding style!

Cheers

 

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed where Power steering on atv's moves so easily/fast, and while on trails has it taken the steering away from your control? This new ride I just purchased Polaris 570SE W/power steering, Where it is so easy to turn front tires, I can move it with baby finger, scary easy, even while stopped, with engine off?

Correction....key turned to on, engine not running, my bad lol My King Quad w/ PS was hard to turn almost like it had no PS, until it was moving, then just as easy to move as Polaris at higher speeds. I haven't had the opportunity to test the SE out yet, but hopefully will get a chance this weekend, and I'll be extremely cautious on its behavior, and hopefully it will be more in my control rather the quads!
Found this about preferred trail tire pressure, to set mine to, to be as safe as possible, before the ride:

Tire psi can vary greatly depending on your tire and riding style, i agree with everyone here that for casual trail riding 5-8 psi well be comfortable. however prefer to run mine at 10 psi, which is the max pressure stated on the factory Polaris tires, says not to exceed 20 psi for bead seating, i run mine at 10 because i ride hard and jump it, i have hit a few object at high speeds, Iv even jacked up the pressure in the back to 15 psi just for fun on a gravel road. but prefer to keep it around 10 psi.

 

It being easy to turn when the engine is off doesn't make any sense. After all it's Electronic power steering right? With the key off there should be no power to it, right?
But regardless... the EPS should be speed sensitive, lots of response the slower you go and less response the faster you go. This eliminates a steering mistake when your trying to keep up with your riding buddies 4-tracker! LOL

Hey... you need to change your AVATAR...

 

See... THIS explains ALOT!!!
10psi...
Stock POLARIS TIRES...
Jacked to 15psi...
Rider hard and jump it...
Hit objects at high speed...
LOL

 

From reading others posts, it seems atv power steering becomes more sensative at speed, which to me seems wrong. Glad I dont need it on my SxS, just something else to go haywire!

 

I'm asking for advice, for my riding style similar to the rider I just mentioned. Would 10 psi all around be a good starting place until I get a few trips out to try and feel the differences? I'll change avatar once I feel a particular machine is right for me....hopefully this might be that machine, feels right so far in my 40' back yard, riding in circles lol!

 

When I had my Praire the stock specs were only 6-7# in the front and 4-5 in the rear. When riding fast and hard I went up to 8# max in front, but kept rear at stock. Tried higher pressure in front to prevent roll but handling suffered. Believe it or not the roll in turns helped the front to bite in and turn better...always worried about popping a bead but it never happened.

 

I'm real close, between 8-10 #'s right now, and I'll leave it there and re-adjust, even on trail, w/sm. air compressor in cargo box. Will start loading tomorrow, with all totes filled n ready! Hope to be pulling into campground close to when a friend from up in the thumb gets there, and join up with us for the days ride Friday. With son's sxs there's not too many legal trails to choose from, and with his wife's first time going on orv trails, we'll just introduce her to the ones we've cover on last couple trips, hopefully Baldwin will be the next trip, yet son is salivating, over tackling Silver lake, we'll have to possibly toss a coin lol I'm fine either way.