Being a brand new owner for a mere week, I'm very impressed with this machine. My dealer told me to always run the 650 in low range if traveling less than 30 mph. Doing this will cause less belt wear. Unless I'm climbing a steep hill, I've been running mine in high. What gear is everyone else running theirs in?



2002 650 Prairie

 

It does wear the belt if you ride slow in high. The only time i ride in low is when i go real slow 20 and below and when in mud or climbing hills. If you ride in mud or climb a hill that make you spin tire you should always ride in low.

 

why does the belt wear riding slow in high gear?

 

I don't own a 650, but might like to. I do own a belt driven ATV with high and low gear. The only time I use low gear is when the terrain is really steep, I've got to go over blow downs, or for real slooow trail riding. I'd hate to think I had to stay in low gear anytime I was going slower than 30 MPH to save my belt. That would kill your gas mileage and cause you to shift in and out of low gear a lot.
Does anyone know if this recommendation is the straight POOP or just one dealer's BS?

 

My owners manual does not tell me anything about this. I believe some salesmen take things they do not fully understand and pass on a distorted view to customers. Technically the belt will wear less in low, but I don't think you need to go to quite that kind of extreme. It almost sounds like every time you want to go over 30mph you have to stop and shift to high, and back to low every time you want to go under 30. I hope not

The belt rides toward the center of the drive pulley when you are going slow, which means the engine (the 2 cylinder butt kicking 650) can yank on the belt much harder than when you go fast. Many belt driven machines also release tension on the belt when stopping, and the belt therfore is also the clutch.

Shifting to low therefore reduces wear, making it easier to clutch, and generally keeps the belt a little further out of the drive pulley.

I think the smart way to put this to people is to shift to low before a steep hill, towing something, plowing, ruts and rocks, stuck in mud or snow or water, or any other driving that requires extended driving in low range. If you have to give full throttle in high range to spank a pesky non-650, go ahead, the key here is to avoid belt stressing behavior as much as possible to maximize belt life. Like all of us, the belt will die someday, hopefully later and not sooner.

 

Lets see. I could go 25mph in hi and turn 2500 (or so) rpm or I could go down the same trail at 25mph in lo and turn 4500 rpm (or so). One way the belt wears out faster, the other the motor wears out faster.
belt replacement = $100 (and done at home in a day)
motor rebuild = $500 (and done at the shop in a month)
These dollor figures are just a guess but you get my point. I would rather wear the belt than the motor.

Enjoy that ride.

Charlie