Next month a friend wants me to come ride and camp with him out in the Rocky mountains of North Central Colorado. The area we will be riding is between 6000-10000 feet. My Rancher is stock, & I currently ride at 4000 feet or less.

What is the best way to keep my power up? Do I need to rejet the carb?

 

You might want to pick up the next two main jets leaner & just take them along. You didn't say what you'd ride, but the quads in your sig are 4 strokes & somewhat detuned, so you may not even notice any lack of power at 6000' but at 10000' Im sure you would feel the loss of performance from too fat of a mix.
Just by way of example, in the cooler weather here at home I run three sizes fatter on the main at 3200' elev., but now that it's hot I ride in the mountains at 7000' and I must drop three sizes on the main or my scoot runs like a dog.

 

Thanks for the info, I am taking my Rancher on the ride.

 

Damn double post

 

Honda says for riding between 3000-8000' the main jet should be a #125 (stock is #130), and the pilot screw should be turned in 3/4 (.75) turn from the factory preset. Looks like you may want to adjust the idle when you get up there.
So far the hills and woods in n. central Oregon are great fun to my son and me (we come from a flat, sweaty, and crowded place) , but real mountains! Looks like you'll have a great time.

Gooch

 

Another option that has worked for me (riding at 5-10,000') is to install a K&N, which breathes much better than stock air cleaners. I also re-jetted for my altitude, but occasionally I'll ride in the desert. I just swap my K&N with the stock filter to avoid running too lean. BTW, it's my experience that factory jetting and recommendations are cautiously rich. Running leaner produces better performance, but it can be risky.

 

Gooch,

Where are you guys riding in Oregon. Vancouver is across the Columbia from Portland?

 

I rode a rancher up at pulina peak @8,000 feet and it ran great! I just found some super cool trails in WA north of vancouver here: http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/biking/trailbike_riding2.htm
and the oregon trails can be found here:http://www.oohva.org/

 

JRM,

The Rancher I assume it was stock? How much snow was there at 8000 feet? I checked out the web site, it looks like some new places to explore


thanks

 

yep, stone stock rancher with 5 miles on it..i think they are jetted lean at the factory so thats why it ran good up there, but it did loose some power. no snow, it was last september and 90 degrees