I just got my 04 predator and took it riding on the dunes this weekend. I noticed that the nose likes to dive while in the air. One jump was so severe that it actually rolled over me when I landed.... (I'm not hurt thank god). I've tried to use the throttle and brakes to control the bike while in the air, and blip the gas just before launching, but it'll still dive. Is there a suspension adjustment I can make to help stop this or do I just need to learn the bike more? I don't consider myself a beginner, but this is my first quad. I've been riding 3 wheelers for about 15 years. I understand that the front of a quad is a lot heavier. So far I love the bike, but this problem is making it so I'm afraid to jump at all.

 

I feel the general tip of the bike comes from take off and body transfer. Because you owned a 3 wheeler you probably became accustomed to leaning forward to keep the trike level. On an ATV you want to be strait up and down with a slight lean the opposite direction of the tip. This method of weight transfer works better for me than gas and brake. It seems to respond quicker. Never launch so that your just flying through the air without control. Make sure your satble apon take off. Even pull the front end up during take off.

 

right before you take off gun the gas as if u want to wheelie. thats what i do and i usually always have my rear wheels touch moments before the front

 

IT sounds like maybe you are a little hesitant about jumping or aren't real comfortable with it. I remember when I first started on dirtbikes i would have this same problem when u learn to jump. The more comfortable you feel on the bike the better u will jump. One other thing could be is that if u are bogging when u jump the nose will drop. I usually jump 3rd pinned or 4th almost pinned when i jump in the dunes.

 

yeah ive had the quad flip over me before but thats cause i didnt give it ne gas on the jump. i usually find like the above poster said if you have a gear pinned when u jump u should be ok and dont lean forward.

 

Thats what I figured.. sounds like I just need to get familiar with the heavier bike.
One other thing I noticed is that after I did my first oil change, I had metal shavings attached to the magnet in the oil drain plug. I found shavings in both the crank and the oil tank. Is this normal for a brand new engine? I've never broken in a new engine before, so I followed a procedure outlined when I bought the bike and changed the oil after the first tank of gas. Could somebody enlighten me? I don't trust the cycle shop enough yet.

 

ya i think thats normal for a 4 stroke because its just shaving from the cylinder walls and waht not i wouldnt really worry. u always find shavings when u drain the gear fluid in my tb

 

Welcome Wellsit.........

I'm making a guess you're also running the stock tires?

After running V paddles for several years, I just tried my first set of straight paddles and BOY do they hook up to loft the front end off a dune lip or jump.

Sand Devils my new straight paddles work very well for me, but for your first quad you might get some V paddles like skat trak Edge as they're a bit more forgiving and slide out a bit more than straights.

 

Actually I have some sand skate 2's. One of the reasons I chose the bike was because of the hub bolt pattern. I didn't have to go out and buy more tires, I could use the ones off my trike. However, I may end up getting some 10 paddles for better hook up on the sand.

 

Is it every jump ? It could just be the jump or your rear shock has to much rebound. If your jumping dunes I like to make my own line cause for some reason if I use the same line as the guys I am riding with (which have different paddles) it throughs me funny. Same goes for them if the jump my line. Also like said above it could be just body position and throttle control.