On youtube i see videos of people taking atvs without any snorkels into water thats up to just about the handlebars. ANd the machine continues to run. What im wondering is doesnt the atv need air to run it and wouldnt it just suck in water instead? Also if you go into water that deep how long would you have untill it starts to get into the engine.

 

I can not see how a ATV can go up to the handlebars with out some extra help with air intake........I been up to the headlights and if you keep moving and have the wake in front of the bike the water will tend to keep ahead of the Quad and kind of channel away from the side abit ..IMO ......I just keep a calm steady pace and don't get ahead of the wave......no trouble at all ,not even the belt........Caper.......

 

i kinda doubt up to the handel bars. maybe up to the bottom of the seat. but the rider better not get to much splashing. other wise it will go into the intake and or the belt houseing. if it goes into the belt houseing. your pretty much done tell you can get it pulled out and dryed out. my old 2000 sportsman. you didnt dare go much higher than the a bit under fuel shut off since the belt vent was there. the newer ones the belt vent and intake are under the seat and go under the front fender where the age sticker is. but i quess it also helps to make shure the belt houseing dont leak, along with the air filter box. other wise it wont matter...

 

I've got a 95 425 Magnum I sink up to the seat pretty regular. You can get through some pretty deep water if it is just a quick blast through in a couple of seconds such as riding through a deep water filled ditch or creek crossing rather than a more extending ride through deep water. When you put one in deep water it has more of a chance to find all the small entry points and cause issues.

I use to ride an old honda fourtrax 300 which was a regular submarine. Being gear driven there was no belt to vent or get wet. Also I found that if your went through deep water quickly enough you could pretty much submerge the machine. You just had to get out quick enough so that water didn't fill the airbox.

 

Some have stealth snorkels which are snorkels into the pod

 

I have an 05 Sportsman 400 (stock, see signature). I have had it in water that if the bike were sitting in the middle of the water body, it would be over the handle bars. It runs perfectly, never had an issue. Actually, I have pulled MANY a bikes out of water holes that were snorkled and something electrical got wet and they died (guess they didn't get to test the snorkel ahahah).

You have to know how to ride and know the water. When it gets deep, sit as far back as you can. Now, even with a 400 in deep water, I can get the front end to come up. This is key! Get the nose as high as possible. Dont go too fast, you want the "wave" made by the machine to stay in front of you so you are riding in the low spot behind it. On my machine anyway, all the air intakes are under the plastic on top of the gas tank. This is IDEAL! As long as the front end is up, and water isn't in that area, you will be fine. As long as all your electrical stays dry (use dielectric grease on all connections), you will be just fine!

Only time I ran into trouble was when playing with other bikes in deep water. Another bikes "wave" hit mine and it came up over the front rack. I headed fro shore right away, put it in nuetral and revved it up for a minute or two to make sure it was dry. I knew water had not got into the intakes because as I said, they are tucked up nicely under the plastic. Polaris was very smart in designing them that way!

 

As Caper and others have said the "bow wave" is pretty important. Just keep the right speed up that will push the wave of water out in front of the quad. Alot of times it will look like it is up to the handlebars when it is the bow wave that is highest. I've gone rack deep with no troubles.

 

I have hit the occasion up to the seat hole with no problems

 

I agree up to the seat behind the wave is all the farther i care to go myself. I have seen people get their belts wet by doin alot of splashing is water as deep as the foot rests. The key is not to go too fast and splash.

 

It seems to me that it is all in HOW YOU RIDE it. I really really thought in order to water wheelie and get thru deep water you needed a mega Highlifter lift kit and 30" Mud Wheels (Outlaws, etc.) like those dudes in the Triangle Boyz videos. But many can do that even unsnorkeled. But I wouldn't do it that deep,. lol...lol..

Case in point here is a video of what not to do, lol..lol

YouTube - Honda Rubicon goin 2 deep (MUST SEE)

Regards,

R'