Winter Riding Anyone?

[Blodg]

Winter in the colder states is normally a time for maintenance, upgrades, or rebuilds. But this year I have been riding more in the snow than I ever have (and we have had more snow than normal here in Ohio). I have always pulled my kids on sleds with the 4WD utility but this year along with that I have been ripping on the 416EX too.

I rode a few times this summer and now this winter with a group of older guys who are serious hill climbers and they ride all year long. They have been doing this for 20+ years and they claim they can climb as big or bigger hills in the winter than they can in the summer. That sounds hard to believe but with snow tires or tire chains they can get more traction on frozen ground than on muddy ground during the spring/summer or leaf covered ground in the fall. The other advantages are no dust, no mud to clean up, and the trails are empty of other riders. And I have found that if you ride hard or are climbing big hills where you have to occasionally jump off and wrestle the quad back down when not making you stay plenty warm from exertion.
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/94196939@N02/12093109524/player/261aac0ecd" height="450" width="800" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
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I did some playing with the 416EX and chains compared to my 4WD v-twin Prairie and on the short but steep hills on my property the sport quad did much better in the snow. On the 416EX I was able to pull right up to the base of the hill and launch up with controllable wheel spin.
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On the 4WD utility without a run I couldn’t make it up. I had to get back and even with a 20 foot run it was barely crawling over the edge at the top with all 4 tires spinning wildly.
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In deep snow the 4WD does pull better than the sport quad with tire chains and it also turns much better in the snow. And of course the utility definitely is the ticket for pulling the kids on sleds.
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[OZ-T]

Oh hell yeah, I love riding in winter. Most my friends wuss out and put their quads away when the snow flies, but not me! I haven't got chains yet but could sure use a pair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5ur3P3mg1I
Sorry about my sucky camera angle there.

[OZ-T]

Here's a vid riding my 02 in the snow before I traded it in. They are a total kick in the snow and I can't imagine stopping all winter to wait for summer, I did that enough during my 2 wheeler days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T6cHhXfeGQ

[Blodg]

I have never been much of a motorcycle guy (a couple street bikes) but it's funny that you mention waiting out winter in your 2 wheeler days. A couple of guys in that hill climbing group I mentioned are die hard dirt bike riders on CR500's with extended swingarms but they just bought quads this year so they can ride all winter.

[Ryan02400ex]

I always seem to take out my rear axle bearing in the snow. But that doesn't stop me! Snow and ice riding is a blast. I took the quad up to lake Winnebago in Wisconsin and rode for miles on end last year with studded tires.

[cheater13]

Snow riding is definitely awesome if you have the tires to do it. This winter I haven't been able to ride though because I did a complete teardown.

[Stickman400]

I never tried chains on my 400 when that was all I had. I gave up on riding in the snow with it awhile back. Just recently (last year actually) started riding in the snow on my 420 that I bought earlier last year. Utility's are definitely funner if you don't want to hassle with chains on a sport, but I can usually only last for an hour or 2 at the most before I can't handle the frost bitten hands and toes anymore in 10-20 degree weather not including the wind chill. I could get heated grips and hand gauntlets, but again, not worth the hassle for the 2 or 3 times I usually go riding. It is easily just as fun if not funner than in the summer sometimes if the conditions are perfect though.

[DragonGunner]

We got so much snow its to deep to ride in right now....only been out a couple times. Most years we out a lot, we build a big fire and ride all day, eat and get warm by the fire, night riding in a snow storm is the best!!!! Also many of us like using the ATC, lighter and if you get stuck much easier to push around. The 4x4 do the very best....and its always fun to hit the ponds and lakes.

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz219/61chalk/dc/164364_129142450484507_3953322_n_zps4302d8fd.jpg (http://s829.photobucket.com/user/61chalk/media/dc/164364_129142450484507_3953322_n_zps4302d8fd.jpg.h tml)

[rooster300ex]

Living in Oklahoma you can usually ride year around, but this winter has been cold cold, and we have had 2 winter storms which amounts to ice usually where I live, so traveling somewhere to ride is dangerous. I would have to spend way more money then I can afford to stay warm enough to ride in comfort also. Looks like fun to ride in the snow. Haven't been able to in years.

[Blodg]

We got so much snow its to deep to ride in right now....only been out a couple times. Most years we out a lot, we build a big fire and ride all day, eat and get warm by the fire, night riding in a snow storm is the best!!!! Also many of us like using the ATC, lighter and if you get stuck much easier to push around. The 4x4 do the very best....and its always fun to hit the ponds and lakes.

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz219/61chalk/dc/164364_129142450484507_3953322_n_zps4302d8fd.jpg (http://s829.photobucket.com/user/61chalk/media/dc/164364_129142450484507_3953322_n_zps4302d8fd.jpg.h tml)
Awesome DG! Building a fire sounds pretty cool and yes if the snow gets too deep then the sport quads and trikes won't handle it. But I agree with what several others have said - riding in the snow is one of the most fun things you can do on a quad and I wish I had done more of it over the years.

[RNL]

Winter in the colder states is normally a time for maintenance, upgrades, or rebuilds. But this year I have been riding more in the snow than I ever have (and we have had more snow than normal here in Ohio). I have always pulled my kids on sleds with the 4WD utility but this year along with that I have been ripping on the 416EX too.

I rode a few times this summer and now this winter with a group of older guys who are serious hill climbers and they ride all year long. They have been doing this for 20+ years and they claim they can climb as big or bigger hills in the winter than they can in the summer. That sounds hard to believe but with snow tires or tire chains they can get more traction on frozen ground than on muddy ground during the spring/summer or leaf covered ground in the fall. The other advantages are no dust, no mud to clean up, and the trails are empty of other riders. And I have found that if you ride hard or are climbing big hills where you have to occasionally jump off and wrestle the quad back down when not making you stay plenty warm from exertion.
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/94196939@N02/12093109524/player/261aac0ecd" height="450" width="800" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/94196939@N02/12092725455/player/070eb075b6" height="450" width="800" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>

I did some playing with the 416EX and chains compared to my 4WD v-twin Prairie and on the short but steep hills on my property the sport quad did much better in the snow. On the 416EX I was able to pull right up to the base of the hill and launch up with controllable wheel spin.
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/94196939@N02/12092677655/player/26fa3998f0" height="450" width="800" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
On the 4WD utility without a run I couldn’t make it up. I had to get back and even with a 20 foot run it was barely crawling over the edge at the top with all 4 tires spinning wildly.
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/94196939@N02/12093324956/player/8b569a5331" height="450" width="800" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
In deep snow the 4WD does pull better than the sport quad with tire chains and it also turns much better in the snow. And of course the utility definitely is the ticket for pulling the kids on sleds.
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/94196939@N02/12093325236/player/9961aaf037" height="450" width="800" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>

Where did you get those chains? I want a pair for my YFZ.

[Drifterboy3]

hey sorry man not to get off topic how do you like that precision handlebar clamp?

[Longdong]

Kids road today......... -28 with windchill!

[Blodg]

RNL, the tire chains I have in the pictures were ordered from RMATV and they were only like $42.

Drifterboy, I really like the precision bar clamps. They soak up some of the jolts and I think wear you out a little less on a long ride. I have not rode with flex bars so I can't compare them in real conditions. But I have felt the flex bars and I like the feel of the precision bar clamps better as the bars move as one unit.

[RNL]

RNL, the tire chains I have in the pictures were ordered from RMATV and they were only like $42.

Drifterboy, I really like the precision bar clamps. They soak up some of the jolts and I think wear you out a little less on a long ride. I have not rode with flex bars so I can't compare them in real conditions. But I have felt the flex bars and I like the feel of the precision bar clamps better as the bars move as one unit.
I was looking at those as well, but was unsure of the sizing, what size did you go with?

[hondaREX]

What oil is everyone running in the winter? Same Rotella 15w40 or thinner? Been below freezing lately, but going to be 40 this weekend for ice racing.

[blacknblue#2]

I had my fair share of cold weather riding growing up, and For a few years i ran an indoor MX winter series, snow was the only thing that building kept out. It was still cold. So now i hibernate until about march. usually a little rusty the first hour or so of the first ride but it comes back to me soon enough lol

[Blodg]

I was looking at those as well, but was unsure of the sizing, what size did you go with?
I got 14.5" x 52" and is supposed to fit 20" and 22" tires. If you get some deflate your tire as much as possible when installing them. I did not do that and even though I got them as tight as I could when riding they were a little loose and one side was swinging out and hitting my nerf bar.

[tbrackman84]

I love riding in the winter, no mudholes and usually no dust! I run around with AMS Zippers on the back of my quad, they are pretty much a knock off of the 4-snows and they kick ***!

http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc510/tbrackman84/IMG_0803.jpg (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/tbrackman84/media/IMG_0803.jpg.html)

http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc510/tbrackman84/SnowRide003.jpg (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/tbrackman84/media/SnowRide003.jpg.html)

http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc510/tbrackman84/326323_10150707049934045_618819044_12294257_211271 0041_o.jpg (http://s1215.photobucket.com/user/tbrackman84/media/326323_10150707049934045_618819044_12294257_211271 0041_o.jpg.html)

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