[golf12]

The smaller displacement guys that smack us big bore guys for having un-necc power are gonna like this.. Just an observation that doesn't matter but it made me chuckle..
My average speed after 2500 km's and 110 hrs on my 850 Touring is a whopping 22km's p/hr or about 18mph!.. Made me laugh because some of my favorite smack off's that pop up on the forum now and then is when the small bore guys get all bent out of shape about big bore riders having fragile ego's and needing the extra cc's to compensate for some kind of "short coming" if you know what I mean.. So here's an "I told you so" moment for the small bore riders.. That said, if I get tired of listenting to you, I'll just go to about half throttle and get out of range so I can't hear you.. ha!.. Please no one with less than 800cc's take offence to that. Its just jokes and having a little fun at my own expence as much as anything.. My point here, is to say that I get it when you say that rarely does anyone need more than 500cc's for 90% of riding conditions.. Just made me laugh when it hit me how slow I'm actually going most of the time..

 

[jgue498]

average speed less than you'd think!

Yup, I too found out my average speed was far lower than I'd have guessed. Used to guess everyone's was about 20+ then started calc'g some here and there and found most are under 15 and many under 10. Mine so far is 6.95, most of that is at deer lease but I haul butt to 40 on a regular basis but obviously spend a far amount of time much lower than that. So what that tells me is mileage isn't so much the determinant for oil changes for me (and probably most others too) but run time instead, who knew!? :hmmm:

 

[Kme743]

One thing that boggles my mind is that most single 500cc + machines are actually considered "big bore". I guess not in the Polaris world tho lol. I could actually care less what cc machine someone rides. The machine is only 50% of the equation. The person behind the bars makes up the other...

 

[golf12]

well said KME.. And I'm with you JGUE on the oil change thing.. I typically go by hours not mileage..

 

[bobx2]

My average speed is up slightly. I'm up to 8 mph. That is with 2900 miles on it. Also part of the reason I do my oil changes every 50 hours. Basing it on mileage would be a bad idea.

 

[golf12]

Bob, if I had the same beautiful mountain's landscape to look at that you guys do out there in Colorado.. I'd ride slow too.. ha!.. Wow 8mph eh?.. Thats some slow go'in, but from the pics I've seen of some of your rides it looks like a blast and ain't exactly beginners stuff. I can see why you don't/can't go fast..

 

[nebradska]

That is an interesting observation, but probably the norm. Even when I ride with my banshee and raptor friends, we probably stay closer to the 20-30 mph range than the 40 plus range. The main difference with you big bores is you may be at 18 mph, but one little touch and you are over 50...haha. Even though I love my 550 and am pleased with the power, I do find myself with 850 envy..haha. Maybe next time.

 

[GaleHawkins]

The slow speeds are OK if the RPM's stay up per a local shop in the Polaris engines with the low pressure oil system (12-20 PSI normal range). Per him the cam wear due to the lack of oil at the top end can be a major issue. Now in the small bore 325/230 engines it is the high oil pressure (70-90) can can kill engines when they blow the oil cooling lines.

500 cc is a big bore period unless the 600 cc bore of the Harley's is small bore. I think some think of the 500 cc as being small because it only has one jug.

Not sure about the ego thing but being older with physical limitations the smaller bore and 650 pounds is about all I want to deal with. Now if I could afford large bore Polaris built for ladies (with power steering) it might be a different story and even my wife might like one.

 

[Kme743]

Yeah the term "big bore" was always singles to me. Larger displacement twins were just "big twins". I mean when you actually think about it, 570 bore- 99mm vs 850 bore(s)- 87mm... Don't get me wrong, when in Rome, do as the Romans. I don't care any which way, just thought it was kinda odd/different when I got here lol

 

[GaleHawkins]

I noticed big bore today is talking about displacement more than bore size by many. Singles ruled the day once and there were not any 3 to 6 cylinder bike motors out there like today in some brands.

 

[GTOutside]

Less than 10 mph as long as I can remember. Must go slow over the big rocks.

 

[ThorsHammer]

18 mph... I can do that on my 300. Still see no need for a big bore bike. I haven't owned my bike since new, but I'd guess I average 12 mph + I don't do a lot of crawling/idling but at the same time The tight trails I ride limit me to less than 30 mph most of the time.

 

[Lollygagger77]

Yeah I was bashing a Can Am guy about his low average MPH last year and I was like why the hell do you need a 1000 if your going to go that slow (he was at 20, LOL), and he told me to go look mine up, DOH.... I was at 18 but that was after the first summer of riding pretty hardcore and what I thought was fast all the time, I am sure that went down after plowing all last winter and a bunch of trips with my son this year, I would assume I am near 12-14 now, but it was shocking to see as I feel we are always going along pretty good and I would have figured like 30, but nope! had an Insert Foot in mouth experience, LOL!!

PS, my opinion is anything over 650 is a big bore (yes going off CC vs actual bore)...

 

[bobx2]

Funny how it seems that everyone equates big CC's with the need to go fast. It's not that way at all for me. I couldn't care less how fast my atv can go. What I do care about is how smooth the engine is, and having the torque and HP on tap if and when I need it. The higher up you go, the more important it becomes.

Over 13,250'

 

[x93pgtx]

^^ This. If I wasn't riding 2up 95% of the time, I would have kept my 400ho. It felt powerful enough for what I do when solo riding.

My average is around 25 km/h.
My average on my 400 was around 15 km/h.

 

[faawrenchbndr]

Wow........looks like I am at 6.2 mph :nixweiss:

 

[tomahawk]

I ran 500 and smaller my entire life up until my purchase of this 850. They worked fine for what I used them for but from what riding of the 850 I have gotten in, it is infinitely safer to have big torque available at low rpm rather than having to peg the throttle to get it.

 

[Kme743]

I honestly think someone who's new to off-roading more specifically ATV's a smaller machine will make them a better rider, hands down. It makes them learn to pick their lines, what NOT to do, how to finesse their way out of bad situations, ect. Then when they step up to a bigger machine, they can appreciate the bigger power instead of muscling their way through stuff and ultimately being a horrible rider with good machine. Kinda off topic but just my $.02

 

[tomahawk]

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Needing it and not having it gets you hurt. You can ask one of my coworkers that I had to take to the ER after our last riding trip together.

 

[faawrenchbndr]

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Needing it and not having it gets you hurt. You can ask one of my coworkers that I had to take to the ER after our last riding trip together.

I'll agree with that to an extent.
The skinny pedal can get ya hurt real quick though!

More are hurt from speed and losing control when gunning it than from slot methodical crawling. One MUST realize his limitations.........and his machine's!