Whats the highest milelage on a atv? I have a 1996 Polaris 400 Xplorer, Two stroke, it has 2,700 miles and is all original. It has the highest milelage out of the group, but really why wouldnt a atv four stroke or two stroke, run as long and with as many miles as counterpart roadbike, such as enduros. My KLR650 has 9,000 miles. Granted the atv wasnt sank, or abused, I cant see why the big utility quads,especially the twins, wouldnt get the same high milelage, yet I never see any with more than 4000 miles. Maybe the rest of the quad disinigrates around the motor, is my only guess.
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High Milelage on ATVs
- Thread starter Panzerman
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I have 6,400 (well close) on my Honda Rancher.
My grizzly has 4400 miles on it now. No engine work done. I just run 15w40 in it and change it about every 3 to 4 hundred miles. I have run 15w50 in it a few times as well. Usually that mileage is about one trip to WV or at most 2. I actually have had no trouble at all with it except wheel bearings and a fan. I am amazed at how well these bikes hold up.
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I put over 6000 miles on a 1987 LT250F Suzuki with an air cooled 250 cc engine. Many of those 6000 miles were hard driving/working. It takes a lot of time and effort to put 6000 miles of trail/bush riding on an ATV.
On some ATV forums, I've read of some guys getting over 16000 miles on their ATVs. These high mileage machines are often used in norther Canada in isolated towns/villages/reserves where ATVs outnumber cars.
Generally speaking ATVs have lower mileage not due to the machine but the fact that the riders aren't up to putting in multi hundred mile days on their machines as we would do on a motorcycle or car. A fifty or 100 mile trail ride on an ATV will tax the rider more than the machine.
ATVs are geared lower and require higher rpms thus working the engine harder than say, a KLR650. Despite the higher rpms, any decent quality ATV engine (particularly Japanese engines) will last as long as the rest of the machine if properly maintained. Most ATV failures that cause the machine to be written off are repeated broken frames, serious transmission/suspension problems, blown engines and wrecks.
If none of those problems are encountered, the machine is probably capable of attaining relatively high mileage if well maintained.
On some ATV forums, I've read of some guys getting over 16000 miles on their ATVs. These high mileage machines are often used in norther Canada in isolated towns/villages/reserves where ATVs outnumber cars.
Generally speaking ATVs have lower mileage not due to the machine but the fact that the riders aren't up to putting in multi hundred mile days on their machines as we would do on a motorcycle or car. A fifty or 100 mile trail ride on an ATV will tax the rider more than the machine.
ATVs are geared lower and require higher rpms thus working the engine harder than say, a KLR650. Despite the higher rpms, any decent quality ATV engine (particularly Japanese engines) will last as long as the rest of the machine if properly maintained. Most ATV failures that cause the machine to be written off are repeated broken frames, serious transmission/suspension problems, blown engines and wrecks.
If none of those problems are encountered, the machine is probably capable of attaining relatively high mileage if well maintained.
I'm in!!! I had 56,000 miles on a Kawasaki Mojave when the rod started to knock. I had done the valves 2x and had it bored once, reringed it once and put 3 intake cams in it.
Lots of tires and sprockets. I rode it almost every day and did many 100+ mile rides in a day on it. I was running Motul and Amsoil......Thing stopped eating cams when I went to Rotella 15w40.
I currantly have a KLR250 with the same engine as the Mojave except it has a 6th gear instead of reverse. This bike has 11k on it.
Lots of tires and sprockets. I rode it almost every day and did many 100+ mile rides in a day on it. I was running Motul and Amsoil......Thing stopped eating cams when I went to Rotella 15w40.
I currantly have a KLR250 with the same engine as the Mojave except it has a 6th gear instead of reverse. This bike has 11k on it.
Originally Posted By: 47HO
I think it can vary greatly depending on the type of riding. I've been on six hour rides that racked up only 10 or 12 miles!
My point exactly.
Riding on rough trails that have plenty of rocks, stumps, obstacles, mud hole etc. will not rack up the miles. I've spent an entire day to cover three or four miles of nasty trail. I think the winch saw as many miles as the machine. Those days are counted in hours not miles.
On the other hand, a machine operated in a remote northern village and is used for everything from hauling water and firewood to fetching the groceries in town will see many more miles than hours.
I am impressed with over 60K on a 250 engine! That's some hard core riding!
I think it can vary greatly depending on the type of riding. I've been on six hour rides that racked up only 10 or 12 miles!
My point exactly.
Riding on rough trails that have plenty of rocks, stumps, obstacles, mud hole etc. will not rack up the miles. I've spent an entire day to cover three or four miles of nasty trail. I think the winch saw as many miles as the machine. Those days are counted in hours not miles.
On the other hand, a machine operated in a remote northern village and is used for everything from hauling water and firewood to fetching the groceries in town will see many more miles than hours.
I am impressed with over 60K on a 250 engine! That's some hard core riding!
Originally Posted By: Chris142
I'm in!!! I had 56,000 miles on a Kawasaki Mojave when the rod started to knock. I had done the valves 2x and had it bored once, reringed it once and put 3 intake cams in it.
56,000 or 5,600 miles? 56,000 would have to be the most miles I have heard of on an atv.
I'm in!!! I had 56,000 miles on a Kawasaki Mojave when the rod started to knock. I had done the valves 2x and had it bored once, reringed it once and put 3 intake cams in it.
56,000 or 5,600 miles? 56,000 would have to be the most miles I have heard of on an atv.
Originally Posted By: countryboy9799
Originally Posted By: Chris142
I'm in!!! I had 56,000 miles on a Kawasaki Mojave when the rod started to knock. I had done the valves 2x and had it bored once, reringed it once and put 3 intake cams in it.
56,000 or 5,600 miles? 56,000 would have to be the most miles I have heard of on an atv.
For the amount of engine work done, it would have to be the higher number. If not, he had a lot of engine work done for 5600 miles.
Originally Posted By: Chris142
I'm in!!! I had 56,000 miles on a Kawasaki Mojave when the rod started to knock. I had done the valves 2x and had it bored once, reringed it once and put 3 intake cams in it.
56,000 or 5,600 miles? 56,000 would have to be the most miles I have heard of on an atv.
For the amount of engine work done, it would have to be the higher number. If not, he had a lot of engine work done for 5600 miles.
Originally Posted By: boraticus
I put over 6000 miles on a 1987 LT250F Suzuki with an air cooled 250 cc engine. Many of those 6000 miles were hard driving/working. It takes a lot of time and effort to put 6000 miles of trail/bush riding on an ATV.
On some ATV forums, I've read of some guys getting over 16000 miles on their ATVs. These high mileage machines are often used in norther Canada in isolated towns/villages/reserves where ATVs outnumber cars.
Generally speaking ATVs have lower mileage not due to the machine but the fact that the riders aren't up to putting in multi hundred mile days on their machines as we would do on a motorcycle or car. A fifty or 100 mile trail ride on an ATV will tax the rider more than the machine.
ATVs are geared lower and require higher rpms thus working the engine harder than say, a KLR650. Despite the higher rpms, any decent quality ATV engine (particularly Japanese engines) will last as long as the rest of the machine if properly maintained. Most ATV failures that cause the machine to be written off are repeated broken frames, serious transmission/suspension problems, blown engines and wrecks.
If none of those problems are encountered, the machine is probably capable of attaining relatively high mileage if well maintained.
I've got a 2001 300 kingquad, which I think has your engine with a bigger bore and an oil cooler. I'm glad to hear yours has been so reliable. Mine is mostly used for hauling firewood and stuff in the trailer and once in while we take it ice fishing. Plowing snow in the winter works it the hardest though. The speedometer cable snapped 6 years ago so I don't really know how far its gone but I think we'd average 300 or 400 miles a year. So its getting up to 3000 or 4000 miles all in low range or super low range. I guess on the ice we could use high range but for around my land I never use it.
I put over 6000 miles on a 1987 LT250F Suzuki with an air cooled 250 cc engine. Many of those 6000 miles were hard driving/working. It takes a lot of time and effort to put 6000 miles of trail/bush riding on an ATV.
On some ATV forums, I've read of some guys getting over 16000 miles on their ATVs. These high mileage machines are often used in norther Canada in isolated towns/villages/reserves where ATVs outnumber cars.
Generally speaking ATVs have lower mileage not due to the machine but the fact that the riders aren't up to putting in multi hundred mile days on their machines as we would do on a motorcycle or car. A fifty or 100 mile trail ride on an ATV will tax the rider more than the machine.
ATVs are geared lower and require higher rpms thus working the engine harder than say, a KLR650. Despite the higher rpms, any decent quality ATV engine (particularly Japanese engines) will last as long as the rest of the machine if properly maintained. Most ATV failures that cause the machine to be written off are repeated broken frames, serious transmission/suspension problems, blown engines and wrecks.
If none of those problems are encountered, the machine is probably capable of attaining relatively high mileage if well maintained.
I've got a 2001 300 kingquad, which I think has your engine with a bigger bore and an oil cooler. I'm glad to hear yours has been so reliable. Mine is mostly used for hauling firewood and stuff in the trailer and once in while we take it ice fishing. Plowing snow in the winter works it the hardest though. The speedometer cable snapped 6 years ago so I don't really know how far its gone but I think we'd average 300 or 400 miles a year. So its getting up to 3000 or 4000 miles all in low range or super low range. I guess on the ice we could use high range but for around my land I never use it.
The 250 I had was the predecessor of the 300. I had mine for twenty years and it was a very reliable machine.
The only problem I had with it was the front brakes freezing in late fall/winter. Which, was a bad thing because the machine had the power to turn the front wheels with the brake shoes frozen to the hubs busting up the automatic adjusters. I had that happen a few times until I learned to keep the brakes dry or heat the wheel before using the machine after it sat all night in sub zero temps.
The engine was a real gem. I've never flogged anything as hard as that 250 and it never flinched. Rock solid. Just keep up with normal maintenance and yours will do just as well.
The only problem I had with it was the front brakes freezing in late fall/winter. Which, was a bad thing because the machine had the power to turn the front wheels with the brake shoes frozen to the hubs busting up the automatic adjusters. I had that happen a few times until I learned to keep the brakes dry or heat the wheel before using the machine after it sat all night in sub zero temps.
The engine was a real gem. I've never flogged anything as hard as that 250 and it never flinched. Rock solid. Just keep up with normal maintenance and yours will do just as well.
I will watch the brakes in winter, I rarely ever submerge them so I guess that's why they haven't frozen yet on me. I've got a 1/4 mile driveway and people who don't know 4 wheelers are amazed an atv can plow that.
That old '87 Suzuki was a fantastic machine. It was waaaaay ahead of it's time. The hight/low/super low range transmission was unbreakable and could put the power to the ground. Even with it's small (by today's standards) 250cc engine, that machine, if tied to a tree would dig itself into the ground. The suspension was also in a league of it's own. The comfort of ride was excellent on all but the nastiest of trails.
I had that machine from 1987 to 2007 and other than the brakes, it was an excellent machine. In 2006, I bought a 500cc liquid cooled Suzuki powered Arctic Cat automatic, just in time for the hunting season. I have to say that I was sorely disappointed with how much noise it made. I couldn't stand it. The engine would rev to 3000 rpm just to move along at 10 mph. The old Suzuki would do that speed at less than half the engine rpm and was so quiet, I could hear birds chirping when riding it. I still had the Suzuki and found that I rode it more that season than the new Cat. I came to the conclusion that I hated automatic transmissions for hunting. Great for working around the camp hauling boats, firewood, ice fishing and doing other chores but stealth was certainly not it's strong suit.
In the spring of 2007, I sold the old Suzuki to a friend who was in need of a machine. I practically gave it to him. My unhappy experience with the auto transmission taught me that the next machine will have a manual trans. Accordingly, in March of 2007, I bought another 500cc Suzuki powered Cat but with a manual. What a difference. It was like night and day. Now I have the manual that I use primarily for hunting and the auto for flogging around the camp. There are very few ATVs being made these days with a manual transmission by the way.
I've always had two machines around the camp so that I had something for guests to use. The auto can be ridden by a chimp so when I have company, they get the auto and I take the manual.
I have to say that I'm disappointed with the physical size of the new machines. They're huge by comparison to the LTF4WD. Trails that I used to scoot around on with the Suzuki were too narrow for the Cats. I have to pack a chainsaw with me now to take out the odd stump or log or clump of tag alder. The big machines are not nearly as nimble as the Suzuki either. I could put more riding time in on the Suzuki with less effort that with the Cats. And, the thing is, the bigger machines can't go everywhere the Suzuki can, but the Cats can't go everywhere the Suzuki can. So, in some respects, I went down in machine capability.
The new machines are heavier and more powerful which make them better at doing a lot of things like towing, plowing snow etc. but they do give up some versatility.
That 300 you have is great ATV. Treat it well. If you do the things that I do with an ATV, you will not be as happy with today's offerings if you decide to replace it.
I had that machine from 1987 to 2007 and other than the brakes, it was an excellent machine. In 2006, I bought a 500cc liquid cooled Suzuki powered Arctic Cat automatic, just in time for the hunting season. I have to say that I was sorely disappointed with how much noise it made. I couldn't stand it. The engine would rev to 3000 rpm just to move along at 10 mph. The old Suzuki would do that speed at less than half the engine rpm and was so quiet, I could hear birds chirping when riding it. I still had the Suzuki and found that I rode it more that season than the new Cat. I came to the conclusion that I hated automatic transmissions for hunting. Great for working around the camp hauling boats, firewood, ice fishing and doing other chores but stealth was certainly not it's strong suit.
In the spring of 2007, I sold the old Suzuki to a friend who was in need of a machine. I practically gave it to him. My unhappy experience with the auto transmission taught me that the next machine will have a manual trans. Accordingly, in March of 2007, I bought another 500cc Suzuki powered Cat but with a manual. What a difference. It was like night and day. Now I have the manual that I use primarily for hunting and the auto for flogging around the camp. There are very few ATVs being made these days with a manual transmission by the way.
I've always had two machines around the camp so that I had something for guests to use. The auto can be ridden by a chimp so when I have company, they get the auto and I take the manual.
I have to say that I'm disappointed with the physical size of the new machines. They're huge by comparison to the LTF4WD. Trails that I used to scoot around on with the Suzuki were too narrow for the Cats. I have to pack a chainsaw with me now to take out the odd stump or log or clump of tag alder. The big machines are not nearly as nimble as the Suzuki either. I could put more riding time in on the Suzuki with less effort that with the Cats. And, the thing is, the bigger machines can't go everywhere the Suzuki can, but the Cats can't go everywhere the Suzuki can. So, in some respects, I went down in machine capability.
The new machines are heavier and more powerful which make them better at doing a lot of things like towing, plowing snow etc. but they do give up some versatility.
That 300 you have is great ATV. Treat it well. If you do the things that I do with an ATV, you will not be as happy with today's offerings if you decide to replace it.
Well I'll make sure I don't sell it! I have some pretty wild off camber trails that something with 10" of suspension and 14" of ground clearance is probably going to end up on its back.
I do like the stump puller low gear, there is never a question of power, only traction when pulling stuff, even all four tires on pavement with 2 of us on it....
I do like the stump puller low gear, there is never a question of power, only traction when pulling stuff, even all four tires on pavement with 2 of us on it....
Originally Posted By: countryboy9799
56,000 or 5,600 miles? 56,000 would have to be the most miles I have heard of on an atv.
56,000 miles verified by a GPS that I carried with me on every ride.
56,000 or 5,600 miles? 56,000 would have to be the most miles I have heard of on an atv.
56,000 miles verified by a GPS that I carried with me on every ride.
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: countryboy9799
56,000 or 5,600 miles? 56,000 would have to be the most miles I have heard of on an atv.
56,000 miles verified by a GPS that I carried with me on every ride.
That is a LOT of ATV miles!! Easily more than double what I've done in over 26 years of ATV ownership. You must have lived on that thing!
Originally Posted By: countryboy9799
56,000 or 5,600 miles? 56,000 would have to be the most miles I have heard of on an atv.
56,000 miles verified by a GPS that I carried with me on every ride.
That is a LOT of ATV miles!! Easily more than double what I've done in over 26 years of ATV ownership. You must have lived on that thing!
I rode it alot! It's a 500m mile trip from my house in Apple Valley, Ca to Stateline NV and back. I did that ride many times.Used to carry gas in Antifreeze containers.
100 miles round trip to the Slash X for lunch.
100 miles round trip to the Slash X for lunch.
Originally Posted By: Chris142
I rode it alot! It's a 500m mile trip from my house in Apple Valley, Ca to Stateline NV and back. I did that ride many times.Used to carry gas in Antifreeze containers.
100 miles round trip to the Slash X for lunch.
Man that sounds fun, I want to come riding with you. Nothing like that around here.
I rode it alot! It's a 500m mile trip from my house in Apple Valley, Ca to Stateline NV and back. I did that ride many times.Used to carry gas in Antifreeze containers.
100 miles round trip to the Slash X for lunch.
Man that sounds fun, I want to come riding with you. Nothing like that around here.
I know someone who has a ATV rental business and in this area the season is about 6 months with the winters. He has 1 yr old Cam Am'z with 5-7,000 miles on them. They are rented by the day, unlimited miles. Some have come back after a weekend with over 1,000 miles on them, people went to get their $150 a day moneys worth. Some he has has to trailer back in pieces too.
6480 miles on a 1972 Honda Trail 90. Currently using Castrol Actevo in 20W-50. Cheers...
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