I've gone well over 100 hours on 3 different 450's with no issues at all. One of them needed a valve adjustment, that's it.
Engine reliability in snowbikes?
- Thread starter Watson777
- Start date
No...not a 2016, I picked up a used 2013 with low hours on it. It is almost done with the exception of the conversion from an ST to an LT with a set of Iceage rails and new 137 Convex track. (still waiting to arrive). My 300 is gone back to my woods bike.
Thanks for all the positive reinforcement guys!!
Re: frequent oil changes ---
How are you defining a "ride"
every weekend (assume you stay over) or literally, every single time the bike goes for a ride, come home to the cabin, lay in the snow, change the oil, go inside, eat dinner… repeat the next day…
If that's the case- i'll definitely be going 2 stroke!
How are you defining a "ride"
every weekend (assume you stay over) or literally, every single time the bike goes for a ride, come home to the cabin, lay in the snow, change the oil, go inside, eat dinner… repeat the next day…
If that's the case- i'll definitely be going 2 stroke!
S
snowmobiler
Well-known member
every 10 miles,back to truck change oil.LOL
R
Rush44
Well-known member
Anything over 4-5 engine hours and I change it, especially Dec-Mar months when it's much colder. I'll let the bike go 2 rides between changes sometimes in the spring months, but never over 8 engine hours. A good, long day is about 5.5 engine hours.
Remember, you are changing your oil for different reasons in the winter vs. summer. The winter reason is mostly to help keep moisture out of the bottom end of the motor.
Remember, you are changing your oil for different reasons in the winter vs. summer. The winter reason is mostly to help keep moisture out of the bottom end of the motor.
and even running spendy oil its like 8 bucks a change... Thats a lot of oil changes to equal the price of a motor. You dont get an award for getting extra miles out of the oil.
I try and run my bike up to almost boiling over, change the oil, repeat after most hard rides. Try and keep the thing dried out. Grease shafts, etc after every ride to push the moisture out. Going to also be running the little foam fork seal guards to help keep the moisture out, I know last season when i swapped fork oil the snowbike stuff was just some milky trash, far from oil anymore.
No, my frequent is 2 long 3 day weekends, so basically 6 days of riding then an oil change I check oil level all the time and if it makes oil ,,,I change sooner! But I find if I keep the water temps over 180 I never make oil! Thermostat and plastic inserts for the radiator that I remove if it gets over about 220F but always see it higher in the dirt! Now my KTM that's a different story! Now the KTM needs change sooner as it gets Black pretty quick and even with the thermostat and water At 200 it make a little oil! So 3 days ,it get a change!
I did all that 4T crap too, but in all honesty who wants to come home and start wrenching on the bike in the evening so you can go out the next day, not me I want to leave it in the trailer to thaw it out, ignore it then pound a bunch of beers and laugh with my buds about the $hit we did that day then hit the sack and do it all over again the next day. The big 2 stroke is way easier to live with than the temperamental fussy maintenance intensive Ferrariesque 4 stroke and it has WAY more jam. Stay on top of the tranny, carb is a non issue, gas and go and if on the off chance it does blow up its cheap to fix.
JMO each to his own. LOL
M5
JMO each to his own. LOL
M5
S
snowmobiler
Well-known member
we need a 2 stroke only section for snowbikes.
R
Rush44
Well-known member
Uhhhh no. Most of us like both bikes but simply prefer a certain type. I'd build a 500 smoker too if I had the cash to roll with both setups.
I don't snowbike, but I do know hour meters are your friend on modern 4 strokes. If you don't have one, get one. Pretty cheap at $20-$30. Develop a maintenance schedule and stick to it.
Unfortunately there is no one size fits all maintenance schedule. Some engines can tolerate more hours between changes than others. How the rider uses the motor, mods, and load placed on the motor by track length, rider weight, etc. are all factors. I would start at 5hr oil change intervals and go from there. If you happen to stretch it to 6-7 hours once and you don't notice any ill effects, you can probably increase your regular interval. Or you might have to shorten it if you notice it's getting dark colored or not shifting well before that mark.
Based on what I'm getting with my summer intervals, if I had a snowbike it would be 75-100hr top ends and 150-200 bottom ends with a stock motor. Mod motor would be 40-50hr top ends and 100-150 bottom ends. This is with the 08-12 KTM RF4 450/505 engine platform.
Unfortunately there is no one size fits all maintenance schedule. Some engines can tolerate more hours between changes than others. How the rider uses the motor, mods, and load placed on the motor by track length, rider weight, etc. are all factors. I would start at 5hr oil change intervals and go from there. If you happen to stretch it to 6-7 hours once and you don't notice any ill effects, you can probably increase your regular interval. Or you might have to shorten it if you notice it's getting dark colored or not shifting well before that mark.
Based on what I'm getting with my summer intervals, if I had a snowbike it would be 75-100hr top ends and 150-200 bottom ends with a stock motor. Mod motor would be 40-50hr top ends and 100-150 bottom ends. This is with the 08-12 KTM RF4 450/505 engine platform.
