Dear Motorhead:
I purchased a Polaris 850 XP Touring partially because of your review on ride quality. While the ride is excellent on fire roads and smoother trails, it suffers on holes or stones.
The front tire hits the obstacle and hardly effects the ride of the ATV. Then the back tire hits it and the whole ATV is moved. This is especially tiresome to the passenger. Do you have a remedy for this? Did you notice this with your riding?
Thanks,
Dave
Thanks for your email!
What you are dealing with is shock preload. You need to set-up the rear of the ATV to accommodate a small amount of sag or “ride-in” when you and a passenger are seated.
If you allow too much sag – more than about 5-6 inches from static unloaded ride height – the vehicle will feel harsh on bigger bumps and holes. Try about three inches of sag from unloaded static to loaded ride height.
When you are riding solo – to get maximum ride quality – you may have to re-adjust the preload to provide the best ride. That’s why those snail cam collars are on the rear shocks – if you use them to your advantage you’ll get a better ride.
Hope this helps!
Motorhead Mark
