Polaris Diesel @ high altitude?

[Rescue Ram]

I did a thread search, and read up on people's experience with them. I did not see any reference to high altitude use, other than they are slow.



My question is: How slow is slow?



My current ATV is a '93 Yamaha Big Bear 4x4. I found the top end once... about 34 MPH... Way faster than **I** ever want to travel on a 4-wheeler ever again.



Being used at high altitude; between 8k' and 12k', what could I expect for speed? 10-15 MPH max?



What do you think?

 

[Rescue Ram]

Bump. Someone must have some experience with these critters.

 

[HeavyHauler]

The top speed is 35mph on them but I couldn't tell you what kind of performance you would get at high altitudes - sorry.

 

[RKerner]

The issue at high altitude was that they didn't start worth a darn. At low altitudes they worked good, kinda noisy, and had plenty of power for light landscaping work - box scraping, small cultivators, snowplowing, etc.

 

[LightmanE300]

I've heard they are loud, vibrate a lot, and will hit a top speed of 31. Not sure how the altitude would affect it. IMO, the reason you don't want to go 34 is because you tried it on a 93 big bear. If you rode a late model machine you wouldn't believe the difference in stability, control, and comfort. I would advise getting a late model atv with IRS considering your comments on your typical riding.

 

[Dieselnut59]

I have a 1999 Polaris Diesel. You can turn up the fuel and the RPM's on it and it will have added power and top speed. Mine is close to the power of a stock 400 Sportsman now and has great torque. It is slow compared to a gasser, but I have a 600 Polaris Sportsman, as well as the diesel and would much rather have the diesel. It has the IRS the previous replier mentioned and rides just like any other Sportsman. If you pass on the deal of the one you are looking to buy, please get in touch with me in a PM or e-mail. I am looking for a second one and plan to sell the 600. Not sure how the diesel runs at higher altitudes, but mine does great at the foot hills of the North Ga. Mountains. Please get in touch with me if any of yall know of one of these machines for sale.

Thanks, and hope that helps!

John

 

[Rescue Ram]

If it makes the power of a 400, that is more than enough for me. I just need to figure out a way to test one out at high altitude. I wonder if Polaris would have performance data they would share with me if I contacted them. I really only use the ATV's for farm work and ocassional trail riding.

 

[Sageair]

A normally aspirated diesel will lose power at the rate of 3% per thousand feet of elevation, so at 12,000 feet M. S. L your power will be reduced by 36%. I don't think it will necessarily show up so much in top speed as it will accelerating, climbing and pulling.

 

[av8r]

:-laf Now you know what to do with that stock CTD turbo! :-laf



Seriously though, I kill for one of those Diesel Polaris Sportsmen. VERY rare.

 

[Rescue Ram]

A normally aspirated diesel will lose power at the rate of 3% per thousand feet of elevation, so at 12,000 feet M. S. L your power will be reduced by 36%. I don't think it will necessarily show up so much in top speed as it will accelerating, climbing and pulling.

I couldn't remember the formula to figure that power loss. You're right though, about climbing and pulling. Thats the only thing I am concerned about. It needs to be able to work.

:-laf Now you know what to do with that stock CTD turbo! :-laf

Thats some funny stuff right there.

 

[LightmanE300]

Rescueram - I believe the above poster said iit has the power of a 400 sportsman. Sportsmans are really heavy cumbersome machines. Comfortable, and fairly well suited for slow cruising or work (when they're not in the repair shop ), but they are pigs. Another thing that could be an issue with sportsmen is I believe they have the 4 wheel braking system - meaning you can't use the front or rear brakes independently. This can obviously be an issue if you are doing steep descents etc. where you would want to be using only rear brake. I think you'd be much better off looking at something like the new kodiak 450 4x4 IRS, or maybe even the low maintenance prairie 360.

 

[Rattlin_Ram]

They have the 4wheel brakes on one handlebar lever, and the rear on a foot lever.

 

[LightmanE300]

I find the foot levers to be hard to use when riding and being jostled around. I tend to use my feet for stability. It's just one downside of the polaris.

 

[pwerwagn]

All polaris's bikes have joined braking systems except the predator. All polarises are heavy (IMO).

I used to work for a place called adventure motorsports and one of our customers had 3 of the diesel polaris atv's. the fastest of the 3 with me on them was 28mph on the gps, and Im a skinny guy. that was at about 5100' altitude. It had some low end grunt, but the top end sucked. I would venture to guess that at 10K feet, you would be disspointed. The low end grunt it had was sorta similar to a trail boss 325. Not much. After we did the clutch work, and some other mods, it would muster 31mph. It had a little more power. the clutch work helped quite a bit, though. one of the 3 that the guy had was EXTREMELY rare from what I understand. I've never seen another. It was a 6x6 diesel, based on the magnum 425 atv. I have never seen another diesel 6x6 again, and never heard of one either. He said he bought it new like that, though.

Im not a 4x4 atv guy, but of all the ones I've ridden, my two favorites are the grizzly and the sportsman 700. Also the prarie 650 was nice and powerful. The polaris models have quite a nice aftermarket following, making aftermarket accesories easy. I think their polaris replacement parts are more costly, though, especially on the older models.

--Jeff

 

[Rescue Ram]

I have seen the diesel 6x6 rigs overseas. I didn't think they sold them here.

 

[LightmanE300]

The grizzly is a nice machine, although getting outdated. The sportsman 700 is a thing of the past as far as top of the line polaris goes, they have a 800EFI out now. Even still, they are fat pigs with only marginal handling and reliability. As far as big bores go, the new king quad 700 is one of the best machines out there, although I really do still like the v-twin kaw engine the best by far.



The diesel 6x6 is a new one on me too, sounds cool if it had any power to it. I'd run it on b100!

 

[Rattlin_Ram]

Diesel 6x6

As long as the subject was brought up I figured I'd post this link to a couple pics I found a while back... . It says '95 Diesel 6x6... .



http://www.littleireland.ie/carronquads/95PolarisDiesel6x6.htm

 

[Rescue Ram]

That is an odd looking critter there. The 6x6 diesel's that I saw looked more like the Ranger model sold here.

 

[LightmanE300]

Wow, that thing is hilarious! I guess now they have mules with diesels, yamaha has their rhino, and slow-laris has their version of the mini ute. They all have 4 wheels though. I wonder when they're gonna come out with a mule DUALLY!?



RR not sure what your price range is - but I recommend checking out the new kodiak 450. It should do everything you're looking for plus a little pop for fun when you're not working with it. If you are looking for a slightly cheaper model, the honda rancher 350 is certainly tried and true, although it will be doggy compared and has no low range or diff locker. .

 

[Rescue Ram]

I am looking at all options right now; both new and used. You mention that a Rancher 350 is doggy in comparison to other machines. High performance and acceleration is not much of an issue for me. As long as it has enough get up and go to chase down cattle every once in a while, and climb hills and obstacles in low range, I am satisfied. In 12 years, I have never had a complaint about the 350 Big Bear. I do want both high and low range 4x4... thats about my only criteria at this point. Though, if I can find enough data, I do have a bias toward anything Diesel... cheaper fuel and better longevity in my experience.