OZ ATV :: The Australian ATV Forum

[KiminWA]

Hi Everybody
My questions to forum members –

Has anybody ever been told they need extra maintenance on their ATV at all, other than what is specified in the maintenance manual, anywhere in the world?

Is it just my bikes having this issue? It is a progressive starting problem until they just don’t start at all.

Can they be fixed?

Why Do I ask?

My name is Kim and I was running quad bike and gold prospecting tours in Western Australia until recently. I have lost too much money investing in the bikes.

I had purchased 6 Polaris Quad Bikes from Polaris Central in Perth and received them in June 2012. This cost over $60,000 AU. The bikes were never abused and maintenance was performed to specifications. 5 out of 6 bikes have had some serious issues.

As two of the bikes are completely broken down within hours after being sent back to Polaris to be fixed, I pursued Polaris to get answers to the constant problems and wanted to have the bikes fixed properly.

Polaris Australia response was the following:

We are aware of the very fine dust that is in the northern parts of Australia. In these extreme dust conditions additional air filter maintenance is required on any internal combustion engine. If the air filter becomes plugged with dust, the vacuum of the engine will suck in dust from an alternative location, we believe this is what has been happening with your units. We repaired 2 of your units as good will as we are certain that this issue was not caused by a defect, rather through a lack of air filter maintenance. Unfortunately this has caused the engines on your units to ingest dust which has resulted in engine damage and excessive oil consumption. Regrettably Polaris will not be able to repair these additional engines under warranty.

Firstly we are not in Northern Australia

Secondly we were not informed by word of mouth or in writing that the bikes needed “EXTRA� filter maintenance

Thirdly, I am curious to know why they are selling the bikes in Australia if they cannot handle the Australian Conditions

Lastly, the two bikes they supposedly repaired under “GOODWILL� broke down totally within hours of use.

We have run other brands out here without any issues at all.

Any help would be great
Thanks Kim

[t&l performance]

my parents are full time prospectors they ran a kfx700 around all year round thru meeka Laverton Leonora and thru the desert never had a problem and ive had it down at my shop for a rebuild recently and it didn't need it once we got it apart and had a look around
_________________
Australian dealer for
cuervo racing
stellar machine and racing
skat trak
jj&a
direct drive
fuel custom intakes
monster pipes
Toomey racing
and a lot more

[Linc]

So you have 6 quads that you rent out to anyone and don't seem to know how to maintain your own equipment......OK

So besides having a general whine.........what do you want?

If you want a genuine result and to be able to actually use these quads again stop with the brand bashing and start asking the right questions.

I could tell you from Melbourne exactly what the problems are.

[wa5]

I would think that if the air filter blocked with dust, the bike should stop, if its pulling air / dust in from "alternative" locations.. the air filtration system and associated plumbing is sub standard...

[Huskygoat]

I rent out my quads ... engine side of things ..... U provide pre oiled filters for each day of hire ..in zip lock bags . and U get old ones back. and coolant like 4 litre bottle ... thats it ... a ripped boot is easy fixed ...tyres easy ... engines no... if they don't comply Don't hire it. Any brand will keep up if u follow this.

If U don't clean the air filter .. use double the fuel ... use oil .. runs hot ... basically bugger your engine.... in dusty conditions this can take as little as 4 hours riding. Its the number one thing U do.

Huskygoat
_________________
Truth and Honor and Trust ... never under estimate Them.

[Rod1949]

Linc wrote:

....I could tell you from Melbourne exactly what the problems are.

What are they?