is it ok to ride a tri z in the winter

[TRI-Zbrian]

hey i was wondering if it would hurt the engine at all to ride it durring the winter a couple times in freezing temps. ive herd al kinds of stroies thats it bad for them but i would think being a liquid cooled engine it wouldnt do much and the cold air going threw the radiaters would make it run even cooler. how should i go about this should i just put it up for the winter or will it hurt to take the beast out a couple times.

[TimSr]

Its fine to run in winter.

[J.D.]

Just one thing, when you start it up, let it run until the cylinder is warm to the touch. IF you go riding before that I read from some MC mechanics that the piston will expand too quickly before the cylinder and your engine will seize, and that sucks.

[Yamahammer490]

I ride mine in the snow all the time. It's awesome on a frozen lake.

As was already mentioned, just make sure it's warmed up well. Mine seems a little cold blooded anyway so I usually let it idle for a few minutes regardless.

[hrc200x]

I've rode my 200x in snow many times, the air filter plugs up quick with snow. This was probably in about 6 inches of very light/fluffy stuff. Also if you plan on going through a lot of snow it might run even hotter. For instance you will be in 3rd gear but only going 2mph because of very little traction and you want to look cool throwing such a big roost. I say go for it and see what happens.

[TRI-Zbrian]

yeah i know but mine isnt 4 stroke and air cooled i have to worry about it being liquid cooled and 2 stroke but u are prolly right it should be fine. if snowmobiles can do it then i should be able to also

[350Xccelerator]

it'll be okay, good luck and have fun.

[Dynofox]

You should have no trouble, keep an eye on your plug to make sure it's not running to lean though.

[SpeedBump]

You should have no trouble, keep an eye on your plug to make sure it's not running to lean though.


The jetting is super important in cold weather.

[HemiChallenger71]

The cold weather makes them run richer, I would keep an eye on the jetting. A lot of times manufactures recommend colder plugs, my 250R does. I have also herd to use mineral oil during the winter because it lubricates better in the cold than synthetic.

[hrc200x]

Hemi: Cold weather makes them run leaner there for you need to put in bigger jets.

I meant that since your in 3rd gear spinning and only going 2 mph that really no air flow is going through the radiators, meanwhile your engine is running like it should be going 30mph. Just depends how much snow you want to go through and what type of riding you do. I've never had a problem with my 4 stroke air cooled 200x.

[ChrisD]

Riding in the cold weather is great, but make sure you listen to Dynofox and Speedbump. The cold weather will make your bike run stronger, but leaner. Make sure you jet it properly. You will need a larger jet. Think about the math. As air get colder, the molecules are smaller and will expand as they heat up. You will be taking in more air and need more fuel to compensate for it. Before you waste a piston and need a bore, the $5 jet will be well worth it. I run 39mm carbs on my bikes and run 200 jets in the winter. I don't know what you run, but I would ask the dealer if you don't know.

[TimSr]

Just to add to what ChrisD said, carburetion can be a little trickier in the winter time. As he said, colder air will make it run leaner, but a colder motor will run richer, so its very important to make sure you reach full operating temp when doing plug checks. People tend to foul more plugs in winter because the machine runs so much richer when the motor is cold, but then it runs leaner after it reaches normal operating temp. This fools people into thinking they need to jet leaner when the opposite is true.

In my case, on my Z, which I normally run a little on the rich side anyways, it normally doesnt need a jet change, and I see little if any difference. I run without a thermostat, and the trikes operating temp is lower in cold weather which its my theory that it offsets the thinner air. My 250R however, runs noticeably leaner. Still not enough for a jet change, because Im doing recreational trail riding in the winter, and not MX, but If I were going to compete, Id bump the main up a little.

[Wickedfinger]

This one right here was run in the winter - all over the place .... good times. Typically I run two sets of jets and re-clip the needle in my pinger trikes or quads, a little richer in the winter, a little leaner in the summer .... like Tim said though you have to experiment, and not everybody likes to mess with their jets a like this, but I'm always scared to blow torch a piston in the winter, so I go richer whether I really have too or not.

[dc]

What if you're totally plowing through snow drifts with an air cooled engine and get a lot of snow on the engine so that it steams a lot. This isn't harmful to the engine is it?

[TimSr]

No more than a water crossing. Ive heard storries about how cold water can crack a head, but after 30 years, Im still waiting to actually see it happen.

[Manny55]

couldn't you use paddles for the snow thats one im going to do this year if i get any snow up at my house i live a 1000 feet above sea level so i usually do every year last year i didn't get any snow. But anywho couldn't use just use paddles.

[TimSr]

Dune type paddles make it very difficult to drive straight line in heavy snow, even when you are trying to. Something with sideways traction works a lot better, such as mud style paddles.

[HemiChallenger71]

I have a question then. On my Grandpa's Arctic cat it recommends a numerically lower number main jet for colder tempatures and numerically higher jet for warmer weather?