Each month we receive an overwhelming amount of technical questions from our readers. Everyone at ATVR including the night janitor carries an extremely heavy workload, so as a last resort we were forced to put Mike Newsom in charge of answering your questions. Mikey is one of the most talented mechanics we know, but it's his off-the-wall remarks and repulsive attitude that keep him locked away in the garage. If you dare to bear his response, send your questions to
atvrider@sorc.com. We promise not to let Mikey use your name and embarrass you in front of your buddies.
Ask: Hi Mikey, I spray washed my 2006 Sawtooth at the local dollar car wash the other day and now it won't go forward and hardly will go in reverse even at full throttle! What happened? Did water get into the tranny/clutch system? It was running perfectly right before I washed it. I love my little Sawtooth! Can you help me?
Mikey: What happened? You know exactly what happened! You were at your dollar car wash cleaning like a madman and sprayed water into the CVT drive system. Now your belt is wet and you aren't going anywhere. You'll need to remove the left crankcase cover and get it dried out. The belt may be damaged since you've been running at full throttle to get around. The water was a minor issue, but the full throttle mistake will likely cost you around 60 to 70 bucks when you replace the drive belt. Hopefully, you've learned a valuable lesson, but if not, I recommend you become great friends with the guy behind the parts counter at your local Polaris dealer.
Ask: hi, im [Bleep Bleeep] and im graduating high school this year. im very interested in ur web site and magazine, my favorite part is the quad reviews it has caught my attention and i was wondering wht i would have to do to recieve a job? and wht the job title is? feel free to emial me any information you have for my. thank you for your time, i look forward to hereing from you.?
Mikey: You may not realize it but I just did you a tremendous favor by bleeping out your name. Have your English teacher read this letter and give you his or her professional opinion at your attempt to land a career in media. On second thought, you'd better keep this between us if you plan to graduate with something other than a special education diploma. Seriously, you may be a mechanical genius and have the potential to provide the best product assessments this industry has ever seen, but you must possess the ability to put your results on paper. Our copy editor's job is difficult enough as it is. Knowing your way around a camera is another bonus that greatly increases your chances at scoring a career with your favorite magazine. If you were to come on board at this moment, you'd likely be wielding a soapy rag and a water hose.
Ask: I'm new to the ATV world. I started off with a 2008 Honda TRX250EX. I love riding that quad! I think I might be ready to upgrade to a quad with more power. What ATV would you recommend? What brand is better? Your magazine is really cool! I want to add an exhaust system. Which exhaust is good for my bike? Do I need to get a jetting kit?
Mikey: I wasn't aware that we were playing 21 Questions! Is it my turn now? Should I answer your questions in any particular order? Do you want to modify your ATV or upgrade to a more powerful model? I'm not familiar with your riding ability, and this makes it difficult to recommend a specific model to suit your needs. It seems that you're ecstatic with the Honda that you currently own, so maybe you should consider another. I would recommend visiting your dealership to try on a few models to see which best fits your style. If you still desire an aftermarket exhaust, there are numerous to choose from and, yes, you will need to rejet your machine for optimum performance. Any other questions?