So...how does one go about crossing rivers?

[Elite Mouse]

I recently bought a brand new 2008 honda 230, however, I still havent tackled rivers because im really afraid Im going to catch a rock and lose the bike and end up flooding the engine, or just catch it on a rock or something and end up ripping the bike out from under my legs or something. How does one cross rivers? I'm not talking streams, Im talking fast flowing rivers with the tires submerged underneath. I think I read something about pulling a wheelie through it, but I'm afraid I'll just lose the bike by giving it too much gas. This isnt a problem on my father's outlander...I mean you sit on a heated leather seat pushing on a piece of plastic until your on the other side.

Also, is there a way to waterproof a dirtbike? I dont intend on doing a lot of river crossing, but the crossing I will do will be more extreme rivers, not very wide but more so short and sweet. Can I modify the pipe too lift it higher over the seat perhaps?

Or could I simply get off the darn thing and push it through the river giving it a bit of gas over rocks?

 

[maxrevs666]

if the water is higher than your tyres, then I wouldnt go into it. :coocoo: As for trying to wheelie throug it, good luck with that. :yikes: The resistance a body of water that depth will put on your back wheel will act the same as applying your back brake, therefore bringing your front wheel down into the water. if I were you I'd look for somewhere shallow.

 

[anarchy420]

good luck pulling a wheelie through it. 230's have no power for that. let alone crossing a river a the same time

 

[Ol'89r]

Look for turbulence on top of the water. This will be the shallow part. If the water is still and smooth on top, it means it is deep. Turbulence also means there may be rocks under the water that you will have to pick your way through but, it will be shallow. Also, look for tracks entering the water and tracks on the other side leaving the water. That will probably be the best way to go through it since others have used this route. If the water is deep and the river is wide, don't try to wheelie across it. Just take it slow and pick your way through.

The new bikes are very water-proof from the factory. Just keep the airbox above water and keep the engine buzzing.

 

[bclark001]

100mph :ride:

EDIT: i almost forgot lean back and dont let off the throttle :yikes:

 

[SINGLETRAC]

buy a ktm, the water parts for you !!! worked at the red sea !!! :nod:

 

[SINGLETRAC]

stay back on the bike and keep your thumb on the kill swtch, if you flop, kill it before you fill it !!!

 

[RMZRyder]

Ride with a buddy and make him go first :)

 

[Elite Mouse]

Yeah, I guess I did over exaggerate, now that I'm thinking about it I'd say the worst is probably 3/4 to the tire, and these are rivers 4-10 feet acrross. All I know is my friends little brother's breeze 125 (atv) can pull through the rivers no problem, so it shouldnt be too bad as long as I keep an eye out for turbulence. I'm not new to these rivers, been doing this annually for about 7 years now, it's just this is the first year Im bringing a bike rather than an atv. Although, say I did come accross a river, now I'm sure I could find a diffrent path via the trees but just for the sake of arguement, say it was a deep one. Could I theoretically put it in neutral, kill it, and walk alongside it / sit on it as my father's outlander 800 pulls it through?

Also, one other question, how long on average will a tank of fuel last me? Not ripping down the road at 70 mph, but just normal trail riding, slowly running through mud and hill climbing etc.

 

[RAndrew42]

I went trail riding last Sunday and we came across some pretty high water. It was at the bottom of a pretty big hill so we came up to it pretty fast, my dad went first and after watching him drop his bike in it I went through the more shallow part but still barely made it through. When you go through the water you have to go in with out hesitation and if you drop it you should give it full throttle because it will keep the water from staying inside your engine, it will just go through. Unfortunatly my dad forgot to do that and he flooded the engine. Lucky for me I did what RMZRyder suggested you to do and let my dad go first and learned from his mistake.

 

[RM_guy]

...and if you drop it you should give it full throttle because it will keep the water from staying inside your engine, it will just go through...

NO, NO, NO!!!!!

If you drop it in the water kill the engine as quickly as possible. A running engine will pull water into the filter, carb, cylinder, pipe...you get the point. Not a pretty picture and can take a lot of trail side clean up to get it running again.

 

[maxrevs666]

NO, NO, NO!!!!!

If you drop it in the water kill the engine as quickly as possible. A running engine will pull water into the filter, carb, cylinder, pipe...you get the point. Not a pretty picture and can take a lot of trail side clean up to get it running again.

+2

 

[flyingfuzzball]

+2

+3

kill it as fast as possible.

Ride with a buddy and make him go first

+1 i like that idea... lol

 

[photojojo]

Stop when you roll up to it and survey the situation. Look for a good line through the water. If there's a group of ATV's going in front of you watch them to see how much they bounce. Steady on the throttle. wheelie over puddles, not rivers.

don't do it like this

http://chrisjennings.smugmug.com/photos/140541398-M.jpg

if you on a really bike bike with really big rocks you may need help

http://chrisjennings.smugmug.com/photos/64391875-M.jpg

This is a good way

http://chrisjennings.smugmug.com/photos/140536640-M.jpg

If the bike does got flooded you can stand it up on it's rear wheel to drain the water from the tailpipe. Pull the air filter and squeeze the water out. You may have to pull the plug to dry it out, the spark should do that though. If you get water in the engine change the oil ASAP.

 

[OldTimer]

If the bike does got flooded you can stand it up on it's rear wheel to drain the water from the tailpipe.

Actually, water in the exhaust pipe is of little concern because it is on the EXHAUST side. Anything in the pipe will be pushed out when the bike is eventually started. If your pipe is filled to the point where water can back-flow into a dead engine you would have to release enough of it to keep the cylinder free of the back-wash, but the real problem is on the intake side. Your carburetor is designed to pull in air, mix it with fuel, and deliver it to the combustion chamber. If instead it pulls in water, that is what gets delivered to your engine. As we all know, water doesn't burn very well, nor does it compress. If your bike floods with water, DO NOT try to start it or otherwise rotate the engine until the spark plug has been removed. Since it is impossible to compress water, severe engine could occur if you try to rotate the engine while the cylinder is full of water.
So...
Remove the spark plug, remove the air filter, drain the air box, dry as many of the electrical components as possible, slowly move the kick start lever by hand while listening for gritty sound within internal components. If your engine has sucked in muddy water or otherwise has a gritty feel, you'd best try to push the bike back and clean out the engine in your shop. Having passed the "grit check" kick the engine over, slowly at first, to remove as much of the bulk of the water as possible. Continue kick with spark plug removed to the point of total exhaustion. Rest for five minutes, repeat. Shake, sling, or squeeze as much water as possible from the air filter and reinstall. You may now continue kicking and bump starting until sunset or the bike starts, whichever comes first. :nod:

 

[Eddge]

Some of those ideas are really good, IMO. I think maybe a combo of some may be the best however. I always like mixing things together to see what i get. I say grab a buddy, tell him to lean back and not let off the throttle and do 100mph over a small jump and see if he clears it. if not, find a shallow spot where you see tire tracks going into and out of the water. Make sure the tracks are on both sides though. if they are only on one side, i wouldnt try to cross there. means someone went in, and never came out! (spooky music plays)

 

[SpDyKen]

I prefer to use a bridge, myself. ;) :nod:

 

[RM85rider123]

Me Too!!!!!!!!

 

[mbaird]

Out here in Idaho we have to cross water all the time. It will vary from small creeks to rivers 100' across. If the water is higher than your airbox for more than a couple of seconds ,you're not
going to make it!!
As far as revving your engine high, I would recommend against that. If you do take in water at high RPM's you may hydraulic
the engine vs. just stalling it at low RPM's. I can assure you
that it takes less time to dry out a motor than it does to rebuild one !!!

As far as technique , Ride it as if you were covering a boulder field. Stand up, keep the front end light and ride the motor in
its torque range. If the water is deep and running fast, try to lean against it a bit or cross it an angle if possible.

 

[Pauloxxi]

Have you thought about getting a boat or jet sky?

 

[wolfgangg]

Cant you try jumping accross then you only need to worry about the landing on the other side