Before Starting the Engine

Content Source: 2021 Timbersled SX 120 / ARO / RIOT Owner’s Manual (9931501 R01) > Pre-Ride Inspection Chapter

IMPORTANT

The Owner's Manual for this vehicle contains warnings, instructions and other information you must read and fully understand before safely riding or performing maintenance on this vehicle.Always follow the warnings and instructions in Owner's Manual.

Click the CONTENTS link above for the Table Of Contents, or download a full PDF of the Owner Manual in the Owner Support area of Polaris.com

Before Starting the Engine

Before starting the engine, reference your host bike’s owner’s manual for engine starting process and safety warnings.

WARNING

Operating the vehicle with worn, damaged, or malfunctioning components could result in serious injury or death. Never start the engine without checking all vehicle components to be sure of proper operation.

Read and Understand Your Owner's Manual

Read your Timbersled owner's manual, as well as your host bike’s owner’s manual, completely and refer to it often. The manual is your guide to safe and enjoyable experience.

Steering System

WARNING

Ice and snow build-up may interfere with the steering of your snow bike, resulting in serious injury or death. Keep the vehicle free of snow and ice.

Before driving, manually turn the ski to the left and right to be sure ice and snow are not interfering with full left and right steering. If difficulty is encountered, remove ice and snow build-up that may be obstructing the steering linkage or front ski and skags.

Ensure fork clamps, spindle and ski bolts, and front axle bolt are torqued properly.

Brakes

Always check the following items for proper operation before starting the engine.

Brake Lever Travel

Squeeze the brake lever. It should move no closer to the handgrip than 1/2 inch (1.3 cm). A smaller distance indicates low brake fluid level or air in the hydraulic system. Your dealer can assist.

Lever Feel

If the brake lever feels “spongy” when squeezed, check the brake fluid level and condition.

WARNING

Continued use of “spongy” brakes may cause a complete loss of brakes, which could result in serious injury or death. Always have the brakes serviced at the first sign of sponginess.

NOTICE

To gain 100% braking performance, Timbersled recommends performing 20–50 stop cycles of the Timbersled Brake System before first ride. Brake cycles should be performed at a slow controlled speed in a flat, open environment.

Starting the snowbike and engaging it into gear, allow the track to spin 3–5 full rotations. Apply moderate pressure to the brake until the track is completely stopped and is no longer spinning. Repeat as necessary.

Track

Track damage or failure caused by operation on ice or poor lubrication conditions voids the track warranty.

WARNING

Operating the snow bike with a damaged track increases the possibility of track failure, which could cause loss of control resulting in serious injury or death. Always inspect the track for damage before using the vehicle.

caution

Use of traction products such as studs increases the possibility of track damage and/or failure. Driving at high speeds for extended periods of time in marginal lubrication could severely damage track rods, break track edges, and cause other track damage. Examples of marginal lubrication would include frozen bodies of water without snow cover, icy trails, and no-snow conditions.