Longest Ride on a John Deere

deereoftheyear · Post by **deereoftheyear** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 3:43 am

Hey i was just wondering what some of the longest trips people have taken on John Deere's. Personally I've done a few 200 milers and am contemplating doing a single day 400 mi ride. Providing my rear end end can take it and trails are decent do you think it can be done on an 83 trailfire in tip-top condition with a good track and jack shaft bearings? The whole reason behind this trip is to out due one of my friends who has a Polaris 440 Indy that did 345 miles in one day and likes to talk smack about John Deere.

speedy295 · Post by **speedy295** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 3:48 am

Certainly. I would go over it the day before, carry an extra fuel filter, plugs, and belt. Anything major other than that is gonna happen when it happens, long ride or short ride. When its time, its time.

Liquifire 4/6 · Post by **Liquifire 4/6** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:24 am

Great topic, deereoftheyear. I'm hoping we'll hear lots of long distance JD stories and I'll share mine. In the mid to late eighties, a guy named Roger Pillman from Castor, Alberta (about 30 minutes from Edmonton) used to spearhead a fundraising ride for multiple schelrosis. It was called the "Ride for Hope" and it was sponsored by Polaris. The starting point was Rosseau, MN and it took a real zig zag course north to Canada and throughout the prairie provinces with a total mileage of around 1250 winding up in Roger's hometown of Castor. Each year, our local Roblin, MB club held a banquet for the group and helped provide overnight accomodations for them. On the last year of the ride (1988), Roger convinced me during the banquet that I should join in and ride the rest of the way to Castor with them. I was a tad apprehensive about it because my ride at the time was an 81 Liquifire which needed a few things done to it to get her in top shape and I'd be riding with about 15 brand new IFS Polaris ( and one Ski Doo SS25). By midnight, I was convinced to go....so I headed home and went to work on the Liq. By 3:30 am, I had changed the hi-fax and a couple idler wheel bearings and rebuilt the TR800 clutch. By 7:00 am we were on our way. Over the next 3 1/2 days, we covered 912 miles of wonderful scenery (Saskatchewans actually pretty nice if you take the northern route like we did). It was a fun trip and my reservations about running an old Liquifire among the new Polaris IFS sleds were unfounded as I kept wishing they'd pick up the pace a bit. We stopped at almost every town, city and hamlet to meet the mayor and collect pledges/donations....so it made for some very long days. I remember getting into Prince Albert at around 10:00pm and then attending a 3 hour welcoming function......then climbing back on the sled at 4:30 in the morning at -30 degrees because we were scheduled to be in St. Walburg by 7:30. The old Liquifire was indeed up to the task as I'm sure your Trailfire still will be with a bit of a going through. I should mention too, that we did not cover even one mile of groomed trail and much of the riding was breaking trail through deep powder. Attached is my one and only memento of the trip......my Ride for Hope hat with pins from many of our stops in MB, SK and AB. It got pretty dirty during the trip, but I don't want to wash it because it's the original January 1988 grime. The only casualty of the trip was one completely demolished 1988 Indy Sport which had ridden directly into a huge boulder in the ditch somewhere between N. Battleford and Lloydminister, Fortunately the rider suffered only a broken wrist. A buddy of mine (liquidfire) had driven my truck and trailer up to Castor to haul me back and it's a good thing because the clutch was in need of another rebuild by the time the trip was done. I stayed in touch with some of the other riders for a few years, but haven't heard from any of them in the last decade. They were a terrific group to ride with and I sometimes wonder what they're all up to.

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big danno 1970 · Post by **big danno 1970** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:58 am

Other than the suspension riding rougher there is no reason to think it wouldnt make it and that is only your back side.If you think about it the only difference between the new sleds and the older sleds is really the suspension.If the sled is kept in good repair then it should be as reliable or ever more reliable then the new sleds.I think the late 70s early 80s sleds are more reliable because the manufactuer had to prove that the sleds were getting better and they had to try to sell sleds on reputation because they couldnt sell any because of lack of snow.Does that make any sence?
Anyways do the run,put 500 or 600 miles on the sled and blow that polaris into the weeds.But above all have fun and be safe.

deereoftheyear · Post by **deereoftheyear** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:25 pm

I don't know what it is with early nineties Polaris people sometimes. (no offense if you have one) First i get ripped on for buying a leaf sprung John Deere and then being accused of being slow before i even take her out by multiple Polaris people Then I to come and find out that my trailfire lays the smack down on him in top speed and acceleration. Well by the end of the year he has a completely rebuilt engine put in it and "lighter" track and the narrow advantage i had i now no longer have. Well i get a liquifire this year just to end the argument of who's better and now he's talking about getting a brand new 600 dragon. --- I just feel that doing however many hundred of miles on a IFS Polaris is a large feat but to do it on a John Deere, now that's the essence of snowmobiling. I also like the fact that i put 1200 miles on last year and will have over 750 miles in by the end of this weekend with out a single breakdown, just shows the quality and pride that every John Deere comes with. Luke.

eriksat1 · Post by **eriksat1** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:50 pm

While I'm sure an old sled in good condition can make a long ride no problem, the question is can my body take the pounding anymore or the better question is why take the pounding? Old sleds are cool and a great hobby but would you go back to driving a car without power steering? With the advancements in steering and suspension on even the early 90's sleds that are now in my price range I won't take my 1980 440 liquiiFire on a long ride anymore. Thats just me. My longest ride on my jd 440 LF was a 10 hour ride back in the late 80's I could hardly get out of bed the next day with soreness.

traildeere · Post by **traildeere** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 2:18 pm

My guess is they are just razzn' ya!
In the early 90's 5 of my friends got new Mach Z's & I still had my 80' sport.
They made a few jokes, but all in good fun. I almost ran them over on the trails, but not the lakes.
By Feb. and 600 miles later there were only two of us with running sleds. (Yes, me + 1 other)
Form your own opinion......but maintenance counts on all sleds.
What's more fun, driving a 2008 Dodge Challenger or a 70ish, well maintained one?

A well maintained JD will run for days & days 100's of miles, no problem.
Anything worth doing is worth gettin' sore...

Speedy295 - I agreee..."When its time, its time."

ralphy · Post by **ralphy** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 4:42 pm

I never realized what having a "vintage" sled consisted of until my purchase of the 81 LF. I think its great that a old JD will turn heads while a new Dragon is just that- a new Dragon... Everytime I fuel the JD up, somone always walks over to take a look and comment on how somones brother in law, uncle, yada yada, had one back in the day, and it was a great fast sled. If I park it near the local watering hole, somone always comes in asking "who's got the Liquifire out there?". I expected a lot more negative comments than the great I have recieved. I think people have a respect for the old sleds, and those who still ride them. Ten years ago, I wouldnt be caught dead on anything old or slow, but I really enjoy the current page in my life- slowing down, smelling the 2 stroke smoke, and actually looking around at the SCENERY. On a 150 hp sled, it was more getting to point A to point B as fast as I could without taking my eyes off the trail in front of me...Not for me anymore, I found my calling in sledding.

traildeere · Post by **traildeere** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:08 pm

Good call.
I like setting my "Liquifire" helmet (black, silver antlers, full face- see avatar on seat) on the "helmet table/rack" at the taverns.

Never received a bad comment.

By the way, EVERY one of my actual friends ride "old" sleds now.
My '83 Sprint is usually the newest one on our rides.
Exciter, Enticer, JAG, TXL340 (3), 292 Yhammy, JDX, Spitfire, Sno-Jet Superjet, and mine.
Always turning heads & good coments.

The DNR is going to post speed limits next year in WI because some poeple
just can't have fun unless the're going over 100mph on the straightaways.

Take that to the radar run, or the Lake, or slow the #%%@! down.
Sorry

. (To myself)

Anyway, to add to the orig. topic, My Dad, Brother, & I went on a 400mi trip in Michigan
a while back. Liq, Sport, Snowfire. No problems. My uncle's Yahmi didn't make it past 200.

deereoftheyear · Post by **deereoftheyear** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:43 pm

i know exactly what you guys mean when you talk about getting comments at bars, i always have somebody come up to me when i wear my John Deere coat into a bar. They always say something like, "I remember when i had my John Deere" or " I haven't seen a John Deere like yours in X amount of years" It gives you a certain feeling you can't get with a new sled. I agree with traildeere, i know my buddy's just giving me crap i probably wouldn't have as much fun with out it.

69camaro · Post by **69camaro** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 10:32 pm

It seems like most people now days think it is pretty cool to see a Deere out and about.

Last winter at Waconia there was a guy who was way out of line and maybe I took it too personally but here is the story. 76 Liquifires are a handfull to load in the back of a truck with just two guys so I asked this guy to help Horicon Joe and I get my Liquifire in the back of my truck and he obliged. He was a Rupp guy and said scrap prices were pretty good right now.

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR I personally don't think I could take the pounding of any leaf spring sled anymore even though I love taking a Deere for a spin. I did take my 99 XC 600 out for a quick 185 mile ride yesterday. I know I used to take a Deere out on 100 or so mile rides back in the day. Duane

crash · Post by **crash** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:37 am

Last year I got my spritfire started after sitting for two yeas, faster than my buddies could load the dead Polaris that I was suppose to be riding. We rode about 175 miles; I even had to tow a Cat for about a mile. The best was when we stopped at Uncle Mikes in Trego, WI, my dad points out the window and tells me theirs a crowd around your deere. The crowd came in and immediately said "who's riding the John Deere" I proudly spoke up and they all gave me kudos for how good it looks.

JDT · Post by **JDT** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:39 am

Great stories guys. Thanks for sharing.

Caleb55 · Post by **Caleb55** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 4:29 pm

I guess the longest trip I've ever taken was about 50 miles on my 400. We don't have trails down here so it was all field and ditch riding. Had a blast and the old girl never let me down.

S_Kyle · Post by **S_Kyle** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 6:09 pm

I guess the longest ride on my 76 440 LF for me would be 200 over two days. Maybe 4 miles of groomed trails total, was a little sore afterwards.