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Note: No dumb rednecks were harmed during this ordeal
After a recent engine overhaul (ahem, lol) from a local bandolero builder I decided to take my 06 Bigfoot out to "break in" the motor. The builder said don't worry you can't blow it up. Heeding his expert advice I got on a long stretch of local Ga. dirt road and pushed the ol girl to see what she would do. 25 mph came up real quick and I thought she would stay there (being used to governed motors) but to my surprise she was still climbing up in speed. I then got a wild hair and pushed her even more, 30, 35, I knew I shouldn't but I couldn't help myself. At this speed I could feel my fillings vibrating out and wanted more. After hitting 40 I felt like Bill Munro on his Indian and decided I and the machine had had enough and then it happened, boom! My smile was a memory as expletives jumped out my mouth. Trying to stop a zero turn bath tub in a panic stricken state is at that speed is next to impossible, all impulses say mash the brake, then my Argo training kicked in. Oh yeah, to stop you turn the bars left or right. Now that is a good idea 20mph or below, not at 40+. Luckily the good lord saw fit to give me one more day on this earth and kept me from rolling over after a high-G sideways skid. After stopping I got out to check my stricken ride and this is what I found: Exhaust was broken off at the heads, primary clutch exploded, pride decimated. I was able to limp rather loudly back to the trailer and called my mechanic. He laughed and told me to bring it in. I did reach 44 mph (on GPS) before my crash and burn. Moral of the story is use these rigs like they are supposed to be used or be prepared to pay. Argo-Adventures loves me.
After a recent engine overhaul (ahem, lol) from a local bandolero builder I decided to take my 06 Bigfoot out to "break in" the motor. The builder said don't worry you can't blow it up. Heeding his expert advice I got on a long stretch of local Ga. dirt road and pushed the ol girl to see what she would do. 25 mph came up real quick and I thought she would stay there (being used to governed motors) but to my surprise she was still climbing up in speed. I then got a wild hair and pushed her even more, 30, 35, I knew I shouldn't but I couldn't help myself. At this speed I could feel my fillings vibrating out and wanted more. After hitting 40 I felt like Bill Munro on his Indian and decided I and the machine had had enough and then it happened, boom! My smile was a memory as expletives jumped out my mouth. Trying to stop a zero turn bath tub in a panic stricken state is at that speed is next to impossible, all impulses say mash the brake, then my Argo training kicked in. Oh yeah, to stop you turn the bars left or right. Now that is a good idea 20mph or below, not at 40+. Luckily the good lord saw fit to give me one more day on this earth and kept me from rolling over after a high-G sideways skid. After stopping I got out to check my stricken ride and this is what I found: Exhaust was broken off at the heads, primary clutch exploded, pride decimated. I was able to limp rather loudly back to the trailer and called my mechanic. He laughed and told me to bring it in. I did reach 44 mph (on GPS) before my crash and burn. Moral of the story is use these rigs like they are supposed to be used or be prepared to pay. Argo-Adventures loves me.
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