Hey all - I am in the market for a new ATV. BY new i mean new to me, so either new retail or used doesnt matter to much. First a little about me. I am 6'3" 250lbs 35years old. I have rode motorcycles, dirt bikes, and used to have a ATV. Here are the things I am trying to decide...

I guess I am looking for some real suggestions on what to get. Price is an issue I do not want to spend more then $5000 preferably under $4000. Here is some info about my riding and such...

I am kinda leaning towards the Chinese Knock offs... cause they tend to be 1/3 the price or so... and I wont be using it really heavy... so should hold up. ANy suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks !

 

Welcome to the board
In my opinion I would buy new
You can get a very nice 400-500cc in the range of around 4500-5000. The way you talk I would STAY AWAY from chinese brand quads. They tend to be less reliable and no matter how you treat them seem to break very easily. (buddy bought a chinese knockoff and after about 3 rides it was a piece, and he takes great care of his stuff)
Being your size I would say go with a honda rancher 420 or a honda foreman. Just my opinion but seems as if you are in anyway close to Chattanooga, TN try Southern Honda because they have the best prices around. and by the way 4x4 is a must for mud. My 2x4 Ozark just doesnt cut it thats why Im stepping into a 4x4 Honda
just my .02

 

I agree, with the above poster, Stay away from the Chinese knock offs, and for your price range you can get a nice name brand quad in great shape or even possibly brand new.

If you LOVE the mud, then deffinatly go 4x4.. (its better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it).
With your body size I would go 400cc or bigger

The honda 420 would be a great bike, but ANY of the 400-500cc name brands will be great. It all depends on what you can find for your money used, or if buying new which dealer you like and gives you a better deal.

 

Definetly get 4x4, you'll never regret having it. I'd say stay away from Chinese ATV's, name brand ones are going to be reliable and parts are always available. I'd say IRS is also a nice feature for trail riding, and gives more ground clearance in the mud. I agree with what has been said about size and price. Just look around on Craigs List and where ever else in your area you can find used ATV's, theres always people upgrading, or getting out of ATVing that you can get a deal on a quad.

 

From what you are stating sounds like you want someting sporty but with 4x4 capabilities? If I were you I would look at a Yamaha Wolverine, Polaris Scrambler or a Can-Am Renegade as they are designed to be more sporty than a big utility but yet still have 4 wheel dr.

As the others have said stay away from knock off's as you get what you pay for!!!!!!!!

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: DODGE57HEMI

From what you are stating sounds like you want someting sporty but with 4x4 capabilities? If I were you I would look at a Yamaha Wolverine, Polaris Scrambler or a Can-Am Renegade as they are designed to be more sporty than a big utility but yet still have 4 wheel dr.



As the others have said stay away from knock off's as you get what you pay for!!!!!!!!</end quote></div>

ya this is the way to go!!

 

Yeah a Yamaha Wolverine 450 4x4 or Can Am Renegade 500 or 800 will do you fine.... The Can Am is a better machine, a lot more power, I feel that it just does everything better than the wolverine (both the Can Am 500 and 800) but it depends how much you want to spend.... a Wolverine would do you fine.

I will be riding on trails, in the woods, muddy places(I LOVE MUD), forest roads. They are both perfect for this. With 4WD on the fly, you can just hit the switch and get outta there.

I will most likely never be carrying anything that wont fit in a backpack. No racks on either of these quads. But you can purchase small bags that go behind the seat, on the plastic.

I would like to be able to have a winch maybe right away , maybe later add on. You can mount them on either.

I would say use of 1-2x a month. Summer and Winter. Winter won't be a problem w/ 4WD and a winch.

 

For sure these would be good bikes. An alternative suggestion would be to go with a mid size utility like a Rancher, small Outlander, or Big Bear. If you love MUD, you need a 4x4 but for normal trail riding, a 2x4 will get you practically anywhere you want to go. You can save money by going with a manual type transmission. My brother just bought two new Ranchers, one manual and the other electric, both 2x4 and paid about $3500 each. I think he bought them in Ky after checking with the dealer in Chattanooga. There was only about $300 difference per bike so he went with the dealer closest to home. You can buy and have it shipped but I think it is best to buy from a dealer close to you if they have a good reputation and a good service department. You can do a lot of the servicing yourself but there will be times you will need a place that can work on them. With a Honda or Yamaha, you probably won't need an extended warranty for infant mortality issues. These are well made bikes. In fact, practically all the major brands are well made. You will see that there is a lot of brand loyalty and people will have various experiences but in the end, it will be how you rind and take care of the bike that will leave the lasting impression as to how rugged it is. You really need to ride what you contemplate on buying. Bikes fit people differently and you will want one that feels solid and you are comfortable with. Most dealers will want about $500 or so to put a winch on it. If you don't mind doing it yourself, there are some good buys on ebay. I bought two vipers with synthetic rope for what I could get one dealer winch for.