Sorry guys but I've got some silly questions for you...


First, I know absolutely nothing about ATV's.

I'm not looking to speed through the backwoods so a "utility" ATV seems to fit the bill. I would like to take my girl along (on the back seat not side by side) and hiking/camping gear (about 100lbs total for gear).

I'm a small guy at 165 and my girl is about 120.

1) What ATV do you recommend for the casual user ( I don't need a backup jet engine and a James Bond machine gun that shoots out of the fenders)

2) how far do these ATV's go on a tank of gas with the load I have listed above?

Thanks in advance guys

Ed

 

Whats your budget? most atv's should get about 75-120 miles a tank

 

Thanks Convicted21....


Less than 4 grand. Like I said I'd be a casual user so I can't justify spending more than that.

I hope this doesn't mean I need to price-check camels

 

Will you be going in places with steep climbs, mud, snow, or deep water? If so a 4x4 would be a good idea. Realisticly, just about any 350cc and above will do what you are asking without too much of a problem. If you want a dedicated 2-up machine you need to look at used CanAms, Polaris, or Arctic Cat machines. They are the only ones who make 2-up quads. If you want to get a pad or box with a seat there are lots of machines out there. Polaris tend to be most comfortable ride and have the best on board storage. Honda is most reliable. CanAm has most power per cc. Yamaha makes a good all around machine. Kawasaki is limited in their models but are decent enough. Suzuki makes good all around machines. Don't know a ton about Arctic Cats. My Sportsman X2 gets about 20 mpg with a 6 gallon tank. It's a convertible 2-up/dump bed machine. Good for chores. Not the fastest 2-up. CanAm's 500 machines get almost 30 mpg from our experience with my sons Renegade 500. Not sure about other machines.

 

Great infoMooseHenden.

It seems a 2wd would suit me just fine. This would be an "on trail" use ATV, so no streams or deep mud. And in our part of VA we have rolling hills and valleys - not mountains.

What is high milage on an ATV? I'm sure many factors play into this - chiefly owner maintence and abuse-factor. I'm a little gun-shy about buying a used item that is designed to be brutalized. The first thing anybody would do is "test it" as designed.

I worked in the audio business and would never buy a used subwoofer because people "test them" to the max - over and over again.

 

i have a 2016 brute force 300 atv. would like to add a little plow to do my driveway... wondering if anyone could guide me to what i need?

 

The biggest problem with plowing snow is having the traction to push the pile in front of your quad. 2wd is not a good starting point. I've had piles where 4wd with a heavy machine just could not push some of it. At a minimum I would find the right sized chains for your quad and put as much weight as your rear rack will hold. I'm not even sure you can find a plow for your particular quad.

 

Be very carefull where you ride as some areas will not allow 2 up riding on a machine designed for one person only. For two people and an extra 100 lbs nothing less than a 400 or 450cc unit, if you were a lone rider then 300 and up would be fine. The quotes of 20 mph are under ideal conditions and older models have less than a 4 gallon tank. You will be surprised at how much extra weight and rider uses fuel. I would not consider a 2wd machine, to many times the 4wd has been needed just in hill climbing with a heavy load as you are considering. Having had atv's for more than 20 yrs I have now moved into a SxS and no looking back, the difference is night and day. Can carry more weight and people and a much larger fuel supply and that is on a small SxS. Just stay away from NO name machines and look for proper maintenance on used ones. You can always scour thru these forums on models that peak your interest. Good luck

 

I owned a 300 Praire for 16 yrs and plowed my drive with ease except for one winter with 3' drifts. That was a bit much for an atv. I have almost 200' of driveway 2 cars wide to plow. I used a "cycle country" plow and mount without issue. I also had a manual lift on my plow that worked great and I am 65 yrs old.

 

My old carbed Arctic Cats get around 30 mpg on the trail. I ride 2 up on the 500, but it's not ideal. The problem riding 2 up on a short WB (50") when you go up steep hills, you risk flipping backwards. I think even 400 cc's is plenty of power for a 2 up, though. Maybe the Can Am Outlander L Max?