Ask the Editors: Which ATV Is Right For Me?
Each of your options was built for a unique purpose.
As for the riding that I will be doing: flat country roads, small hillclimbs and I will take it a couple times in the mountains but very rarely. As for my background, I only rode mountain-bikes (I did 5 years of freeride mtb) so I might jump the quad regularly. Please help me cause I do not know anybody that has any expertise in this subject so nobody can give me any advice. I also need to mention that I live in an European country so quads are kinda overpriced especially looking from the USA market perspective. There are bone stock Honda TRXs for 5000 Euros.
The answer this question really comes down to what you plan to do with this machine. If trails, dirt roads, mud and sand are going to be factors, you’re better off with the more all-conditions-friendly TGB. If performance and jumping are the focus, the YFZ is the better choice. Let’s take a deeper dive into why.
While TGB doesn’t have a presence here in the US, a glance at their spec sheet reveals sporty 4×4 performance with independent rear suspension, automatic transmission and shaft final drive. What all of this adds up to is a larger (heavier) machine designed for comfort across the wider variety of conditions.
The YFZ, conversely, is a strictly sport/ performance oriented machine with stiff, long travel suspension, chain-driven rear-drive only and a fully manual transmission via a handlebar-mounted clutch lever. Even in bone stock trim, the YFZ is race capable and will be far better suited for jumping detail thanks to that high performance output and much lower overall weight.
Which is better? That depends mostly on you and what you mean to do with the machine. The YFZ is trail capable but won’t be nearly as user-friendly or comfortable. The Target will be more adept at long days in the saddle across the greater variety of conditions.
Both machines you are considering offer solid performance and good reputations as far as reliability is concerned, but each is designed for a different purpose. Factors like whether or not you want to take the time to learn clutch control and the nuance of a manual transmission have to be taken into consideration as well. The TGB will be get-on-and-go ready.
Lastly, concerns about reliability are always going to be worth taking into consideration when going used. If you’re not comfortable tearing into an engine on your own, a knocking in the YFZ’s modified top end could be a very bad sign indeed. When in doubt, we typically ask for maintenance records. Performance 4-strokes require more frequent maintenance on account of accelerated internal components and in this case, aftermarket componentry increases wear rates. Swallowing a valve or snapping a timing chain could end up costing you a lot more money in the long-run here.
