New to atv's. Looking to purchase one.

Primary use: weekend mowing and hauling on sloped wooded uneven terrain
Secondary use: Something I can have some fun on. Trail riding? camping/fishing? maybe the dunes? (Don't know for sure. Never been on a quad before.)

It needs to be able to handle long periods of time in low first without overheating (is this a common quad problem?)
It needs to be able to pull some weight uphill and down.

At the same time it would be great to be able to at least hang with my friends who own sport quads.

I know, I know... a tall order.

What I know and have been looking at:
Traxter manual 500: Excellent for work. Not so good for play. On the expensive side. Is the traxters work ability overkill for my needs?
Vinson 500 manual: no idea on the work side. Good at play.
Honda rubicon: work? play? Heard it was reliable. Doesn't seem tough/powerful enough to me for some reason.
Polaris 500: Can probably handle the towing uphill better than the rest (besides traxter). Downhill I've heard some bad things. I'v read its more of a cruiser than a player. Reliablity not so good?

The longer I research the more questions I have. That seems backwards to me [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Went down to the dealerships to sit on the quads and ask some questions. lol. To nervous to test ride yet. Besides I know as soon as I do I'll have to kick the salesman off of me to get away without purchasing. They either said "yes our quad is just what you are looking for" or had no clue as to what they were selling (a surprising amount were that way I might add). So its up to you to help me out!

Oh one more must for me. Good stability. My girlfriend will ride the quad as well. I have to much time invested in her to watch her roll away down the hill.

Any advice you guys might have to narrow my search down would be very appreciated. I'm lost and I can't start riding my new machine tell I make a decision!

The suspense is killing me [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Well Sog I was in the same boat as you a few years ago.

I bought a Traxter and you pegged it right on the money. They were built for work, and work they DO. Sure they trail ride great but the ride will beat you to death. They are VERY stiff. I was going to suggest one until you got to the "At the same time it would be great to be able to at least hang with my friends who own sport quads." You will kill yourself trying to do this. It won't happen.

That being said I think the best quad for you would be a Prairie. They are super fast and ride great. It should do all of the things you want it to do. The other quads you list are great quads, I just think the Prairie will be a better fit for you.

Good luck and have fun with your new quad.

 

After first couple of paragraphs I am thinking you need a solid rear axle manual shift for hauling, towing, and side hill stability. The Foreman 500 fits this bill nicely.
After getting to the part where you want to hang with the sport quads I am thinking you would be better off with a Prarie 650 also with solid rear axle plus a powerfull V-twin motor. You will loose a bit in the working reliability.
After getting to the part about your girl friend being able to ride and be safe I am thinking maybe the Prarie is too much motor. This is going to be a very important priority.
Maybe you should look at the Honda Ranchers manual or electric shift. They cannot be stopped in low gear. They are as stable as anything available. The best choice for use by girlfriend. You can do very well against the sport quads if you pick the trails and keep them rough and gnarly. Forget about trying to keep up with your buds in the easy stuff. They will be forever gratefull to have you along knowing that you will always be there to tow them out.

 

I would have to agree with the Prairie also. 700 or 650, you flip a coin. Both will give you a good work quad and also suprise you with their speed when out on the trail. SRA will be stable and give you a sportier ride when you turn things up a notch when out with your buddies on sport quads. Another plus, its automatic, which will be easier for your girlfriend to learn to ride. Your always in the right gear. Take a good look at the Prairies

 

I'm just no fan at all of huge machines. The industry has gone way off the deep end, producing huge, heavyweight beasts. Sure, people will always want more power, by why does it have to come in a 700+ lb. package? Sport bikes get lighter every day, while utilities just get bigger and heavier. My advice is to go as light and small as you can, and still get the job done.

It is nice that unlike so many others, you are willing to shift with your foot! This gives you way more options than those who are foot challenged.

 

ReconRanger,

I have to tell you, I use to feel the same way you did. I use to laugh at my buddies that had big utilitys. Then I decided to get rid of my Wolverine and get something new. I was considering a Z-400 or a Raptor. I wanted something fast and fun. The only thing missing was, I wanted something to use for hunting and getting deer out. I thought if I got a sport bike, I could use my wife's or daughter's quad for hunting. I defintely DID NOT want one of those big baulky 4x4's. They were too big and probably handled like a tank. I didn't want an auto either. I thought Auto's were for people who didn't know how to shift.
Then one day my buddy told me to take his Grizzly for a ride. He said I would change my mind. I argued, " No way". Boy! Was I wrong! I fell in love with that Grizzly. It wasn't like I thought. It didn't feel that heavy and handled alot better than I thought. I couldn't believe it. I could have everthing I wanted with a quad like this, speed, power, fun, 4x4 and something to haul out my deer.

The next thing I know, I'm trading in on a Grizzly.

 

kawasaki brute force 650

 

Im thinking for sidehill stability, and hard work, the solid rear axle machines are the ones for you.
If you want ease of use, then i would think auto matic. There are two types of autos, the belt drives and the hondas. The belt drives are simpler, easier to fix, but the hondas are less likely to need to be fixed. I dont have any problems with belt drives, but i realize some people dont like them.
For really tough work, and steep hills, it should have a low range, and either very strong engine braking or very good brakes.
I would think the prairie, rubicon,and twin peaks, would all be good choices.

 

Thanks for the input guys. What is the difference between the Prairie and the Brute Force (besides 50cc and $400)?

Time for a stupid question...well lets call it a newbie question. Is an automatic more difficult to control for long periods of time when creeping is neccessary (mowing)? Seems like my thumb position could shift while distracted (reaching for a beverage or bump I didn't see) and away I go mowing the hillside at 35mph! lol. The time savings would be great but I have to watch out for the flower bed.....

 

theres the brute force 650 which is the prairie 650 just dif name and plastic then the pairie 700 which has 50 more cc's and the brute force 750irs