So, I've been riding my old magnum 425 for years and never really had anyone to go ride with....I've really just used the atv for working around the house in the past few years because it's just not that fun to go out riding alone. However, this week one of my old college friends went out and got an '06 Hawkeye. Now I've got the itch to go out and do some riding for fun for the first time in a long time. What I'm curious about is how far these things have come in 11 years. Is my old Magnum going to be a dog compared to his Hawkeye? Obviously the ride won't be as nice and it has none of the nice features but I was curious about the top speed and acceleration between the 2. My speedometer has been broken for years and I have no idea how fast my 425 even goes nor have I been able to find stats on the speed of the Hawkeye. Anyhow, was just wondering if some of you verterans to the hobby had more knowledge of these 2 machines and how they'll stack up against one another.
TIA

 

I've got a 95 425 Magnum 4x4. I take it riding with guys who ride some really top flight machines. 800 Polaris, 800 Outlanders, an 800 Renegade a pair of new grizzlies, several 750 brute forces that are hot rodded, a brand new rincon, 700 Polaris, a bunch of 650 prairies and a bunch of various hondas and yammys of various vintages and ccs but the ones I mentioned specifically are the newest.

I obviously can't keep up if we drag race of go full out of a gravel road or something. I'll get eaten alive. If I haul flat out on my magnum it'll get up to around 50 or so hauling a big load. Frankly I don't care to go any faster than that with the suspension and mushy tires. We rarely drive that fast. On the gravel road running to town or something we'll buzz along 20 or 30 so we can talk or point out stuff and socialize.

I can basically go about anywhere they go. It might take me a little more to get there occasionally as they have more power, more ground clearance and they have a more capable suspension in most cases. They also don't get beat around as much. My magnum doesn't ride the best. On the other hand it is smaller than the bigger machines and I can sometimes maneuver and control it a bit better than some of the other guys can their larger ones.

Don't count the old girl out. It is still a pretty capable machine. It gets daily, what I would almost qualify as near severe use here on my farm. I've turned mine into tool for working around the arm while I rebuild and restore my old honda and while I decide on a new big bore 4x4 utility machine.

I end up riding it on little trail rides quite often around my general area as well as doing farm chores. It gets ridden every day in every sort of weather and hauls very heavy loads. It usually gets dunked in 6 creek crossings a day at least that are to your knees as you ride through. It runs through the timber and through the ditches and creeks with about 500-600 pounds of rider and cargo piled on it. It pulls trailers when it is done doing that. It pushes snow in the winter. After all the work is done I take it trail riding around the farm before it gets dark. Yeah a new big bore ATV or a least newer ATV would do better but that old Magnum is doing surprisingly good so far.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised how well your old Magnum hangs with the Hawkeye. Especially since as I understand the hawkeye hasn't had the most stellar reviews.

 

Your 425 will Keep up just fine with the hawkeye, The only quads ive outdone is a Honda 350 rancher and a kawasaki bayou 250, Speed wise they are the the same my hawkey will run 45 mph within 2 tentch of a mile and maybe 51 top speed, your 425 probally has more size and rpm than the hawkeye.