I've been looking around for a 4 wheeler for my deer lease. I just need something that I can use to get out to my stand and haul a deer back to the truck with. The terrain is pretty rough and rocky. I also want something that will be fun to ride around when I'm not hunting. I went to the yamaha dealer and they were saying I needed at least a 400 with IRS, etc. Do I need something that big or will I be fine with something a little less expensive? Thanks for any help...

 

I have a polaris 325 that I use for pulling a small trailer ,and plowing snow ,and as long asthe hills aren't to steep I'm fine .and it's a strait axel

 

I was at the Yamaha dealer today as well, and bought our second Grizzly 700. My wife has been complaining that I keep taking hers for trail rides, and she would rather stay home than ride two up, so I had to get one of my own so she can ride hers. [img]i/expressions/brokenheart.gif[/img].

I also talked to a friend today that has a Grizzly 350, and he said he loved it. He uses it for exploring and for hunting, and says it does everything he wants it to. I would think that anything in a 350 and up size would work well for what you are doing. The Grizzly 125 is a kids quad, and our 11 year old son has already out grown his, and the Grizzly 250 would also be pretty marginal.

DV

 

StephenL:

If you don't plan on riding a lot of trails with fast riders and prefer to kind of take it easy and not risk life and limb then you don't need a lot of CCs in the engine. A lot of the brands make quads smaller than 400 CCs that are more than fine for trails and towing a small trailer. Four wheel drive is a good option if you have a lot of rocks and rough stuff to crawl over and it really helps on steep slopes. IRS or solid rear axle is a matter of personal preference as much as anything. Both have advantages in some areas.

I have a Kawasaki Prairie 360 4WD and a Kawasaki Bayou 250 2WD. The 360 is solid axle and the Bayou has semi-independent rear suspension. The Bayou is smaller, lighter and easier to handle but will not go some of the places the Prairie will. It's all a trade off. I do quite a lot of trail riding on the 360 and it's as big a machine as I want for the type of riding I enjoy. I'm not into high speed stuff and don't even use the limited top end of this machine which is just under 50 MPH. I also use the quad a lot for work pulling trailers and a Swisher rough cut mower as well as using a blade and bucket on the front.

All of the major brands have good machines in their lineups and you will need to shop around and find what fits you and your needs. Don't fall into the trap of "Bigger is Better" that a lot of people preach. Many times a smaller machine will do the job fine with less expense and be easier to handle.

Search around in your area and find a group of quad riders and get a few rides on various models. You'll find most folks to be very helpful and willing to offer assistance in your search.

From what I have seen I would avoid the cheap machines that are flooding in from China. Many seem to get along with them but I've seen too many bad reports to feel comfortable about them.

 

Thank your for all the responses. You have been very helpful. I never even knew about the chinese atvs before coming to this site. There have been some good reviews of their sport models on here. Has anyone had any experience with their utility models?

 

I would stick with a name brand ,not dissing the chinese ,just unless your mechanically inclined they seem ok ,the just don't make to many machines over 300cc ,most are under ,

 

It sounds like a nice 400-500cc quad would do you just fine... not too big... but not too small that you won't have much fun on outside of deer hunting...

(kodiak or grizzly 450 would be good)

 

the Arctic Cat 400 would be a good machine, because unlike most other manufacturers <400CC machines, this has the same full size body as the larger AC ATVs, has the same 12" of ground clearance and 10" of suspension travel and Arctic Cat has a very nice Speedrack system with countless accessories such as gun holders, bow stand holders, etc. etc. heres a link to the accessories page with a download. http://arcticcat.com/atv/speedrack.asp my brother owns a 400 and it brings his deer back every year, then he turns around and can use it on the trail and hang with the big dogs with no problem. also wont break your wallet. IMO the best choice for a 400 CC machine and also the machine that would best meet your needs.

 

AC also just came out with a 366CC machine this year. wont put as large or a dent in your wallet and only has 10CCs less than the 400 machine. lighter weight body, 10" of ground clearance and 7" of suspension travel, maybe more along the lines of what youre looking for. any questions let me know.

 

Why does Arctic Cat make two utility ATVs that are only 10cc difference in engine size? Does the smaller one have fewer features to make it a low cost model? Like no diff lock, no low range, etc.?