Hi Folks,
I'm in the market for a reliable used, or new, atv that I will use for small scale logging, and hauling firewood. Plus hauling rocks for building materiel. I live in NE Minnesota and the terrain is rough. Lots of blowdowns and rocks. I need something that can perform day after day of hard use. Any suggestions or information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance. Steve

 

get a newer used honda trx300 4x4 they take a beating and keep agoing.. put a lift and some good tires on and they will go though deep sh#t.. i suggest that they are a great quad and will last forever if you take care of it.. hope this helps

 

Suzuki King Quad. It ain't fast, it ain't sporty but it sure can work. Only 282cc but it has three sub-transmissions and a front dif. locker. Weakest point for working would be the drum brakes on the older models - if you run through lots of mud and water the seals can leak. Newer models ('01 and '02) use discs up front. Pretty sure '02 was the last year built.

Jaybee

 

I will second the recommendation for the 300 honda.They aren't fast or overpowered but they get the job done and are super durable.

 

First off, check new prices with local dealers before buying used. For some reason, quads hold their value real well, and it almost doesn't pay to buy a used one, especially considering the abuse they can receive. Buy a machine that's been in mud without being washed off, and you'll be sorry you bought it.

If you're hauling or dragging, get as heavy a machine as you can afford. More weight = more pulling power, most quads run out of traction long before they run out of power. Also, you may want to stay away from CVT belt transmissions, heavy pulling can wear a belt out. If possible, budget an extra $400-500 for a winch, very handy for getting logs out of bad spots.

I've been moving logs and hauling firewood over some pretty rough ground with an Arctic Cat 500i. Pulls like a mule. It can be had with a manual transmission, so no worries about belts. Great ground clearance. One year on the farm, and nothing has broken. I've also heard good things about a Bombardier Traxter.

 

I think that the Honda and Suzuki are both good quads. The King is kind of heavy for the 300cc range. If you were to buy used, the price, condition and availability of the quads would determine more which one you'd buy. I think I would go with something with more cc's for pulling power. Because I like the reliability of the Honda's. I'm going to suggest a Honda 450 Foreman. (Remember you can buy an after market part to switch from 2 to 4 wheel drive for the 2001's & under.) If you are going to buy new then there are alot to choose from. The best thing is to make a list of what is important for you to have in a quad. Then just see which quad comes the close.

 

Hey Guys, Thank you so much for the info. I'm new to these machines but since I've seen what they can do, my mind is made up to buy one. I just want to make the right choice. I'll be using it back on some property of mine where I'm building a cabin. It's a 2 mile walk from the end of the road so I want to be as sure as I can be that I get a dependable machine. I don't want to push that thing 2 miles through the woods to have it fixed! Ha, Ha. Well, once again, thank you so much for the information. I have some studying to do but you guys have given me a foundation to build on and I really appreciate that. Take care. Steve Rennie

 

two thumbs down for the newer hondas from me. We had a '94 280 that survived anything that could be throw at it for 6 years. It had something like 3000 hours on it. Eventually the rear diff blew up. We replaced it with a 00 trx450. For a start it barely has more power than the old 280 did. And it's had lots of breakdowns. Serious, expensive ones. It's a weak heavy complicated pos, and will be our last honda. Because that one was in the shop so often, we had to get a backup, a 94 yamaha 250. Besides a dodgy electrical system this 10 year old yama has been way more reliable. We got it dirt cheap and haven't spent a cent on it except for tires.

 

Mid 90's Honda trx 300 or honda Forman 400. If you can find one of those machines in good shape don't expect to steal it though because you won't be the only buyer in the market for one.

The Older Honda three hundreds are hard to come by because no one wants to sell them.

I know my 98 trx300 4x4 has its own room in the house. I even put a blanket on her when she's asleep.

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yea the honda trx 300 or 400 both are horses the 400 will last just as long as the 300 but bigger motor and pull more