i am looking to buy my first utility four-wheeler.
i plan to use it for hunting(mostly), with a little trail riding and mud running on the side. i have found a '98 king quad with winch and gun holder and only 823 miles, asking price $4295.00. i am also looking at the honda trx300 4wd, which i know is a tough 4x4. is the full time 4wd a good thing, any maintenance problems, does the honda pull good, does it have enough power to tackle all that i may face in the deer woods? what about the suzuki? everything that i have read is either hot or cold, either totally for or against the king quad. i need honest, no holds barred comparison between the two. i kinda like the king quad's suspension and 4wd system, as well as the subtransmission, but i've heard that they are severely down on power, if so, what can be done to help it

 

I've ridden hundreds of miles in company with both machines; both are excellent. The KQ has an edge in the mud with its locking front end, an edge in versatility with its 2WD-4WD capability and its many other drive modes. Both have adequate power for the purposes you suggest; you won't be disappointed with either.

(By the way, I own neither; I'm not looking for a "clone" who will ape my preferences; my comments may be more impartial than some.)

Tree Farmer

 

I would suggest you look around and price out new machines too. $4300 for a 2 year old machine may not be a bad deal but for a little more you can get a new one. The local dealers here have been running adds for 2000 King Quads for $4595 and I know that my local Honda dealer sells Ranchers for $4995. I understand that we are in different parts of the country but you might be able to get a new machine if you shop around. If you are going to make payments you could get a new machine for $10 more a month... or you could just save up for a nother couple months if you are gonna pay cash.

As far as the machines go......

I love my King Quad. I use my machine mostly for hunting and not for too many Darth Vader pit runs. The king Quad is notorious for being underpowered. It has phenominal gearing so it can be used for just about everything but it is not a good hill climber or deep mud machine. Those two circumstances require a lot of wheel spin that the King just can not generate. The locking front diff is great, 2wd/4wd is a nice option. The King also gets really good gas mileage.

The Honda 300 is about 100 lbs lighter than the king and tends to be a little quicker. Full time 4-wheel drive is fine if you never see pavement or even gravel roads. My hunting buddy has one and loves it. I believe that Honda sold more 300's than any other atv on the market.


You can not go wrong with either one......