I am looking to buy a sport ATV for my wife because I would like her to start riding with me. I ride CR250. We will be mostly trail riding, and probably a couple trips to the dunes each year. She is not an experienced rider. I don't want to spend alot on it in case she doesn't like it. I have looked at the Trail Blazer 250 and the Blaster. Are these good machines? could you recommend anything else?

 

The most obvious questions are does your wife want to shift? Does she want reverse? Electric start? A full sized quad?
The TB is a great 1st quad. I don't know how crazy she might be getting at the dunes (the TB is better on trails) but even with the RCR kit I had to give our TB all it had to climb the biggest hills. But it did make it.
On the trails it is quite inpressive though. I don't know how a Blaster would do in the sand. I assume not real well either being it also has a small motor. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it does OK. But you riding a CR 250 might get real bored waiting on her to keep up. In the sand at least. If it were me (& it once was) I would get the TB (& I did!).
At $2995 the TB is a much better deal than the $2999 they ask for a Blaster.
When most women are offered an auto they take it & most would rather have reverse than get off and push a quad backwards. At least from what I've seen.
c-ya,
I reread my post & the way I wrote it they both sound like junk. NOT the case at all!!! They are just underpowered for the sand. However for trails I think both will do a super job, especially the TB.
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Andrew Thomas

'99 Scrambler 400 & '99 Trailblazer, both with RCR mods.



[This message has been edited by Andrew Thomas (edited 01-08-2000).]

 

jace,
If your other 1/2 isn't too large, you might take a look at the Mohave (www.kawasaki.com)
As a 4 stroke, it's not pipey as the smaller 2-strokes are, hence much easier for a novice to ride. Yet this 250 cc does have a 5 spd tranny w/reverse, good suspension & good hydraulic brakes. It's a true sport bike in the same price range as the Blaster.

P.S. I ride a Warrior so you know I'm not predjudiced toward Kawi's.

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THE AZ HARD PACKER, calmiller@kachina.net

save the public land FOR you, not FROM you..join the Blue Ribbon Coalition online @ www.sharetrails.org



[This message has been edited by hot_shoe_cv (edited 01-09-2000).]

 

Jace, you've got a tough task at hand. I originally bought my wife a suzuki lt160 semi-auto which turned out to be very light in the front end and was a big factor in a roll on a small hillclimb with some roots. It too was $2999 and a real bargain. The I saw a friends trailblazer that his wife rode for the same money and couldn't believe how I was "ripped off" due to ignorance of choices. I decided to buy her the 4-stroke version for another 200 bucks...TrailBoss 325. You get a full sized frame with power, stability, weight for safety, a big seat,and a much softer ride with fully auto tranny. No shifting, just a throttle and one brake for all tires. Same quad as the trailblazer accept for the motor. Happy hunting.

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Steve Small, '00 400ex
'00 Trail Boss for the wife.
Impuls90 for the boys.
<a href="mailto:extreme400ex@home.com">EXtreme E-mail</a>

 

i personally would go with a honda 250ex small sufficient power not to slow not much maintenance