Live in Louisiana if that helps. Not much rocks here mostly have trails and mud. I may travel to nearby states to use their trails also. I'm a beginner but don't want to put a lot of money down on something I will out grow. I want to get one atv and stick with it so I'm looking at 350cc to 450cc size. Price a definite factor. I'm not sure if i should get a big heavy cluncker or something to shred the trails with
I do enjoy trail riding more than hit the mud and actually really have no desire to go through 4ft of mud just to see if i can do it. Will not race but will play on a track or sand dune if available. Do want the speed and be able to get some air but really hesitant to buy a sport because I dont want to hit a trail and not be able to complete the trail because its too muddy and i have no 4 wheel drive or cant get over the fallen trees in the road because my ground clearance is too low...but on the other hand dont want a utility atv and cant do the other things maybe someone can lead me in the right direction or tell me i could probably get by on most anything the outdoors throws at me with a two wheel drive sport .....

 

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good people here that will help you out.

If you like speed, then you're looking at a sport quad, or a big bore sport utility ATV. The 350 to 450 utility ATVs are not fast. One possible exception would be either the Wolverine 450, or the Renegade 500. The Renegade 500 is going to be expensive though. Also consider an Outlaw 525 with IRS, or the Honda 700 XX when it comes out, because they have more ground clearance. They are both top of the line ATVs though, so also pretty pricey.

Good luck.

DV

 

As a general rule get what your friends have. In other words, if your friends have sport quads get a sport quad. If your friends have a ute..............

 

Like most folks, you don't need a farm work tractor utility, yet you would benefit from having 4wd to bail you out just in case you got into trouble out on the trail. If someone would build a hybrid "sport/4wd" (don't confuse this with the often laughable marketing term sport/ute) machine correctly, it would actually be the machine that the majority of riders need!

You have to decide what scares you the most! Are you more scared of getting stuck in a mud hole, or are you more scared of having to ride a heavy clunkey utiltity in places where you would have a world more fun on a sport quad???

Some alternatives:

Maybe a sport quad with a light winch, just in case you get into trouble? Warn makes a winch for sport machines. Remember, the worst sport quads handle better than the best utility quads!

Or, if you feel you absolutely need 4wd, try to find a hybrid. What comes closest is the old Wolverine, which had an autoclutch transmission, 4wd, and descent handling. If you can find one, grab it.

The new Wolverine is more ute than sport and has a foo foo automatic transmission, but it may be the closest you will come in a current production machine.

There is a Scrambler (can't remember which one) that is in the ballpark as well. A guy who rides with us has one, and it does pretty well, but it is a very weird machine in a lot of ways (shaft drive front and chain drive rear) and has terrible ergonomics.

 

thanks guys ya i looked at the hybrid the wolverine didnt like it too heavy might as well get a utility if i was going to get it.....my friend is going to get a dirt bike but i rather an atv and just too old for the dirt bike punishment .....other than that plan on joining an atv club donn here but the pics of them show a mix of utility and sport thanks for the info on the winch for a sport that is helpful i think i am leaning toward the sport i dont think i need four wheel drive to climb a rocky mountain because we dont have any....was looking at the suzuki z400 has 10inches of ground clearance unlike the raptor with only 4 inches of ground clearance....both in my price range

 

More marketing BS here!!! Suzuki measures "ground clearance" under the frame wherever it is highest. Everybody else is honest, and measures it under the rear axle. So, the Z400 has an honest 4" of ground clearance, just like everything else!!!

I have owned the Z, and it is a fine trail machine! The other good trail quads are the 400EX, and Raptor 700. The EX is a little underpowered by today's standards, and while the Raptor is a torque monster, I find that it carries its weight a little high in the frame and is a little bit tippsy for my taste.

There is a lot you can do to increase ground clearance. Careful tire and skid plate choices can get you an extra inch or even two.....

 

I live in Lacombe, La. and if you're in my area then pretty much all the time except for feb. thru April the trails will be dry and to find mud you will need to go look for it so I don't see you not being able to go where the ute's go. And if you go to like sand hill, red creek, or the spillway ( which will be a while since they opened it ) there's alot of dirt and sand so in my opinion around here is more fun with a sport than a ute but it's your call. I don't know about the west side of the state never been there.

 

I really want a sport and thanks to yall decision getting easier espeially u la guy ...
And apreciate the yamaha scoop that was my first choice but was afraid of the low clearance .... Thanks for clearing that up for me and if I can aford the crazy price of the outlander I'll get that like the look the specs and engine size looks like one bad machine ready to race ... Any opinions on polaris's ktm engine I heard the dirt bikes break down quite often but hell that could be any bike

 

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