Hi all,
I need some help finding the right atv/utv to help work my 20 acre very hilly horse ranch. I am a small woman who knows nothing about atvs, and have never ridden one. But I need something that will help me mow some hilly pastures, and deliver hay or compost to the hilly pastures, and spray herbicides on them, etc. I'm afraid a tractor will roll, so I'm thinking an atv with accessories would be the way to go. I don't want to go fast or do wheelies, I just want something that will get the job done and not hurt me on those hills! I would prefer to buy a used one, but am also considering new. Any advice in choosing the right atv or what to look for would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

First off - No matter what type of ATV you get, please have someone with some riding experience teach you the few simple things you will need to learn to ride safely. As you have an obvoius lack of confidence, this is a MUST before you ride. With just a little training, you'll find that you will develope confidence to keep you safe while riding or working on your ATV.

For what you need to do, you'll need a utility bike with 4wd. Size could be anywhere from 300 cc to 500 cc, you really don't need more than that. Automatics are easier to learn on, but many of this size utility ATV are also equiped with an auto-clutch. In an auto-clutch machine, you still need to shift through the gears (with a foot shift) but there is no clutch to fool with. Some Honda products come with an electric shift - this is a button on the bars that you push to shift up or down instead of using your foot. There should be many used bikes available for what you need. At the lower end of the cost scale would be the older model Suzuki King Quad 300. These went out of production in '02 or '03 but are real workhorses. Another good choice is the Honda fourtrax 300, which were replaced by the Rancher series several years ago. You should be able to find one of either of these for under $2K in decent condition. All the major brands have 4wd utility quads in this size range, so start looking around to see what's available in your area and price range. Also try to find a model that has a low and high range, since you'll be using it for farm work.

Jaybee

 

Hello, a Suzuki Eiger is also a nice ATV. They have plenty of power and are a good machine to have around on the farm.

Here's a video review of the Eiger:
http://video.google.com/videos...er&hl=en&sitesearch=#


Now, if you want new, the new Eiger is now called a Suzuki King Quad 400. This is basically the same ATV except with a few better features.

If you want Independent Rear Suspension so you have a more comfortable ride, I suggest a Can-Am Outlander 400-used or new. The Can-Am is a great machine and if you ever did want to trail ride, you can easily do it comfortably.

 

Everybody thinks that speed kills, so they think of sport quads as being dangerous. But, the worst accidents I have witnessed have been utility quads that were standing completelystill! Someone tries to make a hillclimb and gets stopped, or gets off camber (sideways), and then the bike rolls and they either have to jump or more likely it rolls on top of them.

So, you want a solid planted machine with a low center of gravity, and that isn't any of the very popular heavy tall long travel suspension IRS (independent rear suspension) machines. You want a nice simple SRA (solid rear axle) machine.

I would suggest a Honda Rancher 350 (2wd or 4wd depending on your needs), or a Honda Recon 250 (2wd only) if you can get by with a smaller machine. If you need something bigger, then the Honda Foreman (old 450 or new 500...also 2wd or 4wd). One mechanic in here who services quads in a farming community, said that these air cooled Honda's are the old standby for ranchers and farmers!

 

I'm not a big fan of Arctic Cat, BUT, for work applications, they do get the job done. Their new 366 looks promising. They have a great accessory mounting system for sprayers and the like.
If price is a major concern, look for a used 2000-2005 Yamaha or Honda in the 350cc-400cc range. Those quads seem to run forever.
I'm not too sure about mowers but check into Quadivator for a full lineup of work attachments. A little pricey, but they have it all.

http://www.quadivator.com/

 

im new to these as well, i looked mainly at hondas and polaris. i went for the added length of the polaris 500 x2 as it just felt more stable going up and down the hill on my yard which is fairly steep. a lot of folks here dont like the all wheel descent braking of the polaris but for a newbie its great as it lets you slowly creep down some pretty steep stuff. like has been said, dont cross the hill sideways, just straight up and down if possible.

 

Boy, I hate to agree with reconranger here because I usually don't-lol However I garee that the Rancher would be a good fit here especially an older 4x4 model. Though many complain about the ATV being 4x4 all the time I believe that it adds stability for a new rider not to mention the fact of never wondering WHEN to shift into 4 wheel drive because it's always there. A little tighter steering than some but a definite bulletproof machine.
Buck

 

i would have to agree
get a rancher 420 4x4
manual is VERY EASY TO LEARN ON!
they have auto clutch.
or if you need something with more power go for a foreman.
DO NOT GET A RECON! i HAVE ONE THEY ARE HORRIBLE!

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Shank n run

i would have to agree

get a rancher 420 4x4

manual is VERY EASY TO LEARN ON!

they have auto clutch.

or if you need something with more power go for a foreman.

DO NOT GET A RECON! i HAVE ONE THEY ARE HORRIBLE!</end quote></div>

A fully automatic CVT is easier to learn because it does all the shifting for you, from idle all the way up to top speed, automatically. No foot levers or hand levers to deal with. Just press the throttle to go whatever speed you want. That's all.

 

how much weight do you think you will be pulling? you might be stretching the limits on lighter machines if you plan on towing heavy loads.