So here i am at work and my friend tells me that i should go wheelin with him. I say yes because i am almost 24 and have NEVER been on a 4 wheeler before. well except when i was 10. So i had a blast and bottom line is, now im hooked and im going to buy one. So far i have found a yamaha 660 raptor for 3800$ or a yamaha grizzly 660 for 4000$ I think utility is more for me because i love to climb and go throw mud and all that. BUT i do enjoy speed. the grizzly is 4x4 and its a 2004. not sure if it is auto or not.

I have no idea what to look for or what to ask about when buying a quad. the guy said he was giving me a discount because he knew my friend who referenced me to him.

What say you guys..

T.I.A (thanx in advance)

 

If you are looking for a sport, the great trail quads are the Honda 400EX, Suzuki Z400, and Raptor 700. The Raptor 660 is a little narrow and it carries its weight kind of high in the frame. All this makes it a little bit tippsy. They improved it some in later years when they went to the 700 engine...but not enough IMO.

My taste in utilities is to keep it as small and light as possible, yet still get the job done. I also like the stable planted feel of an SRA (solid rear axle) vs IRS (independet rear suspension). And, give me a manual transmission instead of an automatic...please. So I picked the Honda Rancher 420, which is fuel injected and water cooled, and just perfect for my needs.

 

I choose the 660 because i could put another person on it with me, such as a future wife, lol, always thinkin a head i am..

Why manual over auto?

Oh and do you think a 350 cc sport is good. i was thinking later on i could get one that was not to fast and wont kill me.

I have never been on a motorcycle so i do not know how to shift them.

 

My older Rancher 350 isn't a powerhouse, but it isn't that bad.

The manual tranny utilities have what is called an "autoclutch". When you pull up or down on the shifter, it engages the clutch for you, so you don't need to work the clutch with your left hand. Very simple!

 

Oh ok, that sounds nifty. can you have it so when you push down on the shifter it up shifts, for example, first to second. OR is it always down is down shifting.

I dont think i need a power house yet because i have never been on a racer and i dont feel like dying at this age. lol.. this is my first try at motor sports.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Oh and do you think a 350 cc sport is good. i was thinking later on i could get one that was not to fast and wont kill me. </end quote></div> The 660 grizzly can smoke many Sport ATVs.

My friend has the 660 Grizzly ,you will be lucky to even find a situation you can open the throttle full ,it will do 65mph without working hard and that is uncomfortably fast for any ATV.

Its a auto which I prefer rather than constantly shifting to stay in the correct power band on a long trail ride.

Just make sure the owner was not a maniac and the ATV has low mile/hours and take a little test ride and you will find a good one.

The 660 has it all,IRS,low range,diff lock true 4wd,all disk brakes and Power to spare . Enjoy.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: TLC

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Oh and do you think a 350 cc sport is good. i was thinking later on i could get one that was not to fast and wont kill me. </end quote></div> The 660 grizzly can smoke many Sport ATVs.



My friend has the 660 Grizzly ,you will be lucky to even find a situation you can open the throttle full ,it will do 65mph without working hard and that is uncomfortably fast for any ATV.



Its a auto which I prefer rather than constantly shifting to stay in the correct power band on a long trail ride.



Just make sure the owner was not a maniac and the ATV has low mile/hours and take a little test ride and you will find a good one.



The 660 has it all,IRS,low range,diff lock true 4wd,all disk brakes and Power to spare . Enjoy.</end quote></div>

Im pretty excited for it. He says its an 203 or 04 with low miles. 4500$ but will give it to me for even 4000 plus taxes.

 

I just talked with the dealer, and he says that it was his friends who traded it in. he is getting the year and the miles for me as we speak. for 4000$ he will do a full service and new tires plus regester it. now all i need is insurance on the thing.

i hope its automatic. I think it is.i always forget to ask that.

any one here from Utah or been ridin in Utah?

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: LT72884

I just talked with the dealer, and he says that it was his friends who traded it in. he is getting the year and the miles for me as we speak. for 4000$ he will do a full service and new tires plus regester it. now all i need is insurance on the thing.



i hope its automatic. I think it is.i always forget to ask that.



any one here from Utah or been ridin in Utah?</end quote></div>

Its a Auto all right, 90% of all Utility ATVs are Autos now a days.

I always buy used machines, but I would already look else where if the ATV needs tires. There are just to many used ATVs on Ebay that are is such good shaped with low miles that the original tires are in mint shape.

There are many great ATV for sale with 2000 miles but why buy one when the next used ATV has 500 miles on it.

I would rather own a 02 with 500 miles than a 07 with 1500 miles.

 

I have taught kids to shift a full manual in half and hour....it's not that big a deal! A manual gives you control that you just don't have in an automatic...do you really want the machine to do your thinking for you????