Well I'm tired of sinking money into my offroad pickup so it's time to dump it and get a 4wheeler. I'll be doing quite a bit of trail riding and hitting alot of mud, plus I'd like to take it hunting as well. I'm 6'6 310 lbs. so I dont want something so small that I feel like I'm going to brake it. I don't mind buying used but I would like to stay in a cheap-average price range. Also I'm wanting to get my wife one as well. She's a beginnner and is 5'4 130 lbs. so nothing too big for her. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

Welcome to the forum Mack. I don't want to start a brand war but I know there are several of us over 300 Pounds and 6' tall who ride Sportsmans. When I rode a couple of my friends Grizzlys they felt like they were made for someone several inches shorter than me. You have to test ride or at least sit on each model to see how they feel. For your wife just about anything would work, but you have to decide a few things.
1. Sport or utility?
2. 4x4 or 4x2?
3. Automatic, auto-clutch, or manual clutch?
4. SRA or IRS?

 

For you, most of the 500cc and above class will work. Some brands "sit" differently than others so the best thing to do is to hop fromone showroom to another and see what you like. You may want to look into getting a 2-up bike and running it as a single seater. That would give you lots of room for a guy your size. Can-Am, Polaris and Artic Cat all have 2-ups, starting at 400cc and going up to the 800cc range.

For the wife, the AC 366 looks like a good all-around ATV for a wife-sized person. IRS for smooth ride, automatic tranny and a slightly smaller size and weight from others in it's class. Gander Mountain is selling them for $4,100. If she wants smaller and 2wd, then go with a Honda Recon or a Suzuki Ozark.

Jaybee

 

like the othere have said, you will want a 500+cc bike, with a full size or 2up frame. i would suggest going around and setting on diffirent bikes in the showrooms to see what model is comfy for you. thats what one of my larger friends did, then he bought a used one he liked. alot of bigger guys ride sportsmans, grizzlys, king Quads/vinsons, rubicons, and brute forces. i even know of one gentilmen who was well over 300lbs who rode a blaster! he never broke the thing ether

for your wife, depending on if she wants sport or utiliy, alot of women i found really like the grizzly/bruin 350 auto! a smaller ozark, recon, or bayou would have an autoclutch but bee very good for a beginer! if she really wanted a "sport" atv i would really suggest a honda 250ex, it has shaft drive and a stallproof/kill proof clutch, so she wont destroy it.

 

Like the others have said a bigger quad would "FIT" you better. If it were me I would want something more in the 700cc-800cc Twin range. Sportsmans or Grizzly's would be my first choices.
For the wife the same except smaller engine size![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

You mentioned mud, so I will assume you need 4X4's (???).

For the little lady, the Honda Rancher 420, or an older Rancher 350 if you are on a budget. If 2wd will do for her, then the little Honda Recon or 250EX. If she isn't going to wallow in the mud and can run a manual clutch, then the new Raptor 250.

 

I have to agree with all the other posters and have no better ideas to offer, but there was another thread on here a month or so ago about this same subject though the guy was heavier and you might be able to find it by going through the archives. Good luck.

 

I've been on a CanAm Renegad, a Grizzly 550 (same size as their 700) and my own quads in the past month or so. They all felt good with my 6'3" 350lb. frame. I like the 2-up machines personally and highly recommend the Polaris Sportsman X2. I would recommend test driving as many of the machines as you can. In the smaller utility quad scene there is the Polaris Sportsman 400, Kawasaki Prairie 360, and Hondas.