depending on how deep the snow is, you could be okay with a recon. i have had my 1984 trx200 in many snowy winters here in wisconsin. i have gotten her stuck, of course, but with chains on the rear tires, and because it is so light, i can almost always just lift it out and keep going. this is in, like, 6 inches of snow with variable drifts. anything more than 6", i would recommend 4wd.

 

Of all the utility machines out there, the Recon is the best one you could pick to learn on!

Get some riding advice from someone with experience! A quad does not behave like a car when cornering. The quad is inherently unstable in turns, and you have to compensate by shifting your weight to the inside of the turn (don't just lean, shift your rear end over). You also have to be sure you don't do a wheelie unintentionally, especially when climbing a hill (yes, the little Recon can wheelie!)...and you don't want to endo going down a hill either. You have to compensate for off-camber sutuations as well, by shifting your weight to the uphill side, etc. You add a load to the racks, and things get even more exciting.....

And don't get caught up in this "I won't be riding fast, so it won't be dangerous" nonsense! The worst crashes I have seen have been quads standing still. Someone tries to make a climb and gets stuck, then rolls over sitting there perfectly still because they are in an unstable position. Loading ramps can be killers as well.

Get out and do some trail riding. You will never become a better rider just putting around the farm, and just putting around is not good for your engine anyway. You need to wring it out now and then.

Snowy Mountains, but no snow? I know what you mean! I live in the desert valley where it rarely snows, but am surrounded by mountains.....14,000' mountains in some places where I ride. Folks have trouble imagining that it isn't unheard of to get 50-100' of snow up there!

 

All the 250 2wd ATVs are so basic,featureless, and reliable that one has no advantage over the other. A 2010, 250 utility has little improvement over a 1989 250 utility.

If i bought one I would maybe get the Suzuki Ozark just because the plastics are styled nicely for no other reason.

 

He always has to disagree with me...no matter what!

Think of "featureless" as a good thing!!! Somehow, the notion of simplicity has been lost on most manufacturers.

 

I agree with that, I,m just saying there is no such thing as a 250 utility with features. So what ever manufacturer sell there 250 for the least cost is the one to get, I would think.

 

the only ones i can think of are the old kawasaki bayou 300 2wd's that had a locking rear diffrential, and the honda recon you can get with electric shift. other than that, yep, pretty dang basic. i also agree that basics lead to longer reliability, just common sense.

 

hmm, I'd like to hear what you will be using the machine for, and what the trails are like. If you need to pull or haul any kind of weight, the 250 is going to be a huge disapointment. It is just too underpowered for serious work. If you are going to pull weight like a trailer, or carry several hundred pounds of weight on the racks, I'd recommend at least a 350, but I'd recommend a 500 if it was my money. Also, I'd be looking for a used Honda Rubicon. Why? because they are TANKS. They have a car-type transmission/torque converter instead of using belts and a centrifugal clutch much like a snowmobile. Over time, they take a lot more abuse. Also, if it is a work machine with weight in it's future, get a solid rear axle and stay away from an IRS (Independant rear suspension) at all cost. These are for comfort, do a great job in that capacity, but when working, you will quickly overload the ability of the suspension to compensate for the heavy loads and you will end up with a broken, or a severely sagged rear suspension, blown shocks etc.
Don't

 

Just for the record, the RINCON has the above stated transmission type....not the Rubicon. Google "Rubicon Transmission", and you can learn about its totally unique design. Also, note that the Rubicon will be way more expensive than any of the manual trans machines.

Like I stated earlier, (seeing you don't seem to require 4wd)....if you need more power look for a 2wd Rancher (older 350 or newer 420) or Foreman (older 450 or newer 500) all of which have time proven, simple manual transmissions!