Hey everyone, I'm looking to buy a quad, but unfortunately, I have no idea where to begin.

I like in the Okanagan (an area in British Columbia) which is where I'll be riding. Terrain will very from paved roads, rocky gravel roads, bumpy dirt roads, dirt+rocky roads and hopefully paving my own trails.

I have some experience on a 125cc dirtbike which i road for a period of two months, and I use my mountain bike on the terrain I previously listed.

I'm 20 years old, and have never ridden a quad before. I want a beginner quad, but one that has enough room for growth so that once I get more used to riding a quad i won't have to buy another one. I'm pretty adept at learning new things, and I learned how to ride a dirtbike really quickly. It would be nice if it could fit 2 people, but that's not required.

So, hopefully I can get some help buying a quad! I don't want to buy a used one, I Want to buy a new one. Thank you

 

Try out a Honda Recon. It has a 250cc engine with a semi-automatic foot shift. Does amazingly well on all the surfaces you mentioned except for deep mud or deep snow. I've been over 300 lbs. for too long and have ridden a Recon any number of times. Pretty bulletproof. You can usually find a good one, used, in the US for around $1000. Not sure what kid of deals you could find up your way. Good starter quad. The Recon I mentioned was ridden by dozens of people and was the first ride experience for at least a dozen or so.

 

Are you looking for a sport or ute? Personally I think a recon would be boring before long if you are going to compare it to a 125 bike. They are pretty durable and will last decades with a bit of maintenance though. For an adult looking to buy once, I would go no less than 400 cc in either style.

 

 

Agreed w/ Moose. I have a 250 Kawa Bayou that I think is similar to the Recon in size and functionality. Really a blast to ride. I bought a bigger 4x4 recently due to swampy terrain I ride in but I ride the Bayou more for its agility and overall fun. Also a great way to "try out" the hobby without committing a lot of $$$.

 

I would say buy the most/best/biggest quad you can afford, so you aren't looking to upgrade at a later date. If it were me (I prefer utility over speed) I wouldn't go smaller than a 400, possibly 500-550-570 if you can find one.
Don't be afraid to buy used, just make sure you give it a THOROUGH look over. check all the fluids for both level and to see if freshly changed. Look closely at all steering components. Pull a wheel and see what the brakes look like. Spend some time going over it with a fine tooth comb.
There are some fantastic deals to be had out there, just don't be afraid to ask questions, and don't be afraid to walk away from one if it doesn't seem right.
Don't fall in love with ANY of them until you take it home, that way you won't overpay.
Don't be ashamed to tell a seller you'll think about it, and them come here and ask questions. When bought mine, I went back about a week later and got the seller to come off another $300 from his "absolute bottom dollar" price, because no one else had come to look at it.