Need help! Want to take up atving with my family-wife,daughter-12,son-10. All of us large. Live in San Fran. bay area so will probably ride mostly in ORV parks around here. These seem to run from bare to partly wooded and mostly dry. Going to buy at least 2 and up to 4 machines. Any suggestions about type of machine and mixture of sizes, particular models, etc., would be appreciated.

 

Here is my sugestion for the "newbie" family:

parents:
Yamaha Kodiak 400 4x4-good power, automatic, handles nice, won't outgrow it

Kids:
(this is a tough one because they are right between the 90cc -250cc) I purchased a 250 Kawasaki Bayou for my wife and 12 year old. Why Bayou?
There are much quicker sportier 250's but I wanted a lower profile, shaft driven trail machine. It has plenty of power, reliable track record and is just a smaller atv.


Ok...theres my 2 cents

 

I'll start with the kids first. If you are going to be riding on public land, check the regulations as to the size of quads the kids can ride. Most public areas follow the CPSC/manufacturers agreement of machines 90cc and smaller for ages of 13-15 and 70cc and smaller for 12 and under. Under these regulations, only the 70cc and smaller quads are ok for your kids. This is not a good thing, because the machines in this market tend to be of a lower quality and are small for an above average sized kid in that age range. Minibikes like the Honda XR lineup may be a better option, since 2 wheelers are not affected by the CPSC/manufacturers agreement. For you and your wife, it depends on your experience and style of riding. Can you handle a manual clutch setup thats found on a true sport quad(400EX, 300EX, Warrior, Mojave, LT-Z400, etc..) ? Would you rather have a manual shift, auto-clutch (250EX, Lakota)? Or finally, do you want a full auto tranny like all of the Polaris lineup (except 1 or 2) and most of the other brands utility/sport-ute lineups? Do you plan on using it for chores around the yard like pulling a light trailer or deck mower? I assume you won't need it for plowing snow since you live in the San Fran area. For yourself, will you always ride with just the family, or do you have some buddies that you may ride with in a more aggressive manner? What works great with the wife and kids usually isn't enough for testosterone driven high jinks with the guys. I know I didn't answer many, if any of your questions, but I hope I gave you some good questions to think about to help you figure it out.

 

<< Need help! Want to take up atving with my family-wife,daughter-12,son-10. All of us large. Live in San Fran. bay area so will probably ride mostly in ORV parks around here. These seem to run from bare to partly wooded and mostly dry. Going to buy at least 2 and up to 4 machines. Any suggestions about type of machine and mixture of sizes, particular models, etc., would be appreciated. >>



First thing you need to decide is what type of rider are you? If you are an 'explorer-type' then get a 4x4 but, if you like speed and jumping, sport quad. There really isn't a good compromise IMHO. to make it even more confusing, there are different types of 4x4s. The big bore 600s are awesome machines but pricey($6500+). The 400 size is a great starting point and there are lots of good options there. If you see yourself staying on a groomed trail then any flavor will probably do but, if you want to rock crawl then you want IFS suspension for articulation.

For the kids, The 200-250 size is nice. The Honda 250ex is a nice little machine that can provide a good 'play experience'. The Recon is also a good choice but I hear the Suzuki Ozark is now a little better. The 300ex is also great but requires clutch work.

Hollister is a great area for trailing around. I actually miss it but, I now have a lot more options.

Let us know what you do.

 

I agree Yamaha's Kodiak 4x4 is a great scooter. I'd probally go with a Kodiak for the adults and something small for the kids, maybe a Bayou. But, me personally.. I getting a P650.. We own a ranch, and my cousin has one, so I have some competition. Also I need the speed and power.. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

if you don't like your kids I'd get them a prairie 650....

 

Does anyone have any more info on the age/size restrictions cbus660r referred to? All I see on the CA OHV site just says they have to take a saftey course. My kids will die if they have to ride those tiny machines.

Its hard for me to say what kind of riding I'll do because I don't know the areas around here. Last time I had an atv they all had 3 wheels and I lived in Arizona.

My other ride is a Harley so a clutch is OK for me but wife and kids probably need an auto or at least auto clutch.

Thanks for the replies and keep'em coming!

 

The only quads you need to worry about the clutch is on a sport quad. I would seriously think in the 200-300cc range for the kids.

I would just take the whole family down to a dealer and try 'em out. What part of the bay area are you in?

BTW....

The safety stickers say &quot;<u>Recommended</u> for riders 16 years of age and older&quot;

The only law I am aware of is the helmet law which is that EVERYONE must where a helmet or be fined(in utah).

 

I live in Antioch but probably move over to Walnut Creek. Pretty close to an OHV park near Tracey. Don't know what it's like.

 

I use to live in Cupertino so, I am familiar with a few dealers around there but, not with Walnut Creek although I do like that area. a good friend of mine grew up in Danville and still swears that is the ONLY place to live...if you can afford it [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]