I guess a big thing to consider Kymco vs AC is where you buy and have it serviced at. I've been wanting to look at the 300 Mongoose, but most places that are a full line dealer only have the 50 and 90cc models. These dealers also sell the big name brands, and I don't think they stock them because of the sales they could lose to them.

Another thing I'm interested in, the 250 Mongoose is actually 249cc, while the 300 is only 270cc. Just wonder if that 20cc is that big of a difference. I know it is on the price.

 

I started my two boys out on the Trailblazers and as their confidence and skills progressed I added the Ritter Cycle Racing kits and got an extra year and change out of them before they wanted to move on to something bigger and faster.
I will say that it was money well spent as I had no problems whatsoever out of either of them. I think it was the full size and the weight that prepared them to graduate straight to the DS650 from the 250 Trailblazer. The Blazer is heavy for what it is just like the old DS, and in that weight I believe you gain durability and reliability.
Comes with running boards already so you won't have to spring for nerfs. The RCR kit felt like it doubled the stock power and made them very fun machines. Has a seperate oil resevoir so that you don't have to worry with premixing. A plus I thought.
Resale value, atleast for me, was very good too.
Just my .02

 

KYMCO/CAT comparison chart

Ok I found the KYMCO USA webside and they offer a comparison chart. The cat list for 3599.00 the Kymco MXU 250 list for 3349.00

From what I can tell that 250.00 bucks gets you shaft drive and backup pullstart feature. That would be worth it to me to go with the CAT.

 

CC, I honestly don't know about the Kymco MXU being rebadged as an AC. Only the dvx 250 that I know of.

Which the Mongoose is another model to consider along with the Blazer and DS.

Shoot, I might as well buy one just so I can say I've had all three. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Now, to convince the wife she needs three different atv's. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Based on what I just researched the little cat 250ute is a kymco MXU. Just with features like that of the kymco MXU 300.
I think all but a few of the big mfg's are contracting smaller overseas companies to make there smaller quads these days. The Can-ams are made by a company called ADLY moto. In the case of the rally its built with BRP supplied components and sold back to BRP. I think the BRP DS250 is all ADLY moto rebadged as a BRP/CAN-am DS250.

 

Thanks for all the replies..Fourlix my 14 year old is around 5'9 125lb.She has rode with uncles and relatives since she was
five.She has just been an occasional rider.I like the fact the polaris has plenty of mods..It just seems for every one good thing
you hear about polaris there's 9 bad...I have let her sit on the trailblazer..The can-am havent found one on the showroom here..
If i could get her used to shifting i would go for the suzuki or honda.. I'm wanting something my younger kids could grow into..
So realiblity is more important than price alone...The 06 trailblazer here goes for around 3200.00 otd..

cc1999 i'll take a look at the artic cat also...

Thanks everyone.......

 

The first quads we purchased were 2 new Trailblazers. My wife is still pissed that I sold hers. I had to do the ritter mods on mine....full pipe and clutch springs....and the 500 black plastics. They wont go very far up any dune but they will at least get you out there to play around. These 2 stroke engines have been around for YEARS and are pretty reliable as long as you dont mess with them too much. I could pull a wheelie (not easy) and beat a suzuki 250 over and over in a drag race. They are heavy, but with a small kid on them they are alot quicker.

At 14 years old, depending how serious she is in riding, I would suggest a Blaster. You can pick up some very clean ones for 1500-2000 bucks. However they are as manual as it gets. No battery to go bad, no engine oil, and no starter. My 7 year old is learning how to shift his blaster. On his second trip out he is already riding alone and shifting 1st to 2nd gear. He tries to kick start it but he only weighs like 55 pounds. My oldest is 11 and rides his blaster like he stole it, I put a toomey on it and wow its possbily too much for him. For the dunes, more power actually is safer so thats why I had to put a pipe on it. In stock form it use to make it over the top of armagosa with him on it and after a year (of him growing) it wouldnt make it past 3/4 way up....so I got the biggest pipe and we will soon see just how much that helps. Also, a blaster weighs 325 lbs. and a Trailblazer is 461 lbs. A blaster may only be a 200cc but it will beat a trailblazer very easy, and moded (parts for a blaster are about as accessable as banshee parts) it will keep up with alot bigger quads.

Depends on how into riding she is to make the auto vs manual quads.

 

The ds 250 is a SYM motor. Was just talking about it on another thread. If you go to the Can am website and bring up the ds, you can scroll over the motor and it says it's a Rotax. Thought maybe they changed it in the 07 models, but someone that has one checked. Still got SYM stamped on the engine. Still a good company. He even called a Can am dealer and asked about it. They said it was built to Rotax specs, so I guess that's their theory of it being a Rotax. Sure wish it was a Rotax.

I think what we are starting to see is, the big 4 realize they can't compete price wise with the Chinese and Taiwanese mini's and small sports. And the Chinese/Taiwanese can't compete with the big utes and bigger sport bikes. The big 4 can make a good profit from a rebadge, and put there money into the bigger bikes. The imports can fill the nitch and make their money too. Kinda like they're outsourcing the small stuff.

Guess that's just the way business is done anymore.

 

At 5'9" and 125 she is too big for the JetMoto 150. A Suzuki Z-250 would be perfect, but she doesn't want to shift. I understand. My son hates shifting, loves the automatic. So, what's a good 250 auto?
The Arctic cat and polaris and Can-am are all too heavy, though not too heavy by our weight scale of 4 to 1, she could handle 500 lbs. But she would still be better off with a 360 lb quad.

Are the bugs out of the Polaris Phoenix yet? The early ones had problems with carburators, rectifiers. They seem to handle great, but performance was dismal.

 

I've heard more bad than good on the Phoenix. Can't say personally whether it's true or not, but just from the posts about them, I'd stay away from one for now.