Best Dune Machine
 

What does everyone think the best overall dune quad is?

Quick story: I drove 3 hours out to the dunes with my family. Im riding in the path leading out to the dunes and just as the dunes come in site (not to the dunes yet) my chain breaks off. I couldn't go back the way we came because it was one way so by dad pulled me with his quad most of the way back until we got to a large hill. We couldn't make it up the hill so we had to sit and wait. After 30 minutes a guy came a toed me back (thanks). When I'm back in the parking lot I go to the store and find out they don't have that chain. So I ended up never driving on the dunes and wasting an entire day.

Anyway, whats you favorite dune quads?

Most folks use a 450 with sand paddle tires. Light and quick.

A lot of bigger guys like the Raptor 700 with paddles.

My son and his buddy who both own Polaris Scrambler XP 1000's. They didn't have to put it in 4wd. The engine kept them up on top of the sand at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Utah last year. They had a blast. I had a Can-Am Outlander Max 650 XTP that did pretty good as long as I kept it in 4wd. Still enjoyed my first dune experience ever. Climbed up the tallest dunes there without an issue. Maybe 150 ft. tall.

You need something with power, that's for sure. The Banshee used to be the ride of choice in the dunes until the 450's took over. Raptor 700 would be great. The Can-am DS 650 is one a lot of people overlook. The best bang for your buck would probably be a Raptor 660. There's a lot of them out there used in good condition for sale for reasonable prices. A cvt auto machine that a lot of people like is the Kawasaki KFX 700.

The Banshee still rule the dunes, what are you talking about. Aint no built 450 can keep up with a built Banshee, thats a FACT. Now if we are talking dirt trails, yes a 450 is by far superior to the banshee. But if we are talking about strictly Dunes, the Banshee and the Quadzilla (LT500R) are the quads to get.

I watched a few videos of a DS650 and a Banshee drag racing. The Banshee lost every time. I'm not so sure it's king of the dunes. I don't have any idea how the suspension and handling or anything compares, but suspect the DS650 would be the better ATV.

I sounded like a douche with the "You must not get out much" comment... sorry about that. But IMHO the two strokes are king of the dunes.... they put out amazing power and just love to be all out "balls to the walls" Also its a different style of riding... when I go from my Raptor to the Banshee or vice versa it takes me awhile to get used to the other....I love the 2 smokers because it is just a dying breed, but I also love my Raptor for certain applications. I can say that my Banshee with 350cc displacement walks my Raptor with 700cc displacement at the dunes any day of the week... and the only way my Raptor would be competitive is with a cam, however through dirt trails, the Raptor will leave the Banshee in the dust.

I'm pretty sure it was stock vs. stock that others mentioned. I also don't think anything will beat a turbo 1300cc. Would be interesting if Yamaha threw their 1000 from their sport side by side in a quad frame.

Thank you for apologizing. We're a pretty friendly bunch here and I appreciate when people catch how they might sound to the rest of the forum. A+ :D

I think nobody mentioned the Suzuki Quadzilla. They're probably about as rare now as a Bigfoot sighting but those things were unbelievably fast with no mods. The Banshee did outlast the other 2 strokes though, 20 model years in the U.S., 1987 to 2006 and I see up until 2012 outside of the U.S. 25 years for any atv is an outstanding run.