Hey all -

First post here. Did some research and this looks like one of the most active forums out there for ATV's. Anyway - going to be buying a used ATV for the hunting cabin. Looking at the 400-600cc range. Will be used for hauling trees, deer and ice fishing in the winter.

So if anyone has any tips for buying a used machine I would appreciate it. Like what to look for and what questions to ask. I'm not completely new to riding but this will be my first atv.

 

Of course do a test ride that lets you ensure that the 4x4 (and locker if equiped) works proper and that you fit the machine nicely.
Check the airbox for signs that it's been under water also check the engine mount bolts to see if the engine has been pulled.

If you do buy a machine do a full change of all the fluids for your own peace of mind and get a shop manual.

Remember, If a deal is too good to be true, Then it probably is.

 

Thank you sir! Anyone else?

 

I got the perfect used atv for you!

2007 Polaris 500 X2 Deluxe
26" Bighorns
atv-guru bumpers front/rear
rock rails
hand warmers
hand guards
K&N air filter
Heelclicker clutch kit
Polaris 60" Glacier II snow plow
couple helmets if they fit you
box of extra oils/plug/parts etc..

$6500

 

A good rule of thumb is to check the hours against the mileage if the quad is equipped so you can do this. 10 hours per 100 miles is about average with a mix of slow and cruising. Less hours per 100 means it's been mostly on relatively open trails at higher speeds (less wear and tear) and more hours per 100 miles usually means more slow going in technical terrain (more wear and tear). I agree that the Polaris Sporstman X2 is a great machine. It converts from a dump box to a 2 person quad in 10 seconds. I have one. Love it. All the major brands have good quads in the range you are looking. Let us know what kind of riding you anticipate and we might be able to narrow things down for you.

 

everything mentioned above plus check the cv boots, oil & winch cable.
(I say winch cable because it's a good indication of how it's been ridden- if it's all frayed up, worn and kinked, you know its most likely been stuck in either mud or water-)

Look for milky fluids that would indicate water contamination. Shake the atv back & forth, left to right to check wheel bearings & ball joints, check steering free play for worn tie rods- look for dry mud under the seat and in the air / filter box- check for dented & bent a-arms and big dents under the chassis, if the front & rear bumpers are dented it might've been rolled or run into a tree- run away from any atv with a replaced speedo, large cracks in the plastic, snorkeled, zip tied, duck taped, welded or spray painted.

Scratched plastic & small tears happen to even the most careful trail riders so I wouldn't be to worried about that too much if everything else checks out ok.

If you're going to be hauling deer out- you might want to consider 600cc - 800cc (skip the 400 - 500cc range) not so much for the hp- more so for the beefier suspension and larger physical size of a big bore atv.

 

Best way to buy is to spend the cash and buy new that way you know exactly what your getting into

 

I agree to a point as sometimes you find good deals on used but with the way the economy is there are allot of dealers out there trying to dump old new stock for CHEAP! Even if its a 07, 08 model it is still all new! Just a suggestion!

 

That's all great and well if you have $7-$10k to spend on a new left over- but you can find low milage "like new" atv's for $3500 - $5k.

You just need to be aware of what you are buying-

 

I have seen brand new 07 Suzuki's 500 KQ in my area for $5200 so there are possibility's if you just look around a bit a quick Google search brought this up.
New 2009 Suzuki King Quad 750 Rockstar model with winch : eBay Motors (item 140388929690 end time Mar-13-10 12:50:30 PST)