hello folks, recently moved to some land and want to buy some atv's to buzz around in. ive never owned a 4 wheeler, but ive rode them several times. im pretty mechanically inclined, im debating on buying used off of craigslist, or breaking down and buying new. we are a family of 4. im looking for advice on what to do look for, brands, size. etc. just wanting something to jump on and buzz around in, theres some wide open land around here. dont need a bunch of bells and whistles, but want something thats presentable and reliable. to put it in different terms, if one were to compare, im looking for something mid-scale. like a chevy impala is to a cavalier, but not quite a cadillac. i found this ad locally.

four wheelers

advice??

 

if your looking for something reliable, or even half way reliable, those chinese quads won't cut it.

Assuming the land is tame, no huge mud bogs, your probably gonna want some sport quads.

Heres a few finds i found on your craigslist, to get you started.

Just keep away from brandless, chinese quads!!

honda 250ex
2003 honda 250ex

honda 300ex
1997 honda trx 300 ex

400ex- this one is sick!! but others are wayyy overpriced!! a 99-04 400ex should run 1400-2000, 05+ $2500+.
2006 honda trx 400ex

yfz 450 - this one oughta be fast!
********2005 YFZ 450R RACING QUAD********

yamaha blaster, good little quads!
03 Yamaha Blaster 200cc

lt 80
Suzuki LT80 ATV

theres a few ideas

Find something on craigslist, post it here! I saw a lot of ridiculous ads on there! A 250ex listed as a 250r?! Another 250ex listed as a 300ex!! An old 400ex for $4800!! REE-diculous

 

Nice to hear you are getting into the sport. The ATVs in the ad you linked are sportier quads, and I brand that is not too common (never heard of them). If you are looking for a reliable all-around machine, or multiple, you can't go wrong with Honda. The Rancher model is midsize and I have a buddy whose kids ride his. If you are looking to go mud riding, I would look at Polaris or Yamaha. And you're probably going to want a 4x4 if you have lots of different terrain. Stick to Honda Rancher, Yamaha Grizzly, or Polaris Sportsman. Good luck.

 

right on folks. so judging by the links shared, is it safe to assume, a decent one is going to cost about 1000 bucks?? after i posted the link my friend returned my call and he said those one i posted suck and are good to ride in the street. so scratch that idea. the area i live in is unrestricted, acreage, and dead end county roads, very quiet, also have parks and back trails. looking for something to have some fun with. kids are about 10, im about 240lbs.....what sizes should i be looking for?

 

200cc would be a good size for the kids..mine have Polaris Phoenix's and have been reliable...240lbs ayhing bigger than a 330 would be good for you I'd say...can look for deals on 500's to 700's.
I would think yer gonna pay more than a grand tho for a decent one but I am not familiar with yr market .

Enjoy the sport and be careful...they can getaway form ya faster than you think..ya don't have to have a monster quad to hurt ya..even tho yer 240 any full sized wuad outweighs you !! lol

 

You could probably get something decent for the kids for $1000, something around a 200cc. Plan to spend more for yourself for something that will do what you want it to do. You are going to want a 300cc or bigger.

 

Ok fellas. I have a co worker who has a 98 4wd honda fourtrax? Its 300cc it has brand new tires and a newer battery. No plastics are broken, it needs brake work but it does stop.....he said make offer.....what is a fair price?

 

Check out what that year and model are going for on craigslist. I would guess $1000-$1500 range. Brakes should be fairly inexpensive to fix too. Pads change out pretty easily, or it may just need an adjustment.

 

Good looking out. I was thinking offering him 800 cash. He said he paid 1000 for it about 2 yrs ago. Ill keep you posted. Going to see it tomorrow after work

 

Offer 800-1000. The fourtracks are pretty bullet proof. You have the right idea with size and price.
I would be looking for Blasters, 250ex, 300ex, (400ex for you) or any utility quad 200-400cc.
Stay away from lakota, mojave, and 3 wheelers.

Sometimes you can get pretty good deals on kids size dirtbikes.