Picture a senerio where you lived in a very remote place, few of the conveniences we are so used to today. The availability of fuel was an issue.The Quad would be more than a recreational vehicle,it would be your lifeline to the other homesteads many miles from you.You would come to depend on your machine,it would work for you,be your horse,tractor and family car.

That being said, what quad would you want?

Remember speed would not be as important as the ability to do the job,sport riding would be things you might not do for fear something would break and the availability of parts almost non-existant,you would have to do all your own repairs.The fuel and oil had to last you until the next time,you could (say such as a rendezvous type get together the mountain men had with the traders,trappers and indians )go to barter and buy goods(fuel,parts,etc.)

The fuel economy,reliability plus the ability to get the job done were your main concerns.Something like being in a third world country.

Which machine,past or present,would fit this awesome task? Remember, many riding techniques and places you would take your quad now,you would be hesitant to in this situation,ride comfort would be lower on your scale then say fuel economy and climbing ability would be second to reliability.

Which machine would it be? How "big" would be big enough to get the job done and get optimal fuel milage. Are there "older quads" with less "technology", which are more user friendly, so they are easier to work on? It's been said somethimes less is more.


I think this could be an interesting thread!

 

That's a neat question. My my answer won't qualify but I'd have to say an Honda 250 ATC 3 wheeler would be my first pick. Those things seem to run forever with half the parts missing! A few relatives of mine have old Honda 3 wheelers that must be 15 yrs old and they use them regularly for farming and hunting. Plus they can go anywhere and sometimes more places than a 4x4 atv. Another plus is that they're light enough that an average size guy can move them by hand if you get stuck.

Plus don't forget:
1) Ruger Deerfield .44 (for close encounters)
2) Gor-tex with Thinsulate Boots (protect your "other wheels" if the Honda breaks)
3) Trusty rusty ole' Coleman lantern (to light your path and your campfire!)

 

Both my machines have been solid reliable, but when you throw in fuel economy, I have to give the nod to my Honda Fourtrax 300 2x4. I think the 2wd machines have less moving parts, so less to go wrong, and also shaft drive would be preferred over chain (like my Xplorer has) because it is enclosed and likely a 'lifetime' part. My Xplorer rides better, and goes faster, but I do think the Fourtrax might go longer without having to replace a part, and it DEFINATELY will go farther on a gallon of gas.

However, instead of a Deerfield, I would prefer my Contender, with a .44 open sight barrell, and a scoped barrell in either 30-30, or 45-70 depending on the country I was in. If I had to pack lighter, I might go with a Super Redhawk, and carry both mags & spcls.
The Gore-tex boots and Coleman lantern are all OK with me, but don't forget the Zippo to dry the rest of you off.

 

Not a bad choice- I've never ridden a 3-wheeler,I was just wondering about how it would do in snow, I guess a set of chains would fix that.

I like ruger, had a Super Blackhawk 44 with 8 3/8 barrel, I've found what I think is a better alternative. Ask any old veteran and most will praise the 45 ACP 1911A1 pistol,I know I love them,pretty good at discouraging any ornery critters. If you add a aftermarket product to it , you'll also have a carbine to reach out alittle more, it's a product that uses the bottom half of the 45 and fits on instead of the barrel(Mech-Tech Systems)

I hunted down your way a few times in Wetzel County, met some great people and we all got beautiful Bucks.

The need for a good pair of boots is also something any old veteran who's humped a few clicks wouild agree on unanimously. A very important need indeed.

The trusty old coleman lantern as well as the stove are something I would keep back at the homestead.

Instead I would carry a backpackers stove and lantern,their easier to carry,takes up no space at all,I figure if guys carry them for mountain climbing it would work fine for a survival situation on a quad.Laternand Stove.

Great imput,I can see the ATC could be a welcome addition to a backwoods homestead

 

The fuel economy thrown into the equation sure makes the choice a little harder.Honda makes a fine machine,it's because of them we are here on this site discussing quads.They started the ball rolling back in 1970 with the 90cc 7 hp ATC.

I've always thought of Honda as being bulletproof,probably more out there than anything else,parts could be found.I've got a 1984 TRX 200,she purrs like a kitten,I'll never get rid of her.The 300 FourTrax has a good record,I think they started making them in 1988,I guess they worked out any bugs they might have had by now.Do you think that there really is a noticable difference in milage between the 2 wheel and 4 wheel drives? How much advantage is 4X4, compared to 2X4? If 4X4 is that important,maybe a on-demand 4X4,2X4 selector would be the ticket?Whereas one could ride mostly in 4X2 and use 4X4 only when needed.

The Thompson Contender is one sweet system,almost any caliber you want.Another neat little combo is the Savage 24F-20,breaks down nicely.
Yep, the zippo would be great,probably get it to burn coal oil, if you ran out,all those old bics have a lot a flint left in them too.

I've hunted pheasants north of you up near Northfork (Johnny Carson's old stomping grounds).That was many moons ago.

Thanks for the good advice
and
Keep your powder dry