Ahhh, but you're missing one of life's sweet joys! Mud is a lot of fun. I came very close to getting stuck a couple weekends ago and my buddy was taking pictures of me for proof. Of course, that made me more determined to get through. I tried sawing the tires back and forth. No dice. Put all my weight on one side. Still spinning. Jumped up and down on one side while turning the wheels. Finally wrestled it out. We all had a good laugh at how filthy I was.

I've been on light quads that my cousin had back in the mid-80s. I think they were Honda Fourtrax or something like that. I did like them and had a blast bombing around his apple orchard. But, I wouldn't tow the ATV trailer I have full of wet firewood with them. The heavier quads help to offset some of the push that a heavy trailer creates. Kind of like the difference towing with a Toyota Tacoma and a GMC Sierra HD 2500. Also, heavier gives you better traction on the steeps, in mud, on rocks, and especially in snow. The drawback is that snow that is so deep that you can't get to the bottom to get traction. Then lighter might be the way. Or a track kit. Ka-ching for that.

 

I think there will eventually be a backlash, and a generation from now kids will laugh at the huge quads their fathers and grandfathers rode, just like we noq laugh at the huge monster cars they drove back in the 50's and 60's!

Safety will also be an issue. As more folks get seriourly hurt on these huge machines, the government will step in and we will be back where we were in the 3-wheeler days.

 

I don't know. I think speed is a huge factor in ATV accidents too. Momemtum is 1/2 x mass x velocity squared. So, speed is more likely to kill you than mass alone. However, if you add weight and speed than you're really asking for it. My own personal view is that whether people have a utility or not there is going to be someone out there who drives beyond his abilities and gets killed for it.

 

Hey, fat chicks need lovin too.

 

Aren't what I'd call a lot of mountains around here, but know of quite a few hunters that would much rather haul out their catch on a bigger ute than a 400 sport quad.

Even on my kfx400 I can't resist getting muddy.

 

Hi MooseHenden & Reconranger:

I talked with a dealership that had a new Black 2008 Polaris Sportsman 800 2Up for sale and I offered them 7,000.00 out the door to which they agreed. I picked it up today and took my wife for a ride on it. She likes it and she wanted to try riding it by herself which she did with enthusiasm. We may have found something here that will be more than a deer dragger and wood hauler in the future. My car hauled it with a landscaping trailer (6 1/2' X 10') behind and pulls it with no problems at all which makes me happy. The steering is easier than the 700 Sportsman I rode last week. I am rather impressed with the power that the 800 develops and it is very comfortable as well. I would probably have been happy with a 500 2up as well but they didn't have one and the price for the 800 2UP was right in the ball park for me so I will probably have this machine for the rest of my life considering how I will use it. However if my wife becomes more interested who knows things could change and we could have two smaller quads in the future but I was not inclined to purchase a used quad with my inexperience in this new endeavor and this 800 was available and suited my purpose at the present time since I plan on using it in two weeks to go bow hunting for deer on our farm in the North. I would like to say THANK YOU for your help to everyone and hopefully I will be learning to use this new machine shortly. I will keep you posted on how things go and any problems or pleasant surprises. Best Regards

Woods Rider

 

Great to hear you got a quad that you like that will meet your needs. The 800 is a powerhouse. I bought my X2 in the summer of 2006 and then they came out with camo a month later (uggh) and then with a 700 or 800 6 months later. At the time there was only a few hundred dollars difference between the two. If I had had a choice then I would have gone with the 700 even though I've been impressed with the 500 and don't really need anything bigger. Many happy miles to you.