If there were that many parts you noticed need replacing from your short visit, imagine all the parts you would of found after a few days!!! I agree, good decision on not buying it.

Have you checked your dealer lately. They have some smoking deals on the Predator 90 now trying to clear them out to make room for the new Outlaw. They also come with a few accessories as part of the package including a flag and new helmet.

From the prices I have seen these used mini's go for you could buy a new one for a few hundred dollars more now (some used ones locally were asking from $1500 to $1800) and know it has not been abused and get a warranty to boot. You can also finance a new one at some attractive rates if you do not want to lay out $2000 at once.

 

I would recomend the Eton 90R. Either 2 or 4 stroke. Reverse on any quad is a really nice thing to have. And kids dont have to yell for help if they get themselves into a minor jam. Currently Eton is the only quad that I know of in that size range that has reverse. Anyways. you can find them ocasionally, theres one on ebay right now (ebay item #200016479429). My wife loved the 90R 4stroke she rode for awhile. But wanted something to keep up better with me (see sig). They also come pre-wired for headlights, and have this really cool knight rider LED thing going on [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]. We did try out alot of other ATV's when shopping. The only one we like was the Yamaha, but no reverse, and the price was still 500 more than the ETON, well, we picked the ETON.

Anyways, if you are interested, here are some links for ya..

Eton 2 stroke 90R
Eton 4 stroke 90REbay Eton 90R

I dont know what the one on ebay is on the 4/2 stroke.

 

Thanks Lapurr....

After a LOT of research on the web and after looking at several differnet bikes in person, I decided against the chinese quads right out of the box...At first they were on the top of my list.....4 strokes...they have some GREAT safety features, but they are just built SO cheaply.....the frames are very light gauge, etc....and from what people were saying, hard to get parts for and hit or miss as far as quality...some folks had theirs break after just one ride!

So then started looking at the taiwanese bikes like the Eton.....Nicer and better built....I looked at a Polaris Predator and overall nice bike...good frame and whatnot.....but they are open-stator and CVT 2 strokes....some folks said they had issues in mud and water.....otehrs said they were fine.....the one I lokked at was beat so I passed on it....pissed me off, too....the guy on the phonesaid it was "mint condition".....I was ready to buy at the time, money in hand....I drive 3 hours--150 miles one way to get it...turns out he didnt mention it had bad rear hubs, bad front end parts, busted oil tank, bad front brakes, and other issues...and it was only a 2 year old machine.....that little excursion cost me $90 in gas and tolls plus 6 hours of my life.....but I learned a little.

So, I narrowed my search down to the big 3 manufacturers and learned that the suzuki LT80, while popular, is 2 stroke and has NO suspension...the swing arm mounts to the engine.....reports of broken cases from jumps, etc.....so I stayed away from those.....

Well, what is really left???

HONDA!

The TRX90 is what I ended up with.....it doesnt have electric start or floorboards.....but it has a beefy frame, solid hardware, full suspension and reliability on the trails.....I heard NO bad reports on the TRX90.....

I ended up finding a 2001 model on ebay that was only 45 miles away from me......somehow I won with a bid of $1,026......Picked it up yesterday...NICE bike! A couple minor issues with the plastic in one spot and a missing front bumper.....but its all cosmetic.....this little thing zips around GREAT even with my 235 lbs on it and doesnt smoke....the previous owner was the first owner and you can tell he really took care of it. To top it off, parts are easy to find, and parts from the 93 model all the way up thru 2001 should fit.....LOTS of aftermarket parts and support available too.

I guess maybe I should have lookedat them from the start butwas lured by the low price if the chinese quads ($600 brand new) and turned of by the price of the Hondas even used....they hold their value pretty well I guess....by all rights, I got an outstanding deal.....used they sell for around $1800 at dealers.... One of these days the chinese quads may get my attention again, as I have a second younger son who will probably want to ride too....but until they get their quality up, I'll pass....

So at the end of the day, I have 3 hondas in my stable now! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] <y VTX1300, my TRX250X atv and now the TRX90......I am glad I kept it in the family.....LOL

The Eton 90R is attractive even with the CVT but too pricey for me right now....so maybe in a couple years when I am shopping for the younger boy's bike....I do like the idea of reverse!

 

Congrats on the new quad, you got a smokin deal! One of my local dealerships was selling an '01 in nice shape for $1500.00, so you saved at least $400. Personally, I think the influx of all these cheaper minis have got a lot more kids riding, made mini racing more feasible, but ruined the resale of the Japanese brand minis. Anyways, I am real happy with my TRX90, and even though it is older, it has given me no reason to think it will be unreliable. Plus, dad is having a blast riding the thing too!

 

Yeah I figured I did OK. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I havesince realized that the small hole in the front plastic is actually where the support rod for the plastic would have been...I think.....but it doesnt seem like it it will be a big deal to repair it.

I just bought a used manual for it online too.

You are right, the cheap import ATVs have affected resale somewhat but I think that until they bring up their quality a LOT the Hondas and Suzies and Yams will have the edge.....right now they dont compare IMHO.

 

My son has a predator 90 2 stroke and it has never given me not 1 issue in 3 years except for the battery. My nephew has the 4 stroke and it breaks like crazy. You don't need to mix the oil they do it themselves. It has a seperate oil tank and self mixes. Great quad