I'm pretty sure there's no 50cc or 80/90cc units with 4WD. What's the very smallest ATV that DOES have 4WD? My son can't get through more than a few inches of snow, which pretty much shuts down his fun for the whole winter. We don't need a lot of power but we do need the ability to get through the snow.

Thanks!

 

The smallest i can think of is an older 250. Currently the smallest is a 300 polaris sportsman. It appears you are out of luck?

 

That's what I'm worried about - that there is nothing appropriately sized. I'm not putting my little boy on a 250cc machine!

Anyone else know of something out there?

 

Put a set of tire chains on it.

 

It's not a traction issue. It's the resistance from two non-driven tires.

Think of it this way: Deep snow looks like a "wall" of sorts in front of each tire. Driven tires can climb over the snow (or, actually, crush it down) but passive tires have to be pulled over or through the snow. In other words, driven tires help to get through snow but non-driven tires act like anchors and make the job more difficult instead of easier.

One way to improve that situation is larger tires, because they lower the angle of incidence at the interface between tire and snow. Larger tires "see" the snow at a lower angle, so it's easier for them to roll over the top of it. Smaller tires "see" the snow as more of a wall.

In any case, what's needed here is to convert the two non-driven tires from liabilities (adding resistance) to assets (reducing resistance). The way to do that is with 4WD, by having them contribute to the forward motion of the vehicle instead of resisting it.

 

Replace the front tires with skis. It's been done before.

 

Just what IdahoVinnie said,but my first thought was to put some type ski on the tire and strap it somehow.
We dont have the snow trouble down here in GA. that often.But when it does the main trouble is the idiots that think they know how to drive in it but really dont.

 

You need double the torque to turn the extra 2 wheels
You might be suprised how gutless a 250 4x4 is, not to mention you can limit the throttle.
A 4x4 under 200 cc would not be able to pull out of it's own way

FWIW we have over a foot of fresh powder here and the local kids have been boming around on the 50-110 cc atv's all week. Just go out and pack down a couple trails with the bigger atv first. 4-5 laps around the track was all it took for us. if you have to make a drag to tow behind the bigger ATV to groom the trails or even a lawn roller

 

Yamaha BearTracker 250 is a 4x4, my buddy has one and it really doesn't have much power...Its a 2000 maybe even a 99

 

Put his little quad away and tow him around on a sled or mattress.