I have been doing a lot of research on MIC quads litley because i have a smal budget, seeing as im in college, and was wondering if a vbike would be okay for a beginer. I have a little bit of wrenching skills on a car but never on a quad and was wondering if theres much to it because they look prety basic and simple. How long of a life could i expect to get out of one of these quads. Initailly this quad will be for two people mainly for camping but if i like the quad i may buy another. Any body have any recomendations as to wether the 250cc utility with the shaft drive will be any better than the 250cc sport utility for two people and some trail riding. Thanks for your time.

 

What are the MIC quads? If you can wrench a bit used is the way to go if you ask me. The size you are looking at is what I'd call the "wife bike" range. I don't mean that in a negative way but there are alot of them that were bought for a wife or whatever and didn't get much use. I got my wife a 3 yr. old polaris 250 a couple of years ago off of craigslist that was almost new for $2000. The guy I bought it from said 4 tanks of gas had gone through it and it sat in the garage over a year 'till I got it. Of course I can verify that, but she's been riding it for 3 years now without any problems. I have had one of the cheap brands (if that is what the MIC is) and I was pretty disappointed. We have had 3 suzuki kids quads that have been very reliable and durable. We have had 3 polaris adult quads that we couldn't be happier with too.

 

I have 2 MIC (Made in China) bikes. I also have a 250R, which is in desperate need of work.
Ive had all kinds of name brand quads, and can honestly say that my Chinese bikes have given me more reliability.
I have a KMD 250cc sport bike, and it is really easy to mod and work on. As far as the shaft drive MICs, I would
think about your budget. Those things can be costly to repair, and if you are tight on money to purchase the bike,
then repairs might put you in a position where you cant ride due to insufficient funds. A chain is easy to repair,
and wouldnt cost too much. If you want to have a bike just for light trails, and to just mess around on, Id go with a sport
bike rather than the higher cost for a utility.

 

Thanks for the the input bigdumbfun and sflarider. I wasnt sure if id be better off with a new lower quality bike versus a 4 5 6 year old bike. Only proble i see with a sport first is my better half and i go camping off the trails all the time and a utility seems like it would fit both of us fine. Ill have to check out craigslist and see what they have but im lookin for something under 1500 and i have a feeling that if i buy a name brand bike its going to be too old and break down more often. Ive never even really ridden a four wheeler before but im going to school in the uper peninusula of Michigan and there isnt much to do up here. Im not looking for a rocket just something for puts in a round in. So what does everybody think used name brand or new made in china. Thanks for the quick responces too.

 

And also what are some brands and models should i keep an eye out for soim not stuck with a name brand p.o.s.

 

The only MIC that Id stay away from is SUNL (Due to little or no dealer support, and parts availability)
I have one, and havent had any major issues with it, but a majority of buyers have had lots of problems.
The best thing to do would be to look for a local dealer, if any. As far as a utility, you can get a 250cc utility
for under 1500 Im sure. Most online dealers are only drop shippers, so you need to be careful on who you
choose. eBay has some reputable dealers, with years of selling experience.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...19QQitemZ290218595742


Thats a 250cc utility, and if you call in your order, they take off some. Im sure you can get it under 1500, just give them a call.

 

Lots of 20 year old name brand 250 ATVs riding around, will the same be said for a 20 year old Chiness ATV 20 years from now? Not likely.

 

lol, why do you haters always have to post in this section? Geez, now to get back on topic.

http://forums.atvconnection.co...7/threadid/540042.cfm


This guy just did a review on the bike I mentioned before. Id give it a read, seeing how that is
about the only option for a NEW bike in your price range. TLC thinks he knows what hes talking about, so all
you got to do is ignore the bashing, and ask them to offer some real advice instead of trying to get you to coform
to their way of life. Its not about what brand for you obviously, its about your budget. You can probably find a 20 year old
name brand bike for 1500, but youre just inheriting someone elses problems. I dont care who a seller is, every bike has issues,
and only people like TLC will try to stay away from that subject. I would rather have a new bike for 1500, than a bike someone else has been thrashing. If its so good, whys it for sale? Hmm...

 

I fully agree with "sflarider" that not everyone can afford a $6000 dollar ATV but they can afford a $1500 dollar ATV. The reason there are so many 20 year old Honda's and Yamaha's is because they have better parts support with a local dealer to go to when you have problems.

The biggest problem with Chinese ATV's is that there is very little parts support or dealer support after the sale, and service manuals are non-existent so it is up to the consumer to do his own homework and turn a wrench when they break. Of course there are corners cut here and there but for the $$$ it allows some people to enjoy ATVing that otherwise could not.

To answer the posters question Vbike would be a better choice as there is parts support after the sale, and the Vbike's are Taotao brand which are built very well for the $$$. You still need to go over the ATV and locktite the bolts and flush the fluids along with tune the carb and tighten the chain, but these are all things that any "name brand" dealer does before you ever see the ATV.

Chinese ATV's get a bad rap because most people do not take the time to tighten and locktite every bolt and then complain when the wheel falls off, or they didn't tighten the chain and the chain fell off.

Here are some good deals for a 250cc utility below.........

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...20222127514QQtcZphoto


http://www.atvdiscounter.com/A...V-20/ProductInfo.aspx


The first link is the one I have and after a sprocket change and a new chain it is a very powerful ATV and would be perfect for camping with the racks and costs $1150 delivered. The second link is a shaft drive water cooled 250cc which some prefer over chain drive due to less maintenance on shaft drive. Shaft drive ATV's usually start at $2000 so $1688 delivered is a lot of bang for your buck.

Best of luck with your search.........................Slydog

 

Hi dooleypfeiffer, welcome to the forum. You have come to the right place to find tons of information, and other peoples experiences with Chinese ATVs. From what I have seen on this forum you will find helpful people that give you constructive information and then you get people like that TLC character that are MIC haters that have nothing to offer with personal experiences.

Anyway, I am fully satisfied with my two Vbike ATVs that I purchased. I havn't had either out on the open trails yet but from what I can see they are both built very well considering the price I paid for them. If these ATVs are well maintained you should expect great performance. And yes, as with all ATVs, they will require you to be dilligent with maintence. As far as support, Vbike has treated me very well.