Hey All,

I'm currently starting my search for a quad and am mainly looking at Honda and Polaris right now. I don't want to spend more than $3K or so on the vehicle since it will primarily just be an every other weekend casual riding machine stored in a garage at my parents lake house. I'm planning on looking at utility so that I can have a passenger as well.

For my needs/use what should I be looking at? The machine will primarily be used on a crushed gravel/dirt trail that surrounds the property my parents home is on. Will probably be rode in light snow at times.

I'm thinking:

Machine year 2000-2008
Displacement: 400-600 cc
Trans: Not yet decided (Is manual hard to learn on a quad?)
Miles: Under 3000
4x4? - Possibly, any real use for it in my situation?

Can anyone help me with life-expectancy guidelines, amount of maintenance/cost that will be needed on such a machine? Chances are it will be a 2000-2004 machine because of cost, but will try to get 2K miles or under. I am not affraid to learn to do maintenance myself, but I want to know how long an older machine can last and at what cost without major unforseen problems.


Note: One machine currently at a dealer close to the property is selling a Polaris Sportsman 500 w/ 1119 miles & 221 hrs. It has a winch, is in good condition, and new paint & rack extender for $2400. How long would this last/good deal?

 

Others will jump in and advise you,but just my two cents,if you decide on a Polaris get at least a 2001 model or later HO. 2000 and earlier model non HO 500's did have a soft heat treatment cam issue that affected a lot of the Sportsmans and Scramblers.Other than that the engine is bullet proof if it's maintained properly and will last for years.

 

Thanks, I appreciate the tip!

 

Sounds like even a 2wd option would work for you, in case you find a deal on one.
I ride on some rough trails and still only use 2wd 90% of the time.

I had 3 foot shift ATVs and 2 full Auto utility ATVs. Take my word for it ,shifting gears gets to be a irritating chore after awhile that's just not necessary now a days.
I guess that's why there are very few foot shift utility ATVs even made any more.

 

Great. Not necessary needing 4x4 will definitely give me more options. Good to know about the manual shifting. Most of the units out there are auto anyway, but I was just curious.

 

Unless the trails are really muddy or you plan to go out in fairly deep snow you could probably get a 2wd. It amazes me how far into the brush a 2wd can go. That being said, if you are planning on plowing snow, going up steep rocky hills, or through tire deep mud, you'd be better off with a 4wd.

It sounds like a Honda would do okay for your needs. Check to make sure the Honda has adjustable shocks on the rear if you plan on a passenger sitting on the racks. Some Honda models don't have a preload adjustment so, if it's set well for your weight, it might not be good for you and a passenger.

As others have said, the Polaris 500 is a pretty bulletproof engine. What year is the one you saw advertised?

Another thought is to check with Illinois laws to see if you need a true 2 person machine when you go out on trails other than private property. Some states don't allow a single rider machine to be used as a 2 rider.

 

Even the foot shift ATVs are not full manual like a motorcycle. They have no hand clutch to deal with and you can stop and idle while in a gear without your hands on the bars.
The more common CVT full autos are just gas and go like a snowmobile.

 

It might be used to plow snow, so I may have to stick to 4x4 then. The Polaris I saw advertised was a 2001.

Good call on the Illinois laws. The majority of the use will be on private property.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I'll probably still stick with auto.