i am looking in on buying my firts quad and well frankly i don't have allot of money and those bikes are very well priced, but my question is does anyone know if there good enough to for a person thats 5,9 and 185lbs and do they run ok? im looking at the jetmoto250 and the redcat VX 200.

 

well first off, how old are you? secondly, you dont need a brand new quad to learn on, unless youve got money to burn, or you really really want a new quad.

also along with that, i presume since this is your first quad, you have little to none riding experience? if thats the case id look at a used honda sport bike, like a 200ex or something along those lines as hondas are very reliable, wont die, and are low maintnance. im sure more people will chime in on suggestions. dont get too big of a bike for your first one or you might become scared of it

 

well im 25 years old and your right i don't have any experience on a quad, i have mostly used dirt bikes. but i reall would like to buy a new one. Not because i got money to burn but its because usually when buying used machines, and i have experienced this when buying used dirt bikes, you usually get stuck with problems that another person had with that very bike, but i have one more question, im 5,9 and a 185lbs would a quad with sizes . L x W x H of 64, 36, 35.5 be a normal size quad or not would it be to small. I ask this because as you can see i know nothing about quads except they are allot of fun and i have always wanted one, but i live in New York City and when going Quad buying in Manhattan i have asked simple questions and no one has been able to help me.

 

well, this kind of enlightens the subject a little, since your an experienced dirtbike rider, i would suggest getting a larger motord quad since you have some experience.

take a look at these:


Yamaha Raptor 350
Yamaha Warior 450
Yamaha Blaster 250
Honda TRX300EX
Honda TRX400EX (might be too big)
Polaris Trail Blazer 250
Polaris Scrambler 500 H.O. (probebly too big)
Polaris Pheonix 200

 

Tonyg

If you are looking at buying an import and need something more your size in the 200cc and up series, take a look at the new DPX250. www.redcatmotors.com. Out of the RedCat line - this is really the only unit that is made for taller adults. The others are excellent for kids and smaller adults. RedCat will also be coming out with a 3 or 400cc 4wheel drive unit in December of this year, and a new racing division is rolling out on October 31. The VX-200 has a fairly soft suspension although it is rated for a 200+ driver. The 2WD DPX250 has the racks, water cooled, 5-speed manual transmisson.
I understand if you prefer the a "Big4" brand. Best of luck in finding something that works for you - there is lots to choose from out there.

 

I have always preferred to buy new when it comes to quads also. However, all of the Chinese brands seem to need more TLC right off the showroom floor than their Japanese counterparts. If you are the type that brings your car to a garage for oil changes, bypass anything made in China. Since you have experience with dirtbikes, you will probably be better off with something like a Warrior, 300EX, or Blaster. There are clean, low use examples of all of these out there, you just have to be patient in your search. Paying a 3rd party mechaninc to take a look at the quad before purchase would be $$ wisely spent also. Good luck either way you go.

 

Just a word on the Chinese brands (or any import for that matter - which includes nearly every sinle ATV sold in the U.S. today). People tend to think with their wallets, rather than the real picture. Anyone who buys a so called "off-brand", and thinks it will perform like the Big4, take a beating like the Big4, or outlast the Big4, is only fooling themselves. Its not rocket science - if you want high performance - buy high performance. Don't by something merely because you "expect" it should be high performance.

The "off-brands" on the market are intended for the casual trail rider and limited off-trail performance. They ARE NOT intended to be used for racing, continual "rough riding", jumping, trick riding or stunts, as a stock unit. I have personally seen some of these that were MODIFIED, and with those modifications and surprisingly little dough, can and have out-performed their Brand Name counterparts. I have also seen and have myself used stock Chinese units in small track competition and beat Brand Name units.

In short, be realistic about what you are going to use the unit for, then raise it a notch. Set your expectations, ask a lot of questions. Regardless of what you buy if you compare the machine and your expectations apples to apples, you will rarely be dissappointed in your choice. My family rides ALL chinese brands machines, and we are happy with what we have. We are casual users that only make it out a few weekends each summer and run around the property with them occassionally. I have no reason to spend many thousands of dollars on a brand name unit and have it parked 9 months out the year. I do not haul an elk with them, although I do plow my drive with one. In my experience, most everyone I know that has purchased a chinese unit and was utterly dissapointed and angry with their purchase - are using them for unintended purposes and just wanted to save a few bucks, or didnt look into who they were buying from and make sure service is there. I own six chinese units - going on nearly 2 years now and have repaired 2, an intake manifold, and the rear axle bearings. Total repairs$0, as it was all covered under warranty.

There are unreliable and lemon Brand Name models, just as there are Chinese imports. As far as parts availability, I have friends that own brand name units that have waited weeks and months for parts. YOU have to make the decision, not someone on a forum that either hates or loves their own brand. I have found that there are alot of assumptions and personalization in opinions, which is normal. I guarantee you, if you rely on a persons opinion and do not do a little hands on investigation you will be dissappointed, because it was not YOUR decision.

 

hey i wanna thank all of you for your help, like i said i din't know much about quads so i needed all the help io\ could get thank's.

 

That quad would be too small for you. I would much rather spend $2,000 to $3,500 on a used name brand than the same amount for a chinese or taiwanese ATV. The smaller versions for kids is a different story, I have a 2003 Eton Viper 90 and it has been great for the kids (it even hauls an adult around the dunes as long as you keep your speed up and stay on the really small stuff). Just take some time and you can usually find a 250cc to 400cc four stroke in that price range that hasn't been ridden very much. If you plan on riding the dunes, get at least a 400cc (or 250cc two stroke), otherwise a 250 would take you just about anywhere you want to go.