can anyone give me some info about this quad? is it powerful? nimble? good acceleration? does it feel heavy? is it hard to "throw around"? whats its over all "feel" while riding? thanx for the info.

 

my dad rides a 2002 4x4 big bear. the 2002 and newer have selectable 2wd/4wd which is nice. its got plenty of power, but a low top speed. the fastest he's ridden his is 45mph...but one of my friends has pushed his older big bear to 50 or so. i havent ridden it very much, but my dad doesnt have any trouble "throwing it around" on the trails. overall, i'd say its a good quad.

hope this helps [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I have ownerd the awesome Big Bear 400 4x4 since 2000-mine is NOT 2wd/4wd switchable.
I love it except it's top speed is 45-50 (as previously stated) You wont win the speed race, but you might just win the endurance race.
I have mis-treated that quad by flooding it in swamp goo,
I have pulled huge loads (boat, horse trailers, cargo, trees etc) with it.
It is unstoppable in the mud.
It keeps up on the trails.
The best overall quad - I doubt it. But it's been an asset to me for a long time.

I estimate the mileage at over 7,500 miles
200 miles per month minimum = 2400 miles per year x 3.5 years.

Maintain it and it will reward you with years of service.

BTW - I recommended the Big Bear to a buddy. He bought it on my words alone.
He hates it. He says it's too slow, but he tries to ride with his raptor buddies ...

My suggestion is to borrow a friends Bear for an hour.
You will notice the same thing as everyone else, "it needs a sixth gear"
Good Luck

 

jarod has one and he will know more than i do but i rode his and it had tuns of power, like was mentioned it is a little on the slow side but sufficient.

 

Well, the bear is designed to be more of a work horse then a racer. I didnt like it because it was geared so low. You might look at the Kodiak. It is an automatic, but it feels a bit more zippy on the low end. If you can, find a dealer that has an area where you can test ride them. I am sure you will be able to find one that you like [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

They are a great machine. Not fast but will run all day long and no problems. Not the fastest machine but great running. My brother has the 02 version BigBear and loves it. He ride with all sport machines and leeps up pretty well. The Bear has good lowend power and climbs hills very well. Stock tires kinda suck like all OEM tires do but other than that it is the only bad thing unless you want a speed demon. It is proven to be a reliable machine.

 

its a great quad and hsa tons of low end and a decent top end, controled skidding, you can slide around corners easy in 3rd, and you'll always have enough power
ps i got a 01