Hi everybody.
I'm 14 and I'm looking for a fairly cheap 250 utility to go riding with my brother who just got a Polaris Scrambler 500HO. I'm on a very tight budget, and I know both machines are very reliable, but I'm looking for input from people who might have owned either of these. I want something that will be good for trails mostly and light work. Thanks for your help!

 

Well I have not ridden either but I do know that the Recon DOESN'T have a oil filter. It has a oil screen that the dealer has to clean every so often. That's why my dad didn't get my sis one. As for the Beartracker I know nothing about it. Someone chime in here!

 

Get that Manuel shift Recon and go have some fun.

My Recon has almost 400 hours on it and its never been back to the dealer.

You won't regret it.

Chet

 

Well, I've had both a Honda and a Yamaha (dirt bikes) and have never had a problem from either of them. From what I've heard, the Recon has really bad brakes, and it doesnt have the towing capacity or the rack capacity of the Yamaha. But I would have to ride one for myself I guess.

 

I have a Recon and have had no problems. I plow snow with it, haul wood with it, and have even raced a harescramble with it. It's a great little machine. My neighbors had a Beartracker and they didn't like it. Lack of power, uncomfortable. They now have a Suzuki Ozark 250 and like it. The magazines have placed it ahead of the Recon in recent shootouts as well.

 

Yeah, everybody says the Ozark is the best, and it would be my first choice if I had the money, but I don't. So I have to find a choose something a couple years old, and quite a bit cheaper.

 

My choice for a 250 was a Cat. But if you are into mostly trail riding do not get a Cat. It is geared towards utility, and will out work anything in the 250 class. When it comes to speed on the trails it is definatly not the fastest. For trail and light utility my first choice would be a Suzuki Ozark. You can't go wrong with a Recon either.......tons of them around, and I rarely hear of any problems with them.


jeff b.

 

I love my recon and I think it is way more fun then my old mans kawi 650. They are so light you can just throw them around and have all kinds of fun. My cousin just got a beartracker and when I took it for a drive I thought it didn't have as much power as the recon. I just couldn't get the tires to spins as easy. The most common with the recons are the clutch, they are built to light. If you are planning on driving it hard you will probally need a clutch within a couple of years, believe me I know, but my uncle has a 1998 recon and he drives it easy and has absolutly no problems with it. IMO I think the recon is a better vike then the beartracker.

 

Well I tell you this. One of my cousins has a Beartracker, and his brother has a Recon. Both of these really get the s**t beat out of them, and are both still running well. In fact I don't think either one has ever changed any fluids, including oil, and both are driven through water, mud, and snow on a regular basis. These two machines are as close as they come in terms of about everything. If your looking to go faster on one then the other, don't count on it. The recon will do 49mph, and the beartracker will do 48mph, although the recon has a slight edge it acceleration. I have also heard that the electric shift is somewhat convenient on the recon, but other than that I see no advantages either way. Go with the one you can get the best deal on, I know it will be close. I you are at all interested in a sport atv, get a blaster with a rack on it, but be prepared to drive a clutch.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty good with a clutch. I have an XR80 and I used to ride my brother's Mojave. I loved that thing, except for the kick start. I didn't know they made racks for the Blaster.