Here's an answer from a wife's point of view which hopefully will be helpful to you.

My first quad was bought 1 1/2 years ago, a 2002 Honda Sportrax 250EX. This is a great quad. It has alot of pep, easy to shift gears with auto clutch (no clutch). I still ride it and my tall 12 year old is learning on it now. I just took this quad out last weekend to play in the snow up in the hills with my hubby and friends who have utility quads. Myquad may not been able to go up the real muddy steep hills but it went through the trails just as good as theirs and it didn't get stuck as much since it is narrower. It is easy to turn the wheels and reverse is simple. I was able to keep up with the big boys on the logging roads just fine too.

I am starting to feel pushed out of this quad because it is becoming the perfect quad for my daughter. I am also bit of a speed demon and so I will be purchasing a bigger quad this spring which will be a 2004 Warrior. I am choosing to go manual because that's what most of the bigger sport quads are.
I will still steal the 250EX away to go play on it once in a while though!

You should ask her what she would like to be on, A sport quad or utility quad (I absolutely wanted a sport quad only). Show her pics and what the specifications are and if she doesn't understand them explain them to her like the dry weight, LxWxH,Transmission, ground clearance, etc. Research together. Remember, this is qoing to be her quad, not yours.

I am understanding more as I research the last quad for my hubby (Z400) and this Warrior I am planning to buy.

Sorry this is long. Hope this helps and good luck!

 

Polaris Trailblazer 250 and you can buy a good used one for around $1,800.00

 

I would definately recommend the Suzuki Z250. If she is anything like me she does not want to put around. The Z250 is sporty looking and very easy to ride. I love my Z250 it gives me the confidence to climb the dunes and speed through the river beds.
Let her test drive one.

 

SKetcher, Instead of a Warrior the Suzuki Z400 or Kawasaki kfx400(same thing) is less than a grand more, and it's a wayyyyy better quad than the warrior.

 

My husband has the Z400. I bought my Warrior last night. This is a stepping stone for my family. You see my son will be growing into my daughter's 250EX in a couple years and my daughter will be taking over my Warrior (it will be the perfect size and strength for her). Then my options will pretty much change into the Z400 by then or maybe something new will be out in the market by then!

Or, my daughter will have the option of staying in her 250EX and buying my son a Y250 or 250EX (I have heard the 250EX's are better though), if I like my Warrior. Hopefully my daughter will want to move up.

We mostly trail ride but go to Oregon to the dunes too. Last year we had to borrow a utility quad - oh, what fun - NOT! I looked like a sore thumb out there. We have quads that can do both functions. My husband gears his down for the trails around our town. So all and all we are happy and that's what counts. And I can ride his Z when I want to![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

thats some good advice, just get a 2000 or better

That was my GF's 1st bike. I never really had to worry about her when we were riding. The trailblazer and trailboss 330 are safe, stable, fun bikes to ride and learn on. She went to the Scrambler 500 without a hitch after 2 years,,,now I really dont have to worry[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

LoadToad
thanks for your service,,,,your job looks rewarding
That clam gulch looks like a little place I visited in petersburg ak

 

Listen to the ladies! My brother in law against all advice and logic bought his woman a raptor. I love raptors, but their is some getting used to riding on the back wheels. in the sand though you have to wheelie over the knife edge dunes, and on dirt they wheelie. She is scared to death of it, and finds reasons to not go with us. Everyone we knew told him to get her a 400ex or maybe one of the 400s. That way she had plenty of power without the wildness of the bigger rides! IT WILL BE HERS SO WHAT YOU WANT DOES"T MATTER!!!!!