this goes to everyone with chain driven atvs. i am lookin to get an atv this summer and i want a chain driven one like a raptor 350 or a blaster. But there is a problem. my dad doesnt want to get a chain because back in the day he had a 3 wheeler and he said that he had problems with his chain such as links breaking and the chain falling off. so now he doesnt want to get a chain he wants to get a shaft. so i am asking everyone, do you ever have any problems with your chain such as links breaking and chains coming off the sprocket?

Thanks

 

I have never had any probs with any of the chain driven quads I've had. (total 3, and 1 dirtbike). Although most chain driven quads are going to need more maintenance, I have found that it's much easier to perform maintenance on bikes that dont have tons of plastic all over the place and everything is closed off (i.e. most utility quads).

I dont know exactly what would cause the links to break as easily as you make it sound on your dad's 'wheeler, but I haven't had a single link break, all I do is lube it up every few rides and it's ready to go. As for it falling off, thats usually from either a poorly adjusted chain (not tight enough) or from heavily worn sprockets. As for the anti-chain argument it's really not important whether it has chain or shaft, as long as you take care of it it'll last a long, long time. Its more important to think about what kind of atv you want. Do you want a full utility quad so you can use it for work around the house, do you want a sport-ute for trail riding or mudding with 4-wheel drive, or do you want a pure sport quad for just plain fun for mx, dunes, or trails?

Depending on the terrain in your area (I'm not particularly familiar with riding areas in Louisiana) one type of bike will suit you better than another. If you want a capable mudding quad, which I know there are some famous mudding areas in Louisiana, then I would definately recommend a 350 or larger 4x4. A good choice if you want both a sporty quad and a capable 4x4 is a yami wolverine.

I have owned a blaster myself and i had a lot of fun with it. However, blaster's have a very peppy powerband and are not well-known for low end torque, they want to go fast and being air-cooled, need to. One thing they really hate is anything where you need major ground clearance or anything muddy. Raptor 350s are better, but not perfect for that either. They are better suited to anything slow or more rough (not to say that they cant go fast), the blaster's suspension is very hard and doesn't soak up the bumps as well.

If you don't intend to do a lot of mudding then a warrior/ raptor 350 or blaster could suit you just fine. Also, how much skill you have with atv's and how old are you? And are you comfortable with a clutch? Do you prefer, or have any experience with, 2 or 4-stroke quads? Have you looked at any other brand or model of quad? How much do you have to spend? This kind of information would really help me and the other forum members to help find the best quad for you.

 

yes i do have some expeirnce with riding. my friend has 2 blasters and i go with him sometimes to the area that we ride. i really just want something sporty that can go through some mud but to much. im not buyin it so i dont have much say in what we get but my dad is liking a z250. its a nice bike but i want something with with more power. i might be able to convince him to a wolverine. will a wolverine beat a blaster or keep up with it? o by the way i am turning 16 on july 17.

 

If you are comfortable with the blaster then i cant say a whole lot against it, normally if you hadnt ridden one then i would say that the 2-stroke powerband is a little more work to manage. Have you ridden any other kinds of quads? A four stroke, which i would expect you have probably ridden, but if not, is going to have a very different powerband. They start off with lots of torque at low rpms and have a pretty solid midrange but are usually kinda weak on top end, the opposite is true of 2-strokes which you already know.

A wolverine would be a pretty close match for the blaster on top end speed but since its basically a 4x4 version of the warrior, it wont keep up in acceleration. Throw in some mud or logs or whatever obstacles you might come across and the blaster will be stuck pretty quick while the wolvy will have no problems.

A z250 is not something i would recommend, really. They're fine bikes, dont get me wrong, but being that you are almost 17, you will grow into and out of both the power and the size of the bike itself in a matter of months. They are meant as a good introduction into the sport class but are usually targeted for much younger riders (regardless of the "16 years old" warning label). Also, they would certainly not be my first choice for any kind of mudding, nor would anything else in the 250 class really.

My first quad was a yamaha badger 80 which i got when i was about 9 i think. Then when i was 11 we sold it and got a honda recon 250, which is the utility version of honda's 250ex. The 250ex is one of a few models in competition with the z250 but the thing is, I grew out of my recon when i was 14 and got a dirtbike, then soon after that a blaster, which i recently sold and i now ride a banshee. What im trying to point out is that 250cc 4-strokes are not very powerful bikes and as much as your parents might hate to admit it, you are going to want, and probably need a larger bike.

A 350cc or possibly 400cc quad is going to be a good bike to suit your needs. A blaster wouldnt be too bad, they definately kick some 250 4-stroke butt, however, they are a little cramped and they are built for younger riders as well, usually 12-15 year olds. A warrior (or raptor 350) or wolverine would be a fine bike, between the two it depends whether you want 4x4 or not, and if you think you can safely handle a 400cc sport quad (its not that hard, just dont underestimate the bike, or overestimate your skills), then you could be just fine with a 400ex or DVX,KFX, or LTZ400.

This are the approximate horsepower ranges, top speeds, and prices (New and used) for the bikes i suggested as well as some others you might want to consider:


25-31 hp; 62-65mph

Honda 400ex - $5299 / $3500
Kawasaki KFX400 - $5699 / $4250
Artic Cat DVX400 - $5699 / $4250
Suzuki LTZ400 - $5799 / $4750 (not very many used ones)


15-19 hp; 56-61 mph

Yamaha Warrior - $4399 (i think) / $3000
Yamaha Raptor 350 - $4999 / $4500 (very few used ones)
Yamaha Wovlerine - $5199 / $3250
Yamaha Blaster - $3299 / $2250
Honda 300ex - $4499 / $3000
Kawasaki Mojave $4099 / $2750


12-14 hp; 52-55 mph

Honda 250ex $3499 / $2750
Suzuki Z250 $3899 / $3250 (not very many used ones)

Also, is this bike going to be just for you to ride recreationally or is it going to be for your parents to use as well? A good selling point if you have any property you might tell your parents that the wolverine has racks so it can be used as a utility quad for light work around the house. Hope this helps!

 

im trying to convince my dad to chain driven atvs. hes all worrie that the links will break or the chain will come off because thats what happened to his 3 wheeler when he had it when i was like 2 years old. so now he doesnt want chain. if i succed in convincing him then i am goin to try to get a z400 or a raptor 350. If i could convince him then i would be very happy. but until then, i can only pray that he understands that if we get a chaindriven atv the chain will not break or come off.

 

Keep your chain tight and lubed,You'll be just as reliable as Shaft Driven.

 

I have never had any trouble with my chain. Of the 2 quads you listed i would go with the z 400.

 

mine get oiled right after they get cleaned following every ride! oil em and store em. let the oil soak in. you should be OK.

some of the older dirt bikes came with too small a chain on em, so we were always carrying breakers and master links. No problems at all nowadays. in fact, the Rapdaddy comes without a master link from the factory! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]:

 

yeah, with a properly maintained machine, the chain should last a very long time.....Iv got a story tho if you dont maintain the chain ever.....my buddy has a 85 honda xl 200 i think dirtbike..and he never did any maintanence to it...rode it hard...never cleaned it nothing....one day, he was barreling down this gravel road, and he was givin'er ****.....all of a sudden, he heard a tink..the chain snapped.....then a slashing sound and the chain has lascerated his leg about 1.5 inches deep and blood was everywhere..he went to the emergency and was in critical condidtion from losing so much blood, but its something to think about...not maintaining your eqiupment.....things can go wrong[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

shaft drive sucks and if you want sport atv I don't think there is a sport with shaft drive. So that means buy my warrior I've even broke the chain guard off for you and everything even got the holes proffesionally welded shaft drives are ok if you want a utility quad or something