Polaris Trailblazer 250.

I also disagree with the opinion on the 250 ex. It's light handles well and couldn't be easier to ride for a beginner. I weigh almost 200 pounds and got it around 4 feet in the air without bottoming it on a flat landing. I would say more air than that and your not a beginner anymore it's time to move up.

 

My vote for worst ATV would go to the Polaris 3 wheeler that they tried to make back in the mid 80s. If I remember right it was a 250 2 stroke automatic ( I think it was called the scramble or something like that) I rode one once at the dealership, it just did not seem right......overweight and underpowered.
From my own personal experience I would give most reliable to an old Honda 185s 3 wheeler I had way back in the day. You could do anything to that machine and it would just keep running, I sent it over a 20 ft ledge and all that happened was some broken plastic and some newly modified handle bars. I believe that if there had been a nuclear holacaust all that would have made it throught that would have been the cochroachs and that 3 wheeler.....lol Anyway just my $.02

Dirthead

 

I agree with ya Dirthead on those reliable Honda 185s's . We bought a new one in 82, I rode the snot out of it for ever, I broke more ropes, and the rear grab bar more times than I can count. My uncle still has it and the timing chain has been adjusted once. It still runs about 50mph it just smokes a little now. These old ATCs were the best.

Another worst Candidate would be the YFM 200 , based on the engine being so far back it would flip going up a steep hill. And the rear diffs didnt hold up very well . IMO

 

Bandits uncle gave us a lil honda 185 three wheeler and we killed it. Wasnt me, when we went riding he always made me ride the RT-180 because we all hated the manual clutch and over all size of it. As I recall got ran into a tree and rolled down the street (not on its wheels). It still worked after that but eventually all the abuse just made it quit. Made me want to bit@# slap somone because that meant we had to take turns with the darn RT-180 again.

 

the sad thing is, even though i feel the suzuki quadrunner is the worst atv ever, it has gone through a lot of sh¡t, seriously, we have flipped it, rolled it down hills, jumped it even with no suspension, did huge wheelies, and a few things went on it since then like....we strippd out the axle where the hub is, busted the brakes a few times, broke the tie rod, broke parts of the racks, broke the headlight off several times, and im sure more. but the sad thing is.....it still runs. lol, i still think it was one of the worst quads ever though.

 

i meant suzuki quadrunner 230, from da 80's, god i hate it. goin through woops at about 30 mph, sitten on the back doesnt feel to well

 

worst ive been on, a 2005 Polaris sportsman, Tranny problems, hard starting, hard to steer, front end always launched into the air with the slightest throttle, with 150 lbs of weight added to the front no less! Had one at work, was only 3 years old at the time, any time anyone went to use it, one of us had to sit up front, and it barely kept on the ground that way! I guess it would be nice if you like to ride wheelies all the time! Sold it soon later that year (2008) and bought a 2003 Yamaha Big Bear 400, and never looked back.

the second worst would be the backup shop quad, the 07 Arctic Cat 500, hard to steer, 4x4 broke right after we got it, takes an hour to start when its below 45 degrees, constant whining and grinding noises make me scared something is gonna break on it , seat latch broke, seat held on with bungee straps, slower and much less power than the 400 Yamaha.

As far as older stuff goes, my friends Suzuki LT125, but only cause it was a bone rattler to ride! Riding Hardtail ATCs, I thought it would be no big deal, but I was wrong! not bad otherwise.

My ATC 185s is a freaking Cadillac compared to that thing! No wonder he sold it.

 

why dont you like the 185

 

Look at the date of the post, that was like 15 years ago. You'll never find out because that person hasn't come in here for years.

 

This is the first time I've logged in to this site in 2 years. Glad to see it is still around. I had an LT 185 and while I liked it in '85 I happened to get another one a few years ago and it was awful. Didn't handle, crappy reverse gear, rear brakes only, no rear suspension, the seat had to be removed to put gas in it.