What Quad to buy ?

[spike1]

:confused:

I'm looking to buy a Quad and need some feedback. For several reasons I need to keep the weight down, I would like the machine to be around 400 pounds. I want to stay with the utility version, hopefully I'm older and smarter now and need to keep the speed down for more exploring/hunting rather than racing. I live in Arizona and don't require the 4X4 for going through lots of mud, 4X2 is just fine. I really don't like this crash box shifting they have now. I prefer a real clutch but have found out they don't exist anymore. I like the Artic Cat 250 but it is so heavy 500+ !

The contenders are the Bombardier Rally 200, Suzuki Ozark 250, Kawasaki Bayou 250, and the Honda Recon 250. These machines all seem about equal to me. The leader of the pack if I had to choose today would be the Bombardier Rally. The Rally has the CVT transmission (or lack of). It is the lightest of them all at 388. The dealer is just down the street (Mom and Pop) and I can get out the door with everything ~ 300 less than other units,,, and ! the dealer is throwing in a 3 year warranty (or was it 2 years ?).

So are the Bombardier's OK ? Am I missing something?
:confused:

[Dom]

Sounds like you got it pretty much figured out Spike. Bombardier is a very good solid machine from what I've read and heard. When I got mine it was either that one or what I got, the Honda Foreman. And since the dealer is right down the street, that pulls more weight -- go for it, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[blacktail]

I have a honda 250 2wd
great machine and have had no problems

[spike1]

Just some strange thought (inquiring minds want to know). Looking at all the spec sheets for these units it occurred to me that none of the units have the same size tires front and rear ? On a racing machine I could see it. On a utility machines being able to keep a spare back in the truck would be a great advantage,,, I would think ???? It seems logical,,, doesn't it ?

[Jabba]

I have a 99 Bombardier Traxter. It's been pretty much bullet proof and we really abuse mine. I hauled about 24 tons of stone one summer to build a fireplace and flue out of native local stone for our cabin.

I have hauled as many as 11 men, and two deer on a trailer. And that was up a fairly steep hill on an unmaintained road.

Here'sa pic. You can see that we abuse it. I will have had it 5 years this coming July.

Jabba

[Thargor]

Kawasaki PRAIRIE 700 4X4

http://www.huntchat.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32584

[Jabba]

Originally posted by Thargor
Kawasaki PRAIRIE 700 4X4

http://www.huntchat.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32584

Somehow I don't think the Prarie 700 qualifies as light.

My Traxter sure is not light... I just offered it as a benchmark for quality. My Bombardier has been awesome.

Jabba

[Thargor]

Hmm I missed that part about it being light.

[spike1]

When push came to shove and the cash started flowing the Honda dealer would not give up a sale to anyone.

[muskrat30]

Nice machine. You should be very happy with it. I drive a 2002 Honda Foreman 400 & have been totally pleased with it.

[spike1]

I have been out on it every weekend. It's only 2 WD but seems to go everywhere just fine.

http://www.paulswackyworld.com

go to index,,, then pictures,,,, and you can see my adventures

[foster]

My .02Cdn.
Machines today are all very good quality. (I'm assuming you plan to buy new.)
A huge consideration for me would be the dealer -- some of them are absolutely saints, and others are downright evil.
Now that you've shopped around, which of those dealers would you look forward to dealign with for the next 10 or 20 years? Which ones were jerks?
That, to me, would go a long ways in sealing the deal.
Good luck and have fun.

["yote"]

1. Cat or Honda, toss a coin. I currently own both.
2. Get the 4WD. better to have it and not need it than the other way around.
3. As far as your weight limit, good luck. Anything worth a damn
is going to be pushing 500lbs.
My Arctic-Cat 500i 4x4 is top shelf. 65 mph down a gravel road
in 4WD. 12" of ground clearance with 10" of wheel travel.
If you are going to be towing a fair amount of the time, I would
recommend the Honda Foreman. The straight axle in the back
does a better job. My "Cat" likes to "squat" when towing due
to the 4 wheel independant suspention.

P.S. Both are manual trans. ( Real gears, none of that belt crap)
I've had enough of that on snowmobiles.