Which used quad bike

drbob

Active Member
I'm looking to buy a second hand Quad bike for general use on the hill for my deer stalking, can you guys recommend one that's hardy enough and say what second hand values would likely be. I have looked at a couple but wasn't sure they would be up to it. Thanks for your suggestions.
 
i use a honda big red 300 4 wheel drive ,i have put some spacers on the wheels and got the widest tyres i can have , if you roll it or get it stuck its light enough to lift out of trouble , the centre of gravity is also low , its a great bit of kit , good luck ,arron. ps its used on steep hills at arrochar not flat estates !
 
forget honda, they living on past reputation..
look for a yam with power steering and independant rear suspension
 
Wot ever colour/breed u go for just keepit simple no fancy electrics/gears etc. Just more to go wrong and expensive to find problem and to fix

Might be worth asking at local back street argi mechanics who are decent/cheap, wot bike's they prefer to work on, some very good boys locally in my area on honda's know everything about them, but in other areas it may be yahama's or suzuki's etc that are the common bikes
 
I've had my Honda 350 for 9 years , bought second hand its never missed a beat , serviced once a year its as reliable as it gets ..just in the throws of updating it for the 500 & that's purely down to a friend selling up & retiring ...Honda is the way forward..
 
Used to have a TRX 350 (1986), that thing was like a little tank and utterly reliable (until someone ran it out of oil).:doh:
Argo now, you can't fall off an Argo :D
 
Wot ever colour/breed u go for just keepit simple no fancy electrics/gears etc. Just more to go wrong and expensive to find problem and to fix

Might be worth asking at local back street argi mechanics who are decent/cheap, wot bike's they prefer to work on, some very good boys locally in my area on honda's know everything about them, but in other areas it may be yahama's or suzuki's etc that are the common bikes

Good advice. Best quad I ever had was a Yamaha 350 Big Bear. All manual apart from the electric start. Wish I had never sold it.

The reason there are plenty of two/three year old quads available is because most estates or larger business users move them on as soon as the warranty is out due to crazy servicing/parts costs,
 
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forget honda, they living on past reputation..
look for a yam with power steering and independant rear suspension

No experience of Yamaha but as for Honda I've had no problems with mine and have only ever heard good things from everyone I know who uses them. Have heard quite a few guys recall how they have rolled a Honda and seen it disappear down hill only to find there is nowt wrong with it afterwards. For the most part they seem to be reliable, bombproof machines. The only negative thing I have heard came from one owner who had trouble with a model that had electronic shift. Mine is an older model (also has ES incidentally). I know a lot of folks avoid these but my mine has to be disabled friendly. So far it has been brilliant. I'm curious why you would say they are living on past reputation? Are there issues with newer machines?
 
To be fair i would say he's right, Honda are living of past reputations, the old Big Reds and 350's are still bomb proof and probably a better buy than any modern quad if u can find 1.

Honda's are still excellent bikes but the other brands have all caught up with them (some folk would say surpassed them? really personal preference) Honda's chasis and racks are not as strong as they once were, built more for the americain market, running about paddocks etc rather than the abuse they get here by farmers/shepherds and esp keepers

I run an ES but keep it under warranty so change it every 18-24month, usually when it needs new tyres, must admit never really misses a beat but had odd things replaced under warranty that i would not like to pay for, but do a fairly high milage.
Some hill boys dinae like power steering as makes steering too responsive so if u hit a tussock etc can almost flip the bike (but other hill boys love them:confused:)
Is power steering not a fairly new thing? Know my dad got a good deal 3 years ago as last Yamaha's of that model without power steering

Like anything the more complicated the more to break and esp with electrics can be hard to find, know 1 shoot had major problems with the ES/Auto Honda (sort of top of range 1) needed a new wiring loom eventually which was affecting its gears so would hardly drive
 
Thanks to all the guys, your input was perfect and have a good idea of what i can buy, i now know a 350 isn't to little and the quads are the same as my motorbikes ive had over the years, the yamaha has surpassed the honda for build quality in most departments although honda engines are hard to beat.
Dont think i need ps but if one comes along i wont disregard it as an option.
Cheers Rob
 
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