Quad Bike Choice

Yorric

Well-Known Member
I'm trying to decide which used quad to buy for work on the hill, & wondered what those who have used the different ones in the real world think of the different models.

There seem to be numerous models & variants - the choice is too wide without help!:confused:

I think I want a 4x4 with a minimum of 300cc engine, & am thinking of spending up to £2500 absolute max.

Advice on auto / manual / suspension type / engine capacity etc would be much appreciated.

Obviously the big four names are:-
Honda (Foreman, Fourtrax, Rincon, Big Red)
Yamaha (Bruin, Big Bear, Grizzly).
Suzuki (King Quad, Eiger, Arctic Cat)
Kawasaki (KLF & KVF)

Can Am & Polaris also as contenders. Should I totally discount the the likes of Farr , TGB etc?

How do you rate them - I know many folks will say Honda is best (like motor bikes) - that was the case in the past I think, but now have the others caught up?

Which do you like, which is most reliable & are are there any models to avoid - & if so why?

I'll want it to be Agri registered for occasional road use (say 1Km max) so any comments re - road ride attributes will be welcomed too.

Ian
 
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You wont go wrong with a Honda mate, they stand up to a fair bit of punishment. Like you say for the hill has to be 4WD and at least 300 if not 400. If you are working with reds then go for as much HP as you can get. Can only help you out if hauling big reds around.

JMO but stay away from the cheaper brands, you will spend most of your time fixing them.

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You wont go wrong with a Honda mate, they stand up to a fair bit of punishment. Like you say for the hill has to be 4WD and at least 300 if not 400. If you are working with reds then go for as much HP as you can get. Can only help you out if hauling big reds around.

JMO but stay away from the cheaper brands, you will spend most of your time fixing them.

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My Father has had a few over in spain. He had some Linhai 350 thing to start with. Load of crap! Lasted about a year and he chopped it in. Then he bought a 500 Quadzilla, again made by Linhai I think. Wasnt a bad machine. He had the long wheelbase version which made it good for loading it up and still getting a passenger on the back. Anyway, that lasted about 3 years before he started having major problems with it. Now he has bought a Yamaha Grizzly 500cc. Obviously it is far better quality than the others, with it being yamaha, but for around double the price, it bloody well should be! Cant fault it though, really smooth to ride and goes up the mountains better than a billy goat.

Myself, I have a TGB Blade 550. Cost me around £6,000 new, which was comparable to the cost of the Quadzilla, but thats where the comparison ends. The TGB is twice the quad for the money. It has independant suspension, full difflockers and 1 ton winch. I have taken it through some right bogs and it does not miss a beat. If I was buying another quad I would choose the TGB over the Yamaha Grizzly, simply because I dont see twice the price in comparing the quality and ability.

My TGB
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Honda Foreman every time, you still cant beat honda build quality and reliability.
 
have you considered a mule type have had quads for years but would not go back to one now yes you can get one any where a quad can go and can carry more load no climbing on and of keep dryer in wet ?
 
I have a Honda foreman 500 and they are strong and reliable daily use dragging a phezy snacker around a very wet shoot .
 
consider any of the big names also have you a dealer near you go to them as 2500wont buy a new one and if you have to travel a long way to get it repaired then travel costs etc need to be considered .
haveing said all that I am on my second KLF which has not cost me much in repairs wish it was a 400 though.
 
Honda or Suzuki King Quad with the super low. Hell of a strong machine and takes a big load front and back.
 
"Sit astride Quads" are a thing of the past,the future is "sit in quads" with a load area......carry 2/3 people legally and take a large red stag straight in the load area........mines a Polaris Ranger....
 
First thing is, you won't get a "sit in" quad for £2500 so I am not sure why people are even mentioning them with regard to your budget.
Second thing to consider is the type of terrain you will use it on. Hondas are great reliable machines but for the amount you want to spend you will not get independent rear suspension or diff lock for really sticky stuff.
I have had Honda before and always managed on the hill with steep inclines, wet peat and red deer.
I now have a Yamaha Grizzly which is better. IRS and diff lock is an advantage,as is buying a bike which is not too heavy if you are lone working. Big engines mean heavy lifting when you get them bogged. 350-450 is fine for the hill.
Mine is used on pretty extreme terrain and getting the best out of any bike takes practice and a bit of "bottle", but you will soon know what you and the bike are capable of and avoid nasty accidents-which, with quads, usually means traversing too steep a face or too much speed.
Another recommendation are the Can Am bikes, a pal of mine has one with tracks on it and it is unbelievably capable.
S.
 
Put my little Honda Fourtrax 420 through its paces last week with sikamalc. It was towing an Ifor trailer with 13 fallow carcasses through the mud, up and down hill, through the wood, over fallen branches etc and only got stuck when I got one wheel of the trailer up to the axle in a deep rabbit hole :oops:

Was dead impressed with it. Loads of grunt for a relatively small, single cylinder engine. :cool:
 
I tried an Arctic Cat 700 diesel quad bike the other week because the cost of running a petrol quad is getting ridiculous. I thought it was very good and had fantastic traction. It would pull a heavy trailer up a hill in the mud that my Yamaha 450 would not. I would be very tempted to buy it except for lack of acceleration. It is just so comforting to know that when a stag attacks you, you can get out of his way before he connects (usually anyway). Also with a decent petrol quad I can cut a stag out of a group of hinds in the rut without having to get the whole lot into the handling system. First and foremost, will it do the job? secondary is the cost.
Stick with one of the known makes that are ok. For £2500 you will need to be lucky to buy a good one I think.
 
I have the grizzly irs with diff lock a fantastic machine but as schiehallion said you wont have much for that sort of money as they do get abused, it you could go £1000 more you would get a much better machine. If you go on you tube to see the quad bike clips you can see first hand where these bikes will go but also inform you what happens when things go wrong on steep gradients and obsticles.
 
Thanks for all your answers so far chaps. I'm starting to get a bit more of an idea. So ideally I should look for a 400 to 650cc bike with IRS & diff locks, extra low gear etc. Keep the comments coming. Any tales of woe would be interesting - i.e.what breaks down most on a particular model?
Is a manual more reliable than auto gearbox or cvt?

Ian
 
Honda Foreman every time, you still cant beat honda build quality and reliability.

we have had honda quads on the farm for years. the only thing i have ever changed on any of them is the brushes on the starter motor. we have a 500 foreman just now.it would pull a house down. Great quads.

ATB kev.
 
Honda foreman for sure with your budget you should be able to purchase a tidy second hand one! If you want to know if your looking at one to see if it's been thrashed look at the hours against the kilometres on the speedo if possible! If your lucky enough to find one between the 10-15% I.e 100hrs thousand kilometres as a rule of thumb it's had a quieteter life than some! Possibly looking at overall condition will give you good idea! But whatever one you find make sure it's a HONDA
 
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