Thinking of buying a quad bike

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Sometimes they say it was on a dirt road/farm but when they don't I assume they were on a proper road probably travelling between paddocks or farms where there is an annoying amount of hills and blind corners.

Personally I'd be more worried about another car slamming into me, however when you also drive a car, you know what other road users can and can't see so you tend to drive accordingly. Cyclists who have never driven a car for example tend to be an incredible hazard to themselves on the road then have the nerve to blame car drivers.

I think quad bikes can be easier and cheaper to fix than cars so even if they're equal in price, it might pay to go with a quad.

This is a factor which I'm considering very strongly.

How much rain do you see at your evil volcano island lair anyway? Weather looks nice in this photo

Mostly sunny but I imagine these things can handle a bit of rain? Assuming the driver doesn't mind getting a bit wet?

[MrCrowley]

Assuming the driver doesn't mind getting a bit wet?

That was my main concern

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

That was my main concern

Not too bothered, again this would be an alternative transport which I would expect to ride less frequently than the landrover.

I'm seeing a lot of recomendations against riding on paved roads, are they really that bad?

[Zeus]

Honestly, a car is the best bet. Something no one's mentioned is the throttle. If it's a thumb throttle (as most are) you get a f***ed up right thumb from it.

Safety wise, I've never felt safe on a quad, no problems on my CB100 through the paddocks, but quads don't feel right.

And the parts can be more expensive to buy.

Tl;dr, buy a car. Safer, warmer, better for carrying stuff, and cheaper to get fixed.

Edit, Labtech, if you use them for a few years, you get a thumb bunion.

[Labtecpower]

Quads are a lot more fun than cars.
I love the thumb throttle, I find it a lot easier to keep it in the right position than motorcycle throttle.

I only drove them on a dirt track tough, I have worked at a theme park that had some quads.
They were chinese pieces of shit tough. (SMC) they broke down pretty often.
A friend of mine also had a chinese one, and the front wheels came off when he was doing 50 mph. I believe he broke a leg and some ribs.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Thanks for the input, but the problem with getting a car turns into a money issue. With what it will cost me to purchase, run and insure a good small second hand car, I might as well just sell the series and just get a defender that will be less prone to breaking down or needing attention, so the need for a second vehicle is removed.

The reason I was thinking of a quad bike is because it would be cheaper in general.

A friend of mine also had a chinese one, and the front wheels came off when he was doing 50 mph. I believe he broke a leg and some ribs.

ouch. That I would like to avoid!

[Crna Legija]

If you do you defiantly want something reliable, Honda Yamaha KTM or Husqvarna.

A another problem with the cheap Chinese bikes/quads is finding spare parts most of the time you need to buy a another brand one and make it fit as they don't really have spare and trust me you will need a lot of them lol, my first bike was a knock off pee wee 60.

[Labtecpower]

If you do you defiantly want something reliable

Is it rebellious to want a reliable ATV ?

[Brian the brain]

How about a 49cc bike.
I bet you can ride that legally....

10 miles at the most..? perfectly do-able and you can have some fun upping the enginepower.

[jrrdw]

With your size, weight and landscape I suggest no less then a 150 CC. If not you'll be pushing it up any large hills and other vehicles will be shoving you off the road.

Get a 4 stroke no matter what, fooling around with gas mixes, carb adjustments and exhaust port/expansion chamber cleaning is a great big PITA!

Get one of the 3 major brands if you can swing it, Honda #1, Yamaha #2 and Kawasaki #3. Stay away from off brands they are incredibly hard to get parts for and those companies go out of business as fast as they start up.

Once you get it try for a straight tread front tire and street/trail rear tire. That will improve your handling and performance on paved area's and still allow some off road fun. Something rear wheel drive, shaft drive recommended but chain drive works.

Good luck!

[Hotwired]

We've got a Yamaha Grizzly 660, was interesting learning to use it since no one actually knew anything about quad bikes. Idea is to use it for hauling a timber trailer on forest tracks. That and going up and down a ridiculously steep metalled (means topped with crushed stone) access road of maybe 400m which a normal road car loses traction on not even halfway up.

It is actually road legal and was registered but it may have been modified.

Also cost 4k second hand and weighs a third of a ton so maybe a bit much for light transport.

Not sure if it's just giant quads like that or all of them but turning with 4wd on is very much stiffer than with just rwd.

Never actually been on a road with it though, I've only been doing relatively low speed trundling among trees.

[dewey-1]

No one mentioned Suzuki quads.

I thoroughly enjoyed mine during the duration that I was able to ride.

2004 Vinson 500 (Top speed for me on it was 65mph.)

I wish they were street legal in Wisconsin.

[jrrdw]

No one mentioned Suzuki quads

Had this been a 2 stroke request thread they would have been my #1 suggestion.

For JSR's needs a 4 stroke is in order and Suzuki's 4 stroke line doesn't meet my list due to their design. They are getting better. If I had to add a alternate it would be Polaris.

[KS-collector]

Look into the honda 300 ex and 400 ex. You can get them pretty cheap used. Lots of fun on road and off. The 400 is more of a sport bike, but its very capable of utility use as well, assuming you dont need 4 wheel drive. Top speed around 70mph stock I think. Maybe a bit more. The 300s are a bit slower but equally capable. A good cross between sport and utility.

[jsefcik]

Look into the honda 300 ex and 400 ex. You can get them pretty cheap used. Lots of fun on road and off. The 400 is more of a sport bike, but its very capable of utility use as well, assuming you dont need 4 wheel drive. Top speed around 70mph stock I think. Maybe a bit more. The 300s are a bit slower but equally capable. A good cross between sport and utility.

Or just get a raptor 700 and eat the 300 ex and 400 ex for dinner!!!!

400 ex's are slow!!!

Ive been riding and fixing quads for many many years, stick with something a big bigger, honda,yamaha, suzuki, are all good brands, stay away from pepboys, junk vehicles,

Though, what your amount you want to spend too!!