Does anyone know anything about quad bikes?

[nick_the_fish]

We've just moved to North Devon and we need a quad bike for mowing the grass/ moving thinks in a trailer/ and generally larking around on! I know nothing about quad bikes so just wondered if anyone has any advise about what to buy/ not buy/ look for etc.

I've been told that Honda are the best.

Budget is £5k - £6k so looking at second hand.

Any thoughts much appreciated.

N

 

[David]

Main problem with a Quad is stopping it from getting nicked, We have had some Honda Formans all been pretty good. To cut grass with a Quad you will have to have a mower with its own engine

 

[Grimbo]

Yep.....Honda are the Landcruiser of the quad bike world .

Service history is important .... parts can be eye wateringly expensive ...ie a diff crown wheel and pinion was nearly 4 figures .

Lots of bushes and joints in the suspension to wear .

Avoid any that have been used by gamekeepers or costal defence (salt water)

Another thing to consider is a UTV ..... the side by side seating versions of a quad .

They often have a load carrying platform built in yet can also tow a trailer/mower , also the Kawasaki Mules and the like are available with a diesel engine .

Pikeys love quads/ UTV's and they are constantly being stolen...

I would avoid any of the Chinese versions ....

Quads.....
Condition can be more important than age but most of the newer Honda's have a digital dash that records hrs and miles ... newer ones have fuel injection which is good and also some have power steering ... They range in engine size from 350 to 500cc and not all are 4WD....
I would find my local Agricultural Honda Dealer and see what they have at your budget as a baseline .... private as in all things will be cheaper .
Yamaha and Kawasaki also do quads .
All can have a 50mm ball hitch fitted

UTVs
Avoid JCB ones..... not built like the diggers ....built more like a clown car .
Kawasaki , Kioti , Kubota , John Deere all do UTV's that farmers use and struggle to kill .... same applies as quads re condition and many suspension parts to wear ..
Mules tend to suffer from front propshaft UJ joints wearing and wear in the drive train but there are a good many giving good service .
Ex Golf Course UTVs can often be in good condition as far as body work is concerned but be aware many suffer from wear in trans /suspension parts due to sand ingress ( they use a lot of sand on Golf courses and not just in the bunkers .

Not sure where you are in beautiful Devon but have a look at what the local farmers are using ....they don't have time for unreliable kit and also don't spend more than they have to ( state of farming they can't afford to )

 

[MisterCruiser]

I've a Honda Rincon 650cc, have had a few Honda farm quads down the years, 350cc, 450cc, foreman 500cc. They don't really give trouble, my Rincon has required the most maintenance, I wouldn't recommend a Rincon if there's going to be different drivers using it. It's good, but needs to be pampered a bit, it needs to be fully stopped before changing from forward - reverse, change when it's still moving / skidding a couple times and you'll be replacing the gears. I had to do this on mine from previous owner letting his grand kids use it. All other Honda models have a safeguard for this, a button you have to press first whilst pulling the brake lever before putting it into reverse.

Honda were the best for years and still are imo, but in latter years Suzuki's have come closest to them.
Newer Honda's have diff locks, the older ones could be got in 4wd and switchable 2/4wd but didn't have diff locks until recent years.
The 420cc Honda was a bit of a disaster when it first came out a good few years ago, that's probably the only one to avoid.
Foreman 500 is probably best all rounder.

I didn't own a Suzuki but the newer ones are well finished with digital dashes and extras like diffs and power steering and are similar to Honda's now. The yamaha's and Polaris's are still far behind Honda's imo.
1 of the main things I liked on the Suzuki over the Honda was it's tow hitch was sticking out from the quad whereas the Honda's is a bit stuck in under it, can be awkward, hard on the back, when unhitching. Think the newer Honda's might be a bit better regards the hitch location now.

I don't know anything about the Suzuki's reliability but I'd reckon they're decent enough being Japs.
Look at a Foreman 500 and a Suzuki and see which you prefer.

 

[chapel gate]

moved to devon??

not sure how good at mowing the grass quads are.

maybe better with a compact tractor, or a 4x4 sit on mower. dont really tick the larking about box though..

 

[Chris]

I have a Yamaha 450. It's a good thing. Yes, Hondas are much fancied but expensive. Frankly Nick for mowing, I'd buy a mower. You'll need to buy a paddock mower anyway to tow behind it. If you want to lark around too then sure a ride on mower isn't really much fun. I don't think that for your use, there's as much to separate the different makes and models as some might suggest. Min has 4x4, diff locks, low range, a winch, full bash plates etc. You don't need that. You just need something serviceable. I did fancy changing mine at one point and test drove the Yamaha 700 with fuel injection and power steering. Holy heck. 70mph across a ploughed field. Terrifying.

 

[nick_the_fish]

Thanks all, really appreciate that. Some good food for thought.

We are in North Devon, near Woolacombe/ Croyde. We've got 21 acres but its mostly steep woodland and sloping soggy scrubland, so it definitely needs a 4x4 something rather than just a sit on mower. The people here before us had a quad bike and told us it's a minimum requirement. I also need something to tow a trailer behind for moving things around - firewood etc.

Once we have it cleared and under control i'll put a note of the forum. We have loads of land for camping on and any members welcome to camp for free.

Oh and just to note, the larking about bit was definitely tongue in cheek. I appreciate these things can maim and kill if disrespected. And I won't be driving at 70mph over anything, so i'll prob leave the Yamaha 700.....

I'll have a look at the local dealer and go from there. Will let you know how I get on.

Thanks guys.

 

[Chris]

They are tremendous fun. Ok bit of technical here. Solid back axles tend to be slightly better for towing but are less stable when throwing them around. Independent rear suspension is much more reactive for humps and bumps and stuff but not quite as good for towing. I don't mean that either is rubbish at the other thing before people start writing in. But solid axles are a bit more tippy as they tend to lift the outer wheel more readily. If you know what you're doing you can really do some wild stuff on them. But when starting off, they can chuck you into the brambles.

I have a trailer that it fits in and can then hitch to the quad itself. Really useful combo.

 

[goodoldboy]

Yep.....Honda are the Landcruiser of the quad bike world .

Service history is important .... parts can be eye wateringly expensive ...ie a diff crown wheel and pinion was nearly 4 figures .

Lots of bushes and joints in the suspension to wear .

Avoid any that have been used by gamekeepers or costal defence (salt water)

Another thing to consider is a UTV ..... the side by side seating versions of a quad .

They often have a load carrying platform built in yet can also tow a trailer/mower , also the Kawasaki Mules and the like are available with a diesel engine .

Pikeys love quads/ UTV's and they are constantly being stolen...

I would avoid any of the Chinese versions ....

Quads.....
Condition can be more important than age but most of the newer Honda's have a digital dash that records hrs and miles ... newer ones have fuel injection which is good and also some have power steering ... They range in engine size from 350 to 500cc and not all are 4WD....
I would find my local Agricultural Honda Dealer and see what they have at your budget as a baseline .... private as in all things will be cheaper .
Yamaha and Kawasaki also do quads .
All can have a 50mm ball hitch fitted

UTVs
Avoid JCB ones..... not built like the diggers ....built more like a clown car .
Kawasaki , Kioti , Kubota , John Deere all do UTV's that farmers use and struggle to kill .... same applies as quads re condition and many suspension parts to wear ..
Mules tend to suffer from front propshaft UJ joints wearing and wear in the drive train but there are a good many giving good service .
Ex Golf Course UTVs can often be in good condition as far as body work is concerned but be aware many suffer from wear in trans /suspension parts due to sand ingress ( they use a lot of sand on Golf courses and not just in the bunkers .

Not sure where you are in beautiful Devon but have a look at what the local farmers are using ....they don't have time for unreliable kit and also don't spend more than they have to ( state of farming they can't afford to )

Great advice but please don't use the word Pikey .It's a racist insult and deeply offensive to Roma , Gypsy and traveller folks

 

[chapel gate]

Ay up! Something else we're not allowed to say!...

 

[goodoldboy]

You can say what you like but it has consequences.

 

[Michael80]

Hi Nick,
I think you are on the right line with a Honda. It would be worth contacting Ark Atv at wheddon cross, what they don’t know about Hondas isn’t worth knowing.
Michael

 

[Grimbo]

Great advice but please don't use the word Pikey .It's a racist insult and deeply offensive to Roma , Gypsy and traveller folks

No offence intended ....
It must just be a terrible coincidence that 90% of all the stolen quads and UTVs around here end up in 2 separate locations that also happen to be travellers sites....

 

[goodoldboy]

No offence intended ....
It must just be a terrible coincidence that 90% of all the stolen quads and UTVs around here end up in 2 separate locations that also happen to be travellers sites....

90 % where did you get such an exact figure from ? There are Roma , Gypsy & Travelers that do commit crime but racist insults won't stop that.You have to ask the question of where the stolen stuff goes , where it's advertised & who buys it. Also what are those in power & manufactures doing to stop theft ? a register of VIN numbers & a requirement to show documents to obtain spares might be a start.
Tarring a whole community with the same brush has consequences .Poverty , social exclusion , poor health and high rates of suicide are all common in this community .Folks without a voice are always blamed for societies ills but words can turn into action .the vile hate spewed against this community ends up as bulling at school to being attacked in the street or even arson attacks.

 

[nick_the_fish]

It would be worth contacting Ark Atv at wheddon cross

Brillant Thanks @Michael80 i'll do that.

 

[nick_the_fish]

Also, As a baseline what sort of hours/ milage is considered a lot? I see a few with 1000 hrs and 10,000km on them, Is this a lot or have they got a lot more life in them (with the obvious caveats about servicing etc).

 

[Michael80]

I would look for something as new as possible thats road registered.( can prove ownership) Honda should have oil and filter change @first 20Hrs then every 100Hrs after.
Manual gearshift is simple and works, Honda did have calibration issues with the push button gear change. Honda Foremans are fantastic bits of kit and the only problem they have is that some can have rusted frames.
Service parts are not expensive, but exhausts can be so worth checking its in good condition.

 

[Grimbo]

90 % where did you get such an exact figure from ? There are Roma , Gypsy & Travelers that do commit crime but racist insults won't stop that.You have to ask the question of where the stolen stuff goes , where it's advertised & who buys it. Also what are those in power & manufactures doing to stop theft ? a register of VIN numbers & a requirement to show documents to obtain spares might be a start.
Tarring a whole community with the same brush has consequences .Poverty , social exclusion , poor health and high rates of suicide are all common in this community .Folks without a voice are always blamed for societies ills but words can turn into action .the vile hate spewed against this community ends up as bulling at school to being attacked in the street or even arson attacks.

I have a feeling if your business and those around you were being constantly targeted by a known group of criminals you may change your views on "human rights" and how they are misunderstood ....

"Gypsy' s " as in proper travellers living in a bender or waggon pulled by a pony are rare nowadays and welcomed by the local community .... they have a code of honour and their word is their bond ....speak to the next one you meet about the "travellers" that live on fixed sites and the way they behave..... you will find that the opinion's of many in the rural area's is mild in comparison .

"Those in power " did do something about stopping the theft.... they put 24hr CCTV both convert and overt on the entrance to a large local "traveller" site .....strangely all sorts of crime in the area dropped markedly .... after several months this CCTV was then made to be removed by a court case as it was against "their" human rights.
Nothing was done about the human rights of those that had tools , diesel , quads etc stolen .....

I knew one "traveller" serving in the British Army ..... his nickname was predictably "Pik%y " something that worried him not a bit ....

 

[Grimbo]

Can recommend a company called "ATV City" for commonly used parts and service items for a range of ATV's and UTV's ....kind of the Roughtrax for quads .
I use them a lot and they sell quality after market parts etc ..... I have nothing to do with them other than being a satisfied trade account holder... ;-)

 

[goodoldboy]

.strangely all sorts of crime in the area dropped markedly .

so lets have some evidence then .

"Gypsy' s " as in proper travellers living in a bender or waggon pulled by a pony are rare nowadays and welcomed by the local community

so you get to decide who is a "proper" traveller ? anyone who doesn't fit this fairy-tale image of Gypsy is now fair game .that way of life has been more or less extinguished .And no so called proper travellers are not welcomed & have always faced racism and hostility in the UK.

I knew one "traveller" serving in the British Army ..... his nickname was predictably "Pik%y " something that worried him not a bit

as you well know anyone reacting to that in a barracks would face a pretty hard time from his comrades & even if i didn't bother him it's no excuse , he doesn't speak for everyone.
If the word "pikey" was replaced by Jew you an imagine the response so why is it still acceptable ? Wednesday was international Holocaust Memorial day but often forgotten are an estimated 220 000 to 500 000 Romani people killed by the Nazis .De humanising them , calling them criminals was the first step towards their extermination.
Separating them into worthy - so called proper Gypsies - & the other is a distinction that's lost for most people and a cop out in the same was as "some of my mates are Black , but...."
Romani Genocide