Which Quad would you buy

[cousinjack]

Honda any day for me..

Bought an old 300, with manual gears... for 1k about 10 years ago..

Has been excellent.. not that it gets a lot of use but it never fails to go..

 

[Ormond]

The older 250 would be grand just checking / moving stock. Use a fraction of fuel than some of the 500+ new quads..we have a can am 570...fuel usage is a joke....revs far far too high when you just want to tootle about

 

[Green farmer]

Have a 14 yr old Honda 350 2wd since new. It’s been a good servant but is fair battered now. Have replaced ball joint a few times but other then that has been mechanically sound. Don’t think I’d buy a new Honda though as fear the quality ain’t in the anymore. Like the look of a Yamaha grizzly 350, if I had to change, as have heard good things about them also. Crazy really the cost of quads, could nearly buy a near new Dacia duster for the same money.

 

[seedman stains]

I had a 350 yam and changed to a 450( but its only 420) its a better quality machine to the 350 independent rear suspesion hasnt cost so much to run(touch wood ) upto its 11000km s so planning on keeping it, only drinks a lot when you play hard with it otherwise its ok ,just had the rear axle cv boots done and needs some tyres.

 

[Benr]

Had a look at the Suzuki today and went to the Can am dealer.
The Ozark was very tidy and nippy little bike. Drove a new 400 manual and auto which were different bikes altogether. The manual was £5,500 and auto £5,700.
Canam 450 auto £5,200, so looks better value than the Suzuki. Would the Can am be as well made as the Suzuki?
Going to try and look at Hondas tomorrow

 

[reverand]

Can’t comment on the 450 can am but I have just got a new 570. Bags of power, power steering as standard. I think it’s great

 

[Bones]

Had a look at the Suzuki today and went to the Can am dealer.
The Ozark was very tidy and nippy little bike. Drove a new 400 manual and auto which were different bikes altogether. The manual was £5,500 and auto £5,700.
Canam 450 auto £5,200, so looks better value than the Suzuki. Would the Can am be as well made as the Suzuki?
Going to try and look at Hondas tomorrow

I paid £4700 for new can am 450 auto back at Christmas time , so maybe you could squeeze him a bit more on the price,

 

[Benr]

I paid £4700 for new can am 450 auto back at Christmas time , so maybe you could squeeze him a bit more on the price,

That’s worth knowing. You pleased with it?

 

[neilo]

It’s noticeable how the Honda advocates on this thread all have old bikes that have been faultless. From my understanding they did used to be, hence the fantastic reputation they once had. More recent models have tarnished that reputation somewhat though.

If the OP can stretch to a new bike, that hasn’t been traded in as it’s been trashed, then it would likely see him well for many, many years with the work he’s looking at doing with it. I’ve always thought a quad would be the last thing to buy used, but you might get lucky and land on the one that hasn’t ever been thrashed, and has been maintained well.

 

[Drillman]

We have a 12 year old Kawasaki KLF300. It runs like a Swiss watch.

 

[Bones]

That’s worth knowing. You pleased with it?

Very pleased, but it's the first quad ever on this farm , so don't know no better

 

[vinnie123]

Can am here and find them a really robust well made bike. Honda have got left behind

 

[Cowski]

That seems a good price on the new 250, which dealer is that from? Just trading a 3yr old 250 with high mileage as they become uneconomical to run beyond about 2yr if you’re working them hard.

 

[wr.]

My son services and repairs all makes of quads in our workshop for local farmers so I often get to try them out after. The new quads are so tall and a lot of his customers do remark that they almost need a bowser to follow them around. They can be more expensive to work on than the old Hondas and KLF's etc. especially the electric shift things which can cause a lot of head scratching and sorting out when the gear shift gives up and engines go into "Limp Mode."

If someone just wants a quad to check livestock every day, he always recommends they keep an eye out for a tidy old school Honda or KLF 300. Simple to work on and obtain parts for. If you need a quad to do the work of a small tractor, then he'd go for one of the big Canams.

 

[livestock 1]

Seen a Honda 350 4wd 2007 1000hours 9500k for £2,400.
Anyone heard of Castle Quads, Whitland Carmarthen?

I like these bikes. As I said the only problem with them is the engine likes to overheat when moving stock slowly or when the oil cooler blocks up. It’s either piston and barrel job or valves dropped. Doesn’t happen to all of them though.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Would you try a can am

I did, pleased I gave one a go (cheap, well-thrashed Outlander 400) because it soon put the rest of them into perspective!

The only model of quad I haven't ridden is their 450 nor the 570 that you guys get, but they are pretty good - I particularly liked the 800R

 

[hendrebc]

Just remembered something a quad dealer told me about buying secind hand quads. Check how many miles its done and in how many hours and that will give you an idea how hard a life it has had or at least how fast its been ridden. He said anything that averages over 10mph has had a hard life but the lower the better.

 

[DaveGrohl]

My son services and repairs all makes of quads in our workshop for local farmers so I often get to try them out after. The new quads are so tall and a lot of his customers do remark that they almost need a bowser to follow them around. They can be more expensive to work on than the old Hondas and KLF's etc. especially the electric shift things which can cause a lot of head scratching and sorting out when the gear shift gives up and engines go into "Limp Mode."

If someone just wants a quad to check livestock every day, he always recommends they keep an eye out for a tidy old school Honda or KLF 300. Simple to work on and obtain parts for. If you need a quad to do the work of a small tractor, then he'd go for one of the big Canams.

This is what I don't like about the newer quads, they're physically much bigger than the older models. I've been looking to change our older faultless Honda 350 but I haven't found one that is as comfortable to sit on. New Hondas and Canams force your legs too far apart, my hips are on their way out sadly so this is a big thing for me. They're much smoother ridewise but I really didn't like the ones I've tried recently.

Can anyone recommend a quad that isn't silly sized? 350cc is plenty but must be 4WD.

 

[Nithsdale]

This is what I don't like about the newer quads, they're physically much bigger than the older models. I've been looking to change our older faultless Honda 350 but I haven't found one that is as comfortable to sit on. New Hondas and Canams force your legs too far apart, my hips are on their way out sadly so this is a big thing for me. They're much smoother ridewise but I really didn't like the ones I've tried recently.

Can anyone recommend a quad that isn't silly sized? 350cc is plenty but must be 4WD.

If you're looking at new, Yamaha 350. It'll be the smallest mainstream 4wd bike you can buy

 

[Benr]

The New 250 price was from Ark ATV.
Bought a new Can am 400 for £5k. Haven’t told the wife yet!!
Thanks for your thoughts