What happened to ATV's, big and heavy these days!!

[bigred22]

They really are getting too big and heavy....I can understand the power demand but the size and weight of these machines really takes away from the riders ability to control the machine....I have friends with Polaris Xp 850s. They have good power but man if that baby landed on you your screwed...like others have posted I like machines I can toss around....here in New England there's not a lot of places to utilize 850cc's

my buddy stopped by yesterday, that i mentioned in an earlier post on this thread, with his xp1000, i asked him to try to climb out of the creek bed where i was starting to make a crossing at and have not yet finished, about a 3 1/2 foot bank that i was digging by shovel to get an angle to be able to get out of the creek, he started up the bank and slowly tried to get up and out of the creek but it wasn't going to happen, then the belt started to smoke, i was surprised to say the least, i feel his old honda 350d would have done better, granted he was trying to do it at a slow pace, but i feel this where lighter, semi auto machines really shine................

[6speedthumper]

my buddy stopped by yesterday, that i mentioned in an earlier post on this thread, with his xp1000, i asked him to try to climb out of the creek bed where i was starting to make a crossing at and have not yet finished, about a 3 1/2 foot bank that i was digging by shovel to get an angle to be able to get out of the creek, he started up the bank and slowly tried to get up and out of the creek but it wasn't going to happen, then the belt started to smoke, i was surprised to say the least, i feel his old honda 350d would have done better, granted he was trying to do it at a slow pace, but i feel this where lighter, semi auto machines really shine................

A 350D will go through about anything. Same with the old TRX300FW. Two great machines, and about all you really need for work and play. Sure, they top out at 45mph (47 going down hill), so they're not going to satisfy speed demons out in the open. But, on a trail, they're hard to beat.

[emmie357]

I just picked up my first large 4x4 quad last week, a 2000 Suzuki quadmaster 500. I can't believe how much larger and heavier it is.
Going down the trails I normally ride my YTM200 on I ended up having to go over a lot of stuff I would normally go around.

I'm also very concerned about getting stuck, because I can hardly push this thing around on flat ground.
But it did come with a plow, and that's the reason I got it, big heavy and 4 wheel drive should make an excellent snow pusher.

I'm also trying to adjust to not having to shift at all... kinda strange.

[atc007]

I want a clutch
I want a manual shifter
I want to be able to lock my brakes up without a computer second guessing my decisions
I want a peaky engine with a narrow power band
I want a vehicle that I can lift out of a mud hole without calling AAA for a tow. I want to smell and hear my exhaust
I want to be able to fix what I brake and not just replace it
I want to HAVE to stand up and speed pray when I realize I'm about to hit a big rock, or log

Not because any of this is "better", than what some of these new behemoths offer, but because I want to DRIVE my vehicles, not ride them as some mysterious black box makes all the decisions for me. All that's missing on some of these beasts is a "BigBrotherMobile"decal.

MAN!!! You need to get a ride out in the woods on a Can Am Outty 800 or 1000 !! Only supplies some of your list,but much more rush!

[6speedthumper]

MAN!!! You need to get a ride out in the woods on a Can Am Outty 800 or 1000 !! Only supplies some of your list,but much more rush!

I'd be afraid of having a break down riding one of those, lol

[hawaiirider]

i guess the big (est) question is what will atv's be like in another 20 years? will there be any atv trails left by then anyways?! one things for sure, ill still be riding a 250cc or under trike and leading the pack!

[HoustonAE2]

mind you I live in Texas where we have an abundance of private off road parks that will never be shut down...but to go with the orginial thread, I remember thinking "Good God that is big" when Polaris came out with the Sportsman 500. I am happy with my 250sx, but if I got a quad I think I would stay between the 400 to 500 range...

[El Camexican]

MAN!!! You need to get a ride out in the woods on a Can Am Outty 800 or 1000 !! Only supplies some of your list,but much more rush!

They have two more wheels than I like and one more than I need.

[Caminofeld]

To each their own, but are these monsters really better? Let's compare...and everyone feel free to add...

Price: For the price of a 4x4 quad you could buy a used Jeep...For the price of a decent Big Red you could buy a power wheels Jeep. +1 Trike

Utility: Quads are front heavy and less prone to wheelie with a sprayer or other weight in the rear. The 4x4 is good for plowing, snow, and pulling. On a trike a skilled rider will make most jobs happen, but not without a little extra work. Sidenote: The right trike can tow like hell (AKA my KLT250). Either way, +1 Quads

Sport: Is a sport measured by the degree of skill required? Is sitting on the couch and playing COD the same as joining the Army? Some may argue, but I have yet to find ANY terrain that I couldn't follow a 4x4 through (even if it meant dismounting and floating full throttle through a mud hole). The difference is that the average consumer wants to feel extreme, but do it in comfort with minimal risk. A super stable couch on wheels with power steering requiring only a thumb muscle is a tourist attraction. If you're looking for sport by definition, the trike requires a far higher level of skill, critical thinking, and physical stamina to operate...and the right trike in the hands of the right rider will 9/10 times leave those 4x4's in the dust. +1 trikes

Safety: I'm not gonna sit here and tell you that the CSC had a conspiracy and made a perfectly safe vehicle illegalsauce. 3 wheeling is a dangerous sport/recreational activity that requires years of training to master...most people that think they can just hop on and turn the handlebars find out that when you grab a by the pigtails she'll kick you in the nuts. Trikes are deceptively complicated to operate and new riders should start slow and learn the basics...as most of us teach our kids, friends, SO's, etc. 4x4 auto-quads on the other hand are deceptively safe...so much that drunk people feel they can climb on, mash the throttle, and hit 60+ without a care in the world (or a helmet). This results in collisions, rollovers, and the occasional decapitation via barbed wire fence. Also, rolling a trike involves possible having a 200 lb or so vehicle roll OVER you...although less likely to occur, rolling or backflipping a quad involves having a 1000 lb vehicle land ON you. I call it a draw on this one.

Simplicity: Trail repairs on a carbed thumper with minimal electronics vs needing a code reader and specialized tools for a FI spaghetti nightmare? +1 trikes for the likelihood of A) breaking down at all and B) the percentage of breakdowns requiring a tow.

Weight: Stuck in a rut? pick up your trike and walk out...or hope your winch works on your 1000 lb quad. +1 trikes

Fishtails: Duh. +1 trikes

Wheelies: Duh. +1 trikes

Style: Duh. +1 trikes


So yeah, trikes win.

[Frankencelery]

It's a fun passtime, bashing big quads, but not surprising considering our passion here. I never owned an ATV of any kind until just 10 years ago, but since then it's always been trikes. Mostly because they could be had for so much cheaper than quads, but also because they were different. The jury's still out on our first big heavy quad, because it's been at the shop having its overly complicated electronic shifting program fixed since we got it. Having said that, I can see the day coming that I won't bother to use the SX to pull a trailer full of cut wood around the yard, having to stand on the handlebars to get it to turn, because the quad will be easier. Each have their place.

[Yamada]

When I'm riding a quad I'm always two wheeling it. I can't help myself... Am I the only around here doing it?

[Frankencelery]

When I'm riding a quad I'm always two wheeling it. I can't help myself... Am I the only around here doing it?

You mean you're riding on 2 wheels, or you're in 2WD?

[Ghostv2]

When I'm riding a quad I'm always two wheeling it. I can't help myself... Am I the only around here doing it?

Or he means like doing a side wheelie. Like we do so easily on our trikes. 4 wheels gives you the false sense of security and you go up on two wheels when you don't lean enough.

[Yamada]

You mean you're riding on 2 wheels, or you're in 2WD?

Riding on 2 wheels. On a 3 wheeler it is no big deal riding on 2 wheels, but on a quad you are in danger when riding on 2 wheels!

[250rAL]

Only a couple people mentioned rolling one of those behemoths on top of you. I've been under most of the machines I've owned. What happens when you have 800lbs of machine on you? Can you get out from under by yourself or do you need help?