Do I need a winch??

[Drewz]

I need some input for you fellas as to whether a winch would be useful enough to me on my trike?? It is for hunting and the other 2 guys have quads. Any poinions???

[icp4life162005]

they can come in handy. i wanted to put one on my 200 big red but decided not to.

[stoney420]

thats the great thing about trikes, there light enough to pick them right up outta any mud u get stuck in, and are u really gonna be goin through that deep of mud while huntin with all that gear on? i dont really think it would be necessary but if u got nothin better to do with the extra cash then why not lol but i think u would be more then fine without one

[honda_atc200es]

necessary, no. nice, definately. my dad just bought a bigbear 350 that had a winch, we went for a ride, i was riding a crappy 21 year old quad it threw the chain and my dad towed me home. i say if you get one mount it in the rear, but the front could work, run the relay into the toolbox and you have a set up. winchs are nice but it depends where and how you ride

[icp4life162005]

i wanted mine incase someone would break down or wreck into a ditch then i could pull them up(well i expected to be the worse off one and it was to get my *Edited**Edited**Edited**Edited**Edited* out) but i was/am broke and had better things to spend the cash on like gas.

[atc4everbob]

I just bought one on ebay and am awaiting shipment. I decided to put one on my 250es Big Red. I look back at all the different situations I've been in and think it would come in handy. Who knows? I'll probably mount it in the front, although I think it would be more useful in the rear but I don't want to lose my rear rack space. That's where the cooler goes when we ride (hehehe). I may even mount a plate on both the front and rear and figure out a way to make a "quick release" so I can use it on either end. That will involve much more wiring though. I don't know yet. I'll ponder it more once I receive the winch and then make a decision. Everybody's situation is different. I also deer hunt with mine, clear fallen trees, etc. I think I'll put one to use. It's a Viper brand 3000 lb w/fairlead and 50 ft of cable. Most of them had only 30-40 ft of cable. I got it for exactly $99.99 shipped. Not bad for a winch with a good warranty. Has a sealed motor. I'll let you guys know how I like it...

[honda_atc200es]

wow not bad, that sounds like a smart idea if you figure out the quick release all you have to do for wiring im theroy is run two identical lines to the front and rear then cap off what you dont use, you could go with a plug method where you plug the winch in to either set of wiring, put the relay in the trunk, lay a board over the relay and you should be set.

[Dracus124]

Its like a Condom

Better to have it and not need it.

And need it and not have it. You get the point

[RedRider_AK]

I'd like to have a winch on anything I own. I have gotten stuck a few times and if I had had a winch, I woulda gotten out fine, but because I didn't have it, I have had to leave the machine and walk to town to find a friend to help me out.

[atc4everbob]

That's funny RedRider!!! Had to walk to town to get help?!?! What kind of goop were you playing in? WOW.

[Drewz]

Well I am getting a winch and it is a 2000 lb with a block and tackle just in case and I have some old winch line from my old toyota truck's winch to use as spare pull cable and it is off of an 8000lb'er so it is god to go just in case....... well you know...

[RedRider_AK]

That's funny RedRider!!! Had to walk to town to get help?!?! What kind of goop were you playing in? WOW.

That happened twice. First time was on a Sportsman 500. Stuck in tundra mud (water, sod, mud, really nasty and no traction) up to the fender tops. Tried to lift it out, no dice. Tried to stick pallets under the tires, no dice either. Had to walk a mile and a half in soaked clothes to get someone with a 4wd truck to pull me out.

Second time was me banzai-ing an old Kodiak 400 with bald tires into a pond. Almost made it but it lost traction right at the end. Had to walk maybe a mile to a nearby gold miner's camp and have him pull me out with his winch-equipped Outlander 800.

[Name Brand]

I picked up a 2,000 lb winch a while ago but haven't figured out how I want to mount it. I'd prefer it to be on the front of the machine, but that would basically mean putting it above the front fender and making some kind of attachment to the triples below the headlight. I'm not sure I want the winch to be that high up.

It may fit in the back below the frame (where the taillight currently is) but I'd rather go through the obstacle. That's a me thing... but maybe I have to adjust my tactics.

I'm used to running worn out tires too. I have new tires to put on the machine that I'm sure will be a world of difference over my factory original knobbys. My winch will probably keep sitting in my parts reserve for a while. I may decide that all I needed was the new tires. I don't know yet though.