Quad Bike Recommendation

[Hamburglar]

Could do with some motorised assistance to tow a trailer and move a chipper when I hire one from time to time. Working about two and a half acres of woodland. I'm based in the Leeds area.

 

Was looking online and have seen the Yamaha Grizzly and the Honda Foreman. Does anyone have any good or bad experience? What kind of mileage or hours is acceptable for a second hand model?

 

Any advice is appreciated.

 

Kind thanks

 

Rob

[TreeswingerPerth]

We have a honda foreman 500 and it's been fantastic .

[doobin]

If you're working a woodland, a small tractor is far more productive and cheaper to run.

 

If you must have a quad, then you won't go wrong with anything Japanese.

[codlasher]

I had access to two Honda quads. The original was a foreman' and owned by my employer. I think it was 400cc, anyway it was great for getting to the many pieces of woodland I looked after. Fast and smooth along the set-aside of the farmland and fine on the forest tracks. Its downside was actually getting to the stands of trees which needed a smaller and much more nimble machine.

I managed to wangle a second hand Honda 300 'Big Red' as my personal machine. This I much preferred as it fulfilled my requirements much better than the foreman.

Perhaps the foreman would suit your towing better but for a nimble get-me-there machine the 300 was much better.

Parts-wise there's nothing between them.

codlasher

[codlasher]

If you're working a woodland, a small tractor is far more productive and cheaper to run.

 

If you must have a quad, then you won't go wrong with anything Japanese.

A very sensible suggestion but for 2 acres?

codlasher

[muldonach]

If you want to tow then go for a 4 wheel drive - we have a 500cc honda FA which has an optional low box and it is worth its weight in gold.

 

Whether it is worth spending the money for occassional use with hired equipement is debatable though

[wrsni]

Would firstly echo the other comments about the viability of a quad over a compact tractor, etc. However, assuming that you are going to buy a quad.

 

Firstly, stick to the big four Jap makes plus possibly Polaris. Also don't be taken in by any old sales bollocks along the lines of, "well it might be called such and such but it's actually made by Honda, Yamaha, etc, etc". None of them make quads, or anything else for that matter, with someone else's name on it.

 

Secondly, be really careful when buying quads secondhand. Farmers generally don't trade them up until they are totally knackered, and a knackered quad is a serious money pit.

 

Thirdly, of the four Japs and all other things being equal, Honda definately have an edge on the others.

[Ruskins Trees]

One with an alarm, a motion sensor that tells you if it has been moved, immobiliser, tracker (two different types), wheel clamp on front and rear axle, secured to a ground anchor with a motorbike lock, in a properly secure alarmed, blaster siren and smoke generator locked container with a rabid dawg.

 

Once you've sorted that out, the world is your oyster (don't buy chinese makes, one of our lads had one, the front axle collapsed as he went down a kerb, he put his leg down and he did that thing where his knee rotates )

[markieg31]

For longevity you cant go wrong with honda. They just seem to get it right. The independent suspension on some of the others does five a smooth ride but is more bushes to wear out. Where you too? I got a chap down here who is a quad bike dealer. Mid devon way. Can put you in touch if you want some advice

[Hamburglar]

Very kind offer. I'm up in Leeds. Could always have a chat with him on the phone.

 

Cheers

 

Rob