Looking at a new ATV today.

[Rangier Rover]

My Honda TRX 350 FW ES is nine years old now. Starting to get gremlins to often now so time get out it. Has to be reliable here as I don't like the 6 hr walks home:(

I'm looking at a new Honda foreman 500 4X4 today. Around 12K worth:eek:

Honda foreman - Google Image Search (http://images.google.com.au/images?hl=en&q=Honda+foreman&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=fwphSovWO8-9kAW847D-Dw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1)

[Rangier Rover]

Had a demo on the 500 at Mudgee. Seems to have heaps of torque. Runs a very agricultural Push Rod (OHV) single cylinder air and oil cooled engine, Has manual shift so no computer to play up:)

The Quad weighs around 260kgs and is 2" higher,longer and wider than my old one was.
I'm concerned it may be to heavy for me in some of the steep rough country here as I only weigh around 100KGs. So have left it for now:(

After Mudgee Small farm field days next week the dealer has offered it for a trial run before I buy it so we know its suits the application.:)

He has only offered me around 3400 for my old one:( I was thinking around 4.5K:D

Have had a look at other makes but still like the Honda for build quality and back up:)

[CraigE]

Have a look at the Polaris new models as well.
I actually bought a Suzuki DRZ400EK9 bike after being primarally a Honda dirt bike rider for the last 25 years. The Hondas and Yamahas for my liking are to high maintenance now compared to the XLs and XRs. The DRZ is a lot like the old XR's with the update the CRF and WR's have at a much cheaper price.

[Piddler]

I have a Kawasaki KFX 700 and could not speak highly enough of it worth a look at.

Only 2wd but very fast, heaps of torque a proper tow ball attachment available.

Lighter in the steering than a 4wd machine and a lot less moving parts.

If you have a test ride you will love the big V twin.

Cheers

[Rangier Rover]

I have a Kawasaki KFX 700 and could not speak highly enough of it worth a look at.

Only 2wd but very fast, heaps of torque a proper tow ball attachment available.

Lighter in the steering than a 4wd machine and a lot less moving parts.

If you have a test ride you will love the big V twin.

Cheers
What a monster:twisted: Very light weight for its size. How will I carry my dogs,fencing gear and spray tank on it though. I cant do a hi performance or high center of gravity ATV as a failed hill climb and big side slopes are unavoidable here:( When I get into a bad situation the ATV has to be manageable to get it out with out a lose. If I roll one here it would continue to go end over for up to 1000mtrs and hit a tree or rocks:eek: No chance of it being of any use after that:(

Our terrain here makes my choice very limited as most ATVs are now aimed at the US recreational market. They are Higher, Faster and mostly more complex. I don't need any of this.
I need low end torque and very good stability with reasonable clearance and not to heavy. They're nearly all going away from this these days:(

[Chucaro]

Did you have considered the John Deere XUV 4X4 series Utility Vehicles.
There are some info HERE (http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/FR/category/FR_GATORFR.html)

Cheers

[Rangier Rover]

Did you have considered the John Deere XUV 4X4 series Utility Vehicles.
There are some info HERE (http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductCatalog/FR/category/FR_GATORFR.html)

Cheers
Yea, I think they're a great concept. Others have a few similar machines in our area. Be great on fencing and spraying but not agile enough to work the live stock here in 900 acre paddocks. The 4x4 version is worth a bit as well:eek:

[maca]

I personally like the Argo's:
Amphibious Vehicles - Amphibious ARGO ATV, ARGO AATV, ARGO All Terrain Vehicle (http://www.argoatv.com/)

But by the sound of it, its not what you are after.

[rick130]

<snip>

Have had a look at other makes but still like the Honda for build quality and back up:)

Mate at the local servo (and an ex-rally driver) repairs most all the quads in the district so he has a feel for what works and what doesn't.

He prefers Honda.

Hates Bombadier/Can-Am, won't touch them. If one comes in he tells the owner to take it to a dealer (or the tip :twisted:) Thinks Polaris are nearly as bad.
Something about the Kawasaki's he wasn't enthused about.
I'll ask him tomorrow about Yamaha's and Suzuki's. He has said in the past, just can't recall.....

[LandyAndy]

Had a quick thrash on a brand new Honda Foreman 4wheeler the other day.Didnt pay alot of attention to the model badge.It was auto,4x4 and even had POWER STEERING,I kid you not.YEP went like a bat out of hell.
They have progressed heaps in the last few years.
Andrew

[Rangier Rover]

Had a quick thrash on a brand new Honda Foreman 4wheeler the other day.Didnt pay alot of attention to the model badge.It was auto,4x4 and even had POWER STEERING,I kid you not.YEP went like a bat out of hell.
They have progressed heaps in the last few years.
Andrew
They had one like that in Mudgee today. Was liquid cooled etc. Nice machine indeed:cool: To much for sticks and logs to wipe out on it here though.:( I didn't ask how much they're worth as I wasn't sitting down at the time;)

[HBWC]

have you thought about the rugger rotax 900 they are cheaper than the honda and can take a hideing
if not i'd stick to the honda with eatherf of those two brands you carnt go wrong but im haveing major problems with my Kawasaki at the moment whish i never bourght it

[Rangier Rover]

have you thought about the rugger rotax 900 they are cheaper than the honda and can take a hideing
if not i'd stick to the honda with eatherf of those two brands you carnt go wrong but im haveing major problems with my Kawasaki at the moment whish i never bourght it


Never heard of a Ruger Rotax 900, Is it a Rugger rifle mixed with a Ultralight air craft with a Rotax 900 cc engine:twisted:

I had a very bad experience with Kawasaki a few years ago over a ATV... I't costed a bloody fortune as parts were dear as poison:mad: Stator,Starter,clutches,CDi,rear Diff,Drive shaft etc. The only original part is the frame and it had four rolls of mig wire on it:twisted:It was a POS.:mad: The old TRX 300 Honda that's still here has done eight times the work with far less problems.

[LandyAndy]

I didnt ask how much they paid for,but was told if I busted it I fix it so only gave it a quick blast up the road and back,no paddy bashing for me.
Impressed me no end:cool::cool::cool::cool:
Andrew

[HBWC]

Never heard of a Ruger Rotax 900, Is it a Rugger rifle mixed with a Ultralight air craft with a Rotax 900 cc engine:twisted:

I had a very bad experience with Kawasaki a few years ago over a ATV... I't costed a bloody fortune as parts were dear as poison:mad: Stator,Starter,clutches,CDi,rear Diff,Drive shaft etc. The only original part is the frame and it had four rolls of mig wire on it:twisted:It was a POS.:mad: The old TRX 300 Honda that's still here has done eight times the work with far less problems.

ill take some pics and get some details for you my local honda delaler sells them i think they are euro in design and built

[4x4x2]

I have 2 a 250 2wd and a 350 4x4 both yams - we had a good dealer
cheap at the time ,basic very reliable every couple of years we give them a good going over -really there is very little to go wrong - i think they are now to expensive.

[JDNSW]

.......

Our terrain here makes my choice very limited as most ATVs are now aimed at the US recreational market. They are Higher, Faster and mostly more complex. I don't need any of this.
I need low end torque and very good stability with reasonable clearance and not to heavy. They're nearly all going away from this these days:(

I think they always have been - just that that market has been getting more and more specialised (and demanding more performance and ease of use at the expense of just about everything else). The working market has always been small compared to the recreational market, and the Australian working market a tiny subset of this, with steep country needs an even tinier subset.

Same thing as in the four wheel drive market, except that this started off with working vehicles, and there are still a few left even as the recreational demand has swamped the scene, and what is available is much more restricted by ADRs and similar, and is not dominated by Americans to the same extent.

John

[taff]

i used to be in the raf on a section where we'd recover crashed aircraft.
quite often we'd use a supacat (which were originally designed for the british army) when the going got tough. the one we used to borrow had a 1 ton high-ab on the back and even when loaded up was pretty amazing.
the then owner of the company used to come out regulary with us and often talked of making them available to the civilian market though i'm not sure it ever happened. though they wouldn't be very cheap.
this one is very similar to the one we used.
ATMP - Supacat (http://www.supacat.com/products/atmp/)

[CraigE]

Mate at the local servo (and an ex-rally driver) repairs most all the quads in the district so he has a feel for what works and what doesn't.

He prefers Honda.

Hates Bombadier/Can-Am, won't touch them. If one comes in he tells the owner to take it to a dealer (or the tip :twisted:) Thinks Polaris are nearly as bad.
Something about the Kawasaki's he wasn't enthused about.
I'll ask him tomorrow about Yamaha's and Suzuki's. He has said in the past, just can't recall.....

A lot like most workshops and Land Rovers:p
Sorry but a decent mechanic should be able and willing to work on any vehicle.

[Piddler]

What a monster:twisted: Very light weight for its size. How will I carry my dogs,fencing gear and spray tank on it though. I cant do a hi performance or high center of gravity ATV as a failed hill climb and big side slopes are unavoidable here:( When I get into a bad situation the ATV has to be manageable to get it out with out a lose. If I roll one here it would continue to go end over for up to 1000mtrs and hit a tree or rocks:eek: No chance of it being of any use after that:(

Our terrain here makes my choice very limited as most ATVs are now aimed at the US recreational market. They are Higher, Faster and mostly more complex. I don't need any of this.
I need low end torque and very good stability with reasonable clearance and not to heavy. They're nearly all going away from this these days:(


Howdy,
All up the KFX 700 has 230kg of weight it does not feel that heavy though.
I tow a small trailer with the gear and let the dog run.
It is very wide and stable track with heaps of low down grunt from the V twin 700cc.
Worth a test ride

Cheers

[Hymie]

At work we run 2 Yamaha Rhinos.

Yamaha Motor Australia (http://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/motor/index.htm'model_cat.asp'modelcatid=15)

Lovely bit of kit and it will go more places than a Quad bike with rollover protection and seatbelts.

[bent]

Howdy

I just bought (work money) a yamaha Grizzly 770, it replaced a 600. The new bike is a great bit of kit, 4wd, diff lock, electric power steer. It hadles really well, power to burn, hopefully it will be as reliable as the previous machine. We have trialed other brands of machine such as Bombadier, polaris with no success, they didnt handle a 'fleet' environment very well. The only other brand we would use would be honda.

The 770 is a heavy machine and a bit tall for its width but ridden with that in mind it is just fine.

Good luck :D

[Rangier Rover]

This country is so hard on the ATV's.:( Two years sees the best out of them, then the frame and drive components fall apart.:mad:

Have tried Suzuki,Yamaha,polaris,arctic cat, Honda and not much in it for durability. Just some depreciate faster and more expensive to repair.

I'm going back to a lighter and simpler ATV this time.
The Honda TRX420 4X4
Google Image Result for http://www.hondampe.com.au/images/motorcycles/news/product/TRX420FA.jpg (http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hondampe.com.au/images/motorcycles/news/product/TRX420FA.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hondampe.com.au/repository/motorcycles/press_releases/product/Honda-TRX420.aspx&h=167&w=250&sz=18&tbnid=08pAITwJxyFpwM:&tbnh=74&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhonda%2BTRX%2B420&hl=en&usg=__Q7WEbJaRqm4do0iX5OMUAudR3KU=&ei=F6EFTKeeCdegkQXUw5TIDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=7&ct=image&ved=0CCEQ9QEwBg)

[subasurf]

I wish I needed an ATV.
Stupid suburbia living....:(

[crash]

Sounds like you need a horse - can go where the cattle go, can handle side slopes and steep hills, and can pull a small wagon for fencing and spraying if required. Personally I would rather have an ATV.

[Rangier Rover]

Well here it is, goes OK for an efi 420cc.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=25862&stc=1&d=1275608229

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=25863&stc=1&d=1275608314

Wont look like this for long though:( I'll give it one week here and it'll look 10 years old.:mad:

I got two spare front drive shafts for it so can just drop the lower ball joint and swap them out when the CV boots get torn off. Happens frequently here:(

[Savanahkelpy]

Someone makes cv boot protectors up this way, can,t remember who,, i,ll do some digging to try to find out.:)

[PAT303]

I have a Kawasaki KFX 700 and could not speak highly enough of it worth a look at.

Only 2wd but very fast, heaps of torque a proper tow ball attachment available.

Lighter in the steering than a 4wd machine and a lot less moving parts.

If you have a test ride you will love the big V twin.

Cheers

Go the Kwaka.One of the sites I work on has had one for 12 months and it has outlasted all the other makes,I'd go as far as saying it is the most trouble free mine site vehicle I've ever encounted. Pat

[rick130]

That's far too bright and shiny Tony :D

Do you reckon all the quads are getting too damned big ?
A common complaint around here is that the turning circles in particular are getting too large, and because they are all getting so big and heavy they are getting scary in steep country.
Hell, one of the cockies here rolled his 'Cruiser down the side of a mountain last year and got smashed up pretty badly, had to be choppered out and spent a few months in Newcastle.

[Rangier Rover]

That's far too bright and shiny Tony :D
Not for long:twisted:

Do you reckon all the quads are getting too damned big ?
A common complaint around here is that the turning circles in particular are getting too large, and because they are all getting so big and heavy they are getting scary in steep country.

Yep, I have even written letters to Honda and got a reply stating we are only a small part of the market sector so the ATVs are aimed more at the Red Neck market:mad:
We have rolled all of our ATVs here in the steep country more than once. Being lighter does help hold on to them for sure. That new 420 is a bit high for my liking compared to the old 350 beside it. The bigger 500 and up are no use here.:(


Hell, one of the cockies here rolled his 'Cruiser down the side of a mountain last year and got smashed up pretty badly, had to be choppered out and spent a few months in Newcastle.
Touch wood, we have been lucky with the cruisers. Only lost one, and that was a dodgy handbrake.
Back in the 50's a series one got put on its side wile working on a fence line in the high country. They used rope and wire to put it back on its feet, then hung post and netting on the high side, then drove it out:twisted: