Used ATV- best bang for the buck?

Any honda is bulletproof and reliable. My honda trx300 or fourtrax is a 1989 model and looks like it could be 10+ years newer.

If you buy used make sure its not from guys like the "soggy bottom boys" from youtube or similar!!! Also make sure it did not have the fool rode out of it in its past either by a kid or an adult that thinks there a kid. People like us are good to buy from. Used to haul wood at a sloe speed, hunting g on, a bit of trail riding even at high speed is fine just not red lined and done all the time.

I do like hondas and the older ones. There simpler and less electronic stuff to fail.

 

I had been looking around here for a couple years trying to find a decent used ATV. Seems they were either in decent shape and the owners wanted pretty much new price; or they were beat to hell and pretty much useless.

I bought a new foreman 500. My credit is good, interest is 3%, payment is less than two bills a month. My goal is to take care of it and never have to buy another one.

I got tired of buying other peoples problems....

 

So dan,
Since your Honda is taken care of, how much would you sell it for?

 

OK, been a long day but I'll make up for it tomorrow.
Truck wouldn't start this morning, too cold for the 'ol 454. Go to shop in car.
Grab work truck-n-trailer, go get 6x6, then home over Loveland Pass.
Drop 6x6 off, head back to return work truck.
Go to Frisco to return new battery that wasn't right. Pick up new battery at NAPA. It said "Extreme" on the box, that's a must have.
Back home over Loveland Pass, again. I-70 was a mess with ski traffic.
Getting ready to install new battery. The good thing.......
To start , choke out and one pull on the cord, fires right up. One pull. This makes me happy.
Update tomorrow after I fart around on it a bit.
To all- thanks again! JB

 

Did you mean- all the drivers from out of state visiting Colorado?? Passed waaay too many non-green plates in the median and off the road this past week.
And avalanches. Had a slide at Herman's Gulch today, killed a guy. I drove right by it. Pretty sad.
...and so- Happy New Year's to you also!!

 

Awww crap,...couldn't help myself, went ahead and played a bit in the dark until my hands went numb. (no gloves, I know,-I know-..jackazz..).
Getting the plow height figured out, the reverse lock for front axle operation, turning radius, etc.
It needs weight in the dump box, gonna toss in some CMU blocks tomorrow, it treads light without weight and that's not a bad thing.
Only issue so far-.. the starter doesn't work. I hit the switch and hear a faint "click", so don't know if it's the relay or the starter itself.
Thoughts? The battery is new and it fires up on the first pull of the cord. (yay baby!)

I get this starter thing figured out, I'm in good shape. ..aaaand the Wife approves. She drives it on Friday, can't wait.

 

Well lots of neat replies!But-hydrostatic better for loads?no.Gear to gear with a positive locking clutch will last longer.6x6's up here in the mountains are great if you stay on the road,very bad at deep snow and mud that is not flat.Utv's with tracks are most worthless because of slow speed/noise/vibration,better to just zip where you are going on a sled or buy an old style jeep.Just my real life experiences.

 

I have ridden one of those old school polaris 6x6 that was a two stroke. It lived at my farm on loan for awhile. It was pretty junky. And took a 1/6acre to turn it around. I hated it really. That said the one you has e and the one I rode are like comparing a 1968 chevy truck and 2010 chevy truck to each other.

 

I'm guessing you're hearing the relay click and the starter isn't working. I had the same issue on my 2003 Wolverine when I bought it used a number of years ago. Try tapping the starter lightly with the handle of a screw driver while pressing the starter button(may be a two person job). If it works, you'll need an overhaul.

Starters are pretty simple and I'm sure you can find a rebuild kit online for fairly cheap. All mine needed was a set of new brushes and the kit came with a new plate. It needed a really good cleaning too. I rebuilt it a few years ago and it works good to this day. With a fully charged battery, it lights right up, hardly hear it crank.

 

This.

Same thing happened to me. Rule out the obvious stuff like corroded connections on both the hot terminal on the starter and the ground (where the starter body make contact with the engine).

If you remove the starter and pull it apart a lot of the time you can clean up the brushes and get rid of all that carbon and put it back together and it will get you along a little while longer. If the o-ring is still in good shape you should be able to get by with just a set of brushes.

 

I had a rebuild thread on another forum from a few years back. I can't locate it now. But I'll see if I can find the pics and post them here. I'm going to assume most of these starters are pretty darn similar; just a slight variation in size and mounting points.

 

The ol' portable USB drive to the rescue! I found a whole bunch of pics from 2006 when I last did this. I'm sure half my problem was the gunk built up inside the starter. I'm assuming that's what's left of the old brushes mixed with oil.

I've also posted pics of a the bolts that held the starter to the quad. A few posts above, someone said be careful if you buy a quad from a kid...these pics are proof; bought mine off a teenager.

 

And the brushes.

Overall, it's really straightforward job.

 

Thank you, this will help quite a bit.

I plowed a bunch today, raced up-n-down the canyon, and have a standing offer should I decide to sell it. I've had a "Bwahahha-haha!!" kinda day.

 

Was searching CL for other stuff and saw this one.

2000 POLARIS 500 HO 6X6 WITH NEW 2500 LBS WENCH AND 50"MOOSE PLOW.
THE 6X6 IS A WORK HORSE, GREAT FOR PLOWING SNOW, MOVING FIREWOOD, HUNTING AND PLAYING!!! RUNS VERY GOOD!! ELECTRIC OR PULL START. VERY GOOD BREAKS. VERY RELIABLE!! RUNS AND OPERATES AS IT SHOULD! WELL TAKEN CARE OF. FRESH SERVICE!! THIS MACHINE IS READY TO GO!
ASKING $3750

 

I guess if it's going to "break"...it's better to be good vs. bad breaks.

 

Sorry for the bump, but BWahahahaha!! I can't believe I went so long without one of these things!! I feel like I'm in my 20's again!

And of course, I'm thinking about modifications. Specifically passenger seating.
Think it's feasible to remove the dump bed, and build a frame for a rear Jeep CJ seat that would fit 2 people? Summer time slow speed touring is what I'm thinking.

 

They would be way up there...even more top heavy, id think