ATV Quadin' in Seattle.

[Rusty Heap]

Thought I'd share my recent hill climbin' muddin' ATV adventures at Evans Creek which is near Mt Rainer south east of Seattle.

FOURTEEN 4x4 quads in a riding posse' had fun chasing each other and talking smack......... Great day of male bonding and boyz playin' in the mud and getting dirty.

Cue up banjo pickin' music from Deliverance.

Hills were steep and muddy ruts were deep........ PERFECT.

[Jandrews]

Looks like a FANTASTIC trip!! Timely post, as I am looking to start getting into ATV's for exactly this type of purpose...mountain trails. I am just now starting my research on what machines to look at, and since you are heavily involved in activities very similar to what I would want to be doing, I thought I would run my "requirements" by you for any recommendations:

o I am 6'6", 275 lbs.
o I will be looking for a used, not new ATV.
o I would prefer a budget of under $4K
o I am able to do almost all/any mechanical type of repairs myself
o Newness/year/bling are not important to me at all
o I will want/need 4 wheel drive
o I will want/need Reverse
o I would prefer front and rear racks
o I would prefer optional 2up capability, since I will likely be carrying my 5 year old daughter on some easy trail runs.

Again, looks like a really great time. Looking forward to any recommendations.

Thanks,

JA

[Rot 911]

John, I just went through you same scenario last month. Ended up with a Yamaha Grizzly. Seems to be about the best there is out there. Lots of used ones in your price range. Picked up this 2009 Grizzly 450 for $3000. Needed about $200 of front end work and it was good to go. Electric shift into 4 wheel drive, locking differential, automatic transmission.

[Jandrews]

Wow Kurt, that is pretty much EXACTLY what I am looking for, and that seems to be a very good price! Any idea what constitutes HIGH hours or miles on one of these things? How is the power on that 450, Kurt? How did you find yours? I am in the Kansas City area and have been looking at Craigslist. Any other "Autotrader" like sources for ATV's?

Thanks!

JA

[onewhippedpuppy]

Damn that looks like fun!

[Rusty Heap]

Lets just say, out of the 14 quads on this last trail ride, 13 of them were Yamaha Grizzlys, mostly 400-450 class, my 660cc and one newer 700cc with power steering.

Right up front, I'll say there is NO one perfect quad for ALL applications.

that said, I've owned 12 different quads in the last 15 years of different makes models, all of major key player brands, stay away from any Autoparts store/Walmart chinese crap brands.


In my order of preference (your milage may vary) are:

Yamaha
Honda/Polaris Tie for 2nd

Suzuki/Kawasaki a close third.

Local parts/dealer support could be a deal breaker in any of the above.


Kurt, you got a good deal on that 450, now replace those BALD stock tires with some ITP holeshots Radials and you'll be set. Don't get caught up in the heavy mud lug tires for looks, (unless you're in deep mud) Radials are great to conform to rocks/logs and a Holeshot tread is an aggresive sport tread but not too much rolling resistance. the BEST all around tire. I took mine off (on a second set of stock rims), to mount up those bighorns on ITP alum rims shown in the last photo, just as I new we were going to be in more mud than fast logging road trail riding which is where the ITP ATR's shine. Call it a sports tire for a Ute quad.

ITP TIRES - Holeshot ATR Tires

Take a long look at my blue Grizzly 660, hand guards, rear hard box, custom front bumper, shock covers, skid plates, and other goodies to make it trail worthy. No bling, all sing.

The 450's are mid sized, more nimble, QUICK and still "Fast" the 660cc's and 700's have more low end torque and WFO top speed, but that doesn't count in tight woods or rocks. In my last ride shown, there were at least 10 Yamaha 400's and 450's. GET independant suspension front and rear. Straight axle rears are fine for more sport speed riding, but IRS and IFS front suspension grips and grabs.

My next new quad will be the 2010 Grizzly 450, (sometimes buying new is cheaper in the long run) the 2010 450 comes with power steering. sweet sweet ride, sealed rear disk brake in an oil bath, and the power steering also helps absorb the hits from rocks to not transfer the jolt to your arms. I run a 7-way click adjust passive steering dampner on my 2003 blue Grizz 660.

The new Polaris 850 is also an incredilbe machine. Do a seach on You Tube for both and read reviews.

glad to help get people into the ATV sport, I have 4 quads in the shop at the moment, Grizz 660 4x4, Polaris Sportsman 500 4x4, and two Polaris Predators 500cc's for my sand duning balls to the walls moods at 70-75 mph moments.





hope this helps.

Best thing on craigslist, is take someone with you that knows quads, check all wheel bearings, oil change maintenance, and general upkeep. Some people Smash Thrash and Trash their quads/atvs, same can be said for porsches too..........both are expensive for parts and to work on.........

[ODDJOB UNO]

heres the thing no one tells ya................................



BIG quads are NOT TO BE RIDDEN FAST...............THEY WILL KILL YOU!



the lil 300 ho-nad(honda) is a corvette/911 on the trails. light and 2 wheel drive.


anything above a 600 is a freeking 1-ton flatbed truck on the trails and ya better think before you act. they are PIGS! and when you stick one..............well ya better have a winch or a hell of alot of friends to unstick it. they are HEAVY!


the big ones like my 600 will carry an entire elk out 1/4'd. less head and gut bag. yeah we far exceeded the mfg's weight limit and drove it at about .5 mph as so NOT TO BREAK THE AXLES!


the lil ones when stuck one guy can usually lift out. they are zippy and fun. my 600 will do about 58mph and that just flat scares the poo out of me. about the fastest i cruise is around 30mph. anything above is just flat goofy with all that weight.


i use mine for hunting and grading my property period. its a 2000 with like 2200 miles on it. the lil hondas are like timex's and very gas miserly.


anything off camber..............well get off and walk on the uphill side and thru the obstacle. if too off camber....................well you havent lived until you have had one ROLL OVER ON YOU! ask me how i know and thank buddah i had a helmet on. i was out of work for a week with that crash. CRUSHED THE LIVING POO OUTTA ME! and it twas NOT FUN!



it is the ONLY WAY TO HUNT instead of beating the snot out of your 35K truck and the ensuent brush pin stripping.



hell most of the time we will take out our crappy lil 3 man camo tent. set it up in the happy hunting grounds, orange tape/gps the location and come opening morning putt putt out to location and shut them off a 1/2 mile away from blind and sneak on in to the tent and assume deadly sniper positions for unwary elks and deers.


get totally bored and move on down the trail if need be. i have swapped ends with my truck and my friends trucks/jeeps with our tires looking like glazed donuts from the caliche mud here, i have been involved in numerous truck rescues stuck in mud and snow. with a quad you avoid those headaches by smart reading of the ground and yer able to spend more time hunting, which is why the hell yer there in the 1st place.

[Rot 911]

Originally Posted by Jandrews

Wow Kurt, that is pretty much EXACTLY what I am looking for, and that seems to be a very good price! Any idea what constitutes HIGH hours or miles on one of these things? How is the power on that 450, Kurt? How did you find yours? I am in the Kansas City area and have been looking at Craigslist. Any other "Autotrader" like sources for ATV's?
Thanks!
JA

Mine was in the local paper. Have you called on this one?
2003 Yamaha Grizzly 660

I have a trailer if you need one to pick up an ATV. If you find one in Missouri and I have a free day, I'll go look at it with you.

[Rusty Heap]

Note to self: Don't go riding with Weasel as he must have to squat to pee.

quote:

BIG quads are NOT TO BE RIDDEN FAST...............THEY WILL KILL YOU! (you haven't set up your suspension right then or are still using bald stock tires and blown out shocks)



the lil 300 ho-nad(honda) is a corvette/911 on the trails. light and 2 wheel drive.

(OMG now that is too funny there, been playing Mario Karting on your Xbox lately?)

Yes if you think a Geo Metro is a Vette or 911, then the honda 300 will make you shake and quake with fear.

too funny Weasel. thanks for the laugh I needed that...........

[gr8fl4porsche]

I understand what the Weasel is talking about. Those big farm bikes are like riding tanks thru the woods. There is a reason they need power steering.

I enjoy tearing up Terra Firma with my '86 Quadracer. Gotta love the old 2-stroke race bikes.

[Rot 911]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

Take a long look at my blue Grizzly 660, hand guards, rear hard box, custom front bumper, shock covers, skid plates, and other goodies to make it trail worthy. No bling, all sing..

That picture is just how it was when I bought it. Only mod so far is a Warn RT25 winch and a plow for the winter. Other mods will come. What rear hard box is that?

[Rusty Heap]

On the Warns, the XT 25 comes with Synthetic Rope which most people find easier to handle than the wire cable, you can retrofit the R/T with this better rope if you want.

If you're serious about plowing snow, you'll need better tires (note my ITP ATR reference for grip), plus even then, you have to take more lighter cuts/passes as the weight/traction just isn't there compared to pickup or Kubota tractor type plowing.

My box came from Cabelas, they have many quad accessories, as well as Rocky Mountain ATV.

I've run both hard and soft sided boxes. this one is perfect, low profile and rugged plus 99% waterproof.

Cabela's: Cabela's Supersize ATV Boxes

Rocky Mountain ATV carries EVERYTHING you may need, and is one of the cheapest tire places around.

ATV Parts, ATV Tires, Dirt Bike Parts & Motocross Gear | Rocky Mountain ATV/MC

[trekkor]

I want to try a ride like that.
Looks like a blast.

KT

[ODDJOB UNO]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

Note to self: Don't go riding with Weasel as he must have to squat to pee.

quote:

BIG quads are NOT TO BE RIDDEN FAST...............THEY WILL KILL YOU! (you haven't set up your suspension right then or are still using bald stock tires and blown out shocks)



the lil 300 ho-nad(honda) is a corvette/911 on the trails. light and 2 wheel drive.

(OMG now that is too funny there, been playing Mario Karting on your Xbox lately?)

Yes if you think a Geo Metro is a Vette or 911, then the honda 300 will make you shake and quake with fear.

too funny Weasel. thanks for the laugh I needed that...........

well obviously you havent felt the hammers of THOR yet in yer short life, trust me as the sun comes up in the east, ride the big ones fast..................and get dead real fast.


i have put more miles OFFROAD than most have ON ROAD! from where i live, to baja,to across the majority of the san juan and rocky mtn passes on bikes/quads/jeeps/4wd. its not like im some 20 yr old wet behind the ears kid.


my front and rear shocks are in perfect condition, you can eat off the damn thing and it runs like a top. tires are new ITP's. so from that it should be obvious its not mechanical, nor rider ability. its called OFF CAMBER ! and when you flip it.................you better hope to gawd you were smart enough to wear a helmet.


when you flip these damn things it aint some 250-300# dirty bike which sucks in itself, its at least 500-600+ #'s coming to crush you into PULP!


all i was doing when i flipped mine,was taking a steep hill left hander at about 2 mph and over it went despite body english to the uphill side.

that damn yamaha grizzly 600 crushed me like a freeking BUG! and it was no fun trust me.

i have gotten myself in some pretty thick ugly nasty terrain recovering game or searching for downed game with it, and i really do know how to read the trail/terrain, and thats key to these.

now if ya wanna go fast.....................try sticking with me on my huskies(1-500xc-1-250xc-1-250wr)), my xr w/xr's only built to the hilt motor/ktm 500xc upside forks, my concours frame up resto penton 175 jack piner, or if ya really wanna see god in technicolor................MY WOODS BUILT ROTAX ATK 605 BAJA RACER w/dual baja designs 8" lamps!


after sucking dust for a few miles...............we will see who squats to pee and crys for mommy!


after doing baja for some 30 years now, we know how to make them fast, and we know how to make them reliable, and we really DO KNOW HOW TO RIDE FAST and SMART!

[notmytarga]

I'll mirror what Juan said regarding safety. I work at a hospital that sees all the trauma in the upper part of California. I have said for years that we see an equal amount for car, motorcycle and quad trauma. Given the relative numbers out there quad riders get injured quite a bit. Often its a yahoo riding a friends down a unknown road without a helmet. Hitting bumps, embankments, gates, gravel, holes - femur fractures, arm injuries, major head trauma. Message - you can't be too careful.

[ODDJOB UNO]

laugh all ya want about my crash. the only thing that saved me was my helmet. i was on decomposing granite hillside when it gave away. there is no "riding school" nor practice to avoid such an incident.



when hunting........................i wear a kevlar "fritz" helmet as ya cant get a rifle up to yer cheek with a bell full face or any full face helmet. and there have been quite a few times buzzing along, when we will spot game. by the book/law, all we have to do is get off the vehicle and step off of the road, and you can legally shoot. and that goes for driving down the freeway if you were to spot game. and heres a lil intelligence from us seasoned hunters. if a freeway runs thru yer hunting unit..............guess where the hell the games gonna be, once opening day arrives????????



right by the freeway cuz theres no shooting going on there and its real quiet! jus remember not to shoot across the freeway. that would be in POOR FORM and rate very low in the eyes of the ranger danger.



very common here kids getting hurt and killed on quads. parents dont supervise, think its a babysitter, and kid doesnt have a clue about speed/weight/braking/lack of being stable at speed. not too damn different from when we were kids and everyone getting killed on 3 wheelers(remember those?)

[Rusty Heap]

Weasel Peeing, There IS squatting etiquette, however, and it should go something like this:

When squatting, the desired position to be in is with buttcheeks parallel to the seat --- but not touching. This is a great way to get those quadriceps in shape and at the same time preserve the sanctity of your bum.

It's pretty much impossible to aim if you're a woman. Make sure you are making a hole-in-one by checking your stream when you first begin. You can always readjust if necessary and avoid making a mess -- a technique other toilet patrons and the janitor will appreciate.

Always make sure to check the seat when you have finished and wipe up any stray spots. That's just courtesy -- you can use a giant wad of TP if you so desire, and you will hopefully wash your hands when you have finished.. and getting a little of your own urine on your fingertips won't kill you for a minute or two. At least it's your own urine.

Flush. Again, courtesy. Those especially germophobic can use their foot to karate kick the handle. Or TP to flush with their hand, then quickly throw it into the swirling bowl as it flushes.

Strong thigh muscles. Germ free tushy. Is it worth it? Consider this -- the handle on the sink you are turning on and off after you pee is more chock-full of germs than the toilet seat is. But, whatever makes you feel better.

Now, pooping this way is an art. I haven't been able to do it yet -- I'd much rather just relax while Sir Sphincter does his job. I think it's pretty much physically impossible, at least for me. I have spent my adult life trying to do it and for the most part all I can do is fart weakly while the urge gets stronger and stronger.

Double-paper if you feel better. Or use the handicap stall. Or for the extremely adventurous who know the "joys" of ****ting in a foreign country, imitate the French and stand on the toilet seat, squat, and **** that way. It's supposed to be great for the intestinal tract and it does produce logs that are faster than a speeding bullet.

Just be careful not to spray pee everywhere when you are done. If you make the mistake of missing, you either have one hell of a cleanup job, or a lot of explaining to do. Better make sure to give the janitor a fruitcake for Christmas.

[Wintermute]

Good ole Evans Creek, I used to Snowmobile there when I was a kid/teen. The jeeps would come in and make 2 foot ruts though in the main road to the camp areas, hard to ride in on the narrow roads.

The views up there though of the mountain are stunning on a cold sunny winter day.

[Rot 911]

Thanks for the ideas Dave!

I have had a number of Jeeps with Warn winches with wire rope so I am familiar with how to handle wire rope.

[nostatic]

bah - back in the day we rode 3-wheel atvs. Quads are for squat-pee'ers.