ATV advice needed.

Ed Askew

Ed Askew

Well-known member
I guess I'm going to go ahead and buy an ATV. Last year I built a little cart out of a two wheel wheelbarrow (just removed the barrow, made a wooden frame) and used that to haul my Kara out into the rice and bean fields in Arkansas where I hunt nowadays. It was some good exercise. I lost weight. Towards the end of the season though with the other guys running those levees with their ATV'S they got to be so rutted up and were a total muddy morass that the cart became nearly impossible to pull anymore. Messed up my knee, strained a ligament took months to get back to normal. What I need is a used ATV that can handle that rutted up levee, which is almost flat, and it would be nice if it could handle some water up to 2 feet deep. If not I can probably deal with it without that feature. It needs to haul me and pull the Kara on a cart. Can't imagine it would need to be a big machine because I can pull the cart. The round trip is 2 miles for the longest haul I have to make. Speed isn't important. 2 mph is fast enough. Reliability and easy maintenance are more important to me. I've got a big utility trailer that I haul the Kara in, and it will also haul about any ATV I imagine. What do y'all recommend?

Ed.
 
The bigger the engine the worse the gas usage is. Lots of backcountry hunters up here have switched to using side by sides and 700cc sit on tops thinking that with all that power they will have no issues hauling out a moose and camp in one trip. Turns out they need to pull a small fuel tanker with them. Running out of gas before you even get half way to moose camp is an issue folks didn't consider when upgrading.

A 350cc or 450cc motor will work fine for what you are looking to do. Get some mud light tires to give it some additional ground clearence. If it has independant suspension in the rear you can get some longer shocks maybe to help out getting through the deeper ruts.

Polaris is american made, but they have issues with axle shaft construction and their stators get filled with water when mudding and are easily destroyed. They also eat batteries due to some kind of electrical issue. You should disconnect the battery over long periods of no use. The Big Boss 6 wheelers are hard to turn due to the direct drive duel rear wheels. Goes straight well, but tight corners suck. The do however, come with tracks for the rear wheel set, but make turning even worse. Great on tundra, but with two extra wheels and the tracks once stuck you need a wrecker to get it out.

Yamaha Grizzlys are pretty good machines from what I have seen and read about. I am thinking of getting a used one this summer when I get back to town. One friend as a Kodiak which has a 600cc motor I think and it does great hauling moose and what not. Yamaha makes several of their machines in 2WD only versions so watch out that you are not buying one of them.

Honda Foreman are the go to machines for bush Alaska since they fit in small cargo planes. Even fit in a 206 if you take the wheels off. They are small but are great machines.

The under rated Suzuki King Quads are some interesting machines. You see them up here looking completely destroyed, but they start and run for years. Not a lot of them around though. The ones I have seen were all older and small enough to fit in a 206 like the Honda. All of them appeared to be trash, but worked fine in mines and in remote camps.

For the water, just build a snorkel with ABS drain pipe and you are good to go for several minutes under water till the water finds its way into the oil. ATV forums should have some helpful tips on how to install snorkels.
 
Ed, I have more than a few different ideas about 4 wheelers after being around them for quite a few years. One due to the fact that I am more often than not alone I need something I can get unstuck without a wrecker or helocopter. That means a small chain drive unit without electric start or any extras . My personal 4wheeler is a Honda TRX 200. Yup that is only a 200 cc. but it does just fine. I have removed all electrics to keep off season maintenance and weight down. Price is a big factor too, being old and small it was very cheap to get and run. I am very predjudiced towards Honda but most of the manufactures make a good one. My $.002, I don't care for Polaris. Just an opinion and you will find a lot of people love them. I could get real specific but this is probably not the place or time. Good Luck
 
I'll second the advice about going small and light. 4WD is a must and a locking differential is a real plus. Both Honda and Yamaha make fine ATVs. I have a made-in-America Kodiak 450 (actually a 425) that is one of the best machines of any type I have ever owned. It's relatively compact and light, but it's still big enough for plowing the pond (for skating) and putting in food plots.
 
Polaris is american made.....,
Click to expand...
I believe Polaris moved their manufacturing to Mexico. Big news here in Minnesota where they used to be manufactured. Lot's of jobs went with the move. Maybe they still make the ATV's here - not sure. I do know that a bunch of Polaris gear is made south of the border. Mark W
 
Ed, something I haven't heard anybody else mention is a MAX 6 wheeler. I've had one for years. Its a skid steer with full time 6 wheel drive. It has a V twin Briggs motor that feel is unkillable. With the plugs in, it will float with 2 guys in it. It's rated to pull 1000 lbs. Its no speed demon, but sounds like it'll do what you want just fine. And I believe they are still American made.

John
 
ED,

I have been using the same Honda 300 Fourtrax duck hunting rice fields and flooded timber for the last 18 years. I replace the engine oil, Front and rear differential oil, and transmission oil at the end of every season. Others I hunt with have a 350 Yamaha, (3) Honda Ranchers, and a Polaris Ranger side by side, all are 4x4. The side by sides are nice especially with the windshield on cold mornings, but they are much more expensive and if you get them stuck not as easy to get out.

I would not get a bike without four wheel drive, especially if you plan on driving in the flooded fields. Any bike over 250cc should be adequate depending how much plan to haul. I often haul two men plus dog and gear on my bike and our round trip is 6 miles from camp to blind and back.

[inline fourwheeler.jpg]

Here is the only picture I have showing the bike. Although the boys are blocking most of the picture you can see that I added front and rear baskets and gun racks. I do have a trailer hitch installed on the ATV and use it to haul either 4'x8' utillity trailer or boat trailer as needed.

Jay Cunningham

View attachment Fourwheeler.jpg
 
Like the other guys said: get a small, light 4wd.
A big huge machine will cost more, use more gas and it will take 2 others machines to get you unstuck!
 
One other note: put a winch on the front and keep a ground anchor kit onboard. That way you can winch/power yourself out of being stuck.
 
Carl, Why not put the winch on the rear? I don't have any electrics on mine but just curious why you would want to go further into whatever got you stuck? The ground anchor is really important though, got to hook to something.
 
Just curious, see a lot of them here. Maybe things are diferent down there.;-). Also I do have a boat winch on a bracket so I can use that to pull out if I really get screwed, haven't needed it yet
 
My experience is confined to the John Deere ATV. Besides using it to "road" my four retrievers it was ideal for training and goose hunting. I was almost 70 years old when it became my "new toy". What fun!

It had a front mounted winch, rear hitch and four wheel (manual and auto) drive, it was quite a machine. I found a new one at a bargain price and never had any mechanical issues. After buying it, I soon realized with my bad knees, the "step through" mounting capabilities made it the perfect choice.

"loaded for a field goose hunt"
 
Ed Here is what you need. No more problems with mud. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY001yXdrhI&feature=related

Other then the ultimate machine with tracks. I think a small Honda is the answer. I have UTV side by side and have gone though two foot holes of mud but not recommended. If you have a trailer hitch on the front as well as the rear you can get winches that fit on them, that way you only need one winch and you can move it to where you need it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top