Why don't more people ride sport atvs?

[OZ-T]

Maybe it's just a regional thing, but here in MT the utility machines dominate everything. Everyone and their third cousin has one it seems like, you always see them parked in yards, in the back of pickup trucks, and on trails. They even snuff out the dirt bikes, side by sides, and full size 4x4s. Although the SxS have gained more in popularity, but still haven't overcome the utility atv.
I am not knocking on utility atvs and know they can be very useful for lots of things like chores and hauling or towing heavy things, but I just don't see how you can have much fun on them compared to a sport machine. I've ridden dozens of utilities in the past and just never felt that same electrical surge I get when I ride my sport. I rode dirt bikes for years and thought they were the greatest thing ever until I tried out a friend's 400EX and fell in love with the platform, before I knew it I had traded in my dirt bike for my first sport quad and never looked back.
Another thing is these type of forums, I am a member on 2 other atv forums and this is the only one that has a large congregation of sport riders, the other two are most all utility riders and sport riders are a minority. I guess I just don't see the appeal of a utility except for older riders or someone who can't use a clutch and needs an easier way to ride. You can be on a new sport quad for several thousand dollars cheaper, and have way more fun on one.

Not trying to start a bashing thread or anything, I just want to know what it's like in other areas and what your thoughts are. Thanks!

[CJM]

It must be a regional thing, cause round here everyone has some sorta sport quad pretty much. Where I ride on a given good day there can be upwards of 50+ people out there, maybe 10% have a utility.

[quad2xtreme]

I see far more utility quads at Hatfield McCoy...and even at Busco Beach (although I haven't ridden there in 3 years or so). The only reason I would switch to a utility is if I get to the point I can't lift my quad anymore. Even now, I don't lift it much. I keep a strap handy and just pull my quad out with my wife's or vice versa.

[wfo4rv]

I see far more utility quads at Hatfield McCoy...and even at Busco Beach (although I haven't ridden there in 3 years or so). The only reason I would switch to a utility is if I get to the point I can't lift my quad anymore. Even now, I don't lift it much. I keep a strap handy and just pull my quad out with my wife's or vice versa.
There's a good amount of sport quads with reverse

[quad2xtreme]

Had several sport quads with reverse and I never found reverse being useful in a stuck situation. I am not talking about simply pushing a quad backwards to get turned around (which I rarely have to do because you can spin them around on a dime if you know what you are doing...or do a 3 point turn against a hillside. I am talking about buried in a mudded up rut that you have to lift the front and back out of the rut.

[beastlywarrior]

You won't get it until you start getting old

[quad2xtreme]

You won't get it until you start getting old I am getting there...turning 49 in a few months. I've found myself looking at the sporty CanAm 4X4s more and more. :-)

[blacknblue#2]

To me its a money issue. When im on a quad I would say 80% of the time i am above half throttle and usually way above it. If im MX riding I aint the kind of person that cant double a triple, if the triple is remotely at all possible it gets attempted. If im trail riding i am fast as I can possibly go basically just holding on like riding a bull. Its expensive to ride like that on a quad. I made the switch to bikes for that reason. With 2 kids, a mortgage and all the other stuff that comes with it I couldnt afford the maintenance of a sport quad anymore.

[quad2xtreme]

To me its a money issue. When im on a quad I would say 80% of the time i am above half throttle and usually way above it. If im trail riding i am fast as I can possibly go basically just holding on like riding a bull. Its expensive to ride like that on a quad. I made the switch to bikes for that reason. With 2 kids, a mortgage and all the other stuff that comes with it I couldnt afford the maintenance of a sport quad anymore.

Ain't that all the truth. Now that I ride both, I can't believe how much more maintenance there is on the quad. If you count it up, there are so many more moving parts in the front end of quad. (Versus a bike, 2 extra wheel bearings, 4 tie-rod ends, 4 balljoints, and at least 8 a-arm bearings)

[2001400exrida]

i agree with higher maintenance. you got 4 tires instead of 2 to replace. more brake pads....all that extra stuff on the front end, they're definitely more costly to maintain if you get out and ride. Some of the bigger riding spots around here there will be hundreds of riders out and I have to agree it's mostly utilities or the huge 4x4's out there. There are sport quads but i mostly see them at the races be it hare scrambles or mx or TT races.

[KKiowaTJ]

In my area its mixed. The fat, Lazy no gear wearing riders ride 4x4's with a handful of decent ones. The only sport quads around are owned by dumb fawk kids who think they need to rev 9k on a 450r in town. There are a handful of us older but not old who ride sport quads and like mentioned, I can spin on a dime so I have never found a need for a utility. Plus my sport quad weighs how much compared to a beast? If you have a problem now, They only get heavier and IMO I was always told if you cant pick it up (bike) or flip it back alone, You shouldn't be riding it. The SxS's are getting popular but if I want a cage, Ill get out my jeep, Better winch and can fit down the same trails.

Id have to say its a split in my area, I know a farmer who checks his fence, feed, etc with a 02' 450r bike? First year made and he also has a kicker trx 450r 04' IIRC. Hes in his late 40's and said he would still use the R if he didn't like to lug in spots.

[2001400exrida]

Id have to say its a split in my area, I know a farmer who checks his fence, feed, etc with a 02' 450r bike? First year made and he also has a kicker trx 450r 04' IIRC. Hes in his late 40's and said he would still use the R if he didn't like to lug in spots.

Funny you mention that, there's a cattle farmer about a mile from me and whenever he's moving cattle to different pastures he uses 2 400ex's to herd them up. I've watch him do it several time he'll put his son on the back of it facing backwards so he can steer the cattle and then the other one is bringing up the rear. It would make a great video.

[HondaRacing83]

I will always have a sport quad, but i certainly dont hate utilities and side by sides. I like getting on my dads grizzly every once in awhile, you dont usually get muddy, you dont have to run balls to the wall, there pretty hard to get stuck, easier to ride and doesnt beat you up riding. i think side by sides are way cool though. my dads had a bunch of rhinos and rzrs and gators. there pretty fun id like my own rzr one day

[OldGuyonaQuad]

Guys that I talked to getting ready to purchase went with 4x4 for hunting and comfort if the 4x4 was in their budget.

[DEAL]

I recently bought an outlander 800 after owning nothing but sport quads for 10+ years, I love sport quads but for trail and winter riding I'm much happier with the outlander, rides very smooth and is still plenty quick. I will probably buy a sport quad again someday but will always have a 4x4 too.

[chucked]

I got rid of my sport and got a utility once I realized that a utility isnbetter for the type of trails I ride. It also keeps me much dryer and cleaner

[mineralgrey01gt]

Its like that in my area also. The only close place to ride is closed right now for a long time while they are doing construction. Nearest place after that is 1.5hrs away which isnt too bad to drive but gas kills me going that far. I wish there were more people in the area to ride with or more areas to ride

[KKiowaTJ]

I like the small stature of the sports. I have tried 4x4's and IMO its like having a shopping cart front end and too wide to fit down some trails. The only advantage is making you're own trail.

The ones I have rode like my BIL's 750 v-twin IRS 4x4, I cant get comfortable it feels like a tire going low or tipping to me even on flats with turns. The only one I can recall being comfortable on is the old Honda 300 fourtrax 4x4's. Solid quad and would take any abuse you could throw or drive in through.

[Blodg]

I have a sporty solid rear axle 4WD utility that is very fast. I chose this one because when I bought it I was coming off a racing background and it was the sportiest utility made at the time. I thought as I got older it would end up being my main trail machine. I can ride wheelies, do donuts, and small jumps on my Prairie but still even now at 45 I still would never choose to take it on a riding trip over my sport quads. Maybe it is because I raced for years but the utility is not near as much fun for ripping down bumpy trails, blasting the turns, getting some air, and climbing steep hills. I guess if I was just going to poke around the woods the Prairie would be better but my trail rides are as fast as I can go 90% of the time. I don't like riding in the mud but that is the one place where the utility is more fun than the sport quads for me.

One of these days it will happen, maybe when I am 60+ I will prefer the utility. A lot of guys are going with the SXS but I still don't see the desire for one of those as I would rather ride something than drive something when out on the trails.

[muddy400EX]

Because the majority of off road riders are redneck hillbilly's. And what do hillbilly's want to do? MUUUUUUD! They look at sport quads and say "dat dere aint neven 4 will drive, u caint even mud dat thang!"

I can't do 4x4's, they're heavy, tipsy and just feels really weird. And riding around in circles in a mud puddle doesn't excite me what so ever. Even the sport riders i see are goons. I never see good quad riders out in the woods. On the track they show up, but i never see serious woods riders

[54warrior]

Where I am from, the market is flooded with Side By Sides. I'd say it's probably 40% SxX, 30% Utility and 30% Sport Quads. I own a sport quad (DS450XC) and a SxS (800 RZR). They are both fun and have their place in the world.

[honda400ex2003]

I still ride my 400 when we go but the days of riding hard and such are pretty much over it seems like. Unless i get some land next year when i start looking/buy a house next year, my days of tracks and such are over.

I dont have anyone to ride sport machines with any more either so that makes a big difference. If i still had the buds i used to ride with, i would still be riding like that. I had a bad accident a couple years ago and havent rode hard since then. I cant be laid up for months with broken bones any more so thats tough too.

my next one will be a nice rincon or a can am outlander. my gf will have a nice rancher or an outlander 500 most likely too in a couple of years. It will all depend on how much i spend every month on a house in the future though.

steve

[quad2xtreme]

[QUOTE=honda400ex2003;4341188 It will all depend on how much i spend every month on a house in the future though.

steve[/QUOTE]

My rule of thumb is build twice the size of garage you think you need. For a house, you probably only need about 2/3rds the size you think you need. Dedicated dining room is almost always a waste. Dedicated living room is a waste too if there is a family room. Unless your work from home, dedicated office is mostly a waste. Build a nice garage and put an in-law on top of it. That becomes the best space for company so they aren't in your house the whole time. :-)

[muddy400EX]

I still ride my 400 when we go but the days of riding hard and such are pretty much over it seems like. Unless i get some land next year when i start looking/buy a house next year, my days of tracks and such are over.

I dont have anyone to ride sport machines with any more either so that makes a big difference. If i still had the buds i used to ride with, i would still be riding like that. I had a bad accident a couple years ago and havent rode hard since then. I cant be laid up for months with broken bones any more so thats tough too.

my next one will be a nice rincon or a can am outlander. my gf will have a nice rancher or an outlander 500 most likely too in a couple of years. It will all depend on how much i spend every month on a house in the future though.

steve


Lack of people to ride with will be the reason i quit riding, and switching to utility's or sxs is not even an option for me. I would just stop riding. Doest interest me at all, especially for the money people are paying for these sxs. I would switch to bikes in a heartbeat tho, if i had a few good buds that rode bikes

[HondaRacing83]

I think all Atvriders members should all move to one town and ride 24/7

[OZ-T]

I think all Atvriders members should all move to one town and ride 24/7

That would be so much fun! :D

[blacknblue#2]

Lack of people to ride with will be the reason i quit riding, and switching to utility's or sxs is not even an option for me. I would just stop riding. Doest interest me at all, especially for the money people are paying for these sxs. I would switch to bikes in a heartbeat tho, if i had a few good buds that rode bikes

By looking at your post you already have a bike? If your talking about a MX bike just go buy one. Dirtbikers are a dime a dozen. Go to a few tracks by yourself and before you know it youll have dirt bike riding buddys.. I mainly bought my bike just to ride Hatfield Mccoy on since thats where the majority of my riding happens at anymore. Ive been giving thought to trading it or selling it to buy a newer KTM300XC

[HondaRacing83]

Eff motocross. Woods fo life, i plan on buying a bike soon. id likd a newer ktm 250xc

[muddy400EX]

By looking at your post you already have a bike? If your talking about a MX bike just go buy one. Dirtbikers are a dime a dozen. Go to a few tracks by yourself and before you know it youll have dirt bike riding buddys.. I mainly bought my bike just to ride Hatfield Mccoy on since thats where the majority of my riding happens at anymore. Ive been giving thought to trading it or selling it to buy a newer KTM300XC

sold that ktm, no bike buds to ride ride with, only got a couple riding buddy's left and they're on quads. Not really interested in mx riding anymore, all bike guys on the track are just chit talking punks, they cant even ride worth a damn themselves but they sit there and talk chit about the other bikes, talk chit about us because were on quads, just chit talk everything. its rediculous, too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, jumps too steep, jumps not steep enough. blah blah

[2001400exrida]

I switched to TT racing because most of my buddies were the typical ride once a year type. I did woods racing for a season and still had lots of guys to ride with back then, but as of now it's strictly flat track and TT this year. I hit the trails 3 times on the yfz but there were only 2 of us out riding. I live to ride so if i can find an avenue to get out and do it, i will. I've really taken to the TT racing, it's a great time and besides tires and motor you're not putting the machine through hell like those woods races did.

[cloudpump]

I switched to TT racing because most of my buddies were the typical ride once a year type. I did woods racing for a season and still had lots of guys to ride with back then, but as of now it's strictly flat track and TT this year. I hit the trails 3 times on the yfz but there were only 2 of us out riding. I live to ride so if i can find an avenue to get out and do it, i will. I've really taken to the TT racing, it's a great time and besides tires and motor you're not putting the machine through hell like those woods races did.

Sucks. I can never find anyone to ride with.

[zyoung04]

Around here its prob 65% sxs all wearing a polaris badge probably the rest is between us sport guys and a few bikes. U dont hardly ever see a utility quad around here. For the simple fact that everyone around here think they have to join the Rzr crowd.

Ill prob live and die on a sport quad, id probably own a bike or some sort utility but I ain't giving up my speed. One thing ill never ever own is a Rzr too expensive for me and their not reliable.

[OZ-T]

Around here its prob 65% sxs all wearing a polaris badge probably the rest is between us sport guys and a few bikes. U dont hardly ever see a utility quad around here. For the simple fact that everyone around here think they have to join the Rzr crowd.

Ill prob live and die on a sport quad, id probably own a bike or some sort utility but I ain't giving up my speed. One thing ill never ever own is a Rzr too expensive for me and their not reliable.
I feel ya, after 15 years of riding bikes I figured I'd be on them until the day I died, then I tried out a 400EX and fell in love. I now have my own and wouldn't have it any other way. When I get a little more daring, I plan to add a 250R into the mix, never much cared for 2 stroke bikes but am curious about 2 stroke quads.

[wilkin250r]

I plan to keep my 250r forever, but right now I have two of them. I'm seriously considering selling one and putting that money towards a utility, it just suits my riding style better nowadays. I still hit the dunes, but I've got a LOT of backcountry trails behind my house. Miles and miles, lots of rocks, I want something that has some range to it and get back into the mountains a ways.

One nice utility, with well-designed gas cans, can carry a lot of extra gas for several other quads and extend the range of the whole group. With that extra gas, even the sport quads can get into the back country a ways. I don't need everybody on utility quads, but I need at least one.

[beastlywarrior]

I just got a foreman and absolutely love it, the old warrior sits a lot now as the utility is just so much nicer to go on the family rides with

[OZ-T]

I plan to keep my 250r forever, but right now I have two of them. I'm seriously considering selling one and putting that money towards a utility, it just suits my riding style better nowadays. I still hit the dunes, but I've got a LOT of backcountry trails behind my house. Miles and miles, lots of rocks, I want something that has some range to it and get back into the mountains a ways.

One nice utility, with well-designed gas cans, can carry a lot of extra gas for several other quads and extend the range of the whole group. With that extra gas, even the sport quads can get into the back country a ways. I don't need everybody on utility quads, but I need at least one.

I know the feeling. It's nice having a utility guy riding along to carry an extra 5 gallons of gas and a cooler for snacks and drinks. Most times I just use a backpack, but can't carry an extra gas can in there. They make a small rear rack known as a 6 pack rack that goes on the back of the 400EX and looks like it would carry maybe a small 2 gallon gas jug comfortably. That combined with the 2.8 gallons in my tank could get me pretty far.

Do you have any pics of the 250R you might sell? I don't have any money right now but would probably be interested in it if I did.

[wilkin250r]

Do you have any pics of the 250R you might sell? I don't have any money right now but would probably be interested in it if I did.

I don't want to hijack the thread with my 250r for sale, so let's keep it on topic (except for this picture, of course:p )

Many of the trails behind my house are rocky and rutted. I can take my 250r, I've done it many times, but it's just not happy about it. A 2-stroke just isn't suited for this type of terrain, especially the rocky sections. The 4-strokes are just fine going slow and crawling over them, but the 250r isn't happy doing that. The best way to tackle them with a hi-performance 2-stroke is to gas it and blast over them, but now not only am I leaving the rest of my party behind, but I'm also beating the crap out of myself and the quad, as well as wasting precious gas. That's why I'm usually riding my wife's 400EX, it does great, and I think a utility would do even better.
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