what quad to get the girlfriend?

[PHIL_B54]

im not looking to hard yet, but id like to get the girlfriend a quad(read: i want another quad and she will get to ride it)
what do i get? i have payment on mine so i dont really want another huge payment. depending on what the bank has to say $2400 sounds about as high as im willing to go
we are both 5'11"and i weigh 195 and we will say??? 145 for her

looking at 250ex,300ex,blaster ive never been around any of them for more than 5 min, either way she will have to learn to shift or clutch/shift, i want light so if she rolls it it wont be too bad

250ex, seem like a good quad for her, but i want it to be fun for me to ride too, pretty small, new enough that they are a little much cash

300ex - stuff could interchange between my 400ex and it, like if i got wider a arms the 300 could use the old ones and get an upgrade too, my 400ex carb, stuff like that, pretty spendy

blaster- this one wins with cheap, they are a dime a dozen and parts a pretty avail., i dont know why but they look just fun as hell
pretty small

sorry i wrote a book, but i just want some thoughts on your experiences with any of them

thanks

[toby400ex]

A woman lady bought my 99 300ex for $2500, it was in decent shape when it was sold, heres an example of descent:devil

[PHIL_B54]

ya, that is what i need

i know the 300ex should be what i go for , but i think it will be over kill she really dont need to go fast, and i really dont need to spend money

the blaster ,eventhough its not a honda, looks like they really take abuse, and i really love the smell of a 2 stroke and you can find 2000-2001 for $1800-$2100 on ebay

blasters are faster then 300exs and alot more tippy. 300exs are very reliable, blasters are reliable when you either buy them brand new or buy them if you know they were treated right. i say go with the 300ex.

[CHAUNCY]

Blaster gets my vote. I kept mine in good shape and it lasted and provided me with hours of fun. It had some decent power and there are TONS of mods for them. Just my opinion though.

[Rip_Tear]

I would go with the 300ex or 250ex they are really nice machines! Depending on her the auto clutch might be nice (just based on most girls I know...).

[250x#93]

250x is the way to go!!!!:devil They'd be perfect for a wife, or girlfriend;)

[250EXking]

300ex or 250ex

[lilpoppy]

I would say 300ex or 250ex because my friend has a blaster that he bought brand new and everytime he takes it out something breakes pluss like someone else said the tip a lot easier and the suspension is terrible.

[RuffRyder400ex]

i would say the 300ex. the blaster is tiny. i am 5,7 and i feel way to big on it. The blasters suspension sucks also. the 300ex is alot better i would say. i have ridden all three of these and own two of them. i would have to say the 300.

[Dune Surfer]

The blaster is cheaper, the 300 is the best out of the quads you looking at, forget the 250. they suck. I have friends that have all of those quads and have ridden them all I would get the 300 if you can afford it, it rides the best. If not get the blaster, it's a good quad for the price. I just don't like the semi automatic the 250 has. It won't start in gear and some times it is very hard to get into nuetral (sp). I have seen people stuck before. The secret is to rock it back and forth to get it out of gear. To much of a pain.
good luck

[Sportrax10]

Out of the choices up there, its between the Blaster and the 300ex. But for the price def. the Blaster.

[cheetah]

I would go with the blaster. It's pretty fast, light, and fun for the experienced rider to goof around on. You may want to look into the brake upgrade though. Other than that, no complaints.

[QuadJunkies]

I htink she would love the 300ex, I had one and ut grew it in a year, but if shes not into heavy riding,then she would be happy with it....good luck mines still for sale I think at the dealers......

[PHIL_B54]

something that tips over for the girlfriend is a bad thing, aftermarket tires should help though, i wont own a quad with balloon tires, they may add to suspension, but in my opinion they are the sole reason for many turnovers. they roll over too easy

i want her to know how to run the clutch, and i dont really want to teach her on mine
someone did say get her a polaris and i have considedred it, but it seemed like my dads was in the shop more that it was at our place, they seem like ok machines

im really leaning towards the blaster, and ya there are lots of hop-up parts for a blaster

thank you for the feedback, keep it coming

[Glow Plug]

300ex ! honda reliablity, lot's of mod's, four stroke no mixing gas, wider than a blaster, no really super cramped, good after market suport


that's all i can thing of oh yeah reverse, electric start,

[Brad]

Originally posted by Glow Plug
300ex ! honda reliablity, lot's of mod's, four stroke no mixing gas, wider than a blaster, no really super cramped, good after market suport


that's all i can thing of oh yeah reverse, electric start,
no mixing gas on a blaster either, ya got the oil injection system
but i deffinitlky think you should get a 300ex or a 250x whichever you find cheeper yoyu can get a 300ex cheep off ebay or in you local paper, i know theres always one for sale here. also with the blaster, i rode one and i was super cramped it was really small

[redrizza]

I had a blaster for the gf just because we couldn't afford the 300ex. But, for semi aggressive trailriding the ex probably offers a great package, with reverse and electric start... Girls really appreciate reverse.

But, also the ex weighs I think more than the 400. The blaster weighs in at I think 320lbs dry, which is super light, and it'll really teach a small light weight rider, how to really ride, and not just use it as a rolling lawnchair. The chassis geometry is good and comfortable and it takes a hell of a beating. Only thing is, with the old model blasters the brakes are high maintenance. Pretty much any time we went riding through mud, I'd have to tear the rear caliper appart and service it. Other than that though, it's a great bike. Mine is completely stock. Stock is detuned and very low maintenance. Pickup a blaster that has had engine rebuilds and mods added to the engine, and you may end up working on it more than you'd like... Remember, your gf probably isn't racing or anything, and after the excitement wears off, you really probably don't want to spend hours and money keeping it going.

Hope this helps with your decision.

[PHIL_B54]

shes not exactly small or lightweight, but i had heard the same thing 300ex weighs more than 400ex, correct me if im wrong

reverse, i hadent even thought of it, i guess im so used to not having it i forgot that some bikes do

another opinion of mine is also never trust the oil injector, i would def block it off and mix gas, dads first polaris met its demise because the injector wasnt adjusted correctly, we loved how it didnt smoke too much for a 2 stroke, till it blew up

i guess i should ask the bank before i look too much further, or i might be looking for nothing

[redrizza]

Well, the blaster is the 2nd bike I had with this motor... 1st was an RT180 dirtbike (same motor, different bore) and both ran fine with stock motors and the injector... it makes life easy. As long as u don't mod the motor, or get dirt into the oil resivoir, it should work fine... When it comes to a bike for the gf, she doesn't do the maintenance, I DO, so I like to keep it as easy as possible... Just my 2cents.

[250x#93]

I dunno about bein the same weight as a 400, just think the 300's dry weight is 377 I think and the 400's is 375 well still with them wet there prob. close to the same because the 400 got a bigger oil capacity(tank) and also holds more gas, than a 300 so really there prob. close to the same :devil Correct me if i'm wrong:macho

[ThorChick]

Go with a 300ex, its very similar to your 400 and it'll probably take her longer to outgrow it. I've had mine for over a year and a half now and although I've outgrown it, its been a great bike. Its easy to work on and extremely dependable. I do most of my minor maintenance myself, and with a little help she could too.
Damn, I wish my boyfriend would buy me a new bike. How does a girl get someone to do that for her? hehe

[Honda4trax250x]

def. go with the 300ex ;) the blaster is a really small bike especially for someone who is 5-11 get the 300 u wont regret it

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by ThorChick
Go with a 300ex, its very similar to your 400 and it'll probably take her longer to outgrow it. I've had mine for over a year and a half now and although I've outgrown it, its been a great bike. Its easy to work on and extremely dependable. I do most of my minor maintenance myself, and with a little help she could too.
Damn, I wish my boyfriend would buy me a new bike. How does a girl get someone to do that for her? hehe Andrew told me you were really liken the Predator...:D . Well, I say go take that 300ex in and see if they will give you a decent trade!! They gave me a REALLY good one on mine....:cool: Well, I know a few things that might work, but I cant tell you that on here!!:devil :o

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by QuadJunkies
Well, I know a few things that might work, but I cant tell you that on here!!:devil :o


:eek: ;) :D :devil

[wilkin250r]

I don't know how your girlfriend is, but I know that my girlfriend would never go riding if she had to kick start her quad every time.

I realize price is a big factor, and blasters are cheap. However, if your girlfriend is like mine, I rather spend $2500 on a 300EX with electric start and go riding all the time, rather than $1800 on a quad she never rides because she doesn't like to start it.

And if you're thinking to yourself "That's OK, I'll just start it for her, and then we'll go riding" believe me, that gets old REAL quick.:grr

[BigDog400ex]

my mom has a 3ooex and i ride the crap out of it, they've got a pretty low first gear so she probably won;t stall it super reliable for sure.

[dirtmomma]

Well I have both & I'm a woman....... I LOVE the Blaster, & my 300 so it's a tough decision. I haven't decided which one I want to race I like them both soooo much but for the $$ I'd go w/ the blaster. YES the balloon tires definetly suck but once you get decent tires on it they aren't tippy. My 300 seems more tippy than the blaster. Hope this helps, I have also rode a 250 & liked that too but there are way more mods for the 300 & blaster. Good luck:D

[PhilMoore]

My wife has a Blaster and a 250EX. The 250EX is a nicer, better built machine, but it's ride is harsh, the seat is hard, and it is tippy. I fixed the problems, but it cost more money, of course. ;)

She could start the Blaster once it was warmed up, but if it was cold, forget it. If she got stuck or hung up on a tree, I would have to go back and get her freed up. Which is ok a few times, but gets tedious on long technical rides over beaver dams and windfallen trees.

You can't kill the motor on a 250EX, and if it did, electric start is a dream come true, plus reverse is just nifty.

For inexperienced riders, the Blaster is fun in the dunes and open forestry roads, but somewhat less fun in technical stuff. I think the Blaster is more fun for experienced riders in technical situations though because you can really toss it around easily.
One thing though, if you are following her and she is dogging the motor, the Blaster spews some nasty blue smoke when it is not being revved enough. I don't mind a whiff of 2 stroke exhaust, but breathing it constantly leaves a funny taste and your eyes start burnin like fire.
As far as maintenence and reliability, they are about the same. Just change the oil often and keep the pivot points greased and the chain lubed.

The 250EX and the Blaster are similar in size, so if your girlfriend is taller than 5' 6", she might prefer the 300EX. If you are determined to get the manual clutch, definately get the 300EX instead of the Blaster. The Blaster is tons of fun for the experienced rider, but the reverse and electric start on the 300EX make it more user friendly, although the 300EX can get wild if you want it to.

Overall, I think the 300EX is the best beginner to intermediate quad over the Blaster. With the 250EX being the best for beginners. My only complaint with the 250EX is the rough ride. It was obviously designed for the smaller sized riders, and I think the suspension could have been made adjustable or softer from the factory. Sure the stiff suspension helps with jumping and cornering, but not that many beginners are going to be doing that. You shouldn't need to upgrade your shocks so a small beginner can ride comfortably!

Good luck.

[trueblue450]

Do you really want her to learn on a 2 stroke. I mean the blaster doesn't have that much of a powerband, but if it would kick in going up a hill or whatever she could go rolling. With the 4 stroke you get less work time and more play time.

You also said that youre old 400 stuff can fit on the 300. There yah go. You already got an extra front end, carb all the goodies.

THe 300 also gives her reverse for those tight situations. You wont be disappointed with it.

I just couldn't see her riding trails with a 2 stroke. Just too much work for a person with not to much clutching and quad expierence.

[PHIL_B54]

this is excellent, people answering a question with good reasoning to back up their statements, when i asked i really just wanted to test the water, but now i really want to get her one
so far this is what we have

300ex-pro-electric start, reverse,honda,parts swaping,
con-cost,weight,cost,

blaster pro-cost,weight,
con-kick,no rev.,brakes,

really there are just as many part avail. for each one, the 2-4 stroke thing isnt huge to me at all(either mix oil, or change oil) id really like to ride a blaster just to see how small thay really are, i think that would settle it for me

i thank everyone for their input, and welcome anything else i havent thought of