beginner quad...???

[Glamis400ex]

Hi guys,

My wife is entertaning the idea of riding Glamis with me soon. She has never gone with me, but see's how much fun I have and how I talk about it all the time. I've peaked her curiosity.

Now for the bummer part, she's pretty set on having an automatic quad...ie: no shifting, but no 4x4 utility quad either. Possibly when she's comfy with the dune riding part, she MAY opt for a shifting bike...

What's out there for a beginner but is still sporty and fun??

Glamis

[silver4hundee]

automatic............sportquad...............hmmmm mmmmmmm............Kawi V-force 700;)

no really, a good beginner is 250ex. (auto clutch, but you still gotta shift)
;)

[300exOH]

Sounds like a polaris trailblazer would be perfect. My wife likes hers and with a few mods they aren't too slow. You may try to talk her into a 250ex. The shifting isn't too complicated since there's no clutch and it's a hassle free quad. Whatever you choose I think she'll have fun. That's what it's all about.

[Dune Surfer]

Honda trx250ex

[exatak199]

buy my trail blazer 250 just rebilt less than 10 hours??
good quad for beginners and it's cheap

pm me if your interested

kfx700

[hondaexryda]

a sport auto quad, like POLARIS or TRAILBLAZERS

trailblazer, trailboss, scrambler perhaps??? 250ex is the best though

[bradley300]

i vote for a polaris scrambler 400 2x4 not a bad bike, and when she's ready, you can make them go wicked fast

[Braff1]

Originally posted by bradley300
i vote for a polaris scrambler 400 2x4 not a bad bike, and when she's ready, you can make them go wicked fast

yep, what brad said. 2-stroke power with plenty of potental for future mods.

[JD400exrider]

Glamis Take her out and rent an auto and see how she likes it. I would do all I can to get her on one that shifts. In fact let her try and ride yours. It has the power if she needs it as she gets in to it. Tune yours down a little with a throttle stop or something. See what i am getting at ;) This is your chance to get that pred or new honda :devil:

[BBW]

I JUST got my wife a Polaris Scrambler 500. She's ridden the ex 250 which is a great machine but actually preferred riding my Polaris Sportsman 500, that is until she rode a friends Scrambler 500. I now see why so many women that are entering into riding love this machine. One speed forward, reverse, comfortable, a ton of power, maneuvers well, and I can ride it when I get a sore butt from my EX400.
This is the 4X4 model but we took it to the Dunes this last week-end and never once used it. I do however think 4X4 will come in handy when we trail ride. I would encourage you to try some of the different machines before you buy... that is if you want her along. The right one definately makes the difference between loving it or hating it.... of course could anyone really hate it!
Good luck and happy riding

[2004TRX450R]

Don't take this wrong but how big is she? If she is a big girl then you may want to stick her on something a little bigger. Weight makes a huge difference in the dunes especially when you are talking entry level quads with little power. I'd try to stick her on a 250 EX. It is miles ahead of any poplaris. Get her on something that she at least has to shift but maybe doesn't have to use the clutch. With an auto such as a trailblazer or trail boss they will have to be reclutched to run very well in the sand then reclutched to run in the dirt trails because the clutch needs to be set up to let the engine rev in the sand but not rev so much in the trails. She may not like the shifting idea now but once she get's used to it she will be fine with it. If you can rent something like a 250EX to get her used to rideing for the first couple of trips or see if you have a friend that will let her borrow their quad. Then once she gets used to it stick her on a 400EX. They have plenty of power for once she get's to be a better rider but are docile enough for a beginer. I first put my exfianse on a Recon (before the 250EX came out) and took her to the dunes for a few trips on that. It only took 3 or 4 trips for her to out grow it and we got her a 400EX. Once she got the clutch down she was doing good and this is someone who had never once been on a bike or quad and didn't even know how to drive a manual car. She cought on fairly quick and did good on the 400EX.

[Glamis400ex]

Well, she'd kill me if she saw this, but who cares. She's like 5'5" and around 160 or so. A little chubby I suppose for her height. Yah, I'm not so sure a 250ex would be enough in deep soft sand.

Glamis

[BBW]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by 2004TRX450R
"stick her on something "
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The 250 "may" be the way to go and almost anyone can learn to shift, even with a clutch, but I wouldn't "stick" her on anything. As I said before if you really want her to get involved in the sport let her decide as best you can. I and several of my friends found out several thousand dollars later that the little woman needs to find the right machine for themselves just as we did. My advise is to let her ride as many different machines as possible BEFORE you buy one for her. A couple of my friends wifes have a 250 and they love it but I'll tell you, I think more women in general like the Polaris.

[2004TRX450R]

Originally posted by BBW
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by 2004TRX450R
"stick her on something "
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 250 "may" be the way to go and almost anyone can learn to shift, even with a clutch, but I wouldn't "stick" her on anything.

WOW you took that quote and stuck it WAY out of context. I did not say "stick" her on anything. The 250EX would be an excellent starter bike for her. All I am saying is that in the sand it doesn't take long to out grow it. So it would be better to get her used to rideing on a friends bike or a rental then up her to something a little bigger. That will put you money ahead in the long run. My ex. had never ridden antying before in her life and quickly outgrew the Recon in the sand. If all we did was trail ride in the dirt then it would have been plenty for her for a long time but she kept getting frustrated with not being able to make it up some of the bigger hills due to lack of power. If she is going to have fun at the sport and you are mainly rideing in the dunes then she needs something with enough power to get her around. The sand is very fogiveing with larger quads because they can get you out of trouble easier as well. The sand robs enough power to make the higher hp bikes more docile. If she insists on a polaris with a fully auto tranny then get one for her. I just think once she get's used to rideing something with gears she won't even look back. As my ex. proved ANYONE can learn to ride someting with a clutch and it is going to serve her better in the sand as well as be a lot more reliable than any polaris. Besides shifing gears is part of the fun of the sport that she wants to partake in.

[CJ400EX]

Is she a fast learner? Is she aggressive? Does she know how do drive a stick?
Either way a 4 stroke will be the way to go.

I went thru the something with my wife a year ago. I had her ride different quad on the dunes for a while. Well, I wind up buying her a stock H4. She loves it. She is only 5'6" 115lbs.


H4=Honda 400ex

[400exdad]

My wife wants an auto too. Of course, that means Polaris if you want to stay within a budget. And that means we're not getting one! :) My plan is this: When she's ready to ride, she'll shift.

In your situation, in the dunes, you're wife should not have any trouble learning how to shift. There are no trees to hit, ruts to get bogged down in and almost no hills to flip down if it stalls on a hill. Buy a 400 or 300 and take her somewhere, just you and her, and be patient. Maybe find some other chicks for her to ride with. Then she'll see that its no big deal. Before you know it (and her) she'll soon be double clutching and rooster tailing! :)

Now, if I can just do the same with my wife. :D

[Lil - Braff]

Originally posted by 400exdad
My wife wants an auto too. Of course, that means Polaris if you want to stay within a budget. And that means we're not getting one! :) My plan is this: When she's ready to ride, she'll shift.




400exdad, other options may include the Honda Rancher AT (has auto and Es) Rincon (same) Both have 2 and 4wd selection.Kawi Prairie auto w/ 2-4wd selecton, Suzuki Eiger Auto w/ 2-4wd selection. Just some other options than Polaris.

Although those are good choices i think she wants something more sporty like the Hubby's. LMAO :blah:

[Braff1]

Originally posted by Jingle
Although those are good choices i think she wants something more sporty like the Hubby's. LMAO :blah:

My wife is in the same situation. She wants a sport quad but wants auto (she can shift gears but gets overwhelmed by having to hurry to down shift)

buy a v force 700...sure they are huge tanks...but they are probably the best sport auto there is...i saw them at the dunes and they really suck when stock...they need at least a pipe or something to get up the bigger hills

[zfire_28]

let her test ride a variety of different quads and decide for herself.........that way she cant biitch at ya if you pick sumtin she dont like;)

[2004TRX450R]

Originally posted by XxHonda_RacerxX
buy a v force 700... they are probably the best sport auto there is...

Sport and auto don't belong in the same sentance.:D

Originally posted by 2004TRX450R
Sport and auto don't belong in the same sentance.:D

lol...yes i would have to agree

[norcalatver]

I have been seriously contemplating a new quad for my 10 year old son. Right now he rides an lt-80 (bored to a 105 with ct racings fixin's). He really likes the automatic and since he'll never be a really aggressive rider, I would love to get him one. The only problem I have with the automatics is the weight!!! My God! the polaris 250 weighs like 460 dry!!! I know 3 people who have switched from their heavy Polaris atv's (all women) to lighter sporty atv's. Each time after wrecking and being injured, mostly due to the sheer weight of the atv's. He'll probably be getting a 250Ex and he'll learn to shift.:cool: :cool:

[redrider69]

yea u said she was like 160 im like 180 and a stock 250ex pulled me aroun for a while no probs at the dunes and on the trails i think thats the way to go

[400exdad]

Norcal, my son said the same thing about his LT80.... he didn't think he could learn or wanted to learn to shift. He wanted an automatic. Well, I put him on the 300EX and worked with him in the yard. Then we hit the fire roads. After about 20 mins we were in tight woods and he did fine. I expect your son would be the same.

[wrk24wheel]

I would have to say the 250ex is the best way to go. My wife loves hers now. The nice thing about this quad is it is a little under powered out of the dealership. This gave her a chance to learn the shifting and handling of the quad before I opened it up. Now after all of the mods, the quad is extremely fast for her and would do great in the dunes. I did have to modify the shifter for her. The 250ex shifter sucks, way too much of a throw. I welded on a rear pedal to the shifter much like the old Harleys. So no she does not have to worry about shifting up or down. Everything is down. She knows to go up a gear she steps back, to go down a gear she step forward. I must say the one nice thing about your wifes weight is that is what the bike is set up for. My wife on the other hand barely tips the scale at ~105lbs. I had to fork up the money for works shocks all the way around just so she can ride the thing without being bucked off of it.

Good luck..

[PHIL_B54]

i was in the same boat, but my girlfriend knows how to drive a stick. we rode around a flat bean field on my 400ex and she picked it up pretty fast. she is 5'11" and about 165lbs, so i looked for 300ex's or warriors. i found the warror pretty cheap, put a little $ into it. i have about $2k in it. i really wanted something that i could have fun riding too, incase mine was down or i was just in a different mood. we went for about a 2hr ride over thanksgiving, and after 15-20min of putting around she took to it like a fish to water. like someone else said, i would think the dunes would be almost ideal for teaching someone, not too many obsticals.

[hondaexryda]

250ex is a pretty good quad too..

[pirateman]

zfire is right, let her choose herself. She will probably end up going with the trailblazer, but they are awesome quads. they have power where it's needed for a beginner.

[Aceman]

Thread is nine months old.

[Kennethyfz450]

i would buy the v-force
if not the v-force i would choose between the 400-500 scramblers.

all 3 mentioned above has got potential to go fast... I had a 95 400 scrambler and i still think its faster than my yfz.


when did people start calling the 400ex , EX400??

[pirateman]

sup aceman, it appears i'm not the only dufus around here. doot

[pirateman]

woops, computer had glitch, third page of threads came up first.