Quote
Originally posted by: Ozark38
To the original poster, Dude almost everyone I know who started out on a utility as there first quad.............soon ended up on a fast sport quad in no time............No BS!!!!!!!!
I'd agree with this. Another thing that nobody's really brought up is that it sucks to be the only bike in a group of ATV's (or vice versa). Sometimes you just ride what your friends ride.
Posted by: strubby
My thoughts have probably already been mentioned, but I live in FL and there's lots of loose sugar sand. I started out on a KX125, then YZ125, then KX250... then Kodiak 400 4x4, then Warrior, now my Z and that's where I want to stay. They were all good for certain things. The bikes were the best at the track, easiest to handle, and on the trail, I could jump pretty much anything in sight. However, stopping on a trail at a sand pit or something sucked, the bike was pretty much useless. The Kodiak was great for taking a passenger, trails with a large group of people and camping, but I like going stupid fast and getting as high as possible. I just hurt the Kodiak too much. The Warrior was cool, little more what I wanted but the Z was perfect. I have fun on every trail, any terrain, and I can fly at the track. Best all around machine I've owned. That's why! ha
PS- I don't think people mean utilities are slow. Many new models have very powerful engines, but they don't "fly" through the trails as fast because of handling and of course the track is a no go. If I was interested on being super fast in a straight line, I wouldn't be riding a 400. Is anyone understanding our sport quad passion? ha
Posted by: Eltex
I have a BF750 UTE, and my budd has a Raptor 700 sport. We switch sometimes, and I can tell you, I like 'em both. We have ridding some extreme trails around TX and Arkansas. He has made almost all of them on the Rappy, but watching him two wheel it over the rocks and boulders in Arkansas can make you a bit squeamish. The Brute just crawls over the stuff. We have also ridden areas that have some mud, and also lots of ruts. We've winched him out a few times as he has no ground clearance or 4wd. On the tight trails, he blows me away, as the brute just can't handle that well. As I look to get another quad, I am torn about what to get. I love the new Grizzly 700, with power steering and Fuel Injection. I also like the Outlaw 525, with the IRS for better clearance and softer ride. I don't have the answer to that yet. As for dirtbikes, I have ridden them before, and while I like them, I love quads. But too each his own, right?
Good question, and good answers from all.
Posted by: DesertViper
Originally posted by: duster
OK... I've resisted asking this question here in this section until I couldn't anymore.
Really, do you ever ask yourself why you ride a sport quad?
If you want an ATV, why not a utility quad... and if you want to be sportier and faster, then why not quit wussing around and get a dirtbike?
I've asked myself that question for the last few decades. I started out on bikes when I was 14, and switched to quads 20 years later, and now I have both. I started my ATVing with utility quads, and I missed the mark by a mile when I started out on a Polaris Sportsman 500 HO. It was "ATV of the Year" that year, but it felt like a great big boat anchor to me. It was way too slow, and way way way too heavy. I then went through a lot of sport quads trying to find one with the handling and performance I always remembered from the dirt bike days. I went through three different DS 650s, a Raptor 660, two YFZ 450s, and two KFX-700s. Finally I bought another dirt bike, and started back into dirt biking with the new four strokes. They were really nice, and I had a couple of good ones (KTM 525 and YZ 450F). But they still weren't the same as the big bore two strokes I had spent decades on. So thirty years after I originally started dirt biking I went back to an open class two stroke dirt bike all over again. I bought a KTM 300 XC-W, and it was like magic. Someone had flipped the switch on from all those years ago. It was perfect. Power is perfect, handling is unbelieveable, and I have enjoyed countless days where everything goes so good that you start to think that you couldn't make a mistake if you tried. Every turn, every bump, every hill, ... flawless! And I'm not that good. But the KTM two stroke had the magic combination of being just what I wanted off road for the majority of our yearly riding.
We live in the foothills of the rocky mountains. In winter we drive to the low desert, just 50 miles away, and enjoy riding dirt bikes. In spring and fall we ride the bikes in the high desert, in an area where there are lilterally hundreds of miles of single track old desert race courses. In the summer we ride in the tops of the rocky mountains, at 9000 to 11,500 ft elevation, where there are hundreds, if not thousands of miles of ATV width trails available in several different ATV Trail Systems.
My wife has had several different Yamaha Grizzlys, and I found that a utility quad that actually has some performance is really nice for riding hundreds of miles in a day on ATV width rocky mountain trails. It is quiet, comfortable, easy on your body, and if it has power steering like the Grizzly 700, you feel as fresh at the end of the day as you did when you started. You can literally ride one forever without getting tired.
I found that I was either riding the KTM dirt bike or one of the Grizzlys, and I had a beautiful YFZ 450 just sitting in the garage collecting dust. It was really tricked out, and it worked great. But I never rode it. It couldn't match the dirt bike for handling or suspension, even with Ohlins shocks on the YFZ. And it couldn't match the utility quad for mountain riding. After 18 months of dust collecting on my last YFZ, without it even being started, I answered the question of "Why a sport quad?". I sold it. Our only sport quad now is the Raptor 250 that my 11 year old son rides.
DV
Posted by: ajd187
I don't have a utility quad because I don't need 4x4 and if you don't need 4x4 they suck on trails. They are big and heavy and handle like crap. Plus if you want to hit the MX track you can't unless you feel like breaking the quad, yourself, or both.
I have a quad because that is what I started on when I was a teenager. I never even rode a dirtbike until this spring (at 28 years old). I'm now going to get a dual sport for my first streetbike and who knows, i might convert over to dirtbikes. But more than likely I'll thank my lucky stars that I'm fortunate enough to have both and ride both. Different tools for different occasions.
BTW I trailride with scooter and he's not kidding, anyone who rides at the pace we do through trails is not a wuss.
Posted by: ajd187
I ride with 4 wheelers, dirtibkes, and three wheelers almost every weekend during riding season.
Posted by: Evasiveone
Utility quads are just too damn heavy. Who wants to throw around a 600 pound plus machine at fast speeds for several hours.
As for dirtbikes, first I am too damn short to fit a bigger dirt bikes comfortablybut since I ride with my wife and 3 of my kids are of riding age I feel a lot better with them on quads than I would with them on dirt bikes.
Posted by: maxxedouty
Thats why i ride 1 of each. Best of both worlds.If you get bored then you ride the other one.
Posted by: kickass210
i think the quad u ride equals where u live. up here in new england i'm getting butt kicked by utes. i can't go fast because there are so many huge rocks i have to pick my way. or i go around a corner and its a big mudhole. or a small stream and water will get in the carb/engine and i'm there for hrs. some people are fortunate to live in areas with out that stuff. not me and i'm about to trade in my sport for a quad that won't put instant gratification on my face but will get me through h@ll and back!
Posted by: jonnyboy5662
The gap between sport and utility atvs is closing somewhat. Utilities will never be able to outhandle a sport, but they have much more exciting power and speed than they had in the past.
I just sold my three wheeler and wont be able to replace it until the summer, but I probably wont own a sport quad without having a utility. They are just too limited around where I live.
I do however enjoy going fast. I loved the 350x I used to have to death, but I ride two up a lot which is much easier on a ute.
So the moral of the story is that it's all subjective.
Posted by: SlyCulprit
I get a kick out of reading these posts.... And the reference to the slowness of UTE's... Maybe because I've never ridden or raced a big sport quad.... but I lined up with a Raptor 350, a KFX 450 and a Kawi 300 dirt bike and blew the doors off them in a 1/4 mile. My machine has been clocked at 78 mph.... I know sport quads are faster, but how much faster?
Posted by: SlyCulprit
Scooter it's the Brute Force 750, so even stock it's packing a whallop, I think I got it up to 68 mph stock, but it ain't stock no more. I could see where the UTE's would have a hard time on a tight track, most of them don't turn exceptionally well, and even harder to slide them when you have IRS. But it's all in what you have in the terrain is like in your riding area... My cousin rides a Raptor 350 and I spend half my time waiting for him (through the rocks and the muds) and he spends half his time waiting for me ( through the twisting turns and the whoops) Now that is where a big ute slows down, damn I hate whoops. LOL
[URL=http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2688038240097660684xnqpes][IMG]http://thumb4.webshots.net/t/59/659/0/38/24/2688038240097660684xnqpes_th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2078492590097660684UqrIsP][IMG]http://thumb4.webshots.net/t/58/58/4/92/59/2078492590097660684UqrIsP_th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Posted by: ctateusa1
I started out riding quads at 8 yrs old. I have had a smaller ute until this year (biggest is my 85 250 moto-4 yamaha still running). I just now bought a 450 wolverine 4x4 which I love, I can ride wheelies and do anything I want on it. I hunt and can tow a deer out of the woods, race around the trails here. Sometimes on two or three wheels.
I have owned 4 dirt bikes which in Nebraska works out better due to flat land and not riding over boulders like here in arkansas. i can ride them about anywhere but it is just easier on a quad, plus I dont tear up other peoples land as bad with the quad.
Posted by: steve1819
ok so let's see your utility drift around a turn on a trail going 60 in a stable fashion, or pop a wheelie in any gear (or start off from a stop and ride a wheelie up through 50-60mph), or hit a 60 ft jump hundreds of times in a row and not take on any real damage, then hit a tree going 10 and not have to replace the front plastics and the front rack, along with the front bumper (vs just the bumper on a sport quad)
Posted by: redhornet
As an ex-MX'er, and a brand new quad owner, I'll have to say my reasons to go with a quad is to introduce my kids to off-roading without the longer learning curve on a dirt-bike and just start out having fun. A Ute would be fun for crawling around technical stuff, but can not beat the fun of riding a quad through the desert.
We do plan on adding bikes to the arsenal but for now, quads are a comfortable and fun approach to off-roading that leaves room for serious speed, air and thrills. Utes would not offer that.
I see Utes as a great way to go shoot some ducks without waling the woods or pulling equipment around a farm, not fast desert riding.
Like a post before said, to each his own and we all have dozens of different reasons for riding sport quads.
Posted by: TheRaptor700Rider
Dirtbikes are fun, but I'm a bit afraid if them. haha! I roe my dad's cr250 factory race bike and damn that was a rush like no other!
I'm just better at quads and can go more all out! It's not just about speed, and that's what you seem to be stuck on, buddy.
Posted by: Eisel34
To each is Own. I think it matters where u ride. We do alot of trips to Hatfield Mccoy in Wv if It rains Sport quads arent making it. We ride the difficult trails with rock crawls in the middle of steep hills. Hard to explain. Sure u cant throw the big utiltys around in the trails hit a few trees here and there. But as far as hill climbs rocks Climbs 4X4 u need to have those front wheels moving and mud. Last trip buddy took a sport which has no rear indepedent suspension and was soaked sore and beatup after the first 45 miles did not o if he was going to make it the 70 miles we put on after lunch and fuel. He made it back to the house but did not make it out the second day where we put on another 100 miles. He is a really good rider also dont no if 75% of other riders make it on a sport quad
Posted by: oldskool75
if you have to ask then you will never understand.
Posted by: aaaaaaa
i have a utility quad and i want to get some speed since i already have a quad i am probably going to buy me a 1991 kx 125 dirtbike for 800 bucks this thing is huge and fast!!!
Posted by: PredatorSlim
I have both. The Rancher for cruising and working. The Preddy for having fun and racing.
Posted by: bigned1904
the reason i ride a sport quad and not a dirt bike is because i like to haul ass most of the time and but when i get tired you can cruze a quad. as for a dirt bike you pretty much have to be on it all the time and if you not there is a pretty good chance your to crash. (there is no cruzing on a dirtbike) also when i get out to olds hill at glamis and you got a dirtbike you have nothing to sit on, you got to dig in your bike and get off and then wherwe do you sit for hours watching people at the hill.
Posted by: bigned1904
Someone mentioned that most ATV riders don't ride with dirtbikes ... false! Where I go there's a great selection of ATV's and dirtbikers. And my usual riding buddies drive Suzuki 250z bikes, and I can keep up.
i know what you mean, my normal group consists of 1 raptor 700, 2 yfz450, 1 450r, yz250, 2 cr500, 1 banshee, 1 250r fourtrax and sometimes a cr450f. sure the bikes are a little faster on strights but not so much that the bikes arnt having fun. also i ride mostly at glamis sand dunes and once you get in the dunes no one is holding back.
Posted by: bigned1904
brett i give you mad props.
Posted by: SilverBomb
A sport quad because it is the only thing to ride in the dunes as far as fast and fun goes and easier than a bike. Most other places I would prefer a dirtbike. It is so much fun riding on trails and rocks with bikes. It's absolutely crazy fun. Esspecially in Moab Utah. Moab on a dirtbike is some of the most fun I have ever had. It's awesome riding up the slickrock!
Posted by: Gord420
I never really thought about that until you said that. I really should get a dirtbike instead of putting tons of money into quads and getting dusted by stock dirtbikes that are way way cheaper lighter faster and funner.
I suppose quads are better in some aspects such as mud/trails balance and towing but other than that a dirtbike is better for younger people who like to go fast. You will pay more for just mods on a quad than it costs to purchase a whole dirtbike that will smoke the modded out quad stock.
Posted by: 2005Scraman
OK heres why i ride a sport quad, i happen to be paralized from the waist down from a motorcycle accident 10 years ago and i dont live on a farm so why would i ride a big ole utility quad? i like the sporty look of the sport quads and i cant ride a motorcycle anymore. Good enough answer for ya? sorry if i sound rude but it seems like you lumped everyone into one category and didnt really appreciate it.
Thanx for listening to me bitch hahaha
Brett
Posted by: 2005Scraman
Hope i didnt soud too rude hahaha. dont see many of us riding quads, why is that? Im also missing my left leg at the hip and boy lemme tell ya i get some wierd looks when im sitting at a red light and someone is next to me. I heard a lil kid once say "look mommy, that guy aint got no leg" i bout fell off my quad laughing. out of the mouths of babes right. Oh well thank you Polaris for putting my face back in the wind again!
Posted by: 2005Scraman
I really appreciate that bigned, that means alot. Just wish more paralized people would realize that they can still ride!! Dont give up man!!! thats my motto!
Posted by: Rocker_Ace
"why not?" is a better question
Posted by: barnhouse_69
i have rode sport quads utes and dirt bikes of all sizes. i prefer a 4 wheeler becuz i feel safer going 60 or 70 mph on 4 wheels than i do going on 2. its easier to lay a dirtbike down than it is a quad. if you were going up a hill and stated going backwards that would be the only time i would prefer a dirt bike.
Posted by: Tree Fiddy
I rode dirtbikes for about 5 years, until I made the changeover to ATV's. I started out on a dinky 125cc, and then went up to a 250.
I had always been a fan of ATV's, but I always seemed to find an amazing deal on a dirtbike. So one day I decided to go get one.
I went with a sport, because after driving multiple 4X4's, I found more cons then pros for the trails I ride:
- slow [in comparison to *most* sports]
- bulky [sometimes the trails can get very tight]
- weigh a ton [not very fun when you wanna whip it around, or there are absolutely enormous whoops]
And they really just weren't my style.
Someone mentioned that most ATV riders don't ride with dirtbikes ... false! Where I go there's a great selection of ATV's and dirtbikers. And my usual riding buddies drive Suzuki 250z bikes, and I can keep up.
Posted by: RAPTOR27
i used to race flat track and motoross on a yz250 bike untill i shatterd my knee and was in a wheel chair for 5 month onother year almost before i got back on something that was when i decided to sell the bike and buy a quad i just feel more safe with 4 wheels instead of 2 i own now a 660 grizzly a 660 raptor and just bought a honda 450r it is by far more fun riding the raptor or 450r than that heav grizzly
Posted by: EdKatt
I think I want both!! I got the sport, now just need the ute!!
