Anyone still hunt off an atc

[Buck TraX]

Just wondering if anyone still uses these machines.I have read lots of post on new atvs 7,8,900cc efi engines and the size of a jeep! The thought of leaving a 5-10,000 machine sitting in the bush while i hunt would make me to nervous. Thinking of making the switch from three wheels four .Also the newer atvs seem to have reliability issues. my atc is 25 years old and tough as nails runs awsome.THEY DONT BUILDEM LIKE THEY USED TO!

[kamloopshunter]

my dad has a 200atc and we take that and his quad out. It does pretty good in the snow actually. Its pretty nice except 4x4 is nice in mud. His runs really good too!

[Stéphane]

One word: Unstoppable!

[Buck TraX]

I wonder if these new machines are going to be around in 25 years still runnin good !

[Singleshotneeded]

:-D Buck Trax, I've got a 2008 Suzuki KingQuad that I use for hunting sometimes, and I ride it close to where my stand will be, out of sight of the valley or clear cut, and park it. Don't leave the keys in it and you'll be fine...I've never had anyone even stop and look at it! It's hunting season, and the crooks know we're hiding out not far from our machines, carrying rifles! Not a prime time to be stealing for them, I'm thinking!:-D The quads I've heard that were stolen were owned by campers that were way out on a lake or on a long hike in summer, and had left their machines unattended. I also have a 1" thick cable lock that I wrap around the quad and a tree when possible, or in camp I secure it to a vehicle.
As far as reliability goes, friends and I have thousands of km. on our Suzukis, Yamahas, and Hondas, and no problems! The Hondas don't have the ability to positively lock the front diff so both wheels are powered, so many serious atv'ers bypass them, but you can't go wrong with Suzuki KingQuads with power steering or the Yamaha Grizzly...the power steering makes riding them back with a deer loaded on just a breeze, and safer!

[CanuckShooter]

I wonder if these new machines are going to be around in 25 years still runnin good !


GOOD luck with that one, everything these days has built in obsolescence....

[SavageShooter]

Yep we run two. A Big Red and 200X.
Unfortunately I think I will be selling them this year to pick up a quad so I double the kids around too and do some snow plowing.

SS

[Buck TraX]

:-D Buck Trax, I've got a 2008 Suzuki KingQuad that I use for hunting sometimes, and I ride it close to where my stand will be, out of sight of the valley or clear cut, and park it. Don't leave the keys in it and you'll be fine...I've never had anyone even stop and look at it! It's hunting season, and the crooks know we're hiding out not far from our machines, carrying rifles! Not a prime time to be stealing for them, I'm thinking!:-D The quads I've heard that were stolen were owned by campers that were way out on a lake or on a long hike in summer, and had left their machines unattended. I also have a 1" thick cable lock that I wrap around the quad and a tree when possible, or in camp I secure it to a vehicle.
As far as reliability goes, friends and I have thousands of km. on our Suzukis, Yamahas, and Hondas, and no problems! The Hondas don't have the ability to positively lock the front diff so both wheels are powered, so many serious atv'ers bypass them, but you can't go wrong with Suzuki KingQuads with power steering or the Yamaha Grizzly...the power steering makes riding them back with a deer loaded on just a breeze, and safer! well i was looking for a big bear 98ish good old shaft driven quad still pretty tough as i remember a friend had one groing up beat the hell outa the thing .now 15 years later (its an 88) just needed some frontend stuff done but that it

[Singleshotneeded]

There you go, Yamaha Big Bear! You can't go wrong with Yamahas or Suzukis. A buddy bought an Arctic Cat 700, and he breaks something almost every ride, and older Polarises have been known to have issues.
The Big Bear has a solid rear axle so it'll be a bit rougher riding, but more stable when loaded down with a deer...

[Ride]

I own two big reds and love em. My dad purchased one brand new in '82 that still runs like a top, in all the years it had some new rubber put on it and one chain sprocket. The other one i picked up about a year and a half ago and it runs like a top. Between those and my 110 trail bike i can't justify buying a quad at the moment.

[Riverratz]

They definitely have their place......too bad they don't make 'em anymore. I should never have sold it when I bought my first quad, there have been many times I wished I still had it.

I used to have an '84 Honda Big Red, 200 cc, shaft drive, hi-low trans. with reverse, it was the "cadillac" of ATC's in those days, $2500 new, and by far the best of the 3-wheelers that was ever made. Used it for 14 years, ran like a clock, never let me down, and cost me nothing except gas and oil, other than one bad day (see below)

Lost count of the number of moose it pulled out of the bush and swamps. Many times, while everyone else was wallowing around in the gumbo winching and cussing their quads out of mud-holes, I would just motor around them high and dry, with a big smile. Could skirt around the edges of marshes, meadows, swamps, and lakes, where quads would never dream of going. If it got stuck, which was very rarely, just got off, picked it up, and moved on. Didn't need trails thru the bush, it was so maneuverable you could wiggle it anywhere. While everyone else was guzzling 2-3 gallons of fuel, I'd only burn about 4 liters in a day. A jerry can of fuel was plenty for a week long trip. A breeze to load and off-load.......no ramps, ditches, ropes, pulleys, winches

On the down side, it could bite you bad.....unstable on side hills, dangerous coming down steep slopes, could get away on you at high speed down a road, and I had a real bad day with it flipping backwards going up a steep hill......closest I've ever come to death. 24 years later my back still reminds me of it. The trykes don't pack as much as a quad, nor are they as comfortable, that's for sure..........they sure were fun though.

[white moose]

Speaking of older machines, my dad has an 82 110cc trailbike from honda. This thing is awesome, it has hi-lo range, super quiet and awesome on fuel. It has a nice little rack on the back and a extra fuel tank. Mint shape and great for cruising logging roads. Any members use these? Dad tells me these are rare because most bikes like this are 90cc.

[naes]

I picked one up this year its a 1985 honda 200M Fun to ride and seems to get the job done. :) Seams great value to me since I don't use it all the time.

[Singleshotneeded]

A narrow side-by-side that can still go down quad trails, but has a box in the back to load game into, would probably be the best way to go for a hunter...the Polaris RZR comes to mind. It's got plenty of power to be fun to ride just for the sake of riding as well...but I still like having handlebars instead of yet another steering wheel!

[Buck TraX]

Mine is a 85 big red 250es , I wont sell it because wife wants to start hunting for grouse with me so need another machine better suited for her but that i can use too.

[kshort]

I own two and wouldnt trade them for a quad anyday. 1985 Honda Big red and 1985 Honda 250SX. The stabilitly issue is what it is, if you know how to ride a bike then you can take them anywhere a quad goes and then some. Ride right underneath gates. If you get stuck or roll over simply pick it up and your off again. Mine have been off cliff faces, comealonged back up, kicked over 3 tries later. Watch your feet thou they love to eat em up:twisted:

[Buck TraX]

yeah i also had a 84 atc 250r twostroke went off a cliff with it in mission i was fine as i have lots of experince riding them and bail off it landed on an old rotten stump broke my fall:-D 2hrs later got it to the road via tow rope, fired first kick bent my bars back rode away lucky! sold it shortly after that

[knighthunter]

Before I moved to BC 1 1/2 years ago I owned a 250 Big Red for 10 years. It pulled a lot of deer and a few moose out of the bush. It never left me stranded. If I got stuck, I could yard it around and drive out. I been thinking of getting another one.

[Buck TraX]

Before I moved to BC 1 1/2 years ago I owned a 250 Big Red for 10 years. It pulled a lot of deer and a few moose out of the bush. It never left me stranded. If I got stuck, I could yard it around and drive out. I been thinking of getting another one.
yup they are more monuverable in the thick stuff that for sure.

[knighthunter]

yup they are more monuverable in the thick stuff that for sure.

Having that rear suspension makes a world of difference to the old backbone.

[BigBear.338]

i have a 1983 kawi klt 250, i love it way better gas mileage,and plenty of power.and there quiet not like big quads are,it depends how good the machine is by who's riding.i take mine every where.

[anypointwilldo]

i hear those tings are dangerous,ha ha ha ! dont wast your money on new junk,you dont need a check engine light comming on when your at the top of a mountain!.If it works dont fixx it!

[TimberPig]

I've added an '04 Rubicon to my stable, but still have my '82 ATC 200. It doesn't see a lot of use lately, since the quad is nicer to ride. The light 300lb ATC is definitely easier to throw around than the 600lb Rubi. Both are good machines, just slightly different in their strengths. I have no plan to get rid of mine anytime soon. In the 12 years I've owned it it has been little more than gas, air filter cleanings and oil changes for maintenance. It is far too tough and reliable of a machine to get rid of, especially considering how little most people will pay for one.

[Ride]

Speaking of older machines, my dad has an 82 110cc trailbike from honda. This thing is awesome, it has hi-lo range, super quiet and awesome on fuel. It has a nice little rack on the back and a extra fuel tank. Mint shape and great for cruising logging roads. Any members use these? Dad tells me these are rare because most bikes like this are 90cc.

I have the exact same one.......

[sniper ren]

I used to have two of them. They are tough little machines. I almost killed myself on them when I was first starting out! Once you get the hang of riding them they are great!

[M.Dean]

I've seen lots of guys get hurt riding Trikes. Most of the accidents were caused by driving two fast to make a corner or flipping over backwards going up hills. If ridden properly there good machines, but not a lot of people ever did ride them properly! My Father in Law bought one when they first came out years ago, there was sure a lot of us on the wounded list real quick! My Younger Brother went through a barbed wire fence long ago, he cut his throat pretty bad, it was up here and we had to stop the bleeding and all's I had was duct tape and a towel, we stopped it so we didn't have to go to town to the hospital!!! Thank God for Whiskey back then, but I think that's why he went through the fence in the first place! My son has a Three Wheeler here for extra hunters that come up, and he dumped it last year going up a hill, his rifle, bino's and body took a bit of a shit kicking, but he made out OK. You have to use a lot of common sense riding them, and if you do they get you around just fine!