OK....Heres my .02
Speaking as somewhat of a quad-a-holic (...HEAVY recreational rider, Mod at an ATV website, builder......and between the wife and me around 20 bikes since we started riding), I would suggest looking at the machines in the 250-360 class (Suzuki King Quad 300, Yammi Big Bear 350, Honda 250-350, or my favorite for a utility bike: The Kawi KVF 360). Heres why: I've owned everything from the BT 250 up to and including the 750 twins, and the bikes I mentioned have many advantages over the bigger bikes...and only one disadvantage when it comes to a hunting machine.
The disadvantage: Top speed and stupid deep mud. Thats it. The big bores don't pull any better than the small bikes, in fact even a 250 in low range will run out of traction before it runs out of power (In fact, the guy who has won the las 6 years at the ATV pulls has done it with a 300!)....the big bores just let you ride
faster. As far as deep mud goes, the Bigger bikes have the advantage of being able to spin their tires better, allowing the lugs to self clean.....unless you are building a mud-bogger, a winch is a better investment then a bigger engined bike.
Now, the advantages to the bikes I mentioned:
1. Air/Oil cooled. No liquid cooling system to worry about, no rad to have too keep mud free. As re;liable as your lawnmower! Engine warms up faster, and I've never had an oil-cooled bike overheat.
2. Simplicity: Very few electroonic gizmos/computers/sensors to worry about/break. On organized rides, EFI and power this and that are nice... In the bush, simpler is WAY better.
3. Weight: My hunting rig is a KVF 360...it weighs WAY less than my other four bikes. I can pick up one end to get out of a jam if I need to. It also offers the advantage of going
over soft ground, while my bigger bikes sink into it and have to go
through it.
4. Gearing. The bigger class bikes generally are geared for higher speeds, while the smaller bikes are geared lower to increase the utility of the bike. My 360 in low range works less hard than my 750 twin pulling the same load. Mind you, it won't do it as fast...but it does it better. Some of the smaller bikes ('Zuki KQ 300, Arctic Cat 300) Even have a 3 range tranny. In "super low" they will pull your house across the street.
5. Fuel: Small engine=small fuel consumption. It's nice not having to worry about fuel supply when you are way up in the middle of nowhere.
Seriously take a lo0ok at the KVF 360. Dual range tranny, best rear brakes ever put on a quad (sealed clutch pack in the rear drive shaft....no pads, totally waterproof, zero maintenance), true locking front differential without electronics (pull a hydrauic lever and the front end locks...no servos (yamaha) or sensors or magnets or computer gizmos (Polaris)), tops out at 70 km/h, but is dead-nuts reliable and tows like a dream.
My opinion, and worth exactly what you paid for it.
and hang animals!
