Thread: ATV for hiking/camping

Before anyone gets going what I mean is not riding around the bush all day at high speeds. Its for driving down gravel roads to get to a logging road to the point where the logging road has be decomissioned ( closed to truck traffic, cluverts pulled, grade pulled back so track is only wide enough for ATV) and going as far as can be riden and then going for a 6 hour hike or hiking in for a couple of days.

Some people enjoy riding ATVs all day but that is not me its just to get to remote trail head that is on no map or guide book. Plus maybe hunting in future. So want to get as far as possible over rough terrain as possible. Think road that hasn't been maintained in 15 years in mountains, so ditches where culverts used to be, slides, rocks etc. off course a 2 foot log needs a chain saw and where the bridge was pulled if 4 feet deep thats not going to happen.

What models or types to look for?

er......... bump

er.........search. We just had an ATV thread within the month.

Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark

er.........search. We just had an ATV thread within the month.

but you cant search on 3 letters!

Yes you can. Search. Use google's site search.

1) Go to Google
2) Click on "Advanced Search"
3) Enter your search term(s)
4) Limit the search to the following domain: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums

I would imagine that cheap as hell is the only qualification you need.

If you doing anything but mellow stuff, it doesnt matter what kind of terrain its for. If you are going to be leaving it for a couple of days, the only caveat I would look for is a kick/pull start.

If you are making a dentist's wage though, yami kodiak 400 would be a good choice. Reliable as all get out.

get a real one as in yamaha /honda/polaris made by a japanese motorcycle company as opposed to a non branded piece of shit made in china

A friend bought a cabin so we all went through a quad buying spree. The only missing brand is Suzuki. All the brand name quads are good in slightly different ways. I'd suggest:
-- utility quad
-- 500 - 650cc engine (smaller has limited towing/hauling, larger isn't needed)
-- independent rear suspension
-- power steering is nice

Honda still uses an automatic tranny instead of a belt driven CVT. They're quieter and lower reving than other brands.

Weight & towing varies from brand to brand if that matters.

Heated grips are nice in the winter and some quads come with them but they can be added for $30 - $100.

There' still lots of new '09 & '10 quads for sale out there.

Watch Kijiji for whatever some random farmer has for sale. 400-600 is lots of machine unless you're looking at serious mud bogging, but bigger is good if you can find the right deal.

I might have something for you. Going out this weekend with some buddies, one was talking about selling his '07 Grizzly 700 that's in nice shape. I'll shoot you a pm on Monday and let you know.

I have a Honda Rincon and it's a workhorse.


When my dad hit 85 and couldn't ride an ATV anymore, I got him one of these.

http://www.amsportworks.com/chuckwagon.php?id=cw650

It's got a Subaru engine and has held up surprisingly well.

I did a lot of snow plowing with a 4 ft blade on an old 350 2wd honda and it seemed to work fine, the 500 4x4 polaris I used last 2 winters was better but it was a lot more $

these things are also great for plowing your driveway, a field consultant type person can write the whole thing off including the plow

Thanks for input. Don't need for plowing as already have skid steer and its a lot of drive way and turnaround plus hopefully lots of snow. Don't need speed but need capcity for two people plus lots of gear. Really rough terrain would probably go down to just driver. Eldo went on hike and at first was remarking would be good idea to bring mountain bike but later decided mountain bike would be of no benifit as would be pushing it most of time. Where the road has slid or been plled back, no trail so just a rocky side hill. Dirt bikes do go on road for a while but at some point they quit. Know can't go any farther then dirt bike .

Originally Posted by PlayHarder

.

playharder your alive!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like an ATV with a trailer would be right up your alley.

Originally Posted by DougW

playharder your alive!!!!!!!!!!

Heh. I'm around, but haven't been anywhere the trans canada hwy for a while. I seem to have this infatuation with hwy 3 and you guys never seem to be heading south.
Shaun and I have been talking about a cat ski trip again this winter if you're up for it. Should probably get my skis and sled out to Golden one of these days, too.

I'd buy a Polaris.

http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-..._800&WT.si_x=1

mebe you need one of these things which carry 6 adults and a load in total comfort , I worked a movie set cleanup and we used one of these things to get up into the alpine it was definatley nicer than a quad, sure it costs 13K but you would need to buy 3 quads to carry 6 people & gear ... 6 people do fit belted safely into a ranger with a rollcage

The production company doing the cleanup hired the Ranger and a crew boss from a tree planting company who told me the ranger was great for keeping his crew supplied with trees

I'm not too big on "yee-hawing" around on a quad, but as it sounds like you're talking low-rpm transport instead, that's different.

If you stick with the name-brands, Polaris, Honda, Kawaski, Yamaha you should do fine. If you go to a dealer, they'll ALWAYS try and sell you the hottest, biggest most HP rig out there...screw em.

For your basic transport needs, you shouldn't really need anything beyond 600 cc. The extra weight of the big boys is a killer when you need to manhandle them up over a deadfall across the trail or a muddy creek bank that's too steep for traction.

Unless you DO get into hunting where you'll be hauling a lot more gear and game, something in the 400 to 550 range should do fine. Just bring an air pump and lower your air pressure in the slick, rocky, shitty stuff and keep your speed and gearing suitable to the terrain and you'll do fine. You use way less gas than goosing it up and down anyway.

Used is the way to go tgo save $$$$, that way you can still get a good rig. Just make sure the seals are good and the engine has good compression. Personaly, I'd stick with a four-stroke, but there are some older two-strokes that are very durable...you just have to be sure the previous owner(s) kept the fuel/oil mixture correct.

If you're going to be locking it to a tree at the trailhead for mere than 4 nights (that seems about the limit for cars, bikes AND atvs at trailheads....they start scoping them out the SECOND night...4th or fifth night and you're asking for it in the woods) get the BEST, thickest cable lock you can find...that weird, super-thick grey cable is really good, as it is thicker than most cable cutters and is nearly impossible to hack-saw through. Get a camouflage tarp or better yet the military-style camouflage netting works far better and you can find it at a decent army-navy store...and get your ATV as FAR away from the trailhead as you can, find a suitable tree that you'll put it BEHIND, lock it through the FRAME, take off the plug wire and bring it with you, cover it with the netting, and lastly mark it's location waypoiunt on your GPS, because you REALLY want to hide it well enough that the only way you can see it is from 50 feet. You want it at least 300 feet from the trailhead. Then you can hike as long as you want and be fairly assured you'll have a ATV to get you back to the road.

That all might seem a bit much, but I've had SO many friends that have had bikes, atv's, you name it, stolen at trailheads...even ones they'd thought were totally remote.

What I'm wondering is why no one makes a diesel ATV. Anybody know of one?

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Originally Posted by Alaskan Rover

What I'm wondering is why no one makes a diesel ATV. Anybody know of one?

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they call it a UTV but here you go

http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-...esel&WT.si_x=1

It's been mentioned but it deserves to be repeated, independent rear suspension is a must.

Some serious ATV carnage ... a bad day of field work

If it's for two people then a 2-up is a better choice. Can-Am & Polaris make them. They're a little longer and wider than a regular quad. Or for simple transport a side by side (SxS) is fun too (also called a utility terrain vehicle, UTV). They come in different sizes. The smallest ones will fit in a pickup.

Or just buy an old Samurai or Suzuki Sidekick.

Originally Posted by Snow Dog

If it's for two people then a 2-up is a better choice. Can-Am & Polaris make them. They're a little longer and wider than a regular quad. Or for simple transport a side by side (SxS) is fun too (also called a utility terrain vehicle, UTV). They come in different sizes. The smallest ones will fit in a pickup.

Or just buy an old Samurai or Suzuki Sidekick.

For logging roads that have been pulled back a side by side or UTV would work fine but over really rough terrain I can't see them going very far. Maybe there is no vehicle that will do the trail I'm thinking off. We had to think about whether a pack horse could do it and if a pack horse can't do it then probably nothing can.

I've seen people take SxS's anywhere a quad would go, the only thing that'll really open more trails is a dirt bike that'll allow for true single track.

Polaris Rzr or a Yamaha Rhino with a little lift are pretty capable, the Canam's are sweet but not so much better as their price premium indicates. Problem is they're the current hot item in that world, everybody and their dog are buying UTV's instead of quads. Used and beat are still over $10k and the cheaper ones I've found have been beyond beat.

Good time to get deals on quads, though, lots of people selling two of them in favor of one SxS.

On the work gig I did our 1st aid guy had his own quad, it was no where near as fast & smooth as the ranger over the same terrain and it couldnt carry very much compared to the UTV full of gear & 6 people

also consider the safety aspect, the pres of our local ATV/snow mobile club was killed a couple of yrs ago in a quad accident, one of the guys I was picking up garbage with on the movie set had flipped an ATV trike back in the day and fractured some vertebrae ...dangerous toys

BTW that dark colored quad in the thumbnail lost control on a steep pipeline right-away northeast of edmonchuk, went down the hill bounching 20 ft in the air and landed in a willow grove, was totaled had to be lined out by chopper , the yellow quad was dropped from at least 100' BY the chopper