I vote for a quad! I have been riding a Raptor 700 for a few years now and I love how it rides in the country side, trails and everything I have rode on. Sport quads are harder to just putt around in but then on the other hand you can't get going fast on a utility quad like you can on a sport quad.

My parents are both in the late 40's and made the switch to 08 700 raptors and they both love them. Really smooth bikes. If you go sport quad I would say buy a raptor.
But that is my opinion!! I'm biased because I own one.

 

A buddy of mine took the engine from a totaled raptor and dropped it into a lawn mower with a straight axle and 25+" nobby tires. 1st gear was off limits and it would pull wheelies through 3rd. He had to weld some wheelie bars to the frame to keep it from flipping over. He also said it got kinda shaky at 50 mph so he never tried out all of the gears.

 

4 wheeler. Im a fan of yamaha. I dont like the automatic polaris...their belt drive seems weird to me.
Grizzly will be my next atv

 

I have been very happy with my 2007 700 Grizzly and I normally refuse to buy the first year of anything. Polaris rides like a Caddy but the CVT belt system they have is crap. If I was buying another quad it would be a new Grizzly or a Can Am. The Can Am V twins sound so good and have a lot of power.

To the OP you should get a quad. I was looking at both when I bought mine. In the end I decided that I was too old to fall off as much as I did when I used to race dirt bikes. I would go with a utlility quad over a sport quad. I can putter around as slow as I like on mine over rocks and it still has plenty of power if I need it. I ride in the winter as well. Try that with a sport quad.

 

About the only complaint I ever hear on Polaris is the belt drive. I have never actually met anyone that has had a problem with it though. I have an old 1996 425 4x4 that still runs strong and other than replacing some center tightner bearings a few years back has never had an issue. In fact I look at the new ones every now and then but it's hard to justify replacing something that works fine. My son has a 2008 300 4x4 and it is a great little bike as well.

I guess it is just what you get used to.

 

Ive been looking and looking and its hard to find anything over a 350cc atv. All i can find is 250's mostly. Still going to keep looking

 

The Honda Rancher is hard to beat, the new ones with the 420 engine are nice but the price will be up there.

 

Get an ATV no question about it. This is my first one and I did not have a lot of riding experience with them, so I went with the 350cc. If I could go back in time I would have bought the 450 with the Hi & Low gearing, but this thing is still a beast and is pretty much unstoppable so far......

2008 Yamaha Grizzly 350 4x4

 

I would go with a quad and definetly go with somthing bigger than a 350 .If your doing just trails with no mudd running u can stick with a 2wd but if u buy a 4wd its there if u need it . Good luck with what ever u decide Im sure u will enjoy what ever u get

 

Found a 96 polaris magnum 425 for sale for $800.00. He said it is a 4x2 with electric start and is chain driven. Only thing it needs is a muffler. Waiting for him to send a picture of it. He lives about 120 miles away so im just waiting on the pics before i drive to see it. Anyone know anything about a Polaris 425?

 

I've got super old chain driven polaris 6x6 atv. It still drives just fine but other things have gone out on it. Mostly electrical and the suspension has gotten real stiff.

 

cant beat yamaha. we have 2 and a suzuki

 

I'm biased but I say a dirt bike. A Yamaha or Honda four stroke
Rhonda

 

I like honda i just dont like their top end design. Light and simple? yes.

Maintenance? Oh no!

 

Dirtbike - but your gonna need something bigger than a 250. I had a 250 when I rode about 10 years ago and I weighed 225 and it was a little weak for me.

And you don't need all that protective gear. Boots, gloves, and a helmet are the musts. Everything else is optional.