gonna get my girlfriend a quad within the next month and not sure what to get? gonna buy used and dont want to get her anything tooooo huge ya know..... but want something that she can take tot he top of a decent size dune when she gets more comfortable on it. any suggestions?

dont want to spend a ton of money on this thing (hell, im not riding it, haha) so any suggestions on size/model? thanks

Joe

Joe, the honda 400ex/suzuki/kawasaki/arctic cat 400cc thumpers would make great beginner bikes. All have e start and the triplets have reverse.

The yamaha warrior and honda 300ex are good also but are down on power. How much are you looking to spend and does she know how to use a clutch and to shift? Polaris makes some great quads also. Automatic transmissions make riding alot more enjoyable for beginners. One more thing they don't have to think about.

I would have to say the same thing....But.....Is she planning on doing some serious riding and lots of it...go for the ex400 or the "triplets"
and if she plans on going just once and awhile go for the ex300 or warrior as
Fireballsocal said

the only problem with the polaris trail blazer 250 is that they are heavy, and there arent many used ones,

the triplets are also hard to find used because they are new,

I would go with the honda 400ex, less power the the triplets, its a light quadand they are easier to find used, there are alot of 400ex's in the cycle trader

Don't go too small. If she ends up enjoying riding, she will want more power! Don't blow $1500 on a piece of crap just to end up spending $3000 later for a bigger bike. There have been quite a few deals around here for around $2000.
A decent bike for her can be a back up bike for you!

Take a look at the new Raptor.....with the Warrior 350 engine in it.
Raptor 350...might be a little more comfy for the girlfriend.
Worth a look.

400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex or a QUAD RACER!

I'd say get one of the Z/KFX/DVX bikes over a 400EX (and I own a 400EX). The triplets have the advantage of water cooling and reverse, which is helpful to a woman when she needs to get it out of a bad spot and can't push it out. No offense intended to those capable women out there

How much do you wanna spend????

If money is no object here...get her the KFX700! My friend has one for his wife...and that damm thing is da chit! Perfect chick quad for the dunes. We all call it "the couch" cause it is such a comfertable ride!!! Plus....when/if u break up with her...youll have a nice ride to just cruise on yourself.

The KFX700's are friken heavy, definently not the quad of chose for dunning I say the 400EX's

i would go with something in the 400cc range for a thumper. and also something that has reverse so if she does get stuck she wont have a hard time gettin out.

The 400ex will probably be the cheapest one to get used. I say get a used one bone stock and if she sticks with it you can start throwing money at it.

The only upgrade you might want to add up front is a decent set of front shocks and get the rear rebuilt.

Truly, depending on the person, the first bike can truly be critical. If this person is petite, cautious, and not really sure about this sand stuff, you need to choose a bike that is easy to start, ride, reliable, smooth linear and adequate power, and very comfortable. Sounds like a lot of stuff to think about, but it could make the difference between the person having an enjoyable experience and making many more trips with you, or hating it, and refusing to ever go again.

With those considerations, I'd seriously consider the Kawazuki twins. Until I got my wife on her kfx400, she was absolutely hating the whole thing. She's now just about to the point where she could hang with the group, and enjoying herself and the challenge of learning something new and exciting. When she first started, it seemed like she used reverse more than the forward gears, so don't discount that neat little feature. The great thing about the kawazuki's is that as she learns, it's going to take a long time (if ever) to outgrow the bike, as in stock form, with just paddle tires, I can take my suzuki 400 anywhere in the dunes. That saves money in the long run. Also, should things not work out, you'd have a nice bike for yourself to ride..

yeah.... well money is an object haha..... well i am looking for "her" bike but also like some of you have mentioned...... backup for me ..... a friend at work said he will sell me his 02 raptor (few mods, paddles, never been on its side) for 3500...... i'll probably go that way because he is my boss and he will let me give him 2k and 300bux a month payments till its payed off...... i like the raptor for her or both of us but i really wanted a banshee for myself..... but oh well thanks for all the advice..... got her on the 400ex and she loved it but im gonna try for the raptor first (because of the payment plan with my boss) if that falls through..... 400ex should make her happy. thanks....

Joe

400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex 400ex or a zuki quad racer =D

totally roosted....yes..I understand about the money thing..and at the price of that raptor, I'd certainly look that direction too.. And if you don't take him up on that...I've got a brother in law who's looking for a ride in that price range, so please let me know about it first!!

I personally think (and more importantly, my wife thinks) the 400ex rides nicer than the Raptor. It sits a little lower and wider, which gives a little more stability. As BeachHead said, if she's totally new to this, how she likes that first ride will be the difference on whether or not she keeps coming out. I'd almost recommend a Warrior for the reverse and an even more laid-back riding position. Problem is, if she does pick the sport up, she'll outgrow the Warrior, whereas one of the 400s can be modded to suit most recreational riders. And a new rider is NOT going to like a Banshee...

DAVe