ATV Florida Forum

I am thinking about getting a honda as a second quad for my girlfriend and some family to use. I have never owned a manual car, bike, or anything else.  I've heard how great hondas are and was just thinking about picking up a cheap 250 with electronic shift. Before I get one is there anything I should know about owning them? (The only thing I've had is a 2010 Can-am Outlander 400)

To shift I start in first gear and once rpms get up to like 3000 I press the up button to shift to second and then so on till 5th gear? What about when I want to slow down? Do I just brake, or do I brake and downshift at the same time? I'd appreciate it if you guys can direct me to a guide or something

Good lord it aint rocket science. My son has been riding amanual clutch bike since he was 6.
  Can you drive a car?

To go fast, just pin the throttle and keep pushing the shift button until it wont shift any more. to slow down, just carry and anchor in a backpack and then throw it out when you want to slow. Or, just jump off.

Alright well I'm sorry that when I was growing up my parents would never let me ride bikes, and all I have ever owned is automatic cars (hyundai sonata, and now an F150)

Canam, you need to spend a weekend with Anoriginal and I.  We can teach you about  the finer things in life.  The art of using a clutch, drinking beer, and we will even kill something and eat it.
  Your parents should be arrested for child abuse.

Chillins right. You need to take a field trip to Manatee County and let Chillin and I introduce you to our world. ATV's, Swamp Buggies, Firearms, Sweet Trucks, Beer, Hunting, Tractors, Fishing, fire building, shooting stuff, skinning deer, BBQ, welding and general hell raising.

When we're done with you, you'll be able to jump, fly, pilot, roll, drive, crash, anything you can get onto or into.

 ;)

You start in N press the button up for first,then gas and like you said keep pressing up to shift.  Oppsite for going down.  You wont have any issues, dont worry about it. Have Fun!

Ha let me know when you want to I'd be up for it, I've got a few rifles to bring out and my FX4

Screw the gear jolting, manual shifting and cheesy, problem-prone drum brakes found on many Hondas and other brands. Just buy a belt-driven(vs. gear) ATV with disc brakes for your wife and family. They'll simply depress the throttle(automatic shifting) and go. Driving a car ain't rocket science, either. Just look at how effective the general public is on our roads! Cater to the lowest common demoninator!

What about picking up a Can-am DS250, found a lady in Delray beach that wants $1350 for it and guessed around 160 hours? Before I'd buy it I'd want to take it to a place to get checked out, or is there just something I should look for

That just sounds like a great weekend. Lets go!!!!!!

My 14 y.o. has had a Can-Am 250 since 2008 and it's worked great. But, I'm thinking of selling/trading it for a Renegade 500. I wouldn't recommend the Can-Am 250 for your wife or any adult. It's 2WD(vs. 4WD) and has low ground clearance. If your wife will be lifting herself out of mud holes/ruts/tree stumps/large rocks every time she gets stuck, like my son, go for it. But, it's not designed for adults, so, adults won't have sufficient power to climb steep hills and their extra body weight will cause you to frequently be adjusting the chain and possibly replacing sprockets/shocks quickly. In general, adults need 350/400cc minimum. Wrenchers may argue differently because they enjoy fixing stuff as much as riding it. Not me.

You forgot "acting tough on a Harley"  :o

Thanks for the input, I'm not great at fixing things so I'll cross the Can-am 250 off. A guy on tampabayridingdirty has a Can-Am DS450 for 3k, should I look into that? Is there any other bikes that I should look at (would prefer 4WD and a utility quad). My max budget would be around 2200

DS450 is manual transmission and 2WD. It's low ground clearance is built more for racing, riding tracks or dry trails. In your price range and adult operators, you're back to used Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki/Kawasaki 350s/400s with carburetors(vs. EFI), rear drum brakes(vs. disc) and drive shaft/chains(vs. CVT belt) and shifting gears with automatic clutch. I believe the Kawi 360 and Yamaha Grizzly 350s have fully-automatic transmission(CVT Belt), though.

What about getting this checked out? http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/mcy/2084784924.html (http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/mcy/2084784924.html)
Just something cheap for friends and the girl to use down at river ranch

That is a Warrior and its a manual clutch bike. If you are willing to learn to ride a clutch and shift(like a big boy) then you need a 400 at least. That warrior isnt very exciting.

 That can am 450 you saw on TBRD is a screaming deal for 3k. You can buy a Honda 400ex or Suzuki Z 400 for close to 2k and they are great bikes.

Oh okay, I'd love to learn how to ride a clutch, just need someone to teach me LOL, if some of you guys want to get together sometime let me know and bring some beer. I could always just drive the manual and have my friends drive my can-am outlander

A 1999 Warrior is 11 y.o., has a clutch and was hardly-ridden? When? This past week? Is your wife young and not going to be discouraged by the work required to shift gears while simultaneously operating the clutch in soft sand or mud? If she whines the whole time and then some, you've wasted $1000. If she's younger and demure in stature(no more than 110-120 lbs), I'd buy the DS250. There's no steep hills at River Ranch to worry about insufficient power and, most of the time, you can get around the mud holes. But, I wouldn't let any other adults operate it, most-especially those weighing 180-200 lbs or more. The DS250's brakes are disc, work best in wet conditions and it's easy to change the brake pads on yourself.

I really appreciate the help, I don't know much about ATVs yet.  The DS250 is about 4.5 hours from me so its not much a short trip just to go check it out, would you recommend getting it checked out by a dealer or some kind of bike shop?

yea don;t be scared of the clutch, I had never had one and learned back in october in about an hour.  If you come out to dirty foot saturday I'd be glad to teach you on my honda 400ex

I didn't realize dirty foot is only an hour and 45 min from me, if you're up for teaching me (mind you I have never driven anything with a clutch before) I'll head out there with my bike and make a day of it, I'll PM you my number/email

The wife or so-called family/friends will be mangling the clutch! The man has an Outlander 400. I won't be ready to sell our DS250 until around April or I'd meet you at River Ranch overflow parking area for a demo this coming weekend. If you plan on being there this weekend, PM me your cell phone number.

I don't mind at all, I go out there all the time, and it's a perfect place to learn, lots of wide open areas, and it's just a great place to ride.  I try to go every other weekend when I'm off and camp but this weekend I'm only going for the day.  But also a 400 is a perfect starter bike for an adult, even your wife.  I taught my finacee, my brother, and my best friend to drive it.  I was like you though, I was originally looking at like 250s and such but boy am I glad I got talked into a bigger bike.  I would have been tired of that 250 after only a month.  The 450s you are talking about are made for racing, but a 400cc air/oil cooled honda like mine is made to last forever, and it still gives plenty of power for the average rider without scarificing reliability.  I can even teach you how to maintane it, all you gotta do is change the oil and filter, oil the chain, and clean/oil the air filter

send me an email, CESwartz07@live.com

I'd agree with the 400EX, IF, you were going to operate it and your wife was going to operate the Outy 400. My neighbor, a female firefighter, got rid of her 300EX after one year for a Rincon because she preferred to relax and not to have to shift gears/clutch. After you buy it, your wife may not say she hates shifting gears/clutch, she'll just always have other excuses why she doesn't want to ride. Then, you can ride with your buddies and, hopefully, not pay a price for that!

I agree, women tend to like the automatic utility style quads more, but it depends on the girl.  I've been looking at some of the newer 08+ polaris scrambler/trailboss' for my finacee.

Just do as Chillin and I have suggested and bring your but to Manatee County for a day or two. We will handle getting you to master the clutch and various other assorted necessities. (Except looking tough on a Harley...I only do that with Trx#9....because we're badazzes)

By the time we're through with you, you'll be wanting a 450 and doing no handed doubles.

Now that's funny!  :o ;D

Thanks to Charlie, I now know how to shift! I can't believe I was afraid of the clutch for so long!

Your welcome, and your a natural too.  Text me whenever you wanna go riding again.

Congrats Can am.  Its all a matter of taste but once you master riding a sport quad, in the right riding locations, you will wonder why anyone would want to destroy a quad where a jet ski would be more appropriate.