Complete novice needs help

[upperdeane]

Hi,

Came across your website whilst searching the web and found it very interesting especially as it looks like you cover my area (Basingstoke).

I've done a couple of offroad half day quad biking events in the past and had great fun, but only just started to look at getting my own bike. I want sometubg that is fully street legal that I can ride on the roads but is also fine off-road. A quick look at new "street legal bikes" seems to put me in the £2500 - £3500 range for something decent. Am I looking at the right sort of kit ?

Can anybody offer me some advice...where/how to start selecting the right beast:) ....thanks

Rgds
Gary

[catmandoes]

Hi Gary, Welcome to the site.

I think you have two options, firstly you could buy a brand new starter bike like a Quadzilla 300 xlc, or RS 450. These are ok but you will probably want to replace it within a year or so. Or for that money you could get a second hand mid to high range bike. Many of our members seem to favour bikes like the Polaris Preditor. This is a high end sports bike but is still very capable off road. You can easily pick a second hand one up for 2500-3000.

One word of advice on second hand bike though is make sure you understand the different catogies of road legal. There are a few threads on this board about it. There are some unscruplouse people around selling bikes that have been register as Agricultural vehicles and then declared as PLC. This is illegal and as a consequence will never get through a MOT. There are of course more risks with buying a second hand bike than new. New road legal bikes come with a special certificate which classes them as Homologated PLG. No problem with the legalities with these what so ever.

We have a few people for Basingstoke in the assocoiation so when you get your wheel you will have no problem in finding people to ride with you.


Danny.

[catmandoes]

There is a Polaris dealer jsut outside basingstoke who could help you. he has a small show room with a selection of quads in.

Berry Farm Services
4 Manor Farm Cottages
Hampshire RG25 2PH
01256 381086

We know him well and hes services several of or members quads.

For Quadzilla you may want to look here....

Biker Warehouse Ltd
Langford Park House
London Road
Bicester
Oxfordshire OX26 6HG

07970 535551

www.bikerwarehouse.co.uk

[NJK]

Hi Gary

Danny has giving you some good advice there especially about making sure it is a genuine PLG quad bike. I brought a Quadzilla 250e brand new for about £2300 but as soon as it was run in I realized it was no good it was to slow and not really designed for serious off road use ( parts start braking ) So I would suggest looking at Polaris Predator 500 good all rounder, Honda TRX450 er if possible, more motocross style or a Yamaha 660/700 Raptor. These are all classed as sport/enduro quads or you can go down the 4X4 route again you have Polaris,Can Am, Kawasaki, Honda or Yamaha. I think there is a Kawasaki for sale on this site, just one more thing if you go down the second hand route check that they have been serviced regularly every 10-15 for a sport quad and check out the engine for any rattling.

Hope this helps Nige

[RED PRED]

Gary

You have certainly come to the right place, send me your phone number by personal message on this site and you are welcome to come and have a look at my Polaris Predator, I will even take you for a spin on the back if you like and we can discuss the legalities of road legal such as they are, I live near Wiklebury .

[upperdeane]

The information you have all supplied today has already been very helpful and i'll do some more research.

I'll also take RED PRED up on his offer to have a chat.

Rgds
Gary

[RED PRED]

Danny, why put up the QZ place in Bicester when we have Kamar Motorsport, a QZ dealer in Froyle near Alton ? (I notice you have not put Kamar Motorsport on the dealers bit of the home page yet) .
Gary
When you eventually get sorted you will be spoilt for choice with group rides happening at least every two weeks and the knowledge of local places to ride legally .
There are two of us in Basingstoke at the moment although I know another who has not joined yet, I think .

[NJK]

But don't you think he would be better going for a more established brand than a QZ they don't appreciate the rough stuff.

[RED PRED]

Yes I do, if I had known more at the time I would not have got a QZ, then again, I would have made the mistake of buying something without advice on the road legal side of things .
Its the same old problem-SVA, agri reg, PLG etc, its harder to get a decent quad on a low budget so care and a bit of patience is necessary . .

[NJK]

Yep go along with that.