4wd Quad selection

Hi all,
After thoughts and opinions on 4wd quads, Does anyone have any experience with the newer chinese quads on the market for reliability and quality finish?, I want to use one for detecting mainly round the pilbara and i am leaning towards the japanese quads but the cost factor does make one look at the options. all advice appreciated,

Cheers Marty

Honda TRX250 They go great and don't use F all fuel. The 1985 mod was awesome! Having said that, I have one that needs a good home?

G'day marty,

I have been told that chinese vehicles are produced with tools they bought from other makers so you will be getting possibly an old version of an japanese, korean or what ever make vehicle. An example is the Great Wall 4WD, they say it's a good farm work horse but to slow and down on power for the road.
My personal opinion at the moment is, for price and depending on what ya want to do, go chinese. I know they had a bad reputation years ago but things have changed.

Just my opinion.

My input on this one. Honda sold out to our European friends back in 2004 ish. The dies that make casings etc are from Honda, the steel is of S##t quality!
New TRX650 first service, the sleeve's are stuffed after 20 hours! First service?

Well Honda make good outboards, so if ya want quality and can afford the extra $'s, then yes I agree.

but Lets ask Kevin Rudd, he speaks the lingo but can we trust the little sod and the translation. It goes something like this. "ya just about own our country and resources so make the stuff and ship it back as crap, these aussies will buy what they are told to buy coz I'm the Primed Monster, or will be once that red head takes a hike".

Good one!
Honda outboards came properly into the game in 1998, prior to that they were a piece of Gillard?
If your going to buy an Outboard go Yammy! Been with them all!

gimmee an old seagull anytime, I loved pulling the rope to get it started.

I saw a couple of old Seagulls in second hand shops at Chiltern! No thanks Bullet. How bout a whipper snipper instead! "Your boat, your move"? Just make sure your lines are in first.

I love whipper snippers, they are great to look at. what do you do with them ?

Just look at em! And when you can't see em, Pay someone to clear your view? Unless your still using it as your malty purpose outboard motor & look out for the anchor rope!
Sorry Guy's, I always use a steel blade on the snipper, tickled my funny bone!

Now I know what I've been doin wrong. The funny lookin anchor rope kept breakin and it wasn't choppin anything. If I use one with a steel blade and wear thongs , I might save the surgeon some trouble and he won't have to cut off my stuffed toes.

2 legs = more ground covered = more gold.




pete in WA

I'll still have 2 legs, just a few toes less and it won't hurt anymore.

Gday Marty

After looking at the chinese quads and asking about I decided that it would be a better option to buy an older Japanese made quad rather than a new chinese one, if you are working on a budget I think the money would be better spent, even if you have to spend time and money on it to get it up to scratch.

Having been in the small engine industry for more than twenty years and then in recent years seeing the flood of cheap chinese machinery hitting the shelves I have seen first hand the lack of quality and durability of many of these products, many of the chinese products came with things like spare piston rings and gaskets from new, so it was pretty obvious the makers expected that these would need to be replaced rather soon.

I could have been one of the first people in Australia to import Chinese engines as I had a flatmate, a chinese girl who's parents were influential party members in china, and she was over hear studying, she tried several times to get me to go back to china with her and have a look at the Chinese engines that were being made at the time, as I had my own business at that time she new that I worked with small engines.

The first Chinese engines I encountered were called Jumbo engines, the were a knock off of the Robin counter rotational engines used on brick cutting saws, they looked similar but were of dubious quality, since those days I have been ever suspicious of chinese made machinery, there seems little quality control and little interest if the item will actually run or not, we have had engines out of the box that have not even had jets in the carbies, so you know straight away that none of these things are even bench run or tested in any way.

In perhaps another 10 to 15 years chinese products will become viable when they realise that quality is more important than quantity if you want to stay in the market, presently a high percentage of what they produce is of sub standard quality and disposable.

If you are going to be relying on a quad bike to get you around the bush and back to camp you cant take chances with a pile of rubbish, when you use a vehicle to venture out from camp you tend to go further afield than you would normally go on foot, so if you have a breakdown you may be in for a long walk back to camp, personally I would have more faith in an older Japanese made one than the Chinese one.

I am sure that many readers of this have Chinese quads are are happy with there performance, there would be better quality ones about probably, but you would have to do your research, another thing to consider is the availabilty of spare parts, warranty repairs etc, the last one I saw advertised only had a 30 day warranty, thats a bit of a worry.

cheers

stayyerAU

Hi
After reading the reply's no came up and answered your question--
So Here goes--
If you want a 4x4 4x2 with the works, then u cant go past a CF MOTO 500. on special for around $6,000 same in a Can Am $13,000. Reliability great - comes with a 2 year warranty-parts if needed are available.

If you want a 250cc then you cannt go past a Jianshe 250cc--Yamaha motor with diferent side covers--just as reliable. winch and tow bar standard. warrantee 12months $4,000 only 4x2.

150cc try a fury or loncin quad--farm versions have the racks etc If chain drive then keep it well lubricated. Every 5 months or 300 ks change the oil--motor bike oil only.

Then u need a trailer--7x5 with ali ramps to get it to your patch. LED lights and a spare wheel

Remember if you buy something on flea bay then u will more than likely have to go back there to find parts. There is some real problem machines on there--thats why they r there -

Hope this helps..

ps: Be aware that the great wall have only a 1 safety rating--holden have 5--is that telling u something--and yes they have a mitsubishi engine--good for about 350k kilometers..

Hope this helps
Regards
Oneday69

Of all the quads I have sold none have come back with engine issues.

I recently sold my old Yamaha Grizzley which had served me well for over 15 yearsand bought a new Canam Max 800R. I havent had it all that long but it is without a doubt a very good powerful quad. I was looking at buying a Chinese built quad but the lack of after-sales servive put paid to that. Even though mine isnt made here I dont have to send it interstate to be serviced or repaired. What you save now could cost you dearly in the future. Thats what I think anyway.

Totally agree --horses for courses--up here 800cc is over kill for a prospector.
The 250cc jianshe would be ideal and if u buy it of the dealer they will service it for u.
Do your homework and check on after sale service.
Regards
Oneday69

Woops! I missed the 4WD part?

SORRY THE JIANSHE ISNT 4X4

regards
Oneday69

I don't think it fair to group all Chinese bikes under one group. There are many different manufacturers, some fly by night and others who are excellent. Certainly there are big savings to be made, but at the same time different dealers/importers prices seem to vary a lot in Australia. Finding a good dealer is as hard as finding a 3 oz nugget under the clothesline. Then it comes down to personal choice. Does it look good? Does it look well made? One of the biggest problems is getting a good warranty, not one that just covers labour or whatever. Enjoy your search and enjoy your ride....

Thanks for the input guys, i know most of the common pitfalls of the chinese quads, What i am wondering is i was looking at the crossfire trident 550cc v twin quad , It looks ok but i am wondering if anyone has experience with these or similair.
I have been a yamaha man for many years and heard these are based on a yamaha, Currently i use a WR450 to get to hard to get spots but it is a pain using a back pack all the time, I would use the quad to expand from our base camp and explore a larger area, thought appreciated.
cheers
Marty

dont know why u didnt mention all the facts at the beginning
Save a lot of verbal diareha
Regards
Oneday69

Hey All just joined and thought id ask if anyone has a rubicon 4x4 quad?? would love to know how it goes for the bucks any info would be great thanks.