Bill,
Since you are getting tons of great advise from the group, I will throw my 2 cents into the discussion. You need to narrow your search to the field’s that fit your use criteria (i.e. Quad vs. utv, storage, hauling, accessibility, etc..) Arizona Griz, ScottAdams and Diamondbackaz helped you answer those questions. I believe you have an idea as to what you want, it’s just the reality of finding the right setup.
I have owned everything from Honda to Polaris over the past 29 years. I have had trail bikes, 3 wheelers and quads. All these recreation vehicles have served me well for causal riding to hard core back country hunting and exploring. The biggest issue I’ve had in common with all these vehicles is storage room. No matter how you pack, you never seem to have enough room for all your supplies and equipment. Your interest in a trailer is wise, however, I will caution you that if you are in the back country be careful with the size and weight of your loaded trailer. You will need enough power and traction to get you in and out of the woods safely.
I purchased a small trailer in 1995 for use with the 2 Polaris 400’s Sportsman’s I had. I used it for several years, but always wanted more accessibility in the woods and more room on my quads. I then found the next generation of quads that legally holds 2 rides, and has more power and storage than I could ever image. Polaris came out with a upgrade to the Sportsman model, the Polaris Sportsman 500 efi X2. I attached a link for you to view on the review and testing of this quad. I have owned 2 of these quads since 2006. They are the best quads I have ever owned. They are registered for street use, all 4x4 and 4x2 options, have a dump bed and full size rear seat built for a rider. The quads are water cooled, electronic fuel injected 4 stroke engines with a centrifugal clutch transmission that has Hi, Low and Reverse gearing. Not much more you could ask for in a bike.
I’m contemplating selling my 2006 X2 in the near future. All my kids are grown and doing their own thing now. Having 2 of these quads has worked great for me over the past several years, but I think it is time to look at just keeping one on staff for my use. Good luck in your quest. There are a lot of good bikes out there, and I hope you find what you’re looking for.
Hope this helps!
1bowhnter
