The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: trefnantbach on April 24, 2011, 01:02:31 am
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I would be grateful for any advice/recommendations on buying a second hand quad bike.
In the long term I need it for general towing of trailer loads e.g. hay/straw bales, feed bags mucking out, hedge trimmings etc around a relatively flat 8acre smallholding and occasional use of tyne harrow or similar for dispersing mole hills and grassland treatment in spring. In the sort term we are building an extention to the property and need to shift building materials and rubble etc. I doubt if it needs 4x drive nor does it need to be top of the range powerfl but I dont want it to be underpowered. Any suggestions appreciated.
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sounds like you need a dumper more than a quad bike and less chance of it being purloined :o
you could also opt for an old disco/land rover after all that was there initial intended use when the rover car co coppied the willis jeep :wave: :wave: :wave:
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What they said ;) ;D ;D ;D We've got both and the jeep is sooooo handy for chucking stuff in and so much easier to securely lock up. It doesn't need to be road legal if it's only being used in the fields, as long as it goes (but never on a road)
But if you've got your heart set on a quad invest the extra little bit of cash and get a 4x4, it's fine saying you've got reasonably flat ground, but when it's really wet, snowy or icy it's going to toil a bit if it's only 2 WD. Hubby reckons a minimum of 350cc in terms of power (but he's a biker, bit of a petrol head and a major speed freak ;D)
HTH
Karen
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If you really want aquad then for reliability/ availability a HONDA fourtrak ,if you have 4 wd and dont need it no prob but if you dont have it and you stuggle then youll which you had it, Hondas are easy to buy 2nd hand and parts easy to source.
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I would opt for a compact tractor and hydraulic link box, plus a two ton trailer. You get the advantage of the pto for implements as well. A Japanese grey import would suit the bill. Another options a mule, a JD or Kawasaki, they usually have a tipper fitted.
Quads are great on the hill but are thief magnets, fuel hungry and noisy, being an old fart I think they are dangerous as well!
The advantage of the tractor is front loaders can be fitted as well for really heavy work.
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If you really want aquad then for reliability/ availability a HONDA fourtrak ,if you have 4 wd and dont need it no prob but if you dont have it and you stuggle then youll which you had it, Hondas are easy to buy 2nd hand and parts easy to source.
Ditto - I would whole heartedly agree with this. I have a Honda 4X4 I bought secondhand two years ago and I've used it every single day since. Its the most used piece of kit on the farm; towes a trailer, a muck barrow, and it meant I could keep the sheep fed 1/2 mile up the lane whenever we have snow, cos I can put a bale of hay on the front and a bale of hay on the back and trundle off up the lane. I wouldn't be without it. Its affectionately known as "Quadley" ;D :wave:
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Just following the thread - does anyone have experience of a compact 4WD tractor ? Just thinking of getting one but don't know anyone who has had one.
thanks
Bluebell :)
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Just following the thread - does anyone have experience of a compact 4WD tractor ? Just thinking of getting one but don't know anyone who has had one.
thanks
Bluebell :)
When we moved here, we tested out several different Compact type tractors.....and in the end went for a 40hp TYM which has been brilliant. Its small enough to not drink too much diesel, it fits in the shed without taking up too much room, it can lift our big round haylage bales, it pulls a fair size muck spreader, it does all the harrowing and rolling etc and its perfect for a smallholding. Well, that's our opinion anyway ;D The ONLY downside according to hubby, is that it doesn't have a cab and so the seat gets wet......... shame ::) HTH :wave:
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Bluebell, I bought a Yanmar 4wd last year. Only 20 hp but I can honestly say its the nicest small tractor I have ever owned. Its towed cars in the snow and pulled a 2 ton trailer for miles. I dont use the 4wd often but its brilliant. Word of caution though, the Japanese rice paddy tyres are awful on paved surfaces, the cleats are enormous. I replaced them with a normal ag pattern and its a good ride on tarmac. I had a 2wd Chinese thing and gave up on it, frankly they are crude. The newer Japanese offerings have flat floors with side mounted controls so no scrambling over the gear sticks. I really would recommend you decide what your main uses are first though, most jobs only need 2wd, apart from front loader work and hilly land 4wd can be omitted. :farmer:
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Blinkers, just tell him cabs are for wusses, it works every time........
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Actually I just swapped a tractor with a cab for one without. So much easier to see where the wheels and loader are in tight spots and when you're jumping on and off all the time the doors were a pain.
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We have a second hand Polaris, good machine but frankly it spends most of its time locked away, quads are the rural thieves target of choice, a decent 4x4 tractor would be a better option.
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We have a second hand Polaris, good machine but frankly it spends most of its time locked away, quads are the rural thieves target of choice, a decent 4x4 tractor would be a better option.
I have an old Polaris diesel which plods around doing what I need. It is quite slow so if you are on a hill probably a petrol would e a better bet!!
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Its a petrol semi auto and its a bliddy good machine, the problem is if we use it on our land the local scumbags always seem to take an interest and we are 'visited' in the hope we will have been daft enough to leave it in the barn, we usually have a spike in vandalism and petty theft on the days after we have been using it >:(
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quad is one of the most usefull things always had new 4x4 ones but one got nicked so got a cheap taty looking 2wd realy miss 4x4 though it carnt handle the trailer and you realy have to think what path to take up the hills so it will make it however drop the trailer off and it gos whereever i want normaly
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Just put mine on ebay a Can Am 400 - good piece of kit but I've decided I need a compact tractor, would like to keep both but she who must be obeyed is pulling a face.
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We have a second hand Polaris, good machine but frankly it spends most of its time locked away, quads are the rural thieves target of choice, a decent 4x4 tractor would be a better option.
I have one and love it, tho for attachment jobs a tractor is a must.
Anyway according to the farming forums one farmer parks his Polaris in front of his shed where he keeps his other quads, knowing they wont bother to nick the Polaris. But for me with the sheep and only gentle slopes its the most useful thing but only cos its the 6 wheeled version with the mini tipper tray back, so I can carry feed and water etc. I wouldnt bother with the 4 wheeler (which I also have as a back up).
They are too slow to round up livestock with, but the advantage of being able to use our red diesel and not keep running out of petrol is huge as we are a long way from any petrol stations.
A decent 4x4 tractor is what is ideal, but they aint cheap!! We manage with a 2wd cos we arent too slopey but any proper slope means a 4x4 for sure. If very steep an Alpine tractor for safety!
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we live on a 6acre smallholding and tbh i wouldnt bewithout our 4x4 honda quad. use it pretty much every day for lugging stuff around and have a wee 6x4 trailer that we use with it for all sorts of other jobs (pooh picking the field, housing dug out ragwort, stable muckings out, taking hay and water up to the animals in all sorts of weather).
it's the one piece of kit i would instantly replace if it died on us!
our tractor on the other hand has sat in the shed for over a year unused!
i guess it's horses for courses......
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I dont know what I would do without quads on the farm.
Bought a road legal one last year from the business pot and it doubles as my sunday motorcycle fix now the proper bike has gone. Downside is that its regged as a plg vehicle and has the same road tax as any commercial 4x4 - shame for something thats 1/8 of the weight and causes next to no damage to roads.
Look for something thats got a good drive train, suspension and is cheap cos it smokes a little - all these single pot engines are next to nothing to recondition and topping up the oil whenever you fill it with petrol is no hastle if the price is nice and cheap. :)
Baz