My first impressions of the new quad:

I'm still not going to say exactly what model it is (so far JR is the only one to find out) but I will say that it is 4x4 independent suspension and 800 cc, give or take. ;-) I haven't ridden it hardly at all yet. In circles around the house a few times, then up through the woods where I cut firewood, to the neighbor's and back. A grand total of about 3 or 4 miles so far!

First thing I did, while it was still in the back of my truck, was jacked it up and took the back wheels off. I'm not as slim and trim as I used to be, so the springs generally need to be adjusted up for me and the easiest way to get at the adjusters is to take the rear wheels off. This machine has adjustments on the front too, so up they went also. After riding it, I almost think I might have set them up a little too much! We'll see after everything loosens up some and, if needed, I will turn them down a click. I was kind of surprised that I could adjust them that high. The old quads only had adjustments on the back and then all the way up was still kind of mushy feeling.

This thing was absolutely brand new. It was in the showroom and had been put there right from the crate. Never had a battery in it, and the inside of the gas tank didn't even smell like gas. After I unloaded it and puttered around the yard a minute, it seemed to me like it idled too slow and stalled once in awhile. I turned the idle up a bit, and that cured it. Of course, later on it idled too high and then I turned it back down. Now all is well, and my burnt knuckles from the exhaust pipe are already healing.

It does not have low range, and I was a little concerned about that with all the wood hauling I do. Turns out I was worried for nothing. On my rides around the house, it seemed to be geared/clutched well for power at lower speeds, but then gets up and goes when you need more speed later on. It's almost like having a two speed transmission, even though it really doesn't. Kind of hard to explain any other way. I have no idea yet what it will have for top speed, but it seems like it will easily do 35 mph which is all I ever need. I'm guessing, but I think it will be good for 50ish. The old Sportsman would easily run 55-60, but this one doesn't feel like it will be that fast. The Trail Boss runs 50. This one feels like it will be in the ballpark or a hair slower. Like I said before, 35 is plenty anyway.

I'm surprised how roomy it seems. Mrs. Reverend jumped on it with me and she said she was just as comfortable as on the old Sportsman. For some reason, that I can't quite explain, it feels more comfortable than the Sportsman. I'm sure the seat is smaller, I can tell that just by looking at it, but it feels bigger. Hmm. The only thing I noticed different in the fit and feel department, it has a big long shift lever (like a frickin' Kenworth!). When I have it in reverse, I have to hold my knee out away from it to make room. Not a problem though, because when you move it to forward gear, the lever goes away. Way far away to be exact! Anyway, it's very comfortable and roomy. Only a long ride will tell me exactly how well it does on the ooohhhh ouch scale.

There was still a lot of snow in most places out in the woods. I didn't want to work it too hard, but I decided to take a little ride. There are spots where the old drifts are two feet deep yet. Places where the Sportsman would have had me worrying. The Sportsman would have broken through and been really digging in the snow. That thing was a tank, one of the many reasons I loved it! Not this thing though. I was surprised at how it's so light that it just kind of floated over the snow. And it really didn't sink in very deep when I followed the same tracks on the way back. The snow is kind of hard and crusty, but I know without a doubt that the Sportsman would have sunk like a rock and been scratching it's way out. I never spun a wheel on this trip.

Only time will tell. I worry that it might be too small and light for long rides and especially riding double, that it won't have enough power for hauling wood, and that it won't have enough speed for decent-paced trail riding. My first impressions have told me that it will do ok at all these things. Of course not as big, bad, or fast as my favorite old quad was, but damn! For 59 bucks a month and less than what I paid for my '96 Trail Boss 250, how could my wife go wrong by buying this for me? ;-)