BN: "After about five shop hours, Jimmy has the quad ready to ride. And he doesn't hesitate to give the refreshed ute a workout on the first outing, as he runs it for 30 miles out in the desert, punishing the wheels, shocks and motor just to make sure his ride is worthy."
JL: "I'm pretty pumped. Typically, a workhorse like this is pure torture at speeds above 10 mph, but this thing has a little longer legs now. It's still heavy, but it doesn't punish me for pushing it!"
BN: "Next was a rock-crawling Jeep road high in the mountains."
JL: "This is what this thing was built for. I couldn't ask for better grip from the tires, and the added ground clearance was a bonus I'm glad to have. The shocks work great at low speeds, and I'm reporting a big increase in the fun factor, with confidence to boot. Wonder why? Well, that winch that is tucked so neatly under the hood makes getting out of trouble a whole lot easier, especially solo!"
BN: "Not to be single-minded, we followed Jimmy to a project he had going, some block work at a mountain cabin."
JL: "Now this is where I can get away with telling the wife we have to have one of these things. Every trip to the generator while carrying a few blocks, that 200-foot walk-well, this baby saves me. I'm thanking my lucky stars that this nimble mini tractor of an ATV is here. And did you see the impromptu sled we made from a sheet of plywood as we dragged out some firewood using the winch? This thing isn't just for play anymore. I'll be using it to drag down the weeds and have plans for a mower in the near future. It is so much better than hopping in a truck every time you need to run to the neighbors or have to pick up some supplies at the shed! At the last minute, we slipped on a set of T-Bags, front and rear. They haul a ton of stuff and do a really good job of keeping out dust and appear to be water-repellent as well; they even come with a rain cover! The front one is good for a long haul or work, but for playing, I took it off so I could get a better look at the ground."
BN: "Well, it looks like 'This Old Quad' was a success. From a rotting ranch wreck to a mountain cabin fun machine that can still pull its load when asked. So for ATV Rider, this is Bryan 'Flat Lander' Nylander saying, 'This quad's for you!'"
Parts List
Genuine Honda Parts: See your localHonda dealer; www.honda.comSeat: $81.76
Oil filter: $5.98
HP4 motor oil: $7.19 per qt
T-Bags: 888/519-3811; www.t-bags.com
Deluxe ATV rack bags: front, $186.95; rear, $162.95
Ramsey Winch: 918/438-2760; www.ramsey.com
ATV 3000 with synthetic rope and wireless remote: $844.37
Mount kit: $46.84
Kenda Tires: 614/866-9803; www.kendausa.com
25x8-R12 K537 Bounty Hunter (2): $100 ea.
25x10-R12 K537 Bounty Hunter (2): $105 ea.
Douglas Wheel: 800/RACE-RIM (722-3746),760/758-5560; www.douglaswheel.com
12-in. Rockstar wheels (4): $71.72 ea.
Works Performance Products: 818/701-1010; www.worksperformance.com
A-T Steeler shocks with dual-rate springs(4): $379 ea.
K&N Filters: 800/858-3333; www.knfilters.com
HA3098 fabric air filter: $52.95Yuasa Battery: 866/431-4784;www.yuasabatteries.com
YTX14-BS battery: $79.99
FMF: 310/631-4363; www.fmfracing.com
PowerLine muffler: $299.99