Cheap old ATVs?

[skidsteer.ca]

The problem is they don't stay cheap. When they get old they need parts and parts are spendy. I have a 96 400 Sportsman 4x4 that lead a sheltered life and has 2200 miles. I spent $450 rebuilding a front hub because the seal leaked and water rusted the bearings etc up.

Then the counter balance shaft oil was leaking out, (common on these) kept adding when I used it, and then one day it lost spark. Seams oil has gummed up the magneto. Doing the engine seals is a big job, and with those miles dealer is recomending a aftermarket piston as the factory ones tended to break skirts off and bust the crank case, (somewhat common I'm told) so he digs a little deeper and tells me the crank is on its way out too. So now I'm looking in the range of 1500 to rebuild the engine, book on it is @ 2000 Hardly worth doing. Good bye to what would be another cheaper old atv.
Ken

 

[jcappe]

Built in around 1901 I think, by my great grandfather. As a hunting lodge, so we have always known it as "the Lodge".
It's dirty, dusty, it still has the old flooring down from 100 years ago, it has no mains power, no mains water, phone, sewage, nothing.
But damn, it's a great place to get drunk and watch the stars.

Sums it up good enough for me, if you weren't so far away I would get drunk with you Great looking place. Good luck on the atv find.

 

[dolmen]

A quick search gave me this ...

http://www.everymachinery.com/em-mbmachinery/selloffer-30246.aspx

I think an old dozer would be a good place to start ... you could play about on it for years ...

Cheers

;-)

 

[PatrickIreland]

I could get a MUCH newer Audi than 1997 for that price.
That would be some fun, though - I could certainly clear a few trails through the forest to make shifting logs easier!

 

[kyle1!]

82 Big Red here

My dad and I went together and bought an 82 Honda Big Red in 1986 for $1200. Being 16 at the time I ran it into the ground; rolled it down 40ft hills, how deep is that puddle?, tried to outrun the cops etc. Dad bought me out because of the abuse.

It was used for another 5 yrs and then it sat in his garage for the next 8-9 yrs. When I bought my 5A place in the country dad gave it back to me. With a trailer it does alot of work and couldn't get by without it. The thing just will not die and all I have done to it over the years is change oil, new sparkplug and throw a battery in it every 2-3 years.

I saw one for sale here on CL for $350 a couple weeks ago.

Brian

 

[johncinco]

It's my island

Am I the only one picturing this guy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_O'Hara

David Patrick O'Hara (born 9 July 1965) is a Scottish actor.

O'Hara was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Martha (née Scott) and Patrick O'Hara, a construction worker.[1] He has appeared in many movies and TV series, including a featured role in the U.S. series The District, which he left after one season to return to Britain and Ireland.

His memorable role as the 'mad' Irishman Stephen in Braveheart saw him become William Wallace's (Mel Gibson) trusted friend and guardian after proclaiming of Ireland, "It's my island".

 

[PatrickIreland]

Hehe, my Great Grandfather bought the island when they were going cheap - Loch Erne is covered in islands, a lot used to be occupied, then people started to move to the mainland, and the islands sold for buttons. The only people who lived on that island lived in a (now near ruined) 2 room farmhouse, on the opposite side of the island from the cabin.
There was a castle there, many years back of course - until my GG was told (while drunk) that there was treasure hidden inside the walls, and proceeded (while drunk) to dynamite the place. Never found any treasure (while drunk), and now the former castle is just random piles of big, drunk stones.
I can't remember ever being 100% sober there since I was about 14.
The tradition was, that before you launched the boat, you opened a bottle of whiskey and toasted a safe journey.
Then on arrival, you had to test the whisky to ensure it hadn't been upset by the lake crossing.
The cork was then thrown in the fire, to ensure that the bottle must be finished that night - some nights there were a few corks in that fire!
I do my best to keep the tradition up, though I prefer a couple of beers before crossing the lake, while lying on the windscreen of the car and looking at the lake. All stress just vanishes, in minutes. Mobile phones confiscated apart from my own, which is the emergency phone everyone going there is given the number of to hand out to friends and family just in case.
Launch the boat, tie up in the dock, go inside and start the whiskey process.

Next day, fell a few trees, then breakfast is 3 beers and 4 mugs of tea with a bacon sandwich. Have a dander round the place, see what needs done, maybe bring out the shotgun for a bit of bird or mink shooting, then back to buck the logs before lunch, which is whiskey.
After lunch - work on some of the many engines that always need fixing, split some wood (beer for splitting, not whiskey), then inside when dusk falls to watch the bats fly out of the eaves and have a good meal. Then whiskey, wine and beer accompany the chat and card games in front of a roaring fire before bed, which is normally about 4AM. Repeat until time to go home, or if you REALLY need a bath or shower - no hot water yet, so it's a "bird bath" in the lake if you want to be clean!

 

[Taxmantoo]

Wild prices... I looked up the Ebay prices of the Big Reds just out of interest - for what they sell for (1985 model) I could buy a 1997 Audi!

Found a nice looking 185s on eBay for $500 buy it now. It's in California, why don't you ask him if he'll ship it for $100?

Looks like I was mistaken (heck, it's been over 20 years since I worked for a Honda shop), the 185s is NOT the Big Red with the racks. The Bid Red I was thinking of is the 250ES.

 

[PatrickIreland]

Racks etc. I can fabricate, I'm thinking now about a way to get my old VW pickup across the lake... and put huge off-road tyres on it. Cattle barge?

 

[Taxmantoo]

Racks etc. I can fabricate, I'm thinking now about a way to get my old VW pickup across the lake... and put huge off-road tyres on it. Cattle barge?

I've seen ten people drive on the Atlantic in a 1955 Chevy. Do a google search for Cuban refugee rafts/boats/cars.

Here's three ideas:
http://www.floatingcubans.com/

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

We paid $1300 for a 1991 Suzuki 250 4x4 QuadRunner a few years ago. All it needed was a battery.

One of our best investments ever.

 

[Moss Man]

That camp rawks!!

 

[PatrickIreland]

Soon, it will have hot water on tap - once I get a 200kg genny over the lake in the dinghy you see, and about 6 people to lift and concrete it into position!
There is a big old Victorian Clawfoot bath there, looking forwards to my first drunken bath in it...

 

[Moss Man]

We paid $1300 for a 1991 Suzuki 250 4x4 QuadRunner a few years ago. All it needed was a battery.

One of our best investments ever.

I have a 94 Suzuki 250 4x4 QuadRunner and use it everyday when there isn't too much snow on the ground. Tough as nails and never let's us down.

 

[bassman]

anything honda is good and really anything with wheels will do..

I buy and sell atv's all the time and my new 08 cat 4x4 is no better than my 85 honda atc 125 other than it is not as good a ride but shi& man my 85 atc cost me $200 and my cat was $6000!!

your setup looks like you could make a living renting it to people and if you play your cards right you could be set for life on what this place could make you !!

 

[HEAVY FUEL]

If your looking at older machines I'd stay away from the polaris and Arctic cat. Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha lead the way. IMO

 

[Moss Man]

If your looking at older machines I'd stay away from the polaris and Arctic cat. Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha lead the way. IMO

:agree2: :agree2:

 

[skidsteer.ca]

I can't say the polaris has been the most reliable, I bought the 1st one in 96 because it was the most capable, auto trans is great for towing, good ground clearance, full lock 4wd (all 4 tires must spin)
It had been good enough that I bought a second one in 05 when we needed 2 for a while. I must admit I am disapointed with the engine life on the 2 stroke.

Also the new one quite charging, on its 3rd sure power modules, 1st on warr, second I had to buy, finally Polaris recalled them 6 months later and the dealer reimbursed me.

I do think the Japanese bike have been more reliable.
Ken

 

[streeter]

Racks etc. I can fabricate, I'm thinking now about a way to get my old VW pickup across the lake... and put huge off-road tyres on it. Cattle barge?

Anything that hauls a load and is cheap! You can built a cheap pontoon (cost ofcourse).

I envy you! I would love to have my own island.

 

[PatrickIreland]

anything honda is good and really anything with wheels will do..

I buy and sell atv's all the time and my new 08 cat 4x4 is no better than my 85 honda atc 125 other than it is not as good a ride but shi& man my 85 atc cost me $200 and my cat was $6000!!

your setup looks like you could make a living renting it to people and if you play your cards right you could be set for life on what this place could make you !!

Nah, it's never going to be rented - too much of a liability! The place is mostly lit by oil lamps although there is a 12v system in place, it's all wood so would burn down in a second, and it takes me about a full day to get all systems working, water running, etc. every time I go up! look at the lovely "generator room and pump house" -

Yup, that's lawnmower engine, car alternator with burnt out regulator which puts out about 18v, and an ancient pump.
That's situated under the bathroom, which was a later addition and sits out to the left hand side on this picture -

Those shearlegs over the dock are for taking out boat engines, seems my GGD was a bit of a boat hot-rodder, judging by the rusty engines lying around various outbuildings! You can see why the place needed repanelled, the front lasts no time at all next to the lake.


And we have advanced power storage devices and state of the art wiring for when 12v lights are needed -

But this is what happens to your VW GTi when you take those great racing country roads a bit too hard.

I flipped it twice, on the first flip the windscreen fell out and so did I (no seatbelt), it flipped over again and ended up on it's side further down the hill. I ended up sitting on the tarmac with a black eye and minor road rash and my first thought on sitting up and seeing the underneath of the car was "That exhaust is still in great condition, after 2 years!"
It was a bottle of whiskey that had been in the passenger footwell that gave me the black eye, and it, as well as 48 bottles of beer, survived unbroken. I took it as a message from God, and sat on the verge drinking heavily while I waited for my cousin and 3 friends to come over from island to mainland and help me push the car upright.
Miraculously, it started first turn of the key despite 2 burst cells in the battery, and drove back up to the top of the hill, where a friendly farmer stored it out of sight of the cops for me until I could have it recovered. All fun and games!

I'm now thinking about my Uncle's ancient, small ride-on lawnmower fitted with balloon tyres and a ball hitch, maybe a bigger engine... maybe a Chevy 350...