I heard Polaris have a line of cheap and reliable 4X4 Sport ATVs. What do you want to do? #1.Get muddy, hunt/fish, and go for long rides, or#2. do you want to race, ride less tougher terrain, and catch big air? If you want #1, then you get a Utility ATV. Theyre the big ones with the racks and all that, have larger engines (So they can navigate the toughest terrains), and are probably better for beginners in trail riding. You can find the TRX250TM for beginner ATVers who like to ride trails more often. It starts @ CAD $5,509(link)
Honda Canada
If you want #2, you get a Sport/Performance ATV. These ATVs cost more than Utility ATVs because they have "better" (race-ready parts)parts. The MAJOR difference between the 2 types is that one (the utility) can be used to do work chores (attachable snowblade, mower, "trailer" etc.) and have some trail fun and the other is purely performance oriented. The Sport ATVs shed all the "unnecssary" weight in a Utility ATV, such as racks, winches, AT transmission, etc. , and have very small plastic surface area, whilst the Utility ATV is almost completely covered in it.
A beginner Sport ATV I would recommend is the 2009 Suzuki LTR250 QuadRacer ($3,999)
ofcourse, if these prices are a bit too big, you can always look into used ATVs. Make sure you have them inspected at a dealer before you make the purchase.
and ALWAYS, ALWAYS REMEMBER: Safety first. It sounds cheesy, but it wont when your ATV's nose dips into crevise and you go flying forward with no helmet. For your own sake, wear a DOT (for better protection, SNELL and DOT Approved) approved helmet at least. If you want to protect yourself further, you can wear chest protectors which are becoming even cheaper now adays (good ones are around $50 to $90)
Hope that helped!
Abdul
