K5 or 4 wheeler?

[Eric W]

Thanks for letting me ramble but I'm trying to get my thoughts together. Right now its late winter and I'm seriously considering to buy some sort of off-road vehicle. This way it will be ready by spring/summer. I have plenty of friends to go wheeling with, its just that I've always had an on-road vehicle. My daily is a RWD sports car and I have a sport bike. Both not very off-roadable. Last weekend I did a quick wheel trip with some friends and after that seeing them going through mud, driving through ruts, traversing a stream, and driving over fallen trees, I've gotten the bug to go offroading and get muddy as balls. The only thing I've had remotely resembling an offroad vehicle was an R/C battery powered Blackfoot when I was a kid in 5th grade. I thought one day I'll have a full sized one. I loved that thing and it turned into a money pit, just like I'm sure this endeavour will.

I'm trying to decide whether to 1) Get a K5 or 2) Get a 4 wheeler.
Pro's of K5, Cons of wheeler:
Can be useable on the street
Useable for other things (tow vehicle, snow plow etc)
Able to haul stuff
Safer then wheeler
Ultimately more upgrade/custom options available

Cons of K5, pro's of wheeler
Must pay for tags
More gas useage
Most pay for insurance every 6 months
Must be reasonably street legal
Large/harder to store, can't go in tight areas
More expensive to upgrade
If something breaks, more expensive to repair

I have found an 87 K5 for a pretty good price as described in this thread: http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129067 although I still havent been able to take a good look at it. It is stock, has low miles on it and has not been off roaded before. Im thinking about it and then turning it into a beast.

I don't know much about 4 wheelers, but the time I rode one while everybody was blasting through the woods, I felt really unsafe on the thing (and I am a sport bike rider, so its not like I'm not used to "motorsports"). Probabaly also because I'm used to leaning to steer at higher speeds.

I have access to a small trailer with ramp that I can use and tow the 4 wheeler with my car so getting it around won't be an issue. And if I break down on the trail, there will always be a way home, where if the K5 breaks down on a trail, I'm screwed. Any input on what you all would do? (sorry getting both is not really an option).

 

[supersize75k5]

hmm I'll bite,


tags and registation is pretty cheap for these trucks, ins. should not be any more that a sports car too..


haveing a full size opens up alot of windows of opp, for fun, camping, wheeling, and medium duty towing. With the correct front springs you very well could use it to plow as well.Su=ince you are int he market I would read, and read..aand read about what upgrades you think you would wan to do on this thing. You may find one well built for a fair price. This could save you alot of time and hassel...not to mention down time!

-shawn

 

[spoolnaround]

A K5 will hold 5 people where as a quad is limited to one

 

[mikey_d05]

Ok, not to bash our own trucks but if you're like us, they become money pits. Once you start upgrading, you won't stop. Just to give you an idea, I started my build with a small rig in mind, 44/12 bolt, 35 inch tires, etc. I now have a D60 14 bolt combo in my garage, a new lift kit on order, and plans for 39.5" Boggers. If you buy a 4 wheeler, there's not near as much potential for that happening, and even if it does, the parts are way cheaper. I love my truck and wouldn't trade it for anything, but if you choose the truck route, you just have to realize what you're getting yourself into.

 

[86chevybanshee]

ive had both for a while (79 k10 and a 2000 banshee) i had the quad before i got my licence so i rode that, but when i got my licence i found myself in the truck way more.

trucks are great to going wheeling in, you dont get wet, if its cold u stay warm. if ur lucky and have a/c you stay cold if its hot. you dont have to load up the truck when ur all done unless u trailer it. and belive it or not parts are cheaper.

quads are fun cuz you can go almost everywhere, they are great to ride in the summer cuz you can fly through puddles and get wet to keep cool, they are a blast to ride on ice with.

the down side to the quad is expensive.

iv now sold the quad to finish my truck and i regret it, ill be buying a yfz450 when the summer financing deals come around

 

[ronnny]

Myself (not to steal the tread) in sept. will get something for me and am deciding what to get. I work for yamaha and get a good discount i think. Was thinking 2 bruin 4x4s $3700 each or YZFR6 $6100 in my driveway or good used k5. Sorry about getting in on your thread.

 

[blackblazer717]

git a k-5

you wont regret it
but S PREVIOUSLY STATED THEY DO BECOME MONEY PITS

 

[k5bl]

k5 all the way.

 

[4xrick]

k5 and nothing else, well actually if i had the option i would have both but k5 first oh ya

 

[dirtwarrior17]

I used to have a K5 with a 6and 35's and a 1999 yz 125 with an fmf fatty and muffler setup, aftermarket piston, nickel plated cylinder, and protaper bars.... damn that thing was fast. It outran a 2004 ktm 125 sx and it pulled wheelies like no tomorrow...

I now have a 350 hp tbi k5 and no dirtbike.....

Like was said in the earlier posts... as soon as you start modding one of these trucks you now have a disease. As soon as i pay my mom off it gets gears, cromos, auburn ected, lockright, sterio, interior, door and fender, paint and heads. Somebody make me stop.

 

[adamforsythe]

I know what you are going through dirtwarrior17. I have the same bug.
But anyways get the K5 god I love my K5. K5's are almost better than women.

thanks
Adam
'

I used to have a K5 with a 6and 35's and a 1999 yz 125 with an fmf fatty and muffler setup, aftermarket piston, nickel plated cylinder, and protaper bars.... damn that thing was fast. It outran a 2004 ktm 125 sx and it pulled wheelies like no tomorrow...

I now have a 350 hp tbi k5 and no dirtbike.....

Like was said in the earlier posts... as soon as you start modding one of these trucks you now have a disease. As soon as i pay my mom off it gets gears, cromos, auburn ected, lockright, sterio, interior, door and fender, paint and heads. Somebody make me stop.

 

[spoolnaround]

As for a quad and a K5 which costs more I would have to say a quad costs more. I bought my wife a quad and a mini quad for the kids to play with while I was out wheeling the Blazer, I now have 5 quads and a toy hauler travel trailer I would say quads cost more Your situation may be different though.

 

[Jonny-K5]

personally i would never get a quad. my bro in law has one. they are fun to ride once you get used to the no leaning thing, but way overhyped unless you go to sand dunes. i would take a dirt bike any day over a quad. much more manuverable ,faster,cheaper,cooler, easier to load/unload. if you want a real wheeling quad you gotta get a 4x4, and those things are heavy pigs for the most part. the 2wd sport ones are fun to go fast and jump, but you cant really "wheel" with them, they dont climb very well and get stuck alot easier.

i love my k5 but im dying to get a honda crf 450.

im not gonna tell you to get one or the other, too many variables,but hopefully the info in these threads will help you make a decision.
good luck!