What's the best "starter" Quad for rookie first-time riders?  

Depends on the age. Most any of the 250cc class bikes are great beginer quads. The Honda and Suzuki both have an automatic clutch, they have enough power to get around but not enough to really get in a lot of trouble. For a little more advanced of a ridder the Kawasaki Mojave is a great quad. It is a 250cc liquid cooled bike, with a manual clutch.  This bike has enough power to putter around just about anyplace you want to go and is very very reliable. I should know, I started out on a Mojave and my friend has an 87' Mojave in his garage that still runs.

What do you guys think?  

Okay, I'm a little ashamed to admit this, but it wasn't until after my 30th birthday that I first rode a quad. My father-in-law had a Polaris Predator 500, and a Honda TRX250EX. I think the Honda is an excellent starter quad. It had enough power to be somewhat fun to ride, but not so much that it's overwhelming. The  SportClutch is very easy to use, without sacrificing power like a CVT would. A little later, I got up the courage to ride the Polaris. That thing is a beast! Definitely fun, but in some ways, the Honda was more fun in the sense you could easily use it to its full capabilities on the trail, whereas it would take a very experienced rider (not to mention a long stretch of trail!) to fully exploit the capabilities of the Predator.  

i would agree and say a 250. auotmatic clutch, reverse, just enough power to keep up. its what i had and i love that bike!

[RIDE RED!!]  

What do you ride, mfiggins?  

like i said i ride a Honda 250 quad. its a good bike (and i hope no one in this thread is a hard core quad person) but im actaully trying to sell it and buy a two wheeler for this season! im so excited! do you ride at all?  

(Gasp!) Okay, you are hereby banished from this forum! Just kidding. What kind of bike are you getting? I don't own a quad, but I ride a Honda 250 that's owned by my father-in-law. It's plenty fun for me. Down the road, I might get a bigger-bore one, but that's just enough juice to keep me entertained...for now. ;-)  

i dont know exactly...i was thinking a 125 but i dont think i can touch the ground. but anything less than that is a little kid bike. it all depends what i can find i guess.  

Boooo!

Ok maybe not... but anyway...

I am what you call a hard core quad person, and if you saw mine you would know it.. lol.. but there's nothing wrong with bikes.  

I am 21 and I have been on bikes since I was 5 and my wife rescently convinced me to go buy her a 2008 Raptor 250 sport quad. I thought it was a little small but thats what a first timer needs. It comes standard with electric start but no kick back up. No reverse but it's the lightest 250 class quad ever at 325 lbs wet. The first time I took it out I was amazed at how peppy it was while still maintaining a doscile nature until you hammer on it. I'm a small guy at 5'5" @ 145lbs and on the little 250 I can keep up just fine with the guys on the Raptor 700s on tighter stuff. I plan on going and buying me a 2009 250 SE as soon as they come out. All in all my vote is with Yamaha for the 250 class quad. Even for experienced riders its a lot of fun.  

I second the Raptor 250! I got a chance to ride one on a small MX track when they were introduced and the thing was a pure blast to ride! It would be my pick for best starter quad based on whats on the market right now.  

The Honda 400EX is a nice one.  The 4-stroke gives new riders a smooth power band.  

I wouldn't call the 400ex a starter quad at all. They have way too much power for somebody that hasn't ridden before. 400ex would fall more as a "Sport" quad than a starter.