Motorbike instead of quad

tack365

Hi. Wondering if anybody uses a motorbike instead of a quad/jeep around the farm for getting cows, setting up paddocks etc. Looking at an old yamaha 175cc. Reckon it would be much cheaper to run and repair than a quad. I know it's now as versatile as a quad but what do you think. €500 on done deal gets a half decent auld yoke versus €1500+ for a decent quad!! Used two-wheelers in NZ and found them handy enough. They have handy rack on front and back for posts and reels which would have to be improvised on a bike here.

djmc

I think you answered it in saying a quad is more versatile ie. it can draw trailer timber turf pull out a dead animal spread fertilizer or grass seed spot spray or pull a weed licker.
A bike will get you from a to b with off road tyres a lot of dirt bikes used to be 2 stroke which is more hassle if you forget to add 2 stroke oil when you fill up.
IMO bikes are also faster and more dangerous around the farm than quads having used both.
If you want fun and learn to ride off road get a bike or racing quad if you want a work vehicle for herding get a good make farm quad

tack365

It's a new job and money is tight, the extra €1000 for the quad isn't there at the moment. Reckon I'd sell the motorbike next year for the same as I buy if for now and could consider a quad then.
Big concern is relief milker evey second weekend on the bike. But I suppose if quad is there its the same danger as bike.
Any other pros or cons with the motorbike?

C0N0R

When I was in NZ the only time I ever took the quad over the bike is when I needed to tow something. Apart from that there a great job and so easy to run.

Dawggone

C0N0R wrote: »

When I was in NZ the only time I ever took the quad over the bike is when I needed to tow something. Apart from that there a great job and so easy to run.

Hate bikes/quads.

I ran a mob in NSW many moons ago on a sizable farm, but I always used the UTE.

If I had a ranch as big as you guys I'd have a hoss...might even call him Trigger!

Milked out

Safety would be my biggest concern, grand to say nothing will happen but.... esp if it's someone working with ya. Will get a jeep here eventually as can go on road and field then. At the moment the walking is the only thing keeping the pounds off here damn metabolism is beginning to wain

Dawggone

Milked out wrote: »

Safety would be my biggest concern, grand to say nothing will happen but.... esp if it's someone working with ya. Will get a jeep here eventually as can go on road and field then. At the moment the walking is the only thing keeping the pounds off here damn metabolism is beginning to wain

+1.
Laziness and lack of physical activity is pushing Irish farmers to be almost as bulky as the yanks.

selectamatic

If it's checking stock then the bike will do but apart from that you're fairly limited in what ya can do with them. I've both but the bike is only used for pleasure whereas the farm quad is worked.

If you have a vast set up would you not consider a rough farm jeep? A rusty 90's 4x4 can be got cheap and can be run on green while offering much more comfort than a bike/quad/mule/atv. A set of good off road tyres and most proper 4x4's will get through very testing ground.
A rough and ready fourtrak, trooper, hilux or landcruiser would do grand although the latter two are probably too pricey

Edit: milked out beat me to it on the jeep/4x4 suggestion

Timmaay

A jeep will plough up the place during wet weather though. Do you use frs or is your milker regular? And if so can you ask them if they would be comfy riding a bike? The typical farm bike is in no way more dangerous than quads, any hero can jump up on a quad, be doing 30mph in afew seconds and flip it when they hit a bump etc, and trust me you don't want to hit the ground with a 200/300kg quad landing on top of you... Whereas a bike immediately commands more respect when you learn how to ride it 1stly. Aside from the bike costing less, it will also cost less to fix and use less petrol (once it's 4t, 2t will need premix).

I use to be huge into motocross in a previous life ha, a full competition bike I'll admit was a handful due to the height of it and the short clutch, but it did the trick bringing up cows before many milkings ha.

Muckit

Dawggone wrote: »

+1.
Laziness and lack of physical activity is pushing Irish farmers to be almost as bulky as the yanks.

The suckler farmer in journal holding up the young lad in suckler cow scheme ad ..... Lord God Almighty

Lady lou

A bike is good but you need to know how to ride it. As timmay said it demands more respect anyone ejjit can drive a quad. If your Milker is a teenager with no cop on don't get a bike(or do and let him walk to get cows). If he is a sensible person should be no boder to him. Get the hang of a bike and there will be no bull that will catch you off guard.

einn32

It all depends on what you will be doing with it. Herding, strip wires, getting around then bike is fine but if you need to use a tralier, move bags of meal etc. a quad is a no brainer. I wouldn't use a ute/jeep to get cows in unless I had to. They are a disaster if cows break out etc. compared to a bike/quad. A quad would presumably be used for more moving bulky items/trailers then herding on Irish farms?

I think people take less risks on bikes and some lads will only use a bike over a quad for herding. I've heard a lot of horror stories about bikes/quads. Maintain them and wear a helmet.

Timmaay

Lady lou wrote: »

A bike is good but you need to know how to ride it. As timmay said it demands more respect anyone ejjit can drive a quad. If your Milker is a teenager with no cop on don't get a bike(or do and let him walk to get cows). If he is a sensible person should be no boder to him. Get the hang of a bike and there will be no bull that will catch you off guard.

Actually a useful test, if your milker doesn't have the cop on to be able to ride a motorbike then they sure as sh1t aren't fit to milk cows ha.

tack365

Relief milker is very good and would be required to wear helmet at all times on the bike so probably not a big issue really.
Farm is dairy cows only so no heavy work required but a quad might be handy for the spring (moving milk/calves).
The reason for getting it is to save an hour a day walking for cows twice and tipping up to a paddock to set up a fence or big thing now is to check Bulling cows. Want to be gone home by half 5 in the evenings so all the small time savings are needed.

Timmaay

tack365 wrote: »

Relief milker is very good and would be required to wear helmet at all times on the bike so probably not a big issue really.
Farm is dairy cows only so no heavy work required but a quad might be handy for the spring (moving milk/calves).
The reason for getting it is to save an hour a day walking for cows twice and tipping up to a paddock to set up a fence or big thing now is to check Bulling cows. Want to be gone home by half 5 in the evenings so all the small time savings are needed.

If it will actually save an hr a day then it doesn't matter which you get once you get either asap 2bh. Things like this you'll kick yourself for not buying one 5yrs ago. All I'll say is get something tidy either way that won't be breaking down, ya'll prob need to spend a grand or 1500 on a bike and likes of 2-3k on a 2wd 250 quad. An hr/day at say 10e/hr is 3500e/year in saved labour, however you hopefully value yourown time at double that ha.
Stick to one of the 4 main Jap manufacturers if you can at all, stay the hell away from any Chinese ****e, the Last thing you need is to be walking some day when it breaks down and puts you under pressure with everything else.

pedigree 6

I can set up a strip wire and put the pigtails in the ground off the quad.
Can you do that off a bike?
Edit: read your first post apparently you can with racks made for reel and posts.

Whatever about the difference. They're a lot safer than going on foot into a paddock if a bull is in the field.

pms7

I use an old Berlingo van got for €300. Plenty room in back for posts etc. 2 wd, but mostly just on roadway to get cows, but can do most fields if grass is dry. Nice on a really wet day going for cows!

keep going

Timmaay wrote: »

Actually a useful test, if your milker doesn't have the cop on to be able to ride a motorbike then they sure as sh1t aren't fit to milk cows ha.

If they are not fit enough to go for the cows, they are not fit enough to go in 4he pit.noticed alot fellas are panting now if they have to do any bit of a walk and they are gone dog slow