Department > Adventure Toys
Adventure Toys: John Deere
Big Green's Mini-Might - John Deere jumps into the ATV market with both feet...er...all four wheels!
story and photos by Rob Reaser
Mention John Deere to anyone in North America, and the image of a raw-boned farmer sitting astride a big green tractor comes to mind. But times are changing, and today the Illinois-based equipment manufacturer rolls out products ranging from hand tools to harvesters. The latest hardware to chug out of the barn includes a brace of all-terrain vehicles. Some are dedicated work mules; some are good ol’ touring 4x4s. Being of the adventurous set, we wanted to give the latter a workout, so we asked for John Deere’s top-of-the-line unit, the Trail Buck EX.
Big Green readily obliged.
It’s easy to see that the Trail Buck promises to be a different critter from the majority of ATVs currently on the market. Closer inspection carries this notion even further. This is because the Trail Buck EX, along with the entire line of John Deere ATVs (six distinct models in all), is a result of a cooperative arrangement with Canada-based Bombardier Recreational Products. Take a look at the BRP utility ATV lineup, and you’ll see what we mean. The Buck and Trail Buck series models from John Deere are the company’s interpretation of these proven machines from the Northland. To the John Deere customer, this means that some of the truly slick engineering and our favorite design features of the Bombardier units also are on the John Deere quads.
Thanks to its 644cc single-cylinder engine, the Trail Buck EX ranks among the top powerhouses of the utility ATV segment. Rotax, an Austrian-based subsidiary of BRP, manufactures the 4-Tec engine. It’s liquid-cooled and utilizes a four-valve, SOHC head design to provide a pleasing combination of high-power output for its size, relative fuel efficiency, and smooth operation. We also like the Buck’s hydraulic lifters. Unlike most ATVs with solid lifters, which require periodic valve adjustment, these lifters are adjustment-free.
The front independent suspension utilizes upper and lower A-arms and a coil-over shock. This is good for seven inches of wheel articulation. Hydraulic disc brakes provide the stopping power. |
A conventional swingarm makes up the rear suspension system. It uses steel axle tubes flanking an aluminum differential housing. The twin coil-over shock absorbers offer pre-load adjustment to accommodate varying load weights. |
As with most ATVs in the 500cc-and-up class, there comes a point when it’s difficult to measure torque and horsepower from the seat-of-the-pants test unless you’re pulling a hefty load or engaged in a serious hill climb. That said, the Rotax engine feels as strong as its manufacturer claims. Our test machine never whimped out, no matter how steep the incline. Torque is obviously there, but initial throttle response seems somewhat sluggish. And that’s really not a bad thing for a recreational/touring/utility ATV. Sort of keeps the newbies out of trouble.
Transferring engine grunt to the wheels is a continuously variable automatic transmission. As with the previous automatic Bombardier models we’ve tested, the John Deere unit is a sweetie as far as torque transfer and engine-compression braking is concerned. It’s super-smooth and designed to bring you down the steep grades with a steady, gentle touch.
What’s not so rip-snorting great about it is shifting the two-speed sub-transmission between the available high, low, reverse, neutral and park gears. The shifter is placed conveniently to the right side of the vehicle, so it feels natural for those used to manually shifting full-size vehicles. Another plus is that the shift pattern is straight up and down. No confusion there. The problem we experienced (and not for the first time with this tranny) was sticky engagement. Way too often we would have to blip the throttle or rock the vehicle back and forth to shift gears. It’s a minor irritant and perhaps some use and wear will take care of the problem, but there it is.
The Trail Buck EX features an all-wheel-drive driveline, which can be counted as another mark in the plus column. Of course, the rear wheels are always engaged, but so are the front wheels, after a fashion. Directing engine torque to the front wheels is a Visco-Lok progressively locking front differential. This system continuously monitors front-wheel speed, and when a difference in wheel speed is detected (i.e. one wheel loses traction and spins faster than the other), the Visco-Lok differential progressively sends power to the wheel with the traction dysfunction. It’s all hands-free from the operator’s perspective. No stopping to shift into 4WD or locking-diff mode. And it does work.
The instrument pod offers backlighting for easy nighttime viewing and includes indicator lights for the gear position and other system readouts. |
Also beneath the seat is the 644cc 4-Tec Rotax engine. It’s in an ideal location, allowing easy access for service. |
In addition to the engine-braking system, another high point in the whoa! department is the brake component. Dual front and single rear hydraulic discs make short work of bringing the Trail Buck EX to a halt.
Supporting the machine is a fairly conventional suspension system. The front is composed of a double A-arm arrangement with firm coil-over shock absorbers. This, obviously, provides for independent front-wheel articulation to the tune of seven inches. Nothing spectacular, but it’s nothing to sneeze at, either. Bringing up the rear is a swingarm composed of steel axle tubes and an aluminum diff housing. Wheel travel on this end is 7.5 inches. Paltry articulation by some standards, perhaps, but it’s good enough to get the job done. What is cool about the rear suspension is the use of dual shock absorbers. These are preload-adjustable coil-overs to accommodate added cargo weight or simply to provide a stiffer ride for those tough, trail-pounding excursions.
Although articulation isn’t record-breaking (nor is the 7.4 inches of rear axle ground clearance), the suspension is pleasing. It’s stout enough to let you know it’s not afraid of work and compliant enough to keep your liver in one piece after a day of riding.
Also contributing to the smooth trail ride is the overall heft. Dry weight comes in at a plump 713 pounds, and you can be sure that kind of mass goes a long way toward sucking up trail irregularities. It also underscores the typical impression of not only the Trail Buck EX, but every sport/utility Bombardier ATV we’ve tested; that these are not-so-highly refined machines, yet they are solid-feeling quads built with practical performance first and foremost. In other words, there’s a high degree of mechanical confidence built in.
Moving the cooling system to the back opened up a bunch of room for storage space up front. The box lid serves as a cargo platform when closed. Open it up, and you get a generous eight-gallon storage box with a bottom drain plug.
Now that we’ve established the Trail Buck EX’s credentials that count the most, let’s take a look at all of the neat-and-nifty engineering that comes with the package.
For starters, simply looking at the side profile of the machine tells you there’s something mighty unusual going on. That would be the semi-step-through seat/console design. This is a concept that’s been exclusive to the Bombardier Traxter line since its introduction in 1998 (although in those models, the step-through goes clean to the floor). The idea is to allow riders to pass a foot across the front of the seat to mount the vehicle, as opposed to the usual saddle-style mount-up. Cool engineering, but it doesn’t really work because the space between the seat and the handlebar panel is too close to run a booted foot through. Try it, and you might find yourself hanging upside-down from the beast and eating dirt.
The real value of that space is the flat console. Designed with four tie-down loops, this is an ideal spot to secure a small pack or other necessary bags. At the front edge of this panel is the fuel gauge. Actually, it’s one of those bobbley floating-ball mechanical gauges, similar to an old-style dash-mount compass. Really, with all the technology and forward engineering put into the running gear of these ATVs, a 21st-century electric fuel gauge isn’t much to ask for.
We do, however, like the instrument pod. This is a lighted gauge with an easy-to-read speedometer, digital trip meter, odometer and hour meter, with indicator lights for all the gears, plus oil pressure, water temperature, and high beam.
One of the many bright spots of the Trail Buck EX is its top-notch engine-braking system. Even on the steepest of slopes, the unit provides good, smooth holdback.
Two more features that ramp up the convenience and practical engineering status of the Trail Buck EX include the cooling system and cargo-storage function. The aluminum radiator is mounted at the back of the machine, where it is perfectly protected from trail hazards. The rear fenders are ducted on each side so that air is actually scooped in and directed through the radiator fins. When airflow is insufficient, an electric fan does all the work. The radiator cap also is conveniently accessed through the rear deck.
Moving the cooling system to the rear of the vehicle made valuable real estate available up front for cargo storage. A lid on the front deck opens up to reveal a large eight-gallon storage box complete with a drain plug. When closed, the cargo lid works with the front cargo rack to provide up to 90 pounds of cargo capacity.
Finally, the EX package, which separates this model from its stable mates, delivers a number of accessories that make work or play so much more accommodating. These include front and rear receiver hitches, front and rear drawbar kit, heavy-duty front brush guard, heavy-duty rear bumper, front and rear rack extensions, integrated hand guards, mud-flap extensions, a Warn 2.5-cubic-inch winch with roller fairlead, and silver accents for visual flair.
All in all, the Trail Buck EX is a well-rounded package that may not beat competing models in all areas, but it is a reliable performer with rock-solid engineering that can get the hard work done or conquer the hinterlands without breaking a sweat.
Specifications:
| Trail Buck EX | |
|---|---|
| Engine: | Rotax 644cc single-cylinder four-stroke 4V SOHC Mikuni BSR 42 carburetor |
| Transmission: | Continuously variable automatic w/engine braking Sub-transmission (H, L, R, N, P) |
| Driveline: | All-wheel drive Progressively locking Visco-Lok front differential |
| Suspension: | Independent dual A-arm front w/coil-over shocks 7.0 inches wheel travel (front) Swingarm rear w/coil-over shocks 7.5 inches wheel travel (rear) |
| Brakes: | Dual hydraulic disc front Single hydraulic disc rear |
| Dimensions: | Length: 84 in. Width: 47 in. Height: 45 in. Wheelbase: 51 in. Ground Clearance: 7.4 in. (rear axle) Dry Weight: 713 lbs. GVWR: 1,200 lbs. |
| Wheels/Tires: | 25x8x12 (front) 25x11x12 (rear) |
| Capacities: | Front rack: 90 lbs. Rear rack: 175 lbs. Front storage box: 8 gal. Fuel: 5.8 gal. Towing: 1,100 lbs. |