When you hear the word "Bombardier" your first thought is probably not towards ATVs. Most people don't even know how to pronounce it correctly. However, Bombardier (bomb-bar-dee-a) is a word you will be hearing more about in the ATV industry and a company that many of you are already familiar with whether you know it or not.

Bombardier has been making ATVs for a few years now, but has been an industry leader when it comes to Ski-Doo snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft, and even Learjet aircraft. When Bombardier came on the ATV scene, they surprised many by their bold launch of high-performance, big displacement engines. Early on they released a 500cc utility and quickly introduced a 650cc utility ATV along with a 650cc sport ATV. Bombardier's growing ATV lineup is going toe-to-toe with the bigger manufacturers.

We decided to complete our run of the big-bore 650-class utility ATVs by including the Bombardier Quest 650. We wanted to give our readers the full scoop on all of the big-bore ATVs. How does the Quest 650 stack up against this very competitive class of ATVs? We took it through the Hunting Illustrated high country testing grounds to find out.

First Impressions

One look and you know this is not your conventional ATV. For many people, you either like the looks or you don't. Bombardier is going a little different route with some of their utility ATVs by including a semi step-through design. Normally where the gas tank would reside is now open space. What does Bombardier hope to benefit from this design? It will be easier to get on and off; it provides a small cargo space to tie down a small jacket or bag; and has a lower center of gravity. Bombardier placed the gas tank under the seat for increased stability and to keep all four tires on the ground. Does this design work? Our test riders were mixed, but most preferred the conventional gas tank or something similar in its place to use as a leverage for your legs when riding. Most of the time when riding you don't notice that there is an open spot right in front of you, but in most instances we didn't see much benefit.

Another design difference is the air-cooling fan. Normally located in the front of the engine under the fender, the Quest 650 fan resides in the back of the ATV under the rear rack and fender. This keeps the hot engine air away from the rider and also frees up some room under the front rack. Due to this extra space up front, a surprisingly large eight-gallon storage compartment holds quite a bit of stuff.

Sittin' in the saddle

Once you get the looks out of the way, you wonder, "How does this really ride?" With a 650cc powerplant, combined with bombardier's proven performance on their Rotax engine, you get the feeling this machine can move. The looks might be a little deceiving but the engine really smokes. The power does not come on very strong or overbearing at first, but once the RPMs kick in, this ATV is fast. The mid and top end are probably the fastest in the big-bore utility class. One of our test riders made one of the fastest times on our 4,000-foot ascension fire road. He made it to the top in 13 minutes. That's smokin'! He may have made it from point A to point B in good time, but he quickly found out the rest of the ATV is not quite up to par with the engine. The engine is powerful and fast, but the suspension and handling are definitely for slower speeds. Quite a bit slower. The suspension does not have adequate travel to really handle the 750-pound beast. Being the heaviest ATV on the market, it shows its limitations on the trail. The rear suspension is not bad, but the front suspension is too rough and all of the bumps go straight through the handlebars and into your hands and arms. The front end handling also has a lot of play in it, especially the faster you go.

After bringing these realities together, one might conclude there is not much sport in this utility. Bombardier's focus with the Quest 650 is more for the industrial market. They wanted to make this ATV fill the needs of the rancher and farmer. By doing this they made a machine that is strong and powerful, yet stable and reliable. The Quest 650 is great for towing and the front and rear racks are laid out excellent for cargo. Bombardier also added a huge 5.8 gallon gas tank, the largest in the class, to ensure you return from your ride in style. Also largest in class is the 400-watt alternator, which is great for external hookups. The suspension travel is low and wide and the solid rear axle provides great stability. With the proven Rotax engine, you know this ATV will last longer than the farm tractor. To get you out of the sticky stuff, the Quest 650 is equipped with full-time all-wheel drive. As soon as there is slippage, the front tires engage with full lock traction. This setup is nice for those who don't want to worry about the nasty stuff, but we feel the better setup is to have the choice and to be able to turn on or off the four-wheel drive. The "always on" setup also prevents you from having a little fun that only two-wheel drive can offer.

What we think