| ATV
Honda ATV
Not just for winter work
A Honda ATV’s ability to travel on sensitive field areas
without creating compaction or ruts means it can carry
out tasks where other vehicles would struggle.
s cold, wet
weather gives way
to conditions
allowing spring
drilling to
progress, field
edges will require regular
maintenance to restrict weed,
volunteer and grass growth and
protect the crop.
Using a tractor-mounted mower
is an option, but the width can be
an issue, requiring a wider field
margin than is ideal. An ATV with a
trailed flail mower solves the
problem, able to travel easily over
undulating ground and having an
overall width from just over one
metre. Several manufacturers
produce suitable mowers, all with
integral petrol engines to drive the
blades. With up to 18hp available
for cutting, these mowers easily
tackle heavy grass growth and
unwanted scrub.
Also popular to help prevent
field edge weed encroachment
into the crop are ATV-mounted
sprayers. Most have 12-volt
electric pumps, powered from the
Honda ATV’s battery, and typical
tank capacities are 25–130 litres,
although care should be taken not
to exceed the ATV’s maximum
recommended rack weights.
For dry, level land the Honda
Fourtrax 420 2wd will be adequate
but for trickier conditions a model
with selectable 4wd is a better
A
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option. The higher load carrying
capacity and extra power of the
500cc Foreman range makes it a
favourite on arable farms, also
ideal for applying slug pellets
through a mounted applicator.
Honda’s new Pioneer UTVs
offer even greater carrying
capacity making them suitable for
larger sprayers. The cargo bed
can transport loads up to 386kg,
and a powerful 680cc petrol
engine, driving through an efficient
3-speed torque converter
transmission means it can handle
the most demanding tasks, but
retains a compact size making it
ideal for work in confined yards or
farm woodland.
Where slugs or water-logging
have affected crop establishment a
potential solution is a trailed ATV
drill. Typical working widths of just
a metre or so mean they can be
used to re-drill affected areas or for
filling in ‘misses’ caused by
blocked coulters or incorrectly set
tramline markers. Because they
are pulled behind the Honda ATV
with its low pressure tyres, there is
no issue caused by additional
wheelings in the crop. Sharing this
sort of drill between several
smaller farms can be a cost-
effective option but having one as
part of the machinery fleet on a
larger farm or estate can make
good sense, especially if it is used
to drill game cover too. Metering is
usually by ground wheel or
electronically controlled and for
most arable situations a 4wd ATV
or the Pioneer UTV will be needed.
To find out more about how a
Honda ATV or UTV could improve
your farm efficiency this spring,
have a chat with your local main
dealer who will be delighted to
assist and talk through the options
and accessories available. Honda
ATVs are renowned for their
longevity and reliability and for
those who feel they can’t justify a
brand new machine, a used
machine fully checked by the
dealer might be a practical option.
All new Hondas come with an
approved operator training course
through the European ATV Safety
Institute (EASI) and for those
buying a used machine the same
course is available at a small cost.
April 2017 | Farming Monthly | 51