Power Kite Forum

Kite Buggy for the Prairies

hickupper - 22-3-2012 at 07:51 AM

I am thinking of getting into a buggy for the summer, but we do not have a lot in the way of dried lakes or beaches up here. We do have a lot of open wheat fields and grazing pasture lands that I have access to. Does anyone have any experience/suggestions for a buggy on rougher terrain like this?

Thanks!

ragden - 22-3-2012 at 08:03 AM

Big wheels and high clearance will help.
;)

aikman1 - 22-3-2012 at 08:58 AM

I have a Peter Lynn suspension buggy with the longer side rails that might be what you need. I am located in Ontario. U2U me if you would like more info.

Drewculous - 22-3-2012 at 10:53 AM

gotta have a suspension... im from the land of fields :lol:

and i cant ride any of 'em!!

A. Farmers are weird about their land, and refuse to even listen to me about riding on their plots in the off season
B. Most fields around here are just endless speed bumps, suspension is a must
C. No flat tires... we have "stickers" and cactus everywhere around here... my BF tires wouldnt last a minute in the pastures
D. If its a grazing pasture... get a splash guard! A fresh pie in your grinning face wont be good!

bigfoots are good for a couple reasons, they lift me up a little, and they act as tiny shock absorbers

awindofchange - 22-3-2012 at 11:26 AM

Yup, big foot buggy - suspension would be a huge advantage.

revpaul - 22-3-2012 at 02:04 PM

my Libre Super Truck II with bigfoot tires is equal to my PL Race (with rear suspension) for comfort.
in any case you'll need foot straps (once you get the hang of buggying and how not to get your foot stuck in them).
more of a concern in 'stubble' is keeping your kite from being a pin cushion.

hickupper - 22-3-2012 at 02:23 PM

How do they have the same comfort given one has suspension?

man buggy's are pricey.. is this why people build their own?

Looking_Up - 22-3-2012 at 05:05 PM

You will not save hardly any money building ur own bug I have one nearing completion know and I am only saving about a hundred bucks before I factor in how much time I have spent after that it would have been way cheaper to buy one
People build bugys so they can say I built that and there is no other reason than that I don't care what someone tells u
Cricket bug best bang for buck and would make a good prairie bug

Bladerunner - 22-3-2012 at 05:16 PM

Not all fields are equal !

In my few attempts at riding farmers fields I have run into major pollen issues on a few occasions. To say nothing for the mogul field type riding involved. Even without alergies the pollen is just wafull. Gets into and clolours everything !

I would rather ride a school field ( and atb or coyotes ) than a multi acre lot full of bumps and pollen .
Don't put the cart before the kite on this one. I would make sure I have a location pinned before trying to chose the right buggy ( or ride ) for it. Talk to Kiteboyza and Shag's for 1st hand Canadian prarrie experience.
:Ange09:

Bladerunner - 22-3-2012 at 05:16 PM

Not all fields are equal !

In my few attempts at riding farmers fields I have run into major pollen issues on a few occasions. To say nothing for the mogul field type riding involved. Even without alergies the pollen is just awfull. Gets into and colours everything !

I would rather ride a school field ( and atb or coyotes ) than a multi acre lot full of bumps and pollen .
Don't put the cart before the kite on this one. I would make sure I have a location pinned before trying to chose the right buggy ( or ride ) for it. Talk to Kiteboyza and Shag's for 1st hand Canadian prarrie experience.
:Ange09:

revpaul - 23-3-2012 at 08:24 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by hickupper
How do they have the same comfort given one has suspension?

man buggy's are pricey.. is this why people build their own?

BF tires equipped STII
-the extra large "Bigfoot" tires eat the bumps and vibrations
suspension equipped PL RACE
- the suspension eats the bumps and vibrations.
we are talking about small bumps not moto-x cross.

hickupper - 23-3-2012 at 10:36 AM

Thanks for your comments everyone.

I want to get into the ATB and I am pretty good on blades, so maybe this year given the cost of getting into the sport, I may follow Bladerunners approach. I have a few really good sled hills that never see any traffic in the summer, I bet it would be blast going up and down the hills on some skates.

Pollen.. lol I know allergies are nothing to sneeze at :singing: , but its funny how the threat of a good spank on the ground doesn't stop you but the sniffles will .

Bladerunner - 23-3-2012 at 04:48 PM

The thing with the pollen for me wasn't allergies. It was simply the volume of pollen being stirred up and that it was getting into everything.

I find my Coyotes to be a reasonable cross over from snowkiting. Something you should have plenty of in the winter ! If you skate / ski you should take to them pretty easy. They come up pretty regular on Ebay and can be bought at a decent price. Purchase at least 1/2 size larger than your normal. I started with no board skills. I really enjoy ATB now but the blades came very naturally for me.

Search online for Sod Farms in your area. Even if you have to drive a bit to get to one it will pay off in spades ! Talk to Dakitze about how to approach them.

Sasksurfer - 24-3-2012 at 07:10 AM

Sent U2U with some info..........

bobalooie57 - 24-3-2012 at 07:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by hickupper
Thanks for your comments everyone.

I want to get into the ATB and I am pretty good on blades, so maybe this year given the cost of getting into the sport, I may follow Bladerunners approach.


When folks ask how much a kite is, or my buggy was, and then cry about the price, I have to reply, "And you have an ATV and a snowmobile?" Then I say if you start kiting, you'll quit the other things, then you can sell them and buy more kites. This usually convinces them that I'm crazy, and they shake their heads, and walk away in pity...

macboy - 24-3-2012 at 09:09 PM

I rode Pauls PL race and it was a plush ride BUT the Libre with the BFs and a wide stance I think is more suitable to our gopher fields. I rode through a pasture on a side by side (down in Cochrane) and knew there was NO WAY my XR would fare well through that stuff. And it gets desperate - even desperate enough to muck the wheels through manure. I WISH we had a wide open spot for the buggies around here.

(To be fair, I haven't looked or asked).