Buying Advice ATV 4x4 for Hunting Price and Opinions Please

[BTI]

For you budget.....
Look for an older Arctic Cat with the 400 or 500 Suzuki engine.
Nothing better than a single cylinder carb'd motor for simplicity.
They are fairly heavy with good ground clearance.
They can usually be found for decent prices.

BTI

 

[nwngunner]

If you are wanting a machine with everything you have said above. Get your self a 2006 or 2007 arctic cat 650h1, or a 2007 700h1. Both are fanastic machines, the 650 has a 3.6 gearing in the diffs making it a little slower but alot more torque. The 700h1 is a bullet proof bike that can take abuse like no other. I personaly have an 06 400m cat. Yes it has the zuki engine in it. It has been absoulty bullet proof.

I have pulled cars around with it, pushed snow, used to clean a barn, blade gravel with it. It will do anything that you ask it. Yes you might need to put it in low range but it will still do it.

I bought the 400m for the manual transmission and auto clutch over an auto beacuse i was concerned with belts. How ever the new cvt cat duramatic transmissions are amazing and have great belt life.


All of the big bike makers have their ups and downs. Arctic cat now has power steering as well. My biggest concern with alot of the bikes is that they are light and have bigger power house engines. Where are they cutting the weight from to keep them sporty. Sounds like you need/want a tank of a machine. You will find nothing better to fit that then an arctic cat.

I am not saying the are beyound having problems, but with my experience i would buy a new one every day of the week and three times on sunday if i could afford it.

If you would like to read up more on arctic cats please visit me over on arcticchat.com, a great bunch of people much like here who are all to eger to help some one out.

 

[dex3361]

I have 2 450 ES (electric shift) that I have had for 10 years. I have had zero problems with either 4 wheeler. I have about 4000 miles on each 4wheeler. They are both carb engines. If I were going to buy a used 4 wheeler I would go with a Honda the 450 ES has a shift shaft in case you have a problem with the electric shift. They also get great fuel mileage on open trails it gets about 35 miles to the gallon. the big belt drive machines are lucky to get 15 miles to the gallon. I bought these Hondas to keep for 20 years and I am half the way there.

 

[Redbug]

I have had several 3 wheelers (remember them?) back in the day, and 4 wheelers. I also lean towards the Honda Rancher. Everyone has their favorites. The Hondas especially will just go and go. They are basic and dependable.

If you are just using it for transportation, you may not need a really monster ATV. They are big, heavy and expensive. I myself prefer a smaller one. With a smaller one you can weave in and out of trees better, they are narrower and much more maneuverable. You may not need 4wd either. The smaller lighter ones will go into places you can't imagine. As for getting stuck, I just pick one end up at a time and move it out of the rut. I also carry a webbing come along to winch it out if it's really stuck.

 

[Ken45101]

One caveat I should have mentioned is that even Honda riders will advise you to stay away from the older Electronic Shift models.

Knock on wood. We have a '99 Honda Foreman (400) electric shift and a 2000 Yamaha Kodiak (400). Both have been very reliable.

The Honda is a bit lighter on the steering but the Yamaha seems to have better traction.

We used to use them daily on the farm until we got the Kubota RTV 900 two years ago.

Ken

 

[TripleR]

Knock on wood. We have a '99 Honda Foreman (400) electric shift and a 2000 Yamaha Kodiak (400). Both have been very reliable.

The Honda is a bit lighter on the steering but the Yamaha seems to have better traction.

We used to use them daily on the farm until we got the Kubota RTV 900 two years ago.

Ken

My information comes from atvconnectionsforums.com and this is commonly mentioned by Honda owners. My friend had one as he is unable to shift normally and he had problems with his all the time. I am happy to see so many with trouble free machines.

I was thinking about getting one until I read all the posts and went with an automatic.

 

[Chilly807]

I'm in the Honda camp too.. We've got a '96 400 Foreman that's been bulletproof for work and hunting. No odometer on it, but 14 years (8 of them with me) and I haven't replaced anything but tires and one battery. Carb has been fine on mine.

I'd like to have selectable 4wd, full time 4wd is hard on the shoulders around the woods. Warn makes a conversion kit, Two to Four I think it's called?

The Foreman family is simple and light weight, mine is about 550 pounds. I'd avoid the electronic shift version, they've been known to have problems. Nothing that can't be fixed, but irritating.

Brakes are the weak point with the Hondas, the rears especially can fill with water and freeze. Their philosophy of keeping water out is flawed, I'd sooner have it able to get in and out easily. Most utility ATV's don't really need a lot of brakes to begin with. A gear transmission in low gear and a closed throttle is almost equivalent to having the brakes on anyway.

They don't have a comfortable suspension by any stretch of the imagination, particularly the 400. I was looking for a 450 when the 400 came along, it was close enough to what I wanted and a smoking good deal. Independent rear suspension would be nice, better traction and handling over rough ground. It comes at a cost though, CV joints and price.

They don't have a true locking front diff, something to consider if you plan on getting buried in mud.

With those flaws considered, I'd buy another one tomorrow if I needed to replace it.

Chilly

 

[Diamondpilot]

I had a Kawasaki and it was a good machine but rode rough. Like others said all the big names make good machines. Find a good used unit with the features you want and run with it.

One thing I have noticed at least in my area is no one wants 4 wheelers anymore. They all want UTV's. Because of this they sell for about 50% of the new cost after a year or two. There is just no market demand so they bottom out quick on price so you should be able to pick one up reasonable if your market is like ours. Many I know bought them on a .9% or better APR they were promoting a few years back. Now they owe 25% more than its worth and stuck with it while wanting a UTV.

Chris

 

[BigD23]

I had a Bombardier 400, 2 or 4wd auto with a 2K Warn winch...Was a very nice machine.

Don

 

[Chilly807]

I had a Bombardier 400, 2 or 4wd auto with a 2K Warn winch...Was a very nice machine.

Don

Another nice thing about some of the Bombardier's is the step through design. After a long day slogging around with chainsaw boots on , I actually resent having to lift my leg over the seat on the Honda for the ride home..

Chilly