Picking a new ATV?

[cdaigle430]

For 17 years old, it sounds like it treated you well. Consider the "brand" when buying a new one. Yamaha's, Suzuki's and Honda's are notoriously reliable.

You take it from there... and good luck.

Whatever did happen to Suzuki ATVs? I don't see them around here any more...

 

[WilliamBos]

Belt drive transmissions are the cheapest to manufacturer and it requires no innovation from the manufacturer to make them. Also-they get you when it's time to replace the belt-and you will have to replace the belt at some point.

This way Polaris and others can compete by simply who makes the biggest motor. Some people need the extra horse power but most people just do trail riding and some work around the house. There really isnt a need for a 1000cc ATV, it's all about want and mine is bigger than yours-kinda like ***** envy eh?

The Electric shift, and the insane prices Honda charges up here (more so the price) is the reason why I do not own one. That 420CC engine churns out gobs of torque for a small engine, and EFI too. Like pretty well every other Honda product, they are built to run many years with no issues either. Maybe someday...

550 XP is the biggest I will ever own, just no need for anything bigger.

 

[scesnick]

I didn't read all the posts but this question is like asking which pickup truck is the best. But, i will give you my opinon, which isn't really worth much...

I have been riding and racing bikes for yrs. My good friend owns a dealership and he gets all kinds of quads in for service. I once asked him which make he sees the most in for mechanical failures. He said without a doubt Polaris. He also said for every one Honda in the door for work he sees no less than 4-6 Polaris. ( Just stating the facts Polaris lovers)

I currently own a 2008 Foreman for farm duties. It is driven daily and not even a hiccup. I also have a 1988 Honda 300 Fourtrax 4wd. It has an absolute ton of miles on it. It has so many miles on it I had to tack weld the hubs to the axle because the splines wore out.
No issues with it at all, have put two batteries and one spark plug in it since buying it new.

I'm not a fan of belt drive. Had a Yamaha Rhino and it ran well enough but the belt was an issue.

 

[WilliamBos]

Belt drives have been around for ages, and have proven themselves, on snowmobiles. Do not bother me at all.

 

[whistlepig]

The Electric shift, and the insane prices Honda charges up here (more so the price) is the reason why I do not own one. That 420CC engine churns out gobs of torque for a small engine, and EFI too. Like pretty well every other Honda product, they are built to run many years with no issues either. Maybe someday...

550 XP is the biggest I will ever own, just no need for anything bigger.

I have a Honda Rancher with ESP that I have owned 7 years and a Polaris 800 EFI Sportsman belt drive that I have owned 5 years. The ESP transmission on the Honda is by far the hardest to keep working. The ESP shifting depends on too many variables. I.E. battery condition and idle speed. Trouble shooting the ESP is a true nightmare. There are so many causes of failure to shift and the reasons why that takes many hours to trouble shoot. Belt drive is simple. The belt is either worn out, wet, or broken.

 

[foreman Etexas]

You will

Belt change was alot cheaper than my buddies honda top end rebuild

Suzuki Vinson is suppost to be a good one

 

[DCTCJT]

Whatever did happen to Suzuki ATVs? I don't see them around here any more...

I have a 500 King Quad with EPS. Two other guys that ride with us have a 450 and a new 750 King with EPS. Great quads. I have almost 1800 trouble free miles on mine. The 450 has almost 6,000 miles on it... trouble free.

Suzuki doesn't market their stuff like Polaris and Can Am... they just build great quads.

 

[Missouri Pioneer]

We have a 2004 Bombardier 650 two up (carb) and a 2007 Polaris 500 X2 two up (EFI). While I have ridden others a fair amount, I will primarily compare and contrast ours.

The Bombardier rides much better and steers MUCH more easily. Since it is a dedicated 2 up (rather than the dual purpose X2), the rear seat is much more comfortable. It has a lower center of gravity than the X2 and is therefore somewhat less tippy. Downside to a carb model, is that it needs to be rejetted if you take it out West, then again when you return.

The X2, starts easier (due to the EFI) and is more reliable. It has much more storage than the Bombardier. It is louder than the Bombardier. It you ride out west, everything is sea level for EFI.

Both have plenty of power. Per a suggestion from the Bombardier dealer, I will soon be installing a low pressure electric fuel pump, which he said should cure the hard start problem.

Bottom line: If I were buying a new one, I would look no farther than the 650 (which is now EFI) Can Am 2 up (new name for the Bombardier), middle level trim with the power steering and winch. I have ridden several of the new ones and nothing else compares IMHO.

(If you're looking for a used one, a dealer in mid Missouri had a Bombardier like ours a couple of weeks ago with only 800 miles on it for $3,500, which I though was a steal of a deal. PM for contact info if you like. I have no affiliation with that dealer.)

 

[qstott]

I owned a 2007 Honda Rancher 420 2X4 with ES. It was a great machine. I sold it to help with paying for a used Yamaha Rhino 700. I wish I could have kept it. EFI was great. What I really liked compared to the Rhino, is that I could putter around the edge of the fields in 3 or 4th gear at 5 to 15 mph very quitely. A tank of gas seemed to last a long time. Any machine that I have had experience with that has a cvt seems like it running wide open at all speeds and is noisy.

UTV's and ATV's really serve different purposes. The Honda was quick, responsive, fun, and light. It was not very well suited for pulling heavy trailers. I did go wherever I wanted. I only used the winch two times in the couple of years I owned it. 4X4 might be slightly better. I put a 15 gal sprayer on the rear rack, and when it was full, it would make the steering really light in the front. Top speed was about 55 mph.

The Rhino dump bed is a great thing to have around the farm. My sprayer fits with no problem, I have no issues with the weight. I can throw a chain saw and gas can in it and go. A bunch of us at work recently took a trip to the Uwharrie national forest, and the Rhino was officially dubbed bad ***** by my co-workers. It dug and clawed its way up all the rocky hills I tried it on. I even pushed a 2X4 atv to the top of a steep slope when he couldn't get enough traction to make it.

Having room for a passenger is a real plus. The turning radius on an ATV is much smaller than the Rhino however. It's not nearly as nimble as an ATV. Top speed from the factory was about 42 mph. It was a simple clutch change that increase my lower end grunt and top speed to 52 mph.

If I could only have one, I'd take the Rhino in a heartbeat. However, I really like the Honda, and wish I still had it.

Two different machines for two different purposes.

 

[R_Walter]

There really isnt a need for a 1000cc ATV, it's all about want

You mean that YOU can see no need for a 1000cc ATV, blah, blah, blah. Surely you don't profess to be able to gauge others' needs????