Anybody know 4 wheelers: ATV's? That has....

[EricW]

I am another guy who will tell you to go Polaris. I used to be a Yamaha guy and now own all Polaris. I love the way they ride (most comfortable quads out there) and there 4x4 is by far the best. I have a Sportsman 550 Touring 2 up and it is awesome but someone said that they have turf mode. Mine doesn't, I think you have to have the X2 models instead of the Touring to get turf mode. I also have a Polaris Rzr and Outlaw and all 3 have held up extremely well compared to my Yamaha Banshee and Grizzly. The Yamaha 4x4s feel like kids toys compared to riding a Sportsman or Outlander. They are smaller and more prone to tip over. The same goes for the Honda's IMHO.

 

[ike]

I also have a Big Bear and it has been a great machine. Yamaha discontinued the Big Bear last year. Try and find a gently used one. Mine is a 2009 with front locker, manual shift (auto clutch), air cooled engine, IRS, built in winch mount, Mud Lite tires, and a 2500# winch.

Honda is finally putting a front locker on the Foreman for 2014. I still cant believe they did not put a front locker on ANY of their other ATV's.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

I also have a Big Bear and it has been a great machine. Yamaha discontinued the Big Bear last year. Try and find a gently used one. Mine is a 2009 with front locker, manual shift (auto clutch), air cooled engine, IRS, built in winch mount, Mud Lite tires, and a 2500# winch.

Honda is finally putting a front locker on the Foreman for 2014. I still cant believe they did not put a front locker on ANY of their other ATV's.

What did they put in it's place? Are they all grizzly's now?

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[ike]

All grizzlies; no more foot shift Yamaha utility atv's that I am aware of. The Yamaha cvt's are not my preference but my neighbor pulled a dressed out bull elk out of the woods on a Kodiak. His uncle on one side, his dad on the other, and, while pulling a wild boar behind him. His Kodiak also has a locker and does not complain when being beaten on (according to him).

 

[adirondackmtnman]

All grizzlies; no more foot shift Yamaha utility atv's that I am aware of. The Yamaha cvt's are not my preference but my neighbor pulled a dressed out bull elk out of the woods on a Kodiak. His uncle on one side, his dad on the other, and, while pulling a wild boar behind him. His Kodiak also has a locker and does not complain when being beaten on (according to him).

That's too bad. I really liked the ability to choose the gear I was in with my old one. Call me old fashioned, but I bought a geared tractor too. I huess I'm just a glutton for punishment...lol

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[ddb123]

That's too bad. I really liked the ability to choose the gear I was in with my old one. Call me old fashioned, but I bought a geared tractor too. I huess I'm just a glutton for punishment...lol

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I prefer a HST tractor, but for everything else, I like gear and that's a big reason I searched for a used Honda atv.

 

[Redbug]

I also like a geared ATV. Everything else can be automatic, but I like my geared ATV.

 

[The Deerslayer]

Shopping the used market for a 4 wheel ATV. Anybody here know a model that has:
300-600 cc (approx, not set in stone)
4 wheel drive.
Manual (clutch less) or auto is ok.
Reverse.
Would also prefer a selectable differential lock. -Do they make them selectable, or does one have to choose limited slip or locked and live with it? I guess 2nd choice would be limited slip as I'm trying to prevent the lawn from getting torn up.

Getting in on this a bit late. My vote is for Polaris. I researched what to get quite a bit before I bought my 450 Sportsman that was 2 years old. I was really looking for a 500, but it was such a good deal, I could not pass it up at the time. Have to say that the 450 has plenty of power and I have no regrets whatsoever. I use the machine for work and play and it has never let me down. It is affectionately known as "the tank".

 

[JMER817]

I searched and compared new and used ATV's twice in the past 10 years. Once for myself and once for a buddy. I try to buy American and am pretty passionate about that, but the Polaris just does not compare to the others (ie: Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki) I ended up with a Suzuki Vinson 500 and my buddy liked it so much he bought one too.

 

[dfkrug]

Look for a Polaris Sportsman 2 up, their Awd. Is second to none, and they have
turf mode, meaning you can unlock the rear diff and not kill your lawn.

Yes Polaris may now have the only quad that comes with a rear differential, the VersaTrac. But it only
seems to be available on the new Sportsman 550 X2 EPS, not the 800s or 850s or others.

I wonder if any other big makers will offer a rear diff on any of their new ATVs, 2WD or 4x4. It sure
would make them more usable (and safer) on pavement.

 

[dfkrug]

I prefer a HST tractor, but for everything else, I like gear and that's a big reason I searched
for a used Honda atv.

I prefer an HST tractor, and manual shift cars and trucks. As an ex-motorcycle guy, dirt and street, I like manual
trans on ATVs, too. CVTs are OK, semi-auto, OK, never got to try a slush-box quad yet (Honda Rincon). But
my fave is true manual gear, and they can't be had on a utility quad. Too bad, cuz the sporty quads with manual
trans are more controllable, and offer MUCH better rides.

You want a nice quad, and save a TON of money, just put some racks on a sport ATV.

 

[dfkrug]

I try to buy American and am pretty passionate about that, but the Polaris just does not
compare to the others (ie: Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki) I ended up with a Suzuki Vinson 500 and my buddy liked it so
much he bought one too.

Well, it's getting kind of muddled out there. Many of the majors are having some of their ATVs made in Taiwan
now: Polaris-Aeon Motors, Can-Am-Her-Chee Motors, Arctic Cat & Kawasaki-Kymco. Even my neighbor's
Yamaha Big Bear 4x4 shares tons of parts with a Chinese 2007 HiSun 400ATV I had.

Oh, and an Arctic Cat DVX400 I have is a joint effort with Kawasaki AND Suzuki.

 

[mikehaugen]

For the price of those can-ams there shouldn't be one chinese part on them... holy crap!

 

[whistlepig]

We have both a Honda Rancher and a Polaris Sportsman. Both are excellent ATV's and neither would be a bad choice. But if I had to pick btween the two I'd pick the Sportsman.

 

[timswi]

Had a Yamaha Big Bear out of the 90's...was a bullet proof machine. Had none of the niceties of the new ones..All time FWD, no diff release and manual shift...Loved it...Just stayed out of the yard with it..Plowed snow very well..

 

[dfkrug]

AFAIK, most ATV's have a solid rear axle, no slip, no unlocking. Maybe the bigger ones have rear LSDs? I don't know.

The Sportsman 550 x2 with VersaTrac may be the only ATV sold with rear differential (not LSD). It has IRS, too, but
that has nothing to do with having a diff.

For a long time (86-04) the Kawasaki Bayou 300 4x2 seemed to be the only ATV with a rear diff, but it was not IRS.
So-called solid rear axle. That really just means not IRS.

The Kawasaki with rear diff had a mechanical locker, and only the 2WD version of the Bayou had it. I suspect they
made it cuz Kawasaki used to supply 3-wheelers and quads to police depts, and ATVs are unsafe on pavement with
locked rearends.

Oh, and pretty much "all" front diffs on 4x4 ATVs are LSDs, at least the full-time units. Lockable versions became optional
about 10 years ago.

 

[Scooby074]

For the price of those can-ams there shouldn't be one chinese part on them... holy crap!

I could be wrong, but I dont believe that Herchee makes or shares anything with the Can-am, certainly not on the larger machines. Maybe on the kids machine.

I cannot find any reference to Herchee and CanAm, or BRP. There are no corporate connections there as far as I can see.

 

[WilliamBos]

I could be wrong, but I dont believe that Herchee makes or shares anything with the Can-am, certainly not on the larger machines. Maybe on the kids machine. I cannot find any reference to Herchee and CanAm, or BRP. There are no corporate connections there as far as I can see.

There is a crap load of china supplied parts on can ams. All assembled in mexico,

Live my belt drive, no way i would wNt a gear drive atv. The belt drive system was proven ling before Polaris released it, they use the proven snowmobile set up.

 

[mikehaugen]

How hard is it to change the belt?

 

[dfkrug]

I could be wrong, but I dont believe that Herchee makes or shares anything with the Can-am, certainly not on the larger machines. Maybe on the kids machine.

I cannot find any reference to Herchee and CanAm, or BRP. There are no corporate connections there as far as I can see.

Her-Chee is sold in the US usually under the Adly name plate, but they have been making the
BRP Bombardier Rally 200 since 2004 or 05. I don't know what the Can-Am equivalent to the
Rally is. I don't follow kiddie quads; this one is for adults.

Her-Chee Moto is based in Taiwan, not mainland China. Huge difference.