ATV - Polaris/Honda/Yamaha

[George2615]

I second the Polaris 400 Sportsman. Great for one person. Independent suspension, automatic, 4x4, high and low range. I bought an 04 new in Dec 03 and it would go anywhere I wanted it to. Mainly bought it for hauling deer out during hunting season. I sold it about 4 months ago since I now use the tractor and loader to pick up the venison. If I ever decide on another I'd get at least a 500 or larger Polaris sportsman. I am partial to Polaris since I have owned one but have not tried other brands and wouldn't count them out without trying one first.

 

[Harvey7]

You can't go wrong with Honda, probably the best all around quad, but their suspension is not as good as the rest. Most of the major brands are good, make sure it's 4WD, and has a winch, the 400 - 500 CC range should fit you're needs.

 

[dirt clod]

I love to ride. Pretty big into it.
What you left out is what style of riding you will be doing and terain?

Hondas are very reliable, They do not have a locker for the front axle. Great trail/farm machines. very nimble. Not a very good choice for mud. They build a good manual. For a automatic I would look at other brands for auto.

Artic Cat builds some good machines. For the most part there kinda big for there size and have good ground clearance. There great for slow hardcore riding. Not the best for trails.

Polaris is heavy and has reliabilty issues, has one of the best 4wd systems though. real plush ride and they have a nice weight balance.

The grizz fom yamaha is nice. has a front locker. As far as automatics go the yamaha's as well as few other companys use a wet clutch primary, The belts on these last forever even with abuse. Others like the polaris and my brute don't have a wet clutch and you burn up a belt easy a clutch kit does help though. A irs machine will give more ground clearance than a sra machine. If you do slow riding, tow, are ride two up getting a water cooled machine is important.

I'm more into deep woods and mud. Although my brute can hold its own against most sport atv's in a 200' drag.
I have a 600 grizz and a brute force 750. The brute is built for mud with 29.5" outlaw tires (nobody will ride behind me,these tires can sling some stuff), lift kit. wheel spacers, clutch kit, hmf pipe, snorkles, winch, custom tie rods, dynatek igintion, have gorillia axles on order. The grizz is a bit milder with 28" outlaws and edls with snorkles and winch. Pictures of riding and machines in my photbucket

quintonhall - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Have you looked at highlifter forums? Its one of they best sites for utility atv's. There is a lot of machines on there for sale also. If your looking to buy used, Look for a machine that has the mods done to it for what you want as you will get the mods for free or at least cheap. Used atvs with extra's will sell for the same price as stock machines.

 

[TWO GUNS]

Since the late '60's, always had Honda !!! In the '70's, when the first three wheeler was introduced, I purchased them, since then, cannot tell you how many three and four wheel Hondas that has been purchased for myself and the farms . Used them for work, and for hunting purposes. NEVER, I mean NEVER, have we ever brought one to a shop for repairs. Honda was there then, and Honda is here now with us. We now run the Honda Rubicons, and work the **** out of them ..... So , as you can tell, I am a Honda man, and always will be. Give them a chance, you will not be sorry !!!
~~~ Two Guns ~~~

 

[kenmac]

Polaris is heavy and has reliabilty issues, has one of the best 4wd systems though. real plush ride and they have a nice weight balance.




Never had any reliabilty issues with mine . we have a atv club here ( about 20 of us) we all ride a polaris . Not one reliabilty issue.

They are built heavy to last and the best (in my opinion) all wheel drive instead of 4 wd. We go mudd boggin every other weekend

 

[archerynut]

MY vote is towards Honda first and Yamaha second, I just have less experience with the Yamahas. The guys I share a hunting camp with ride Hondas and Yamahas, no complaints from anyone. If you want the most reliable I would go towards Honda if you are really stuck on IRS then the Yamaha is going to be one of the few choices in the 400 - 500 CC range. I have a 03 Rincon, and I love it although I will agree with the criticism of the automatic, Yamaha is a lot smoother in my opinion. One place around Western PA is selling the 07 rincon for $5599 right now.

 

[Skyco]

I've owned 4 Honda ATVs and one Yamaha Rhino.
Just sold the Rhino and went shopping for an ATV. For me it was between the Rancher and the Yamaha Big Bear IRS 4x4. Wanted to spend minimum bucks so that left out the bigger machines.
Ended up with the Big Bear- Here's why> Wanted more ground clearance than the Rancher offered- don't like the stupid drum brake between the rear wheel and the rear "diff" eating up clearance.
Wanted simple- ie carb I can work on, not potentially troublesome EFI. Wanted a front locking diff to pull logs out of the woods.
Wasn't interested in electric shift> again potential relaibility issues, the Rancher does offer manual shift but everyone seems to push the electric shift. I did have a first year Rancher with ES and had no problems with it back then though. I am a little bit peeved the Big Bear is rather stiff to get out of reverse though- a common complaint on the net.
Polaris- my impression has always been> Funny- owners seem to either love them or hate them. It seems one either gets a great one or a total piece of junk, maybe their QC isn't up to par, don't know.
Suzuki and Kawasaki> own both brands in motorcycles (and a Honda too), and a Suzuki 4 stroke 70hp outboard. Both brands seem good- just didn't get turned on by their ATVs for some reason......
My 2 cents worth- with a fuel surcharge added.

 

[AMR]

All:

Thank you for the great advice, looks like a good group on this forum.

My terrain is varied, my yard is flat to a 13% grade, some rocks, tree stumps, and pretty dense woods. I will be riding along the CT River which is silty sand, few rocks, pretty thick woods, rutty and wet, also in Maine the riding will be mostly rutty old logging roads and rocks as big as houses.

I looked at a bunch of machines and drove many in the last week. I expanded to look at the Kawasaki as well, really like the 650.

I ran into what I think is a good deal, 2005 Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O. with a winch and back box thingy for $4,000 in my truck. Tough to pass up.

I had my heart set on a Kawasaki Brute Force 650 with IRS but that was pushing over $7,000, used in the mid $5's. I also liked the Honda's but couldn't get into one less than $6,500 and the used ones really hold their value. I LOVED the Yamaha but again in the mid $6's. None of these prices include winches which look like may add a good $500 to the price.

Hopefully I am not taking too much risk jumping in at $4,000 after a couple years I will probably be able to sell it for a good price once I know more if I need to.

I will let you guys know when I get the machine and report on my thoughts after a couple days of riding.

 

[Old Coot]

You might look at Sam's Club Auction for a winch. They may not be as good as my Ramsey, but I bought a 2500lb for $57 plus shipping, a while back. You may have to keep bidding to get the lowest price.Online Auctions - Sams Club - Wholesale Online Auction

 

[Dargo]

You might look at Sam's Club Auction for a winch. They may not be as good as my Ramsey, but I bought a 2500lb for $57 plus shipping, a while back. You may have to keep bidding to get the lowest price.Online Auctions - Sams Club - Wholesale Online Auction

Good point. I've never used one on an ATV, but I have used one to pull things up on my trailer. The "cheapo" 2500 lb. Sam's Club winch has pulled several things up onto my trailer that toasted the junk Harbor Fright 4000 lb. winches. I took 3 of the trash winches back to Hardly Freight after they cooked on the first use before I just demanded my money back. The Sam's winch has worked fine.