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Posted: 8/16/2004 4:49:41 PM EDT
[#1]
For relaibility, NOTHING beats a Honda.
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Posted: 8/16/2004 4:52:10 PM EDT
[#2]
I agree about Honda. I have two Honda atvs and they have performed flawlessly. Granted they are 2004's but the initial quality is great. I have owned Yamaha's and Suzukis in the past and Suzuki was the worst, Yamaha never let me down either but I just love the Honda.
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Posted: 8/16/2004 4:53:25 PM EDT
[#3]
+1! |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 4:55:22 PM EDT
[#4]
Save your money and just get a 2 wheel drive model. In all my years of riding one I have never even thought of needing a 4 wheel drive one. I like them the lighter the better. That way when i do something silly I can lift it out of trouble (like seesaw it on a tree).
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:03:09 PM EDT
[#5]
Honda
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:04:37 PM EDT
[#6]
I think that a 4wd model would be best since the trails are pretty steep and the grounds very rocky/soft/uneven. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:07:33 PM EDT
[#7]
You dont need 4 wheel drive, heavier and costs more. Get a Honda Rubicon. They are cheap right now. Under $2500 where I am. They have a plant Honda sale and they were about $3000 out the door. Cant beat that. They arent tweaked too much so they have reserves. Some of the other companies try to squeeze out all the HPs and torque out of the engines and they become unreliable or less durable.
My 250 is alot faster and stronger then the equivalent 4x4 model. You wont regret it. Stick with the 2 wheel drive model. Youll do fine. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:08:55 PM EDT
[#8]
I'll buck the trend. I'm very pleased with my Polaris 425 Magnum 4x4, power a plenty and it'll take a punishing workout.
I am dealing on a new 600 Sportsman. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:10:00 PM EDT
[#9]
Honda is the way to go. I have a 2004 Rancher 4X4. If you're going offroad 4X4 is the only way to go. Get a winch also
 Here's mine 
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:13:26 PM EDT
[#10]
Yamaha GRIZZLY 660....
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:15:42 PM EDT
[#11]
Not sure but is locking diffs. an available option for these atv's
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:16:12 PM EDT
[#12]
Still the only time you need it is when you have managed to get some tires to leave the ground or when you are trying to climb a rock. Here is a piece of advise, most people i know that have ridden one for any lenght of time has rolled it on top of themselves. You can bet your butt that you would rather try to roll a 400 lb machine off of you rather than try to roll a 700lb machine off of you. Its your money and butt though. Just giving my 2 cents wort from a guy who has been underneath a few of them. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:17:11 PM EDT
[#13]
Like the guys say above, for reliability nothing beats a Honda. The new Suzuki King Quads are pretty damn nice. They've got the locking Diff's you're looking for. If I was in the 4X4 ATV market I'd take a serious look at them. Suzuki has put a lot of time and money into R&D in the past few years. I think they're the only brand that realizes just how big the ATV market has gotten. They're the only company that has a factory program in the ATV racing scene and supplies their racer with a new quad every 3 races. That's how bad they want to regain control of the ATV market. That said, Honda still hold the crown for reliability and Yamaha isn't afraid to put powerful motors in theirs. It's all about what YOU want to do and what YOU are going to do with the quad. My only advice is... Stay away from Polaris. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:18:02 PM EDT
[#14]
HONDA Rancher ES - 4x4, Electric shift with flat floorboards. Mine will go anywhere I'm crazy enough to stick it and then get out of it! Super dependable also.
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:18:53 PM EDT
[#15]
Honda Powered = Will last forever.
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:20:01 PM EDT
[#16]
Yamaha after that Polaris, Attic cat, and honda.
Yamaha has true 4 wheel drive lockers on the 450 Kodiak model -- never will you get stuck unless you do something real stupid. Honds are ok, but have no ground clearance, small gas tanks and are real expensive to boot.  Oh right a hunting quad  www.yamaha-motor.com/products/categories/1/atv/yamaha_atvs.aspx |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:22:25 PM EDT
[#17]
On my Grizzly, it is. I have the choice of 2wd, 4wd and then 4WD LOCKING DIFF, Oh Ya BABY...... |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:25:49 PM EDT
[#18]
LOL, when I first started riding, I didnt make it up a hill. It was real steep I was going over so I bailed. The damn thing then righted it self and rolled over me and ended up at the bottom. The family were in tears when I came home with tread marks on my back. The funnier thing is that I wasnt the only one with tread marks on their body!
You get what you pay for. Stay far away from Polaris, you wont regret it. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:26:56 PM EDT
[#19]
My Yamaha has been great. The grandkids love the ride  GM |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:43:08 PM EDT
[#20]
How redneck do you have to be to hunt with an ATV? Maybe a horse but a single seat Toyota Pickup? Baffling, Planerench out.
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:52:31 PM EDT
[#21]
Honda.
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Posted: 8/16/2004 5:53:06 PM EDT
[#22]
Spoken like a person who the closest he ever has been to hunting is shooting off his back porch at the deer that come to his garden to eat. .................. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:02:17 PM EDT
[#23]
I live in Idaho pal. I was elk hunting when I was 12. Most of our good hunting is in the Frank Church wilderness so no ATVs anyway. I do cheat though. While the rest of my hunting party drives the five hours on washboard to get to the edge of the wilderness and has tons of vacation to burn (old farts) I work until friday noon and fly the work plane to the back country strip one mile from the base camp and walk from there. We hike about 8-12 miles a day above 8000'. But I am just a back porch hunter. The guys I hunt with are the die hards. Planerench out. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:05:19 PM EDT
[#24]
you use transportation to hunt as others do. Not a big deal, just another way to do it. Back porch hunter -- was just to rile you for the red neck remark ...  Good luck in them woods this year. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:05:32 PM EDT
[#25]
Far as 4wd for hills, I've done some sick hills witrh 2WD.
But then I've also looped out a time or two, 
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:06:52 PM EDT
[#26]
 He is talking hills not sand dunes ...............
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:08:58 PM EDT
[#27]
Peace bro!
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:09:23 PM EDT
[#28]
I'm talking mtns of Western NC. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:28:21 PM EDT
[#29]
Quads are great man!!!!!!! Here are a few pics from Coral Pink Sand Dunes. I took an overnight trip up their last week and it was SWEET!!!!!!!!!! It is in southern Utah if you guys ever go by there check it out. Pink sand in the forest??? Whoda thunk it????
   
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:32:53 PM EDT
[#30]
A couple more:
  
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:38:48 PM EDT
[#31]
I don't have one YET, but my neighbor across the street/hunting buddy has the Honda Rancher ES (4X4)and it is one very nice machine.
He has hauled TWO cow elk and a mule deer out of the woods that he's gotten during archery season. Shifting is smooth as silk, and the damn thing will do 60MPH on a paved road. Dependable as, well, a Honda. Most all the guys I hunt with have them and they're ALL dependable, but unless you're gonna be going offroad to recover downed game you could likely get away with 2WD. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:46:53 PM EDT
[#32]
The price difference between a two wheeler and a 4 wheeler is small enough that it is a no brainer -- 4X4 is the way to go in the woods snow mud loose leaves on hillsides 4x4 is the way to go............ it is a no brainer. ANd the Yanmaha lockers are sweet |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 6:52:21 PM EDT
[#33]
I guess I'm a redneck too, but that's alright
There are some places you can ONLY go on a horse or mule but I think ATV's are simpler to deal with most of the time. I've never had one try to bite me, throw me into a barb wire fence, buck me off and try to stomp my guts out, run me under a low hanging limb to get rid of me, run me against a tree, etc... I've got a Rancher 4x4 and I don't think you can go wrong with Honda. Honda's prices are in line with everyone elses but Polaris who are a few hundred higher across the board. I would only get a 2x4 if it was going to be a "Play" bike most of the time, but for work or hunting you'll be better off to get the 4x4 in my opinion. I believe the Kawasaki Prairie has a locking front diff also, and have friends that love theirs. More comfortable ride, bigger seat, faster. That's going to be my next one. Jason |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 7:04:41 PM EDT
[#34]
My 01 Polaris has been extremely reliable, so take all the anti-Polaris comments with a grain of salt. They used to have some problems with quality control, but most people I ride with have Polaris ATV's and Hondas, and none have had problems with them.
The key reliability is to actually maintain your ATV instead of just riding it and washing it once in a while. We all ride hard, going through deep water and mud, but well all take a couple of hours each month to change the fluids, hit all the grease fittings, and inspect everything for damage and wear. Edited to add: Polaris also has a front and rear locker. The locked front differential is a huge advantage when traction is at a minimum. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 7:06:38 PM EDT
[#35]
Honda
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Posted: 8/16/2004 7:09:34 PM EDT
[#36]
Dont forget a winch. Most companies will throw a warn winch in. If you get stuck or have to pull a deer out, its a must. We got a buck and it went into a huge ditch and we couldnt get it out. We finally tied a rope around and pull it out. Had to anchor the ATV to a tree. The damn deer was still alive when we first got there. The GFs dad lassoed it with a rope and pulled him around on the ditch. We finally got it under control and shot it. We would have shot it first but it was running in circles in the ditch.
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Posted: 8/16/2004 7:09:47 PM EDT
[#37]
I just picked up a used 2000 Honda Recon this weekend, put about 80 miles on it so far no problems, runs like a sewing machine. I already had 2003 Yamaha Kodiac, and a 2003 Polaris Predator, Yamaha's are great machines, Polaris is NOT something that I would recommend...Have a great ride...
 (Oh by the way, I have been riding for years , hunting and just pleasure riding, I HAVE NEVER NEEDED 4WD, if you use common sense you can avoid any need for 4WD in most cases and still get just as much out of riding.)
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Posted: 8/16/2004 7:14:38 PM EDT
[#38]
Honda
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Posted: 8/16/2004 7:14:49 PM EDT
[#39]
Now see, those pictures are nothing like where we hunt. The trails are too narrow for horses in spots. We hike most of it. You couldn't ride one of those monsters in there if you wanted to. Down south where the land is more tame it would be fun but how do you hunt? Must be hunting from a blind or something.
I have ridden the Polaris 750 4x4 and it was so heavy it scared me to death. You don't kick it around like the motorcycles that we used in the good old days. Planerench out. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 7:23:14 PM EDT
[#40]
How the hell is he going to pack an elk on a motorcycle? Thats why i would buy a ATV for packing and scouting.
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Posted: 8/16/2004 7:26:55 PM EDT
[#41]
I have two Arctic Cats .... fine machinery ....
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Posted: 8/16/2004 7:30:50 PM EDT
[#42]
My father in law has done it here like that for over 30 years. One quarter on the front, one on the back. Two guys one trip, one guy two trips. You just can't get those things in the back country, like getting Rosie O Donal through an 8" well casing. If you hunt the logging roads and hill country they work but there are few elk as everydamnbody is puttering around on their four wheelers down there. Get a Honda, not much debate there. Planerench out. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 8:20:51 PM EDT
[#43]
We've got two Polaris 500s. They've been good machines. The 500s seem to win the shootouts in the ATV mags.
The military is using Polaris in the sand box. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 8:26:35 PM EDT
[#44]
I have personal experience with Honda, Polaris and Yamaha.
Honda: You can not lock the front differential on the Hondas. When it is slick, that sucks. The ride, except on the Rincon, is subpar. Engine braking on the automatics is weak compared to other makes with belt drive. Reliability is excellent. While they are capable, in my experience they are do not perform as well as the Polaris or Yamaha when things get ugly. Polaris: Excellent suspension. Good engine braking. True 4WD. Great in the slick stuff. Reliability has been uneven. EFI a big plus if you ride at different altitudes and temperatures. These are really nice bikes to hunt with in the Rockies. You can concentrate more on looking for game rather than messing with the gears or worrying about the bumps in the road. But I hate the fact that they switch over to 2WD when you take off the gas, which prevents you from taking full advantage of the engine braking on a steep hill. The only time I have involuntarily dismounted from an ATV was a result of this feature. Yamaha: Good suspension with IRS (at least on Grizzly and Kodiak), but not as good as Polaris. Excellent engine braking. You can lock the front differential. Good reliability. It is not quite as comfortable as the Polaris, but I think it performs a little better. I currently drive a Grizzly and am very pleased. If you ride in the Rockies during the Fall and Winter, you need 4WD. Any Polaris or other bike with a locking front differential that is 400 or larger will go about anywhere you need it to. Any more power than that is just for fun. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 8:59:12 PM EDT
[#45]
I like the Artic Cats. They have the most ground clearance and suspention travel and high rack ratings than most any other quad. They also have a factory 2" reciever hitch. They have a 650 Vtwin in their top of the line model which is made and used by Kawasaki in their much lauded Praire model (read powerhouse).
Polaris does not have a 750 last I knew. Kawasaki just introduced the new benchmark in power with their 750 4x4 with IRS, the Brute Force. They say in the reviews that because it sits a little taller and narrower that flicking it into coners with to much power is not a good idea but the thing has gotten really good reviews and looks fucking bad ass. S.O. |
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Posted: 8/16/2004 9:25:28 PM EDT
[#46]
Ohhh... them Yarmahahs are sexy...
- BUCC_Guy 
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Posted: 8/17/2004 5:55:16 AM EDT
[#47]
There is a Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI for 2005. |
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Posted: 8/17/2004 6:57:02 AM EDT
[#48]
It's also a first year model. I'd stay away from Polaris, but I REALLY stay away from that one. I'd be interested if they're using the EFI fromt he old Cannondale Sport quads. That was a rock solid unit. |
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Posted: 8/17/2004 7:15:26 AM EDT
[#49]
I think for most people a 500 is as big as they NEED...not to say I don't like the big fast ATV's...
Give it a couple of years, someone will release a 1500 ATV, lol I GOTZ to get me one of those! |
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Posted: 8/17/2004 7:16:25 AM EDT
[#50]
I love my 04 grizzly. A friend of mine has the rincon, and it doesnt do half of the things the Grizzly can do. The rincon's do not even have 4 low.http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data//500/24484Grizzly_660_013-med.jpg
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