ATV purchase

[Rustic-Fisher]

Hey guys, got the go ahead to finally purchase my first machine, now which one. My knowledge is limited to what I've read on the net and dealership visits. ATV will be used for backwoods fishing, ice fishing, hunting and Plowing the driveway (this is how it was justified to the wife LOL)

Was looking at the Hondas in the 500 class but would the 420 be enough?

Can Am is an option as well as Polaris.

If you have opinions I'd love to hear them.

Thanks

RM

Edited January 28, 2013 by RyanMc

[nancur373]

Can't go wrong with Honda. Polaris is a good choice too. I would stay away from Can Am for plowing as they seem to be geared more toward speed and pleasure riding as opposed to a work horse. Kawasaki is good too. More geared towards work and price reflects (usually a little cheaper)

[Fisherman]

Don't be clouded by the cheap prices of the Canned Ham and Polaris, do a bit more research and you may well find they take more repair time than the others. Stick with the Yamaha, Honda Kawa and Suzuki lines. Some still have solid rear axle(Honda), makes for a rougher ride. Modern fuel injection is the cats meow for cold weather. Power steering is not for wussies, it makes rough terrain a lot easier to handle. 400 size is about as small as I'd go for plowing, 450/500 would be a bit better. Going crazy with engine size doesn't really provide anything more than a lighter wallet and bigger gas bill. We have a couple of older Yamaha Kodiaks at work, trails in summer, plow in the winter. They work, period. 8,000km on one almost 5000 on the other, nothing more than oil changes and a new battery each.

[4x4bassin]

I have two older suzuki's and no problems . If your plowing nothing less then a 400 , I plow with my little 350 and it gets the job done but it does struggle at times . I do alot of back trail

riding and in my experience the smaller bikes are alot better ( no bigger then a 500 ) They are able to get you into almost anywhere . The big bikes are nice for hauling stuff around but a

little clumsy in the "tight" stuff and a bit harder on the pocket book ( fuel & insurance ) Stick with suzuki , honda or yamaha You should get alot of help here , good luck and enjoy !

[misfish]

Get me in shape walking and bush whack,n,and now your getting an ATV. Guess I better take up running now to.LOL

 

Honda for sure Ryan,and go with the 500. When the time comes to be hauling harvest,you,ll thank yourself.

[Terry]

Honda or yams are the only ways to go...imho

[ch312]

Don't be clouded by the cheap prices of the Canned Ham and Polaris, do a bit more research and you may well find they take more repair time than the others. Stick with the Yamaha, Honda Kawa and Suzuki lines. Some still have solid rear axle(Honda), makes for a rougher ride. Modern fuel injection is the cats meow for cold weather. Power steering is not for wussies, it makes rough terrain a lot easier to handle. 400 size is about as small as I'd go for plowing, 450/500 would be a bit better. Going crazy with engine size doesn't really provide anything more than a lighter wallet and bigger gas bill. We have a couple of older Yamaha Kodiaks at work, trails in summer, plow in the winter. They work, period. 8,000km on one almost 5000 on the other, nothing more than oil changes and a new battery each.

 

i agree with everything you've said, except for what's in bold. in most cases a larger engine means a larger machine which provides more ground clearance. not only that, but the extra power is definitely welcome if you're going to be carrying a passenger, doing a lot of plowing and work with it, or plan on doing a lot of mudding with the possibility of upgrading to bigger tires. lifts and clutch kits can only help a small bore ATV so much...

 

 

 

 

as with most other thing's you can spend less on the initial purchase, but the repairs and headaches later on will end up costing you MORE than if you would have just bought the quality machine in the first place.

 

besides the cheap chinese atv's, polaris is the worst you can buy. if you don't believe me, i suggest visiting your local ATV mechanic to see what brand he repairs most often. after that, browse through the classifieds and take a look at how quickly the value of used polaris machines drops and how many there are for sale and then compare the number of used machines to other brands. if you need even more clarification, visit the popular polaris forums and you'll see that their "repairs/maintenance" sections contain the most threads.

 

i'd give up ATVing before owning a polaris...

[Steve Piggott]

i agree with everything you've said, except for what's in bold. in most cases a larger engine means a larger machine which provides more ground clearance. not only that, but the extra power is definitely welcome if you're going to be carrying a passenger, doing a lot of plowing and work with it, or plan on doing a lot of mudding with the possibility of upgrading to bigger tires. lifts and clutch kits can only help a small bore ATV so much...

 

 

 

 

as with most other thing's you can spend less on the initial purchase, but the repairs and headaches later on will end up costing you MORE than if you would have just bought the quality machine in the first place.

 

besides the cheap chinese atv's, polaris is the worst you can buy. if you don't believe me, i suggest visiting your local ATV mechanic to see what brand he repairs most often. after that, browse through the classifieds and take a look at how quickly the value of used polaris machines drops and how many there are for sale and then compare the number of used machines to other brands. if you need even more clarification, visit the popular polaris forums and you'll see that their "repairs/maintenance" sections contain the most threads.

 

i'd give up ATVing before owning a polaris...

I ride the trails hard for two weeks every year and every make of machine .20 bikes most trips and we always have one or two polaris break down every year. Artic cat have been good with our group and my buddy 350 honda has 15,000 km on his.Look after what you buy and you will be happy.

[tb4me]

Dont go any less then a 400 for workin and id get the Honda..Solid tough and reliable..

[Rustic-Fisher]

Great info! i am kind of leaning towards the honda foreman. Just swung by the dealer again and also looked at the Rubicon 500 with a carbureted engine. now another question .... Carb or fuel injected for the engine ??

like the idea of being able to trouble shoot the carbureted engine as im more familiar with it, but is the injection a better option for an ATV?

thanks again for the info

[Terry]

fuel injected

[Rustic-Fisher]

Get me in shape walking and bush whack,n,and now your getting an ATV. Guess I better take up running now to.LOL

 

Honda for sure Ryan,and go with the 500. When the time comes to be hauling harvest,you,ll thank yourself.

HAHAAHA! ATV will get me further down the trail allowing more time for bush whacking !! you gotta come along to some of the places i've been targeting Coyotes , the bush whacking is brutal !!

[johndox]

We have a Polaris 500 and Yamaha 450. I use the Yamaha for plowing snow because it is easier to handle and turn and it will push a lot of snow. Definitely go with the fuel injection it is great in the cold weather. Anybody I know that rides a honda loves them same with power steering.

[mistaredone]

I bought a 06 Polaris Sportsman for "plowing" and I've already replaced the plastic cage in the diff $$$ the reason I went polaris is because they are heavier than most other brands wich is key for plowing. Also put some mud LTE tires on the are awesome for trails and plowing. If price was no object I would have gone with the foreman or the Suzuki brute force. Synthetic rope for the winch when plowing so you don't wear out the cable for the trails.

[strik]

We just got the arctic cat 550 so far i love it.. We were only looking at the two-up riders so i could only pick from Polaris Can and Cat for me hands down the cat seemend better time will tell

 

Did not go with the carb however did like the thought of starting it if the battery was dead

 

 

Either way good luck with what your pick..

[vance]

I do alot of bushwhacking and I can lock the front diff on on my suzuki for those REALLY TUFF spots and have a real 4x4.Most hondas,polaris and can ams dont have this feature and only have 3x4.To me it was an important feature! My buddies can am has spent way to much time not being able to follow me

 

 

vance

[ch312]

I bought a 06 Polaris Sportsman for "plowing" and I've already replaced the plastic cage in the diff $$$ the reason I went polaris is because they are heavier than most other brands wich is key for plowing. Also put some mud LTE tires on the are awesome for trails and plowing. If price was no object I would have gone with the foreman or the Suzuki brute force. Synthetic rope for the winch when plowing so you don't wear out the cable for the trails.

 

tires and proper PSI for the conditions are far more important than weight. my grizzly 700 is roughly 175 lbs lighter than my buddies 06 polaris 700, yet i can push nearly twice the amount of snow before losing traction and we both have the same tires and sizes. i do agree with the synthetic rope though and i'll never use wire rope again.

 

once you have power steering you'll never go back...

 

fuel injected is awesome for the easy starts and no choke, just make sure you're battery is properly maintained with something like a battery tender jr...

 

 

unless you like wrenching more than riding, i'd definitely go with yamaha, kawi, or honda. i've logged 4,000kms of hard trail riding in the last 2 1/2 years and went on a bunch of poker runs with 10-100+ riders. in that short time over a dozen people have sold their polaris' for other brands because they were sick of the headaches, yet i have honestly seen ZERO people "upgrade" from another brand to a polaris.

[Rustic-Fisher]

Again, great info guys.

Thanks!!

[GYPSY400]

You guys are hilarious!!

I know everyone's bike is better than their buddy's so IMO my 10 year old can-am ( bombardier back then) is way better than a new polaris or arctic cat.. Lol.. I'm not going to knock any particular brand as they are all pretty good nowadays.

 

On a more serious note I recommend 400 or 500 for a first bike.. No need for a 650, 800 or 1000 etc.. When you want to go bigger once you get experienced, then give the 400 to the wife.

For working or plowing, my little 400 does just fine.. I plow and I've towed some pretty heavy loads with it.. The bigger bikes don't do it better, just faster... Just use common sense and low range

Diff lock is important.. Suzuki's and yamahas have good systems.. Can am's visco-loc works very well to once you learn to drive it

Honda doesn't have diff lock, strictly 3wd, and Polaris has a good system, but is prone to failure

IRS vs. solid axle: for me, IRS.. But it does have its drawbacks when towing with a heavy tongue as you loose some ground clearance ( I manage).. 2-up riding has the same effect (single seat ATV's).

Also, getting stuck with an IRS bike, and your stuck!! Get the winch out!

Solid axle bikes don't really ride that bad with today's good shocks, just not as nice as IRS, and have less body roll in the corners.

 

So, the choice is yours, it's your money to spend, but I still have to list my favorites and what I would buy

1) Can am

2) Suzuki

3) Yamaha

4) Polaris

5) Honda

6) Kawasaki

7) Arctic Cat

Stay away from anything " offshore".. When it breaks, you'll never find parts for it... And a good dealer is better than a good bike.. They all break, but if your dealer takes care of you, that's important..

[ch312]

You guys are hilarious!!

I know everyone's bike is better than their buddy's so IMO my 10 year old can-am ( bombardier back then) is way better than a new polaris or arctic cat.. Lol.. I'm not going to knock any particular brand as they are all pretty good nowadays.

On a more serious note I recommend 400 or 500 for a first bike.. No need for a 650, 800 or 1000 etc.. When you want to go bigger once you get experienced, then give the 400 to the wife.

For working or plowing, my little 400 does just fine.. I plow and I've towed some pretty heavy loads with it.. The bigger bikes don't do it better, just faster... Just use common sense and low range

Diff lock is important.. Suzuki's and yamahas have good systems.. Can am's visco-loc works very well to once you learn to drive it

Honda doesn't have diff lock, strictly 3wd, and Polaris has a good system, but is prone to failure

IRS vs. solid axle: for me, IRS.. But it does have its drawbacks when towing with a heavy tongue as you loose some ground clearance ( I manage).. 2-up riding has the same effect (single seat ATV's).

Also, getting stuck with an IRS bike, and your stuck!! Get the winch out!

Solid axle bikes don't really ride that bad with today's good shocks, just not as nice as IRS, and have less body roll in the corners.

 

So, the choice is yours, it's your money to spend, but I still have to list my favorites and what I would buy

1) Can am

2) Suzuki

3) Yamaha

4) Polaris

5) Honda

6) Kawasaki

7) Arctic Cat

Stay away from anything " offshore".. When it breaks, you'll never find parts for it... And a good dealer is better than a good bike.. They all break, but if your dealer takes care of you, that's important..

 

a small bore is fine for occasional plowing or heavy towing (1,000 lbs+), but the big bores can do it easier and longer. compare them to trucks people use everyday for work. how often do you see anyone moving heavy loads choose a 1/2 ton over a 3/4 or 1 ton? not exactly apples to apples, but the same principal as you're not stressing the machine as much. it's a much wiser financial decision to buy the only tool you'll need rather than upgrading and loosing thousands each time. they all have throttle adjustments, so if you're not ready for the power yet simply adjust the throttle so you don't have full power when you hammer it and then make adjustments as you gain confidence.

 

yep, diff lock is very important. i can't remember how many times the true 4wd made it possible to climb very steep hills and claw through nasty mud.

 

solid axles are a thing of the past. with IRS you have a much smoother ride, more ground clearance, and much better traction due to articulation as solids tend to teeter, lifting one wheel off the ground. i removed the sway bar on the grizz (it's only on there because the lawyers made them put it on ) for even more articulation and the result was better traction and a utility ATV that rides like a sport quad. it requires more body english at high speeds, but it's way more fun.

 

 

as for the "I'm not going to knock any particular brand as they are all pretty good nowadays" comment, you really need to come down and go for a 100+ (i think the most was 120) ATV poker run on the reserve to see just how well the lower quality machines (polaris) hold up. smoked belts (bad drive system), electrical problems, and overheating are the top reasons for them failing. just overall poor quality.

 

 

i have a yamaha and would encourage people to buy one as well, but i assure you that i'm not brand loyal and if i was having problems with it i'd sell it in a heartbeat for another brand. i ended up with a yamaha after literally a year of research with kawi, honda, and suzuki not far behind in terms of long term reliability. the result is an ATV with over 5,000 kms (bought it used, i've logged 4,000) that has needed nothing but brake pads, even though it's been rolled a dozen times (fastest was 50-55 km/h) and i drive it like it's stolen. there hasn't even been a single electrical or mechanical issue after it was submerged 2000 kms ago and the motor, cvt, and both diff's were full of water.

 

speaking of water in your ATV...

 

if you ever swamp it you should always remove the spark plug and turn it over to get the water out. if the cylinder has too much water in it and you try to start it the motor can hydrolock and wreck stuff in the motor as it'll try to turn over and compress the water in the cylinder. seeing as water can't compress, there's a good chance you'll break something. stand it up on it's rear to get water out of the exhaust and check the air filter and belt too.

 

kerosene can be used to flush water from the engine and diffs as it displaces water and is far cheaper than using oil to flush the system and works better.

 

 

lastly, nobody is "too cool" for a helmet. when i first started riding i was wearing mine half the time before i flipped over the bars once and my head bent the steel rack down 1/2", i blacked out for a few seconds, and i still had a couple goose eggs and bruises on my head. considering how beat up my head was, i'd say i was really lucky that i had it on that day.

 

 

 

anyone wanna go for a ride? your trails or mine, i'm in

Edited January 30, 2013 by ch312

[wormdunker]

I have a 2012 Polaris 500, which has been good. Just learned recently to ensure your battery is ALWAYS fully charged. I am an older, gentle rider so didn't see the need for a bigger, more expensive machine. I use it mostly for ice fishing just to get on & off the ice. So big power wasn't necessary for snow plowing, hauling heavy loads or mud bogging. Boils down to, what do you intend to use the bike for??

[GYPSY400]

ch312.. I agree with most of your post.. I have been to many mud runs. Most of the mud bikes here are Canned Hams, as they are the choice for excellent power and good reliability.. Also, the local dealer is very good.. And at the end of the day, there is usually a Polaris being towed home..

In regards to the size of machine, yes bigger is better, but smaller works ok.. As a first machine, I don't recommend a big bore.. I've seen many inexperienced riders get in over their head.. So to reduce initial cost and possibly YOUR insurance rates ( accident statistics dictate insurance rates) I think a 400-500 is fine for a novice rider.... To compair apples to oranges, just because your buying a new car, doesn't mean you need a corvette!

 

And yes.. If your going to spend 10 grand on an ATV, you can spend $100 on a helmet!

[moose]

honda or atctic cat 500

[Rustic-Fisher]

Thanks for all the great advice, ended up going with something completely different LOL.

Picked up a 2 door Jeep Rubicon, a little bigger but should serve its purpose well.

Looking forward to some backwoods fishing adventures !

 

R

[Old Man]

You'll get as many different opinions as there are ATV's. That said, having managed a large cattle ranch which used atv's on a daily basis for chores and herding cattle, the best we had for relability was the Kawasaki's followed by the Suzuki's and then the Honda's. The Can Am's had the best ride and handling. The Polaris we used we're okay but no match for the others. Can't comment on the rest as I have no personal experience with them.