Opinions on new ATV's

[Rod Caster]

Hey there feedbackers.

 

I'll be picking up a new ATV this spring for working on my property. I'm looking at entry-level models like 400's and 450's.

 

The Honda Fourman 420 would be top of my list, but it's about $7,800 unless you can find the end-of-year models in the fall. I need one this summer so I won't wait.

 

The Polaris Sportsman 450 is $5,600 right now and is my second choice. I've always trusted Polaris products and I'm pretty sure the resale on all ATV's is strong. I also trust the mechanics at my local dealership. Plus they are offering an extra 6months of warranty until April.

 

Haven't really looked at Yamaha, Suzuki or Arctic Cat, but I know that the cheapest of these is Arctic Cat and to be honest I don't have faith in AC.

 

Any opinions on the entry level models accross the board?

[BillM]

Don't count out the Yamaha. My oldman just replaced his Honda with one, night and day difference.

[Rod Caster]

Not cheap for the Yammy's! But ya, they look like very solid machines, moreso than the Honda/Polaris.

[Gerritt]

Two good friends just bought can-ams entry level for less then you have mentioned.... Perhaps worth a look?

[bushart]

My Cuz just bought a new can-am----pretty sweet bike and he's happy with the ride----steering espesh

[Big Cliff]

I am a Polaris fan, I have a 450 sportsman that just keeps going and I had a 1997 300 before that, and got the 450 in 2006 both machines work hard and both served me well!

[Rod Caster]

Ah yes, Can-Am. Forgot about that brand.

 

Thanks Cliff...that's the kind of feedback I'm looking for.

[Rod Caster]

It's about $7,500 for the base 400cc Can-am.

[Terry]

yamaha, honda both would be my choice

[Bluegill]

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Edited November 6, 2014 by Bluegill

[ch312]

Hey there feedbackers.

 

I'll be picking up a new ATV this spring for working on my property. I'm looking at entry-level models like 400's and 450's.

 

The Honda Fourman 420 would be top of my list, but it's about $7,800 unless you can find the end-of-year models in the fall. I need one this summer so I won't wait.

 

The Polaris Sportsman 450 is $5,600 right now and is my second choice. I've always trusted Polaris products and I'm pretty sure the resale on all ATV's is strong. I also trust the mechanics at my local dealership. Plus they are offering an extra 6months of warranty until April.

 

Haven't really looked at Yamaha, Suzuki or Arctic Cat, but I know that the cheapest of these is Arctic Cat and to be honest I don't have faith in AC.

 

Any opinions on the entry level models accross the board?

 

Stick with Honda, Yamaha, Kawisaki, or Suzuki.

 

I've logged over 5,000 kms in the last 3 years with 75-80 km runs being a normal thing for our group with a couple poker runs each year having over 100 ATV's participating in the 40-50 km runs. I can assure you that Polaris ATV's should never be trusted. Among the hundreds of riders I've met it's rare to find someone who has sold their Polaris and buy another one because they quickly learn why Polaris has such a bad reputation in the ATV world. Polaris ATV's are almost always the first machines (if it's not the Cat's first!) to break down. Mainly electrical and drive train issues.

 

The lower quality ATV's are fine for putting around the farm where even crappy ATV's from China will keep ticking for a while, but the true quality of the machines are tested when you put them through hell on long rides all year round.

 

I'm a Yamaha guy so I say go for a Yamaha Kodiak 450 with power steering. They may cost a bit more upfront, but the low maintenance and high reliability is definitely worth it. This machine is better than the Honda and Polaris machines you're considering for a couple major reasons...

 

 

Kodiak - Independent rear suspension, 10.8" of ground clearance. Much easier to ride due to clearance, much more comfortable ride.

Honda - Solid rear axle, 6.5" ground clearance. Horrible ground clearance, your back will hate you after long rides due to the harsh ride.

 

Kodiak - 607 lbs wet weight, separate front/rear brakes, 78" long, 43" wide, steel racks. Better power to weight ratio, better control, much more nimble.

Polaris - 715 lbs dry (750 wet?), one lever controls all, 83" long, 48" wide, plastic racks. Much lighter, poor braking system, too large.

[Rod Caster]

Thanks, I just called the Yammy dealer for pricing details. $7,399 for a non-power steering 450 Kodiak plus a bit of room to negociate. I'll test one out next week.

 

My father in law has a Polaris and worked the heck out of it on his property for 12 years, no actual riding. He's been very happy with it.

[Bluegill]

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Edited November 6, 2014 by Bluegill

[captpierre]

Went thru the same process last few years and hate to part with cash.

 

After much help from guys on this site, went with Honda PGE 420 Canadian Trail Edition

 

You need to sort out if you want :

 

Power steering

Independent rear suspension

Fuel injection

CVT or not. All are CVT except Honda

Single, 2UP, or side by side

 

Over and over again I heard from experienced guys that the Japanese machines are more reliable.

 

Almost everybody says go with power steering and fuel injection.

 

For trail riding, independent rear suspension will give you more ground clearance and a smoother ride

 

For towing or other farm work, most guys prefer a solid rear axle

 

Side by sides and even 2UPs are not legal on any roads, even with no passengers

 

I saw in a recent outdoor magazine that Honda still has their $1000 off for some 2013 models

 

My other choice would have been Yammy. The 450 with power steering -but doesn't come with fuel injection

 

The Yammy 550 EPS has it all but is around $10K. My Honda was $8100 in camo plus HST including rebate

 

The last thing you want is a stupid breakdown in the middle of no-where. Then an expensive repair bill on top.

 

So far so good with the Honda but hardly broken in. Talk to me in 5 yrs

[Big Cliff]

 

Stick with Honda, Yamaha, Kawisaki, or Suzuki.

 

I've logged over 5,000 kms in the last 3 years with 75-80 km runs being a normal thing for our group with a couple poker runs each year having over 100 ATV's participating in the 40-50 km runs. I can assure you that Polaris ATV's should never be trusted. Among the hundreds of riders I've met it's rare to find someone who has sold their Polaris and buy another one because they quickly learn why Polaris has such a bad reputation in the ATV world. Polaris ATV's are almost always the first machines (if it's not the Cat's first!) to break down. Mainly electrical and drive train issues.

 

The lower quality ATV's are fine for putting around the farm where even crappy ATV's from China will keep ticking for a while, but the true quality of the machines are tested when you put them through hell on long rides all year round.

 

I'm a Yamaha guy so I say go for a Yamaha Kodiak 450 with power steering. They may cost a bit more upfront, but the low maintenance and high reliability is definitely worth it. This machine is better than the Honda and Polaris machines you're considering for a couple major reasons...

 

 

Kodiak - Independent rear suspension, 10.8" of ground clearance. Much easier to ride due to clearance, much more comfortable ride.

Honda - Solid rear axle, 6.5" ground clearance. Horrible ground clearance, your back will hate you after long rides due to the harsh ride.

 

Kodiak - 607 lbs wet weight, separate front/rear brakes, 78" long, 43" wide, steel racks. Better power to weight ratio, better control, much more nimble.

Polaris - 715 lbs dry (750 wet?), one lever controls all, 83" long, 48" wide, plastic racks. Much lighter, poor braking system, too large.

Well, you may be right but I have never had to tow a Polaris out of the bush. I have never had to be towed out of the bush ( in 14 years) ! I have had to tow more than one Yamaha (and a few other makes)out of the bush with my Polaris. Oh, and now you know at least one guy that traded his Polaris for a newer Polaris and has no regrets what so ever.

 

My machines are WORK machines but I also trail ride with them, use them for ice fishing, hunting...... I do most of the regular maintainance on them myself so maybe that is the reason I have such good luck on them.

[Muskieman]

go see Eric at ASM , they usually have the KVF 360 4x4 or the Cat 400 4x4 on sale every spring for about 4200.00$...

[misfish]

My Cuz just bought a new can-am----pretty sweet bike and he's happy with the ride----steering espesh

 

Theres a sweet looking one on another sight. I will ask if I can post a pic of it. If I had the place to store one,I would own one.

[Rod Caster]

For the price and comfort and general layout, the Polaris is clearly the best deal ($5,600). I talked the Yammy dealer down to $7,000 for the non-power steering Kodiak 450. Financing is better there too, 3.49% for 36mths or 2.99% for 24 mths.

 

The Kodiak seems to be more rugged, has good clearance and has true 4x4. The Polaris isn't true 4x4 and that's a let down. I'd also bet the Yammy's generally have better reliability stats.

 

I'm not liking any Arctic Cat, Kawasawki or Can-Am's for work machines. I'll check out Suzuki next chance I get.

 

If Honda had 2013's in stock, for $6,800, I'd probably call it a deal, even though the Polaris and Yamaha seem better to handle really rough terrain.

[Fisherman]

Well, you may be right but I have never had to tow a Polaris out of the bush.

you're right, most light them on fire and leave them there..

[SBCregal]

I have a 14 yr old yamaha kodiak 400 that I bought used last summer. While I don't know the mileage on it as the speedo/odo isn't working anymore you can tell it hasn't been babied over the years. It still runs great, starts first pull (when I don't remember to turn the key off), 4x4 works etc. It's my first atv of my own but I've ridden some polaris and honda machines, when it gets replaced it will be with another yamaha.

 

Ryan

[porkpie]

Polaris are a good deal cause they are cheap. Which works out to be not such a good deal for longevity. For every satisfied Polaris owner I've run across, I've met with a pile of dissatisfied ones. Every single one that we've had come into our hunt camp has crapped out at one point or another. There is only 1 left, it's a 2007. It has been regularily maintained, but it has failed at least once between Mose and deer weeks for the last 3 seasons. All of the rest of us have Hondas or yamahas. My guest bike is an old kawi that runs pretty good, but my daily driver is a yamaha. I once bought an arctic cat, and it too was a hunk of crap! Another guy at my camp also had 2 cats, and they where dung heaps too! All of our machines get beat on pretty hard, as we hunt, run trails, drag wood out of the bush, clears trails etc. all year long. Polaris are cheap for a reason. Glad to hear your looking at yamaha. That and honda are the only real choices in my mind!

Edited March 20, 2014 by porkpie

[4x4bassin]

Yamaha , Suzuki and Honda would be my choices . Own suzuki's now with a lot of hard miles on them with no problems !

[purekgw]

i my self just picked up a brand new yamaha 700 after weeks of looking, was only really two choices yamaha or honda. and i am more then happy with the choice.

[limeyangler]

I don't own an ATV, and have only ridden one a couple of times, however, just about everyone up here (except me) owns one. When asking around to get an idea of the one i want to eventually buy i am left with the conclusion that Yamaha and Honda are the brands to go with. My buddy who is an out and out SLEDNECK/MUDDING/MECHANIC loves his arctic cat sleds so i was very surprised the other day when we were pulling the shack off the lake to hear him say the Arctic cat ATVs are junk, he wants a Can-am next.

 

So from 7 years of asking the same question you are in this thread i would be looking at YAMAHA, HONDA, CAN-AM if i had the money to go out and get a bike.

[vance]

From my experience the ATV owners who are proactive about maintenance have the least problems on the trails !! I have a 2011 Suzuki 500 fuel injected,in 2 years I have put 7,000 km of trail riding on it and the guy I ride the most with has 16,000 on his 97 Suzuki. We ALWAYS go over the bikes and check out the drive train after every ride.Last year I towed 3 bikes home when they broke down all because of the lack of maintenance,the worse was the guy with the broken drive shaft yoke and when he took it in to get fixed found out that EVERY CV joint was also worn out and he needed front bearings.You can't have a drive it and park it mentality with ATVs.As far as makes go there is not a lot of difference between them they all have faults and pluses and I bought mine based on the dealer not the make,good service goes a long way!!!!

 

vance