ATV Purchase- at times NF

[the spirit of fishing]

Hi all;

I'm thinking of buying an ATV around 500 cc engine size or a side by side same sized engine or perhaps a bit larger.

Looking for advice on brands to avoid and why I should avoid them.

Feel free to recommend any particular brand as well.

I don't need the fastest and flashiest machine available; just something to do a little trail riding and to travel into remote lakes.

Thanks

[Fisherman]

Oh boy, can of worms.  The ones to buy, Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki.  CF Moto is a new kid on the block however so far they seen to do well in reliability.  Of the above 4+1, you may have to travel a bit to find a dealer but don't rule out the one you want because of that.  The above models generally cost a bit more and fall under the caveat of "you get your moneys worth", rather than I bought the cheaper one but now I'm in the repair shop more than I want to be.   Personal choice,  Yamaha 450 or 700 Grizzly or Kodiak.  More than strong enough and gentle on the gas.   I've been around Yamaha models that had over 10K kilometers with just the basic maintenance,  oil, tires, battery and maybe a lightbulb or two.  Zero transmission problems, Zero belt problems,  without a doubt Yamaha has the best drive train out there.  Honda has grown up and improved on their machines,  still lacking in ground clearance a bit. 

As for the ones to avoid,  in no particular order Polaris, CanAm/BRP and Arctic Cat, (now Textron).  I've seen too many Polaris  ones first time out with problems,  electrical gremlins, drive train gremlins, belts getting soaked and having to be towed back. Not starting in the cold.   Can/Am clean out of the showroom,  transmission problems related to electronics.  Leaky oil and rad pumps.  Arctic Cat, leave them in the litter box. 

There is another brand out now, Argo makes an ATV,  the jury isn't saying much but rumblings I've heard, their ARGO 6x6 and 8x8 is what they are best at.

Undoubtedly there will will be some that say their Polaris has never failed or their Canned Ham is bullet proof,  It's like trying to write a story at -30 with a ball point pen in the snowbank.  You pay now or you cry and pay for repairs and rebuilds.

[porkpie]

Don’t buy an arctic cat.  I had one,  biggest POS unit I’ve ever owned.  I’ve seen a lot of Polaris being towed including one that constantly breaks down at the hunt camp. I am very satisfied with Yamaha.  Mine will start no matter what so far, and no issues.  I’ve also seen nothing but good from Honda.  Your mileage may vary.

[Big Cliff]

I bought a CF Moto last year and LOVE it! I was a little concerned because they are the new kid so to speak but so far this thing has been flawless and it came standard with all the bells and whistles for a lot less than anything else in the same class.

 

[captpierre]

6 hours ago, Fisherman said:

Oh boy, can of worms.  The ones to buy, Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki.  CF Moto is a new kid on the block however so far they seen to do well in reliability.  Of the above 4+1, you may have to travel a bit to find a dealer but don't rule out the one you want because of that.  The above models generally cost a bit more and fall under the caveat of "you get your moneys worth", rather than I bought the cheaper one but now I'm in the repair shop more than I want to be.   Personal choice,  Yamaha 450 or 700 Grizzly or Kodiak.  More than strong enough and gentle on the gas.   I've been around Yamaha models that had over 10K kilometers with just the basic maintenance,  oil, tires, battery and maybe a lightbulb or two.  Zero transmission problems, Zero belt problems,  without a doubt Yamaha has the best drive train out there.  Honda has grown up and improved on their machines,  still lacking in ground clearance a bit. 

As for the ones to avoid,  in no particular order Polaris, CanAm/BRP and Arctic Cat, (now Textron).  I've seen too many Polaris  ones first time out with problems,  electrical gremlins, drive train gremlins, belts getting soaked and having to be towed back. Not starting in the cold.   Can/Am clean out of the showroom,  transmission problems related to electronics.  Leaky oil and rad pumps.  Arctic Cat, leave them in the litter box. 

There is another brand out now, Argo makes an ATV,  the jury isn't saying much but rumblings I've heard, their ARGO 6x6 and 8x8 is what they are best at.

Undoubtedly there will will be some that say their Polaris has never failed or their Canned Ham is bullet proof,  It's like trying to write a story at -30 with a ball point pen in the snowbank.  You pay now or you cry and pay for repairs and rebuilds.

Agree with Fisherman based on the research I did before buying my Honda 420. I want a reliable machine and am willing to pay extra for that. Same with my outboard (Yammy). You want fuel injection, power steering and 4 wheel independent suspension. Yamaha and Honda don’t make a 2 up.  No CVT belt with Hondas. 

[the spirit of fishing]

Thanks all for the input.

This is just the type of info I was hoping to get.

[irishfield]

I have an '85 Yamaha Moto 4, '95 Breeze and a '95 Big Bear that all still have their original oil in them. The '95 Big Bear got a new muffler assembly last year. The only part I've ever bought for it.. flawless !

[Woodsman]

I have a 2016 Can-Am 450 Outlander  2-up. Does everything I need. 

No problems with it 3 years.

I use it for similar uses as you described.

[Gerritt]

I also have a cam-am 850 max xt, cant say enough good things about it.. most of the folks i see on the trails around here also have can-ams. 

[Jds63]

I have a Yamaha Kodiak 3 yrs old - no issues so far ... installed a battery tender just to keep battery going at -30 C nights in the winter, other than that its been rock solid. Buddy has a 2000 Honda and 2005 Yamaha both are still running great, but he does all the repair and maintenance himself.

[DRIFTER_016]

At the lodge on Great Bear we had two old Honda quads, they are 1980's vintage and are still being used daily during the season to this day.

This is the unit I am looking to purchase.

https://atvsxs.honda.ca/atv/rubicon/rubicon-500-dct-irs-eps

[Fisherman]

2 minutes ago, DRIFTER_016 said:

At the lodge on Great Bear we had two old Honda quads, they are 1980's vintage and are still being used daily during the season to this day.

This is the unit I am looking to purchase.

https://atvsxs.honda.ca/atv/rubicon/rubicon-500-dct-irs-eps

They are very good.

[Joeytier]

If you don't mind a real manual footshift, Suzuki and Honda both still offer true manual 500 cc bikes (Kingquad and Foreman) if you wanted the ultimate manitenance free machine. 

Lots of people buy Polaris and Cat's and have reasonably good luck with them if you dont ride much and maintain them well, but I don't think many will recommend them as a whole.

Sticking with a Kodiak 450, Foreman 500, or Kingquad 500 would be the safest longterm bet.  Kawasaki makes a nice bike but do they make a 500 class or just the 650?

[AKRISONER]

can of worms indeed...myself, my father/family owned a quad that was at my uncles until he passed away last summer collectively own(ed)

a 1982 suzuki kids quad for my nephew....still runs no problem

a 1986 suzuki quad...still runs

1988 suzuki 15hp outboard....still runs and with a carb clean up and ethanol free gas will start first pull every time

1998 yamaha 130 outboard....still runs and will start first turn of the key usually from cold, only a headgasket has been changed, everything else is bone OEM stock including the original oil pump

2015 yamaha 150 outboard...never had an issue

 

and have owned

1994 evinrude/johnson....RIP

2x 2005 skidoos....one full engine replacement after 3000km, continuous kill switch failure issues, gas guages never worked since new, electric start problems, overheating problems

2007 mercruiser 350....continuous electrical issues

needless to say, I will never buy a non japanese anything outdoor power related again. Dont even get me started on domestic vehicles.

Edited May 27, 2019 by AKRISONER

[smitty55]

On 5/23/2019 at 10:58 AM, DRIFTER_016 said:

At the lodge on Great Bear we had two old Honda quads, they are 1980's vintage and are still being used daily during the season to this day.

This is the unit I am looking to purchase.

https://atvsxs.honda.ca/atv/rubicon/rubicon-500-dct-irs-eps

So funny you mention that about those old Hondas, they have a very loyal following in the Honda forums. Built to work. I was thinking of mine as I read this thread. About 10 years ago I saw an add for an 86 350 FourTrax for $850.  No spark. Never owned an atv. Research basically said they were great machines, built to last. An older couple were using it to putt around their rural property but his wife found it hard to handle so they bought a ride on and then it died one spring. So it looked good and I bought it. Well it turned out the sprag bearing had blown up so to speak and had taken out the stator windings. So $800 later including a new battery and full inspection I had my ride ready. John said I was still getting a good deal. It sure isn't fancy, not built to ride on pavement. But these shaft drive machines have all the power I'll ever need and I can still pick up the arse end and slide it sideways, or easily tip it on it's side resting the rack on a milk crate. There is lot to be said for a lighter smaller machine, not the least is the bushwacking  you can do that a big heavy machine just can't. It already had some mods in terms of welding that had been done, including a custom tow hook mounted in front of the the ball and posts already welded to front bumper and rear rack. So I know a real good machinist /welder/fabricator up the road a piece and he made a rack for me and welded a plate on the front to mount a winch.

Then of course I had to finish the process lmao. This is what I ended up with all told. At least the 71 1.5hp was free from the old man.

 

 

 

Cheers

[Steve.p]

A Polaris 500 HO is the best machine on the market!

I owned one and sold it when I sold my daughters Polaris 90 --> very happy with both Polaris bikes.

Will be buying a new one shortly - 500 EFI (to avoid the carburetor and associated challenges with winterizing)….

[Terry]

Polaris is getting better then they were

but when i was running the mud holes if you went off the road with a polaris, you were tow back to the road by a yamaha or honda

[Steve.p]

Odd, never had a problem with mine....   Lots of mud and water....

[Fisherman]

Two weeks ago had to tow a brand new one back after it went in about a foot and a half of water, went into the overheat mode, no rad fan.  needless to say the owner was beyond pi***ed.  They "may" be getting better but when you're at zero on the scale and go up 1 point I guess you can call that a 100% improvement.   Friends don't let other friends buy polaris.

[Terry]

the guys i know that use them for hunting and ice fishing love them but the guys that want to run the mud holes with the big boys wish they never bought polaris

[Steve.p]

I guess we all have our opinions...  

[porkpie]

I've read plenty of complaints on ice fishing boards about guys being stranded by their polaris bikes while out ice fishing due to their machines freezing up.  Several on the Simcoe board.  Now that's not personal experience for sure, but I've seen too many PoPo's on the hook over the years to believe they've come along at all.  On the other hand, my yammie has started on the ice many many times when i've thought it might not due to the freezing temps.  It's sort of like buying a tracker boat.  They sound good when you look at the features and the price, but the real world negative experiences way too many people have had sours the name.

[Garcia96]

Really interested in the new Argo 1000. They have a factory in drumbo I believe.  Looks nice and built in Ontario. 

[captpierre]

Before I bought my Honda I asked a guy at the Kawartha/Haliburton ATV Club what he recommended. He said it was common to see Japanese bikes towing North America bikes out of the trails. But then he said his next bike  was going to be a Can-Am 2 up. Mainly because the Japs don’t make 2 Ups. 

[captpierre]

18 minutes ago, Garcia96 said:

Really interested in the new Argo 1000. They have a factory in drumbo I believe.  Looks nice and built in Ontario. 

Personally I never buy a complex machine when it’s new or reworked. Typically always problems and growing pains until they get the bugs out. 

Just ask Boeing ?