RE: First ATV
 

You can use the ratings to get an idea of just how a machine performs,but it takes a lot of riding to determine long term reliability.Before buying my own atvs,I looked at what the siesmic crews,surveyors,trappers,forestry people and rental companies used.The people that depend on their machines for a living seem to choose Honda more than any other brand with Yamaha second.The least chosen among these groups of people are polaris.

RE: First ATV
 

Please provide your source of info on this.
Also, businesses often choose a specific brand because of fleet discounts on volume sales, not necessarily because the quality is better. I would imagine that Honda and Yamaha, being larger companies than Polaris, may very well offer better fleet discounts to companies that buy in volume. Just speculation. I have nothing to back that up.

RE: First ATV
 

How about the fact that I see the siesmic crews ,surveyors and forestry people riding their atvson a regular basis as they do their work..I know what the rental outfits use because I know the people that own the localrental companies.As for the trappers,I know several of them and see many atvs and snowmobiles parked outside the trappers cabins.

RE: First ATV
 

when i saw this thread and read through the postsi thought i would throw in my .02, i have 3 atv if you count my wifes, 1 05 outty max 400 (3500 +MILES), 2 06AC 700SE (1250 MILES), 3 wifes 06outty 800 (not max, 275 miles). the 400 outty was my first machine and over 50% of the milage is from snow plowing, alot of older people in town and 2 churches , i have replaced the belt 2 times am on my 3rd set of tires( street legal here in montana), 1 battery/voltage reg (warranty), my rear shocks are still on the softest setting and i have had no spring sag in the front due to the plow, i feel it is because of the set up for carring 2 people that it has performed so well in plowing, i have also had 3 antelope at one time on it w/no trouble, it pulls the trailer i haul it to where we camp with up to 1/2 cord of wood for campfires. i dont think you could get a new one for the amount you wanted to spend but i bet the is a used one in that range, it also has a 3000#ramsey winch to pull wood, etc with the only complaint i have wiht it is that it is a hard shifter that i have learnedto live with, plenty of power and it will go any where. my ac has more zip and shifts easier, but if i am going to work i always take my max, my wifes outty is a gas to ridewhen she lets me and is very comfortable but that 8 inches of wheel base on the max still wins out for work , all of the three get at least 23mpg but 400 still is best at 28mpg, maybe a look at the max or even a john deere buck ( formerly the bombardier traxter) may be worth it,

RE: First ATV
 

I use ATV's every day for work, and we ride Honda. So does Johnson County weed and pest, so do several of the other widlife survey firms, and the list goes on. Demand for Honda is so high that finding a good used machine is next to impossible. You actually end up paying slightly more for a Honda. The fact that everyone who relies on their machines to make a living chooses Honda has nothing to do with fleet discounts- when you run a small business there is no such thing.