ATV's
 

Looking to purchase an ATV in the 500cc range. Plan to do light farm work, discing, food plot planting, etc. Any recommendations on brands and is MSRP regularly paid.

RE: ATV's
 

everyone has theor own choices. what i did was go by repar shops and talk to owners and see what came in the most. polaris has been the one brought in for reapis the most. honda or yamaha would do just fine as they are the ones brought in the least

RE: ATV's
 

I'd check out the new Suzuki Vinsion it 's a 500cc I have the older Suzuki Quadrunner 500cc and really enjoy it

RE: ATV's
 

I've got a '98 Yamaha Big Bear. It's a 350 but has more than enough power to do the things you've mentioned and has never given any problems. The Suzuki's are good too. A buddy of mine has an old 250 Quad Runner that has been through hell and is still going strong.

RE: ATV's
 

We have had artic cat ,honda ,yamaha just to name a few and have had good luck with all of them . We used them on construction jobsites and they were used pretty rough. I think the key to how well they run is according to how often you service them . I have two artic cats now and they have never given me any trouble in three years of hard running .

RE: ATV's
 

<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> I have a 94 Suzuki King Quad 300 & love it...use it for hunting, ice fishing & just plain having fun..when the wallet says I can get a new machine, it will be a Suzuki....just my .02 cents worth...Brampton Mike <img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: ATV's
 

I've had a Polaris for over ten years now the only thing I've ever done is replace the spark plug and oil changes. I've used this machine for everything from play to work(mostly work), I've pulled many loads of wood and dirt, I've skided trees, and plowed snow for many winters. Most people in my area own Polaris and non of them, not one has had a problem. There is one guy that bought a honda he is always having trouble with the shifting, this might just be a bad machine I don't know. Another one of my friends used an artic cat were he works, he told me that it was a dog. The company has switched to polaris, he couldn't believe the difference in power, his words &quot;way more power with a smaller engine&quot;.


I've owned Honda, Yamaha, suzuki, and of coarse polaris. I will never own anything but polaris again it has proved it self way better then the rest.

RE: ATV's
 

Thanks everyone - I'll be checking several different models out. Should I expect to pay list price?

RE: ATV's
 

i called a buddy of mine who is a cattle rancher here in texas. he uses 2 polaris atvs. he said they worked great when he could keep them out of the repair shops. they are over priced. you can shop around and one dealer might give you a better price than another. tell one dealer what the other offered if he is too high.

RE: ATV's
 

Shop around there are dealers that will work with you . We had to drive over a hundred miles but saved over eight hundred off of msrp price at the local dealer.

Edited by - halcon on 01/30/2003 22:49:49

RE: ATV's
 

you couldn't have said it better Model 722. I have own the major jap atv's .they are good but they are not in the same league as a Polaris.Most of the guy's bad mouthing Polaris have not even owned one.
It's alway a buddy . It's kinda like a Harley thing :) Don't take it from us Polaris guys
Test ride one in the hills (not on pavement) and make your choice.

RE: ATV's
 

The polarises in my are are priced way under the other dealers. I'm comparing 500cc 4 wheel drive..., polaris can go up to $1000.00 cheaper then some of the other brands. It may be different in other areas. The only polaris that I've heard of giving trouble was there diesel, and that was threw a guy that new a guy...

RE: ATV's
 

go to repair shops. i have been to several around texas. all say polaris is the atv brought in the most. the is a new atv called bombadier. i have heard nothing about this one but bad things.i have been all over the internet and polaris is priced higher than most brands. polaris has a speedometer. why do you need a odometer on a atv?useless!!!everyone will make their own choices and not all for the same reasons. i did research on the net and at repair shops. honda and yamaha were rated the best. the worst was polaris.not my hearing from one joe to another. it was from the people who actually work on them.i also ask at a atv race track in texas. not one polaris rider there. the top atv there was the yamaha banshee.

RE: ATV's
 

Dep214 are you talking about racing machines or all around use. I've been around 3 different guys that owned Banshee's, fast machine, piece of sh**. We did alot of trail riding a few(7 or more) years back the banshee was the worst piece of crap off the trail, you noticed I said off the trail. That's because they couldn't keep them running long enough to ride. The problems they had weren't cheap either cracked block, blown piston etc... When I see these guys today I like to ask them when they're going to get another banshee, well they don't have very nice words for me. One of the guys switched over to polaris 6+ years ago and he'll never go back. The other 2 guys were so p***ed off they don't even go 4 wheelin anymore. I'm not saying Yamaha's are junk they do have a couple of good machines I've owned acouple, but to say a banshee is a good machine is like saying skunks don't stink:) Ranwin33 said he wanted a machine that he could do work with I'm sorry, but polaris has been rated one of the best in many magazines. The bombadier has been out for awhile, just like artic cat and some of the others they took alot of polarises ideas about the automatic trans. So my question is are you going to go with the guy that copys or are you going to go with the guy that invented and perfected the machine? Like I said before I've owned my machine for over 10 years and never had a problem the other guy that I talked about has owned his machine 6 years and has never had a problem. I'm not sure how your comparing one machine to another,but if you look at what machine is rated to handle more and pull more you'll find polaris is at the top. Like I've also said I've owned many machines, over 20 years worth of experiance. These other machines are good but they can not hold a candle to polaris. As far as your repair shop goes, what do they sell? If they aren't selling a particular machine then of course there going to put it down. Kind of like going to a ford dealer with chevy questions:)

RE: ATV's
 

these were independent repai shops. not a certain brand.one was by the race track and the others were scattered throughout the state.i have a uncle in east texas that works on atv's for a hobby and also rebuilds ols cars. he has a honda that he uses to work with.can not find a polaris user that has not had the atv in the shop repeatedly. in texas we have lots of flat terrain but also some rocky areas.all the atv's i personally have seen were either honda or yamaha. many of these were owners that used to own polaris. they all griped about them. the general statement was that they were great until they went off road and then they have lots of problems. i help one farmere heard his cattle over a 550 acre spread. his polaris is not near what my yamaha is. it is faster on flat surfaces but nothing close off road.i got my atv to use on a deer lease and work.honda is probably better than my yamaha. i have used his polaris and i would not have it. just for the reasons i stated above. you can set on the road going to deer country here and watch what is pulled. honda first, yamaha second, and a few polaris.

RE: ATV's
 

Well Dep214 I quess we are going to have to disagree on this one<img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>, it's kind of like the ford and chevy thing which is better. Like I've said I've owned a few different types of machines threw the years none of them were really bad, just polaris is better in my opion. If you lived up here it would be hard to see anything, but polaris. there used to be yamaha's and honda's every were, but like the dinasours they have disappeared. Oh one more thing we don't need to pull our polarises they run<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> sorry I had to do that.

RE: ATV's
 

you are right about not pulling a polaris and that it runs.the problem is getting it to run. one likes chevys like one likes fords. there are people that will buy a polaris because it has more bells and whistles. i got one that just worked. all the bells and whistles do not make the atv run or perform better.good luck and i hope your atv gives you as much pleasure as mine has me. good hunting!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: ATV's
 

Well Dip, one way to settle it all is to bring your yamahammer from the flat lands of Txass to the rocky mnts and see how well your yamaha does. I know what it's going to do as I have owned a couple for 10 yrs total.I'll bring along my 6x6 Polaris so we can load your yamaha 350 in the back of my polaris when it can't make the 12,500 feet mountains to get to the Elk.Not to worry I help people out time to time.I just love the look on there face when that bad boy starts to pull.
See I know,I have owned them. I just don't talk to talk.
good luck ,all ATV's are good but some are better then other<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: ATV's
 

Dip? why am i called a dip. this gentlmen and i have had a nice discussion and never resorted to name calling. i resent your remark as it is uncalled for. i will not stoop to your level.

RE: ATV's
 

my father in law tried to use a kawasaki while elk hunting in colorado and new mexico. his favorite was in chama.the kawasaki always had problems. he started taking my yamha and never had a problem. i put a k&n power kit and supertrapp exhaust on mine. it went everywhere he and the guide needed. so your theory does not hold water.his best elk before he died was a 7x7. it scored a little over 360. he puleed a small wagon back with the elk loaded on it.

RE: ATV's
 

I used to hate to see a Polaris in the woods due to the noisy 2-cycle engines but have to admit that I hunted with a guy who had the new 700 and it was sweet and quiet. I will have my '95 Honda 4x4 until I die but do see other bikes that are really good quality. Good hunting.

RE: ATV's
 

Dep214 my machine doesn't have many bells and whistles, the only thing that I've added is a winch and a snowplow, I bought the machine mostly just for the power. Once I bought it I found out how much I like the automatic trans. and it is alot more comfortable to ride. The full foot board is a deffinate plus. Some one mentioned the new 700 hundred nows that not just a 4 wheeler it's a small tractor, deffinatly an assome machine. I've only seen acouple in action, but I'll tell ya there was nothing getting in there way.

RE: ATV's
 

Man did you open up a bag of worms! This is the topic of discussion every time I get to talking with a couple of by buddies. I know people with good and bad stories associated with all brands. I own a yamaha and will buy another because it has been a good bike. Best advise I can give is to go to a repair shop (in your area) and ask the mechanic which models he see's getting repaired the most.
My opinion is that Honda is probably the best bike but is priced high, Yamaha and Polaris are second, Kawasaki and Suzuki are third. All the manufacturers mentioned make fine ATV's and the difference between them is people opinions.

RE: ATV's
 

I bought a new 97 Polaris Sportsman 500.Before the EBS and HO. It's been a fairly reliable machine.I keep up with oil changes, transmission servicing,greasing etc.I installed an hour meter the day I bought it.At approx.225 hours I had to replace the tie rod ends.I've heard this is a common problem with Polaris.The drive belt slaps the belt cover.The Polaris does have a knocking sound which according to Polaris and Polaris owners it's normal.It about drove me nuts until I talked to directly to Polaris, their dealers and other Polaris owners.I do like my Sportsman . Would I buy another one? Probably so but I would check the Honda's and the other big boys out first.I have a Warn Winch which in my opinion is a must.If you get it stuck there is no physical way to pull that heavy beast out. Trust me I know, I buried it once.This Polaris will be 6 years old this Oct. and still has less then 300 hours on it.It's been used but not abused.
Ruger Redhawk

..... A Proud NRA Life Member since 1977 .....Ruger Redhawk

RE: ATV's
 

Well, I just can't resist, I have to get my 2 cents in. I have been on a quad since I bought a 300 Hondda fourtrax in 92. I just bought a 2002 450 Honda Foreman. If you havent figured it out already Im a Honda man from the word go. Around here we do some pretty serious riding and it's an unusual day when there are no roll overs and we total out alot of bikes. Right now the only bikes that are out there every weekend and keeping up are the 400 and 450 Honda's and the Yamaha 660 Grizzly's. I have riden alot of bikes and as loyal of a Honda man as I am the griz is awesome. I know I would'nt think of buying anything but the two of those. I put a jet kit, white brothers pipe, winch and 27x12 outlaw tires on my Honda and it does great. I like the way the Yamaha rides, the four wheel independant suspension is great but I'm not used to the automatic and dont want to learn to ride again. I'm just used to shifting and the rear straight axle. The Yamaha takes some getting used to in the corners and on side hills, it feels like it bow's under with that four wheel suspension. In the flat land though it's hard to beat,and that's tough for a Honda man to admit. One good thig though, If you have never had a quad before you will love whatever you buy.
Ride hard or go home. :)

RE: ATV's
 

what a discussion
I have a '97 400 Kodiak (Yamaha) and have been very pleased. use it to plow, haul wood, skid logs, hunt in Adirondacks, trail ride, etc. Does everything well.

FYI - ATV Television rates the Kawasaki Prairie #1; I know someone with one and they seem real nice
Also know someone with a new Kodiak (auto, shift on fly, etc, etc.) It is really nice.
Artic Cat looks to be making a nice machine (unique rack system and high clearance)
All I know is that when I get a new one, it will have independent rear suspension.