What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

What do you think is the best ATV on the market and why? Is it it' s power, cost, brand name, tell me AND WHY?

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

This would depend entirely on you use for the atv.For trail riding I like the honda rincon as it rides and handles very well and is quite light for a 650.It also has a real automatic transmission instead of a belt drive.I use my atv for working and prefer the honda rubicon because of it' s dual range hydrostatic transmission.Hondas also seem to be the leaders in reliability where atv' s are concerned.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

I can' t really say what the best ATV for you would be. I think for most purposes, a Honda Rancher, or Foreman would do just about whatever you need to do.
Unless you work with one almost daily, I don' t really see the need of something as large as the Rincon.
As far as the different brands, whatever you get, get a Honda! You will never look back!

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Honda,, Because there reliable.I have a 97 -300 4x4 that gets ridden almost every day and It' s not gave a minutes trouble.It' s only been ridden by adults. Teen agers ,I should say some teenagers could tear up any 4 wheeler.A 17 year old neighbor boy bought a new Yamaha racing type 4 wheeler this spring and it' s ruined already all the fenders are busted, the tires are smooth and the engine' s shot.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

I' m not saying they are the best but I have a Polaris 97 Sportsman 500 and have been quite satisfied with it.I was thinking about getting a Kawi.Mule.After looking at their prices my Polaris will do just fine.I keep hearing about Polaris and the belt drive.Except for the belt slapping the cover once in awhile I' ve had no problems with the belt drive.
Ruger Redhawk

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

does anyone have any experience with the artic cats?? or suzuki?? i would like a 4 wheeler with independent suspension and looking to see whats the best per consumers view..

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Josh-Almost every company has a quad with independent suspension front and rear.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

I have a 2001 artic cat 500 . I have yet to have a problem with it, only been stuck once. It does have one of the highest if not the highest rack capacities there is. It is how ever not a fast machine (52 mph tops) but thats not what i was looking for. I do have friends with Hondas a I have to say they are a top notch machine also. I would say most of the atv' s are in general like every thing else, everyone has a brand and all the brands could have problems. Try them all and just get what you like.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Honda, There is no substitute:D

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Honda. They are built like the old school tonka toys!

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Soark must be sick. I can' t believe he hasn' t put his .02 in yet.
Ruger Redhawk

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

I have a suzuki vinson 500 auto and love it for what I use it for. I have a huge mountain with very steep inclines that I hunt and never really could until I bought it in may of 02. Last year I pulled a spring gobbler and a doe during archery season off that mouintain, that I probably would have never gotten since its hell to climb on foot. As was said before, it depends what you use it for but I really love the Vinson. After all Suzuki invented the first 4 wheeler.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Dang ruger you know the story behind me not being around. wife makes me work now!:(:D

Thats what i want ! " hey what is that noise ?"
" oh just my belt banging it' s case!"

clang clang clang!!!!bang bang bang!!!

Honda !!!!

Now i will say i am not real fond of the new rancher style. cause it looks like the rincon. i think the rincon is one ugly machine.

But then agian i think the same about polkalaris and artic kitty!

Look hunting season is getting close start looking at what is in the back of trucks and trailers. those older one that are still running will be the most dependable and you will probably find more hondas.

anybody ever see a really old polkalaris still getting it?:D

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Soark I knew where you were.I didn' t think you wanted everybody to know who wears the pants in your family. The belt slapping, when it happens it' s when I first start it up and theres no strain on the belt.Give it a little throttle and it stops.Belt drive or not I like my American Made Polaris. Not one just assembled in the USA with Japanese parts.The money that goes to Polaris stays in the USA and not back to Japan like your Honda' s.LOL.I' m glad you found enough time to pay us a visit here.You were greatly missed LOL.
Ruger Redhawk.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Ruger, Some of my money may have went to Japan for the Honda, but the rest of my money will stay in the bank, instead of a mechanic' s bank!:D
My buddy' s polecat, er Polaris, stays in the shop more than it does at his house!:D

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

ruger i guess jagmagman said it!:D


I guess i better get off here so i can go to work in my gmc with 90% canadian made parts but built in the USA!;):D

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

No problem guys.I had a Honda 3 wheeler years ago and it was a very dependable bike.I like Honda' s don' t get me wrong.They are a well made 4 wheeler.The main reason I bought the Big Polaris is I have a bad hip and I can sit on the Polaris more comfortably then the Honda' s . It seems to sit higher.Another thing if I don' t push Soark' s buttons who will?If I ever look for another 4 wheeler I will look the Honda' s over carefully. I was thinking a few weeks ago about a Kawaski Mule. They are very proud of them.
Okay Soark Honda' s are the best HEE HEE !!!!!!
JagMagMan, I don' t know how your friend with the Polaris takes care of his or what he does with it.Mine is maintained and not abused.When I first got it I had a couple minor problems.Knock on wood mine hasn' t been in the shop except for a check up and it was at a private shop,not a Polaris dealer.I did however change the Tie Rods ends.
Ruger Redhawk

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Honda all the way, they are the most durable and dependable in my opinion, got on a Polaris for the first time in about five years yesterday, and remembered why it had been 5 years. It was a 700 twin, what a pile[:o] that thing made more noises than my old isuzu pup thats falling apart. The only thing it had was a comfortable seat, It is an 03 and has been in the shop for repairs twice in 8 months.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Honda, born and raised! To me, there is no other! I own both a ' 90 Foreman 4x4 and a ' 99 400Ex. My family also owns 5 other hondas.... You can' t beat em.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

I have a Yamaha Big Bear 400 4x4. Its never given me any trouble at all.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Try a tomcar www.tomcar.com This thing is awesome!

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

I' m surprised no-one has said Kawasaki P650 yet!
I' ll start I bought for 2 reasons First was My 400 was stolen and they don' t make them anymore They went to a 360 AND I wasn' t goin smaller!;)

Second It was BIG!:D I had to have it and it came Camo' d[:-]
AL

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Ok, question, is a 4x4 necessary or will a 4x2 be all you need. Thanks

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Everyone knows Soarkrebel' s " so called honda" is really a polaris in a honda suit, he just wants to be like his friends so he had to hide his polaris. :D

Now we had this topic just a few months ago and we proved POLARIS to be # 1. [:o]Unless of coarse you are comparing ATVs to kiddy go-carts(polaris to honda). There is a reason no one is mentioning su-sucky or cow-a-sucky it is because they are made from recycled junk. Lets not leave out Yama-hahahahahaha well that is just self explaining.[>:]:D

Now for you guys that own anything besides a Polaris (" sorry" )there is a way you can get some of your wasted money back. It' s called metal recycling take your foreign junker down to the local dump and sell it for scrap(the only way to get your money back). When you get rid of the foreigner(illegal imigrant) staying in your garage go get yourself the real thing" POLARIS" ;). Now don' t let your girl friends decide for you or else you' ll wind up with another girlly machine[:o]:D. Once you get the real deal you might want to be carefull because this machine will actually be able to go places. So at first take your time and get use to what a real ATV is like.[:-]

Damn I should have sold Polaris for a living......, Oh that' s right they sell them selfs[8D]

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Model722-Polaris riders are experts at identifying the rear ends of honda quads.They get a lot of practise while the hondas are towing them home.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

All of the manufactures make some fine quads now.

First N.America
Bombardier is heavy and ugly but tough.
Polaris has the most features. They have not always been the most reliable but have improved greatly over the last 10 yrs.
Now the Japs.
Honda has a reputation for reliabelity (I have never seen data to prove it). It also has the fewest feature. Very utilitarian.
Yamaha has the largest selection of quads. It also will boil the gas in the fuel tank on the Kodia and Grizzly. It happens often enough to keep me off of them.
Suzuki is very underated. They make some of the ' flashyest' utilty quads today. But flashy is not what is needed by hunters.
Kawasaki offers a limited line. The Prairie650 is hands down the best utility quad for trail riding. It need IRS to make it anything else. The 360 is underpowered.

I own a 2001 Prairie 300. Everyone else has told you they own the ' best' quad ever made. I will not. It is a good quad, but not the best. It has been reliably and has never run out of power but if I was to replace it I would get a Polaris 500HO.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

just acquired a new Polaris Sportsman 500.Wouldn' t trade it for anything.But i think all manufacturers make good quality machines.My only suggestion would be to NOT buy a model that' s only been out for less than 2 years.They' re still working the bugs out of them.As for 4x4....it' s nice to have when you need it.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

You know guys I' ve been thinking. We' ve been awful childish debating or arguing over which is the best 4 wheeler.They are all quality machines for the most part.Some people can' t afford the top of the line.I explained in my one earlier reply why I picked a Polaris.If it wasn' t for my slight handicap I probably would have went with a Honda.As long as people are satisfied with whatever 4 wheeler they own ,that should be fine with us.They all have features different from other makes and models.Some are good and some aren' t.You could get a 4 wheeler made by Mercedes Benz( I know they don' t make them) but if they did if the owner abuses it and neglects the servcing of it there will be problems.Anything that is cared for will last allot longer then one neglected.Yes I like my Polaris. I' m not saying it' s the best although it has been a good 4 wheeler.In today' s market if these companies don' t keep up with the improvements made in 4 wheelers thay won' t be in business long.Since Honda, Polaris, Yamaha, Kawaski,Suzuki and others are still around they must be doing something right don' t you think?
Ruger Redhawk

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RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

I have a Polaris Sportsman 400 and I would not take anything for it. It is a 2001 model and the only time it has been in the shop is when my 13 yera old daughter hit a oak tree and flipped it over. The only thing that it broke was the throttle switch. I had to pull a Honda out of a mud hole this past Sun. One that I had just gone through. Anything brand that you but will have a few machines that will have some problems. It is just like automobiles

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Honda, no doubt!
Best Motorcycles too!


Sag.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Had a 2001 Polaris Sportsman 500. In my opinion its the most comfortable and powerful ATV. But it was too heavy and to big to fit in the back of my truck, of course I had 27 inch mud tires on it. But I now have a 2002 Big Bear and I love it. Its light, rides pretty good and is very reliable.

I have realized though I dont need a fancy ATV to hunt I just need one to drag deer out and bring me around the property I hunt.:)

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

:DBeen riding polaris atv' s since 1993 with no problems. It' s funny how people like to squawk about Polaris but it' s most copied atv on the planet! They were first with auto trans, independent suspension, engine braking, etc....
;)I have a 1999 sportsman 500 and it' s just a better atv than others I have been around...period.

>>>---DAVIDP---SILERCITY,NC--->

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

As a long time Honda owner, I will have to say that reputation and confidence are the two things that influence me the most.
I owned a Honda 3 Wheeler that was 20 years old and the motor and drivetrain were still in excellent condition!
I would not have traded that old 3 Wheeler for my buddy' s Polaris 4 Wheeler!
Every shop mechanic in this area will tell you to stay away from Polaris!
So, I' ll give you guys this, the newer Polaris MAY be just as good, or even better than a Honda, Yamaha, or Kawasaki! However, I' ll NEVER know that! Because by my experience, and the past reputation of these bikes, I' ll NEVER, EVER spend a dime on a Polaris!
It would be too much of a gamble, when I know I' m getting my moneys worth with a Honda!

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Honda, i like the auto shift on the rubicon, who_else

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Thats strange. If they are so unreliable why on earth would a person that makes a living fixing ATV' s advise you to stay away from them?
I get a kick out of everyone that has this " buddy" that owns a Polaris and it is always in the shop. Rare will anyone say it was them because when pressured they can' t really say what the problems were. Sales figures don' t lie. Polaris has taken the sales lead from Honda. That didn' t happen by selling junk. Today most ATV' s are bullet proof. My family has only owned Polaris since the ATC' s were killed off. I have three,parents each have one,and my sister has one. In over 15000 combined miles not a one was ever towed off the trail or failed to start.
If you want the best ATV,do some research. Then do some test riding os available models. Make sure the dealer can take care of you after the sale. Above all buy the one that feels right to you. I don' t care what you ride,just ride! :)

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

WiGutPile good post. It always seems when you hear something bad about Polaris it comes from " my neighbor, the guy down the road, my wife' s cousins best friends aunts fathers friend" . I almost never hear the actual owner complain and if they do complain it is about something trivial. Also as you have said Polaris is right up there with Honda on sales if not ahead. Honda makes a good machine but what keeps them so high in sales is all the other stuff they sell, generators, motorcycles, weed eaters, lawn tractors etc... No matter what machine you own take care of it and it will take care of you.

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

All I know is that I would not trade a 20 year old Honda 3 wheeler, for my buddy' s Polecat 300 4 wheeler! Thats a fact!
My Buddy, used the same argument when he got his polecat! " They sell more that Honda, how could they be bad?"
Guess what, he found out just how bad they could be!

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

Jag I didn' t know they made a 300, I have seen a 325, I own an 11 year old 350(runs fine, not one problem)never seen a 300 is this something new?

RE: What is the best ATV on the market? And why?
 

I am the ATV king of Arizona ;)!! I can tell you about any ATV and Dirt Bike. Since we are talking about Utility quads, my first advice is no Polaris. A Polaris bike is for the lazy people that want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a brokedown tranny. I have nothing against Polaris, but I know many shop owners and mechanics that have a lot of Polaris' s in the shop frequently. They are a gas-and-go quad. Any quad with an Automatic transmission will burn 1-2x as much gas.
Depending on your weight, riding ability, and price range you can make the selection. We have a 1997 Honda Recon 250 2wd that has brought out more animals and people than than you can imagine. About 4500 miles, and still running strong. The lighter and smaller the ATV, the easier to control and steer. 4WD models are much harder to control and maintain. My family members have the Yamaha Grizzly 660 and the Honda Rincon 650. The rear independent suspension is a great feature but $$$ is a big factor. If you are getting a 400cc or less, get a Honda. 400cc +, get a Yamaha. Yamaha has created a great Transmission but lacks tires.
The tires on all yamaha' s need to be replaced. They put cheap 2-ply on them usually. Get a quad that is easy to maintain, but will hold up for a long time in the roughest conditions. Just change your oil and you will be fine!!!