Best ATV?
 

Always an arguing point - and pretty much rightfully so.
So I'll throw my two cents in.

Bigger isn't always better and more times than not, bigger isn't better.

At this point I've had plenty of ATVs and 4X4s and my opinion is based on my experiences and those of many friends.

Yes big and powerful is great for things such as dragging big deadfalls for firewood, pulling others out of trouble, pulling implements or trailers. But away from those duties they are way more than needed. You don't need to be hunting squirrel with a .44 mag!

I believe a mid-size or smaller ATV is really the right fit so many more times than not. For me the offerings of easier handling, quietness, nimbleness and fuel economy are huge considerations.

Furthermore, the smaller ATVs, although not designed to regularly do or handle heavy duties, usually step up to the plate and meet or exceed expectations.

Food for thought.

I do bring a big Polaris 4X4 to camp every year. But I also have a couple small Suzukis 2WDs that are there and do the great majority of the necessary service. These smaller machines are agile, light, hauled in multiple deer and due to their light weight get over mud well as opposed to having to use excessive power to get thru it. Not to mention how easily they cut and twist thru tight trails and trees in the woods.

Agreed I have a 250 Recon that I love. I have no use for anything huge with winches and back seats. I like the control I have when driving little lighter 4wheelers.

Polaris sportsman 500 ...............

my fav is the arctic cat 450 I wish I still had mine.

Though this is a lot like the ford vs chevy argument, everyone has their opinion and it's all personal preference. However, I'll chime in on this one.

I've got a Cat 500 manual (semi) and the H1 650. Both have excellently managed anything I've ever thrown at them. IMO you can't beat the 12 inches of ground clearance and the 10 inches of suspension travel that both have and their hauling capabilities. The 500 is my favorite tho, it's a little lighter and a lot more manuverable in the woods. Always my go to quad.

I no longer use 4wlrs for hunting (to noisy) but I still have the same 4wlr I brought home when it was brand new in fall of 1997. It's THE toughest, most trouble free 4wlr EVER built, it's a 1998 Honda 300 4x4. I can't think of anything it won't do short of climb trees or dive in 10ft of water. MAN has this thing been dependable! Heck the original tires just dry rotted lastyear so it has a slightly larger set of Mud-Lites on it now, man will it ever go thru my swamp with these tires on it! ;)

I have NO desire for an auto tranny, indie suspension, liquid cooling nor enough power to move Mt. Everest. I like simple & rugged!

Summer before last I bought 2 new Recons for my boys, put Mud-Lites on the rears of them and they go awfully well. Hope they prove as tough & trouble free as the 300!
HL

polaris sportsman 800. its big, mean, fast, a 2012, and gets the job done. in fact, thats what im driving to my hunting spot this morning.

Old trusty foreman 500 manual shift! not that fastest, not the prettiest, but always gets me there!!

Anyone you can afford, that will get you to your stand w/o drive your truck to it.

Honda makes some real good atvs

I'll bet those recons will live way up to your Expectations.

This is exactly what I was referring to. The midsize and smaller ATVs year after year have proven out to be the most reliable. Getting you where you need to go without too much extra muscle or wait. There's a long list of them to the early Hondas the the Kawasaki Prairies and the small Yamaha's from the Bruim on down, all great midsize to smaller ATVs, lightweight, very agile and get the job done.

90% of the time you don't need anything bigger than a 300, 350, 400 or even a 500.

I just bought a 01 Polaris Scrambler 500 4x4. What your opinion on this machine for hunting?

1998 grizzly 600 with lockers in the front. Harder to steer, but would pull itself apart if I let it. True 4x4.

Them Honda's are real work horses, but I like the tranny in the Yamaha.

Tires make a big difference.

We have a 350 Honda Rancher and an 800 EFI Polaris Sportsman. The Rancher is smaller, easier to manuever, and a true blue workhorse. The Sportsman is after all, a Sportsman. It's apples to oranges. I prefer the Sportsman. My wife prefers the Honda Rancher.

IMO it will get you in and out but really suffers when it comes to rack space.

I have a Suzuki 450 Kingquad. It has fuel injection and independent suspension and a manual locker in addition to all automatic operation. The machine is used mostly for ice fishing and along with rear chains gets me through the deep Vt snow. when I bought it I went to a few sites for ATV reviews and the top 3 were Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda. I believe Polaris is putting out a nice machine now after quite a few years of maintenance issues. The people who bought cats haven't fared too well around here. Lots of problems.

http://www.powersportsnetwork.com/en...iclecategory=2

Honda Foreman or Rincon

Owned a few over the years. Started with the big red-honda then when I use to guide I ran honda foretrax manual shift, no fuss, not the best ride but reliable as heck. Still own a 400 foreman today it doesn't see a lot of action I must admit...a little rough as I get older.

Since the honda's I have had polaris, yamaha's and now Can Am.

The Can am is by far the best bike I have owned I got a deal on a 800 that I couldn't pass up but sold it and got a 650 Can AM last year. IMO its all I'll need. Great ride, power and goes everywhere. I use an ATV for getting big critters (Moose and elk) out of nasty places, pushing snow, hauling and towing. Its a work vehicle but rides nice. Strong stance gives no fear on cant or rolling over downfall/rocks. I am not a big mudder but this bike does that amazing as I find out a few times a year when I just need to go and get dirty.

Lots of good options, just find a bike that addresses your needs and feels good when in the seat.

Three years ago I bought a 2006 Kawasaki 650. I wasn't looking for that big a motor but the price was right, it had 300 hours on it and was in good shape. I use it for deer hunting. I used to walk, but this year is my 70th and dragging a deer over a mile to the truck by hand has lost its appeal. If I had my choice of new rigs, I would go with a Honda Rancher, the fuel injected 420 cc. I think I would like to try the manual transmission, mine is auto and works well, tho. Fuel injection is a great plus. My Kaw. 650 is cold natured and takes awhile to warm up. It does not get much use but has not had any problems. It is very, very powerful. More then necessary for my uses. I would not hunt without an ATV of some kind.

Usually run a 48v lifted clubcar golf cart i camo,d. Added a vertical gun rack. Really no complaints till snow gets deep.
Been working on a tracked maxll aatv,have not hunted with it yet.

I've been extremely happy with my kaw prarire 650, 2002. I've logged about 600 hours on it, love it! 4WD, winch, power, hard to imagine getting by without it.

I have a 2008 Honda foreman 500 4wd with the electronic manual shifter. It's not the fastest machine by any means but it's a true blue work horse that has taken some incredible abuse since I bought it used from a older fella 2 years ago. I picked it up with only 200 miles on it and his grand kids put ITP rims and deep mud tires on it for him for Christmas or something. It's not the most comfortable ride but there's very little I've found it can't go over or through! I've sank it in rivers over the handle bars and it ran long enough to get me out..rolled it a couple times on its side...drove over top thousands of trees and through nasty brush and this thing doesn't care at all. The ITP mud tires really make this thing a ultimate woods machine. It will go up extreme steep hills and not spin the tires at all. It's a 500 so it has more than enough power as its geared to be more for low end torque than top end speed which is fine by me! I usually take very good care of my stuff but I've moved a few times the past year and switched jobs and trying to complete a house I'm building for me and my family so I've neglected my atv for awhile now as I haven't changed the oil or even washed the mud off of it lol. But it has no complaints it fires right up everytime not a single problem.

I worked at a atv/dirt bike/snowmobile repair and sales shop in highschool for 4 years and I personally think Polaris makes the worst atv out of all the manufactures. They are plagued with problems. Some guys never have issues but from what I've seen and dealt with first hand...they can be nightmares. For work and hunting I think Honda and Yamaha are the 2 most reliable and rugged with Honda being the victor of the two. Yamaha makes faster more powerful machines if that's more your thing. Suzuki isn't a bad choice either. My sister had a 2004 Suzuki eiger 400 that I beat hard in highschool. Sank it in a lake numerous times. Rolled end over end. And just beat it like I stole it and it never had a problem. Good little machine. Arctic cats can be decent machines as well. I've seen alot of electrical issues with them for some reason. Alot of guys can't keep the batteries charged on them. But I like their simplicity. I don't know enough about can-ams to say much other than they are exspensive lol.

+1, prairies are great piece to have around. I think i paid for the winch saving dirt bikes and small quads that were majorly stuck or in a bad way.

I have a 2006 Kaw. 650, they changed the name to "Brute Force". I bought it used three years ago with 300 hours on it. My first ATV, more powerful then I need but I thought I got a deal on it. It runs great. My only complaint is the Dunlop tires, they are two ply. I have replaced them with some six ply tires. Also, it is cold natured when first started. If I ever buy another, it will be fuel injected. I only hunt with it, I start it up about twice a month and run it around the yard to charge the battery. I have never had to use the 4WD to get it out of a bad place, I am not sure that 4WD is necessary in the hills, but it is nice to know that it is there if needed.

Artic Cat 500