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Looking for an ATV

Fishnbeer

Fishnbeer

The dude abides
Joined
Jun 8, 2020
Member Number
1907
Messages
527
Loc
CA
Buddy and I are looking into a ATV for utility use. We both only have dirt bike experience so we dont have a clue what to look for. He bought some property and need them for running around, haulin dead animals and general utility use. Used ones in my area are pretty beat, or they want a kings ransome for a 7yr old machine. Leaning towards a new machine.

Not looking for a hardcore dirt slayer. Need 4x4, ability to tow small trailer, racks, winch would be a plus but not a deal breaker.

Looking at different ones with cvt trans, i think honda had a dct trans. Power steering seems pretty rad. I saw the tracker machines at bass pro but they seem kinda cheesy.

Stick with a big mfr? Hard to beat a honda. What to avoid? Try to keep it around $7k out the door
 
Can am makes a great machine, as does yamaha and Honda. Polaris and kawasaki have been abit if a mixed bag for reliability. My friends who had the Hondas with the automatic transmission had a lot of issues.
So much that they warned me off of them.
Racks are much more useful than the sport machines without them, but if you can get a good deal on a sport machine without a front rack you can probably add one.
I tow a small utility trailer with mine for all kinds of gardening, tree trimming and work around the property. Plow snow with it in the winter.
 
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I’ve got a can am 570 that I’m mostly happy with. I had to replace the fuel pump about a week after the warranty expired, so that was disappointing, but as far as a deer lease riding around utility vehicle that’s cheaper and less convenient than a sxs, it’s been pretty alright.
 
Bought a Yamaha Kodiak in 2020 just before Covid started. Great machine that fits my needs very well. I use it mainly for work. It was a major upgrade from the 2004 Honda Rubicon it replaced. I’ve had zero issues with the Yamaha minus a battery that died during cold weather when I didn’t have a trickle charge on it.
 
I'm a little partial because I have a 2016, but Grizzly 700s are the top in this segment. Best all around performance and reliability. Can Am's have more power but suffer from more reliability issues on average.

I use mine as a utility machine 90% of the time, plowing, trailers, york rake, and 10% of the time, I'm trail riding with friends. It does both pretty well. All my friends have Raptors and sport quads, and I keep up with them in the woods with no issues. Stock shocks leave a little to be desired when riding on the aggressive end of the spectrum but its to be expected with OEM shocks on a 700lb machine.

20220430_151548-jpg.527591


Kodiaks are very similar, but have suspension differences and different clutch weights so they are more subdued, they are also 2" or so narrower than the grizzly is.
 
Around here $7K will only get you a clapped out, ill-maintained, abused POS. Yamaha will be the best, IMHO. A friend had an Arctic Cat, worst designed junk I've ever seen (that particular one anyway, the fuel pump would only last a couple of months. The pump wouldn't fail but the seal that fed the main fuel line would).
 
I have a base model '18 Honda Rancher for maintenance around mom's place. My old man bought it new because like you said the used market is a joke. It's 4x4, fuel injected and has a 2500lb winch but otherwise no frills. Manual shift, manual steering but it does every utility quad thing I've needed.
 
Everyone says Hondas are dependable, but they are heavy and slow.

With that price range you just as well buy new.

I have an older Kawasaki 700 that I love. V-twin. but bought a Yamaha Kodiak and am really impressed with the simplicity of it.
So another vote for a Yamaha, grizzly or kodiak.
 
Buy a honda if you are gonna putt around a farm at 5mph and it will never fail on you. My father in law managed to wear out a 2000ish foreman 420 drivetrain in 8 years on his farm (probably rides 10 miles a day or more) but the engine still runs Had @11000 miles on it when the odometer stopped working . Now he has an 08 foreman 500 with 9000 miles on it and still going. Honda will be the 2 door 4 cyl commuter sedan of a 4wd atv at best unless you get up into the higher priced models.

For 7k I'd be saving a little more money up and at least looking at a new Kodiak with power steering which will give you way better ride, power, and handling. You guys coming from dirt bikes would more likely prefer the sportiness and more aggressive riding position of the grizzly 700 though. I've got two grizzlies a 2011 550 and a 2021 700 SE with Power steering and they are both great machines. As previously stated the Kodiak is more aimed at the guy who works his atv m-f and then goes out to trail ride a few weekends a year. The grizzly is more suited to 'spirited' trail riding and can still do the work at the same time.

One other thing to note about the yamaha drivetrain is that the belt is a constant tension setup with a centrifugal wet clutch feeding power to the primary, This adds a tremendous amount of belt life and reduces slip and heat which is what absolutely torches belts on Can ams, Polars, and Kawasakis.

my two pennies

700 woods.jpg
 
I bought a new 700 Grizzly in 2007 when they first came out. It has 3500 miles on it now, most of that is either plowing snow or hauling a 5x8 trailer full of logs for firewood.
It has been the most trouble free rig I have ever owned.
 
A 700 will do everything a 400 will do easier.


I’m biased to Honda and Yamaha. There is a reason the first ATV I had in mind for you, and the first suggestion, was a Foreman or a rancher.
 
Nother vote for grizzly...had a 700 was a good quad, get power steering as it awesome if you hit a rock at speed the steering doesn't jerk out of your hand and the 700 will get out of its own way in the soft sand...

I have a Polaris 1k now...it's nice but I prefer the grizzly..

Whatever you get..get independent rear suspension, and pwr steering
 
ConwayMuddy said:
Samurai sidekick or tracker
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This. Cheaper and can be made into whatever your imagination can come up with. But, to add info to the op's question, I have a Polaris Xpedition 425 4x4 that I bought new in 2000. Ive treated it like a redheaded stepchild for 23 years. Its been dead reliable and TRUE 4 wheel drive. No bs belt drive. 5 speed manual trans. Its a goat. If I could find another in decent shape, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
 
When I came home from the sand box in 2010 I wanted 2 things(well except fer the obvious) a 454 super redhawk and a quad. I picked up a 06 artic cat 400 vp. It's been pretty reliable. It only seems to get used during hunting season. I want to change that since it's 'steet legal' in az.
 
RUGER said:
When I came home from the sand box in 2010 I wanted 2 things(well except fer the obvious) a 454 super redhawk and a quad. I picked up a 06 artic cat 400 vp. It's been pretty reliable. It only seems to get used during hunting season. I want to change that since it's 'steet legal' in az.
Click to expand...
How have the plastics held up on that machine? my BIL bought the same atv for his wife new and the fenders are about to fall off of it, and she doesnt ride hard at all... mainly just putting around the farm.
 
Plastic is holding up good. The plastic clips that hold them together might be broke.
 
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