ATV duel
- Thread starter grouseman
- Start date
- Location
- AB foothills
Nice pic! We have horses as well, but for hunting they are far more work than any ATV I have ever ridden. But if I had more time I would choose horseback hunting anyday of the week.
Where is that pic taken gitrdun, sure looks familiar.
Where is that pic taken gitrdun, sure looks familiar.
- Location
- AB foothills
gitrdun said:
You are right about the labour of love part.
I new it looked familiar. Was thinking of heading out in the morning just south of there a ways to have a look around for some animals that were hanging around a few weeks ago
Funny thing about that, so am I ---takin' horses???crazy_davey said:You are right about the labour of love part.
I new it looked familiar. Was thinking of heading out in the morning just south of there a ways to have a look around for some animals that were hanging around a few weeks ago
- Location
- AB foothills
gitrdun said:
Nope, just a quick day trip to do some hiking and spotting for an up coming hunt. I will send ya a PM.
Someone was asking about Can-am (bombardier) and how they are. They have serious frame problems(frame breaking behind the footpegs). They now have a new frame which is a single spare running down the center of the quad. They did a test on the new 650 and after 1 ride the frame was bashed to s**t. The frame is the skid plate which is made from looks like very thin wall mild steel tubing. They also caught the front foot peg on a rock or branch and bent the aluminum footwell setup. All in the name of saving weight. From what i have heard (bombardier) has terrible customer service Re dealing with frame issues.
Other than that they sure look great.
I would put my money on Honda to get you there and back 10 years after you buy it.
I think a horse would be the ultimate hunting vehicle. But you got to feed the thing even when your not using it. And it leaks a black/brown substance.
Other than that they sure look great.
I would put my money on Honda to get you there and back 10 years after you buy it.
I think a horse would be the ultimate hunting vehicle. But you got to feed the thing even when your not using it. And it leaks a black/brown substance.
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Thanks for the heads up on Can-am. Didn't know that about them, but definitley alters my perception of them now. Nice pic's there Git'r dun. Horses are great to hunt with, but got there own set of problems. I darn near got kilt a couple times by the darn things. Still like 'em, but a quad is so much handier, and doesn't give me attitude.
Hey grouseman, I figure it's impolite to steer your post away from it's original intention with the "horse thingy". So to make amends here's my input. I have a Polaris Sportsman which works very well for me and has been 100% reliable. However it doesn't get used and abused like others that I know. The oil companies up north provide operators to access remote locations, all that I know of use Hondas. My neighbour ranches and hunts with me, and if any equipment can survive their abuse, then it's gotta be good. They've had Polaris and Yamaha and the past, neither survived. They are now bonafide Honda users. There you have it, from a satisfied Polaris user, Honda is seemingly prefered for ruggedness.
I posted earlier that I have a 05 Polaris Sportman 500 HO and that it has been very reliable. I didn't post that I have had to previous Polaris ATV's a 93 and a 95. That I beat the cr*p out of and the worst thing that ever happened to me on them was the rear chain broke twice on me but this was in over 5000 miles on the 2 machines.
I sold the 95 3 years ago and still have the 93 sitting in my dad's garage for him to use when he needs a machine around his property.
I try to pamper my new Polaris but with that said I did flip it upside down on my last trip up Williston Lake in Northern BC about 4 weeks ago. I had the machine fully loaded with my prospecting and hunting gear when I decided to try and very slowly climb a steep cross ditch with a 1 1/2' log across the top of it.
When the left front wheel started going over the log I felt it starting to tip slowly backwards which started my mind screaming "GET OFF" "OH SH*t" "WHICH WAY IS IT TIPPING" "OH SH*T" "AM I CLEAR YET" "OH SH*T".... The crashing sound that it made when it hit the ground especially with my little front window shattering was terrible.
I was about 10 miles into the bush and had been driving on a totally overgrown old logging road that had alder trees about 12 feet tall on it.
My next move was to get it rolled back onto it's wheels and get it started as fast as I could.......... It started immediately and all I had to do was gather my stuff up then straighten the handle bars as best I could and then ride back out to the cabin.
The only part of the machine that had any kind of damage was the handle bars got a bit bent but I was able to straighten them out good enough to ride the machine for the rest of my trip.
I sold the 95 3 years ago and still have the 93 sitting in my dad's garage for him to use when he needs a machine around his property.
I try to pamper my new Polaris but with that said I did flip it upside down on my last trip up Williston Lake in Northern BC about 4 weeks ago. I had the machine fully loaded with my prospecting and hunting gear when I decided to try and very slowly climb a steep cross ditch with a 1 1/2' log across the top of it.
When the left front wheel started going over the log I felt it starting to tip slowly backwards which started my mind screaming "GET OFF" "OH SH*t" "WHICH WAY IS IT TIPPING" "OH SH*T" "AM I CLEAR YET" "OH SH*T".... The crashing sound that it made when it hit the ground especially with my little front window shattering was terrible.
I was about 10 miles into the bush and had been driving on a totally overgrown old logging road that had alder trees about 12 feet tall on it.
My next move was to get it rolled back onto it's wheels and get it started as fast as I could..........
It started immediately and all I had to do was gather my stuff up then straighten the handle bars as best I could and then ride back out to the cabin.The only part of the machine that had any kind of damage was the handle bars got a bit bent but I was able to straighten them out good enough to ride the machine for the rest of my trip.
Bombardier/Can am is ####. I used a 400 to pull out my moose last year, and would have been better served using the old polaris 250 2wd.
Horribly underpowered. (OK, stop watching the stupid Can am Commercial and get out and race em... hardly Winning performance, you cant break 45 miles per hour on one if your going down hill for a quarter mile). Not only are they having frame issues, they're having suspension issues. Dont put a plow on it, they wont warranty your broken suspension...
As for polaris's, Old 2 stroke bikes are great. Get into the sportsmen series... And the gremlins begin. I fixed a few Coils this summer on 99-03 polaris 500's. And unlike yamaha's, they dont let you know they're going... One minute your bike is running, shut it off, and it wont start again.
Jamaha 350-500 bikes all have 2 Very pronounced problems, both occuring from the same situation... Mud and water.
Jamaha's have very poorly sealed transmission cases, but easily accessable drains. What good is that when your in the mud, and your tranny is slipping like a bastard, and you cant put the power to the ground? none. Secondly, Yamaha's have poorly sealed Ignition coils. Hit a big puddle, and your bike may decide to quit on you.
Dont worry it will start back up, but it may take 5 minutes (JUst long enough to make your belt slip)
But I've not come across an unreliable Yamaha.
Arctic cats are heavy, and like riding a couch. Differential seals constantly leak when you put the heat to them. (read, long rides) and in 04, they went to a push button 4x4 system that is poorly sealed, and prone to failure. Its easily fixed, but if you need your 4x4, what good is it.
They're slow, but not quite as slow as bombardier 400 class machines.
But they are vary easy to work on, and maintain.
Honda's are reliable, but I've seen some interesting electrical problems with the push button trannies...
OK, I left a few companies out, but lets all agree that all presently available ATV's have their ups and downs, and none are even close to perfect.
Horribly underpowered. (OK, stop watching the stupid Can am Commercial and get out and race em... hardly Winning performance, you cant break 45 miles per hour on one if your going down hill for a quarter mile). Not only are they having frame issues, they're having suspension issues. Dont put a plow on it, they wont warranty your broken suspension...
As for polaris's, Old 2 stroke bikes are great. Get into the sportsmen series... And the gremlins begin. I fixed a few Coils this summer on 99-03 polaris 500's. And unlike yamaha's, they dont let you know they're going... One minute your bike is running, shut it off, and it wont start again.
Jamaha 350-500 bikes all have 2 Very pronounced problems, both occuring from the same situation... Mud and water.
Jamaha's have very poorly sealed transmission cases, but easily accessable drains. What good is that when your in the mud, and your tranny is slipping like a bastard, and you cant put the power to the ground? none. Secondly, Yamaha's have poorly sealed Ignition coils. Hit a big puddle, and your bike may decide to quit on you.
Dont worry it will start back up, but it may take 5 minutes (JUst long enough to make your belt slip)
But I've not come across an unreliable Yamaha.
Arctic cats are heavy, and like riding a couch. Differential seals constantly leak when you put the heat to them. (read, long rides) and in 04, they went to a push button 4x4 system that is poorly sealed, and prone to failure. Its easily fixed, but if you need your 4x4, what good is it.
They're slow, but not quite as slow as bombardier 400 class machines.
But they are vary easy to work on, and maintain.
Honda's are reliable, but I've seen some interesting electrical problems with the push button trannies...
OK, I left a few companies out, but lets all agree that all presently available ATV's have their ups and downs, and none are even close to perfect.
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- Location
- Miramichi, NB
Interesting.... not one mention of any of the Kawasaki line. Are they no good?? They've sold quite well out here for a number of years. Good power, reliable tranny, decent price/performance.
powder burner
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
It might be interesting for you guys to know that out of all the states and provinces in north america, Alberta sells the most ATV's ! This was told to me by a dealer.
He also said that the raptor is the most popular for sport quads in North America
. No, this wasnt said by a yamaha dealer either.
! This was told to me by a dealer. He also said that the raptor is the most popular for sport quads in North America
. No, this wasnt said by a yamaha dealer either.
powder burner
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
zedex said:Someone was asking about Can-am (bombardier) and how they are. They have serious frame problems(frame breaking behind the footpegs). They now have a new frame which is a single spare running down the center of the quad. They did a test on the new 650 and after 1 ride the frame was bashed to s**t. The frame is the skid plate which is made from looks like very thin wall mild steel tubing. They also caught the front foot peg on a rock or branch and bent the aluminum footwell setup. All in the name of saving weight. From what i have heard (bombardier) has terrible customer service Re dealing with frame issues.
Who would have thought that a machine that weighs in at that amount could have a frame issue?
Whats with all the plastic on these machines nowadays?(panelling and skid plates to save weight WTF?) I liked the older style when you could see the engine. Anyone try to do anything on a Suzuki twin peaks 700? They look nice but are a pain in the A$$ to work on. No room for your hands etc.
Daryl DB:
Yamaha has gotten their chit together with the water/seal issue. My 03 kodiak 450 has been put through a lot of muskeg/water and I have never had to use the conveniently located drain plug. some of the earlier kodiak 400's and grizzly 600's had this problem.
My GF's dad had a 600 grizzly that would take on water, but has since purchased two 660 grizzlies and the water seal problem is non-existent.
honda and push button trannies do take some getting used to. I dont like them. You are given a spare foot shifter in the case that your electric shift goes screwy. You cant tell me that honda didnt torture test their machines and no problem occured with electric shift. If it didnt why would they bother giving you a spare foot shift? Dont get me wrong, honda has a good reputation, but i would stay away from the electric shift and get a foot shift model if they still make them.
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The spare manual shifter that honda includes with every electric shift machine is no different than including a recoil start on a quad if you have electric start.It is simply a way to get home should the electronics fail for some reason.I myself owned one and never needed the manual shifter.On the other hand,I did have to tow home a 700 polaris because he had battery problems and his machine does not have a recoil start.I would rather have some insurance that I will likely never need than not have it if by chance I should need it.
However,once I rode a rubicon with the hondamatic transmission,I sold my electric shift machine.There is not a smoother automatic system available and the engine braking is amazing.And unlike other automatic systems,you can shift manually if you like.
powder burner
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
gitrdun said:Kawasaki? - aren't they the same as an Artic Cat? I rode an Artic Cat once, figured that must be what a Sherman Tank feels like
I call them KawaZukiCats
ive not tried other bikes...... but the polaris we use at moose camp would be the machine for me...
been using the same one for 5 years now....no matter how ya beat it..
it still come,s out of the bush..
so ya my bucks on them
been using the same one for 5 years now....no matter how ya beat it..
it still come,s out of the bush..
so ya my bucks on them
just got an update from the polaris website...yamaha is not willing to put the money where their mouth is...it seems Yamaha wasn't up to the challange
no suprise really....just waiting for honda to do the same
no suprise really....just waiting for honda to do the same
