Buying a new quad! need help desciding.

168bergersapper said:
Im currently in the market for a new quad. Any recomendations? This weekend I was looking at a Can Am Outlander 800 Max XT and the Yamaha Grizzly 700, any feed back on these bikes? Mostly will be used for trail riding and hunting. Thanks.
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Get the Can Am if you want to get there first.
Opt for the Grizzly if you want to get there and back every time.

Yamaha has been tweaking the Grizzly 700 since 2007. Instead of being like most other manufacturers and playing the "lets see who can make the most powerful machine" game that results in new problems arising with every new machine and design, they've been making small tweaks to make a great machine even better each year. The grizzlies are well known for their reliability when abused.


As to whoever said Grizzlies eat brakes and bearings, I ride hard and have 5,300 kms on my 07 700. Replaced the pads once (race driven = $45 for all 4 corners!) and the bearings (Kawi Teryx bearings are the exact same as Yamaha branded bearings in a different package. Yamaha = $25 each, Teryx = $8 each!) all around one time even though only the backs needed replacing.

After many roll overs, the engine being full of water twice, constantly hammering the throttle, and hitting countless objects, the machine runs like new. I use the "drive it like you stole it" method of riding. The only issue I have had so far is a burned out stator due to a design flaw, but Yamaha fixed this in 2009.
 
168bergersapper said:
Im currently in the market for a new quad. Any recomendations? This weekend I was looking at a Can Am Outlander 800 Max XT and the Yamaha Grizzly 700, any feed back on these bikes? Mostly will be used for trail riding and hunting. Thanks.
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If you purchase a bike over 500cc, you get into the dual cylinders... You need to ask yourself 'if' you need the power & top speed that comes with, along with the extra weight and poorer gas mileage of the bigger bikes...

Also, I prefer shaft drive over belt drive... With shaft drive you can use the engine to brake going down steep grades...

So...

I went with a Honda FourTrax 420cc EFI (single cylinder & weighs 550lbs) because I use the atv for hunting & will never need the top end speed of the bigger bikes. Not to mention that the old Big Red 3 wheelers, which were ~250-300cc, were more than enough to pull a moose out of the bush... I also had a 2500lb factory Honda winch installed... If you ever quad alone, you will appreciate having it the FIRST time you get in a tight spot...

Last comment is, if the quad comes with electronic fuel injection, you won't be able to start it if the battery is flat dead... That's the bummer with this system... IF you have to boost the quad, make sure you DO NOT keep the truck/car running when you boost your quad from it as you'll fry the quads voltage regulator. So, vehicle off when you boost your quad...

Cheers
Jay
 
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canadian hunter312 said:
Get the Can Am if you want to get there first.
Opt for the CANAM you want to get there and back every time.

Yamaha has been tweaking the Grizzly 700 since 2007. Instead of being like most other manufacturers and playing the "lets see who can make the most powerful machine" game that results in new problems arising with every new machine and design, they've been making small tweaks to make a great machine even better each year. The grizzlies are well known for their reliability when abused.


As to whoever said Grizzlies eat brakes and bearings, I ride hard and have 5,300 kms on my 07 700. Replaced the pads once (race driven = $45 for all 4 corners!) and the bearings (Kawi Teryx bearings are the exact same as Yamaha branded bearings in a different package. Yamaha = $25 each, Teryx = $8 each!) all around one time even though only the backs needed replacing.

After many roll overs, the engine being full of water twice, constantly hammering the throttle, and hitting countless objects, the machine runs like new. I use the "drive it like you stole it" method of riding. The only issue I have had so far is a burned out stator due to a design flaw, but Yamaha fixed this in 2009.
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5000Km on a 2009 CanAm 650Max xt..... 5 winters of northern plowing (5-6 months a year), 4 summers of recovering Arctic Cats and Kawasawkis from the woods and bog holes.....and she's still going strong...... on my second belt but other than than normal wear-n-tear and maintenance.
 
flyrrad said:
5000Km on a 2009 CanAm 650Max xt..... 5 winters of northern plowing (5-6 months a year), 4 summers of recovering Arctic Cats and Kawasawkis from the woods and bog holes.....and she's still going strong...... on my second belt but other than than normal wear-n-tear and maintenance.
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My uncle traded his 450 Foreman with over 16,000 km(odometer quite for over a yr) on it a few yrs back at the local dealership that they still use as a yard bike for chores and moving around boats and such... All he ever put into it was gas, oil changes, tires and one battery.... Come back when you have that kinda KMs on yours.
 
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168bergersapper said:
Im currently in the market for a new quad. Any recomendations? This weekend I was looking at a Can Am Outlander 800 Max XT and the Yamaha Grizzly 700, any feed back on these bikes? Mostly will be used for trail riding and hunting. Thanks.
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My 20 year old Yamaha is still running my 5 year old polaris is a POS and because I missed a service date they(polaris) wont even honor the warranty. go with Honda or Yamaha is my $0.05
 
polaris is probably the least expensive and can-am is the most expensive.. Buy what is close to you for service if you are rural or if you fix your own stuff then buy where the best deal is.. I have worked on many diferent brands with diferent amounts of abuse done to them and a Arctic cat by far is the worst . Especialy the prowler xtx 700 utv. If you notice only a couple said they would buy one!!! You cant beat the new polaris 570 or the older 500 sportsman for a entery level atv for price and reliability..
 
conrad01 said:
polaris is probably the least expensive and can-am is the most expensive.. Buy what is close to you for service if you are rural or if you fix your own stuff then buy where the best deal is.. I have worked on many diferent brands with diferent amounts of abuse done to them and a Arctic cat by far is the worst . Especialy the prowler xtx 700 utv. If you notice only a couple said they would buy one!!! You cant beat the new polaris 570 or the older 500 sportsman for a entery level atv for price and reliability..
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Artic Cat and Polaris seem in a close race for cheapest machine. I can buy a 500 around here for about 6 G's base price in either brand.....I just don't want to is all....
 
conrad01 said:
polaris is probably the least expensive and can-am is the most expensive.. Buy what is close to you for service if you are rural or if you fix your own stuff then buy where the best deal is.. I have worked on many diferent brands with diferent amounts of abuse done to them and a Arctic cat by far is the worst . Especialy the prowler xtx 700 utv. If you notice only a couple said they would buy one!!! You cant beat the new polaris 570 or the older 500 sportsman for a entery level atv for price and reliability..
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polaris is one of the cheapest depending on the model you choose. start getting into the XP with EPS and your getting up there in price. no matter what you get they all break something at sometime or another. we have a 04' canam outlander 400 that breaks something all the time and has been like that since new, several shafts, all the gas lines after the fist three years, several belts, all the shocks being replaced twice in the 10 years win 3600km on it. they had me bent over and paying 50$ a pop for about 8-10 warranty claims within the first year with the voltage regulator that's three different dealerships looking at it because they couldn't figure out why it would stall and not start for days then just start right up with no problems........ that was fun, having to be towed out with "fail" on the odometer. still the nicest riding machine we have hear. bought new
04' 400 arctic cat, only problem with that one has been a battery and replaced a shaft after the bike was in water and froze over night and the brakes froze on it, we beat the crap out of it to try and get the ice to let go but it never did, the shaft did instead. ride is stiff and uncomfortable compared to the bombardier. has 1800 miles on it. this one was about 2000$ cheaper then the canam. bought new
06' 450 Yamaha kodiac. nothing has ever broke on it. most uncomfortable bike that's hear, doesn't get used much at all. bike is really small compared to the cat or the canam. sounds like $hit when driving has a weird noise to it when driving, don't know how to describe it. bought about 6 years ago
11' polaris sportsman 850 XP with EPS, this thing is a beast so far but only had it a month. comfortable to ride, a ton of power and can't wait to throw a plow on it for next season and stop using the canam to plow. tatou 4s tracks on it at the moment but will be throwing some itp's on it in another few weeks and see how it really handles. I've put 200 miles on it since getting it with less than 600 miles on it. love this one so far. we'll see how it holds up in the next few years.
 
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yodave said:
I don't know about the can am but Yamaha quads eat bearings and brakes, have a look at the Hondas. I have a rubicon with 18 000 kilometers on it, replaced the carrier bearing on the rear axle and the transmission at 17000 kilometers, everything else is the just the way it came out of the crate. When it was in for the tranny I bought a Suzuki 750, 6 000 kilometers on it now and have only had to change the oil every 100 hours
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I have 4500 km on a 4 year old rubicon and only changed the oil so far. The Rubbicon is not the fastest quad but the best and most stable one for hunting IMO.
 
The single biggest factor that'll determine how long any ATV lasts is where and how you drive it. Those who use it for tearing around in gravel pits, designated ATV trails and around the cottage at the lake on weekends won't have many issues with any of them. Use it off road a lot in water, mud, weeds, sticks, beaver ponds, rocky trails, etc. and you will be replacing bearings, torn CV boots, and eventually diffs and transmissions. There's no way around it.
 
I have had a 2005 Suzuki King Quad 700 since new. Good power. Very good ride and handling. 6200 km with no problems that weren't my fault. Motor is single cylinder and gets very good mileage - better than many smaller bikes I have ridden with.
 
Jay said:
If you purchase a bike over 500cc, you get into the dual cylinders... You need to ask yourself 'if' you need the power & top speed that comes with, along with the extra weight and poorer gas mileage of the bigger bikes...
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Well, not exactly. Yes on bigger weight, but not necessarily on the poorer gas mileage. I currently have at least one of each from all the major brands, but have been doting on the BIG Can Am lately. And riding with guys on 500cc class machines, if I'm not out in front, I'm burning WAY LESS fuel than they are to go the same places, at the same speeds. Fuel burn becomes an issue when you are in front, and on the go button hard, but if you are riding with other folks, you use less fuel with a big bore machine, due to not having to work it as hard to get over/through the same obstacles.

Also, I prefer shaft drive over belt drive... With shaft drive you can use the engine to brake going down steep grades...
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Annnnnd, no. Be it shaft or belt, it doesn't impact your engine braking. A belt drive machine can have phenominal engine braking. (Although quite a few polaris machines DON'T).
 
I was a Honda Guy for many years...I'm a FUDD...and a Farmer...on my second Kubota 900 Diesel now...Has a Hydraulic system...Very slow..great engine and hydrostatic tranny. Can't use ALL the ATV trails LOL
 
Varmit said:
I have 4500 km on a 4 year old rubicon and only changed the oil so far. The Rubbicon is not the fastest quad but the best and most stable one for hunting IMO.
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I agree the rubicon is stable. But mine seized up with only 2500km on it. Came down on a log and when it hit it went from idle to seized and stopped. Pushed the starter 100 times and it in broke free and ran fine with a bit of a tick. At that point I was done with Honda. No point sacrificing power, ride, and being stuck all the time for reliability if the reliably is the shiits
 
saskcop said:
I have had a 2005 Suzuki King Quad 700 since new. Good power. Very good ride and handling. 6200 km with no problems that weren't my fault. Motor is single cylinder and gets very good mileage - better than many smaller bikes I have ridden with.
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X2 I've got an 05 700 KQ with 5000 miles on it and no issues what so ever.
 
04 Yamaha 350 Brun 9000 + hard klicks 13 rollovers . One set of front breaks ,two sets of front wheel bearings , two spark plugs, one batt. Second set of tires. Sits out in the open all year looks like $hit still runs drives great
 
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