Hunting and Fun

I've had a few different ATV's and tried a lot more. Currently I have a Grizzly 550 EFI, EPS and have experience with different ATV's from the big 4 Japanese manufacturers and Can-Am. The Grizzly, I can't fault. As far as features, you want a winch. They come with a Warn mounted and wired in. I use mine just about every ride for clearing trail, helping stucks, etc. The power steering I don't always notice unless I get off mine and ride someone else's. It's definitely something that's nice to have. High displacement models can lend some fun factor but it's really rare that horsepower will be a limitation for utility use. Mid size bikes seem to do just about everything comfortably. Carbs are good, proven technology but having had a few fuel injected models, I just wouldn't go back. I find that parts if you wreck things are more expensive for the Japanese ATV's than the domestic ones but the overall quality is better. I'm sure that domestics are getting better but I still wouldn't buy domestic for utility. It's not uncommon to see 20-30 year old utility jap bikes still running and I think that's just a testament to good engineering and workmanship. I liked my Can-Am and I have seen good experiences with Polaris (honestly don't see many Arctic Cats for whatever reason) but I've also seen people upset and bikes parked in the bone yard years before they should be.

I think a lot of it boils down to budget and what's available in the area. I like my Yamaha but I really wouldn't hesitate to buy anything with the right features and price from the big 4. The domestics make some big horsepower 4x4's that the Japanese don't field much to compete with but that's really the only thing that I can say supporting buying those.
 
Receipt said:
I repair atvs for a living. I know ATV's of all brands inside and out.
My only serious recommendation; DO NOT purchase Arctic Cat. Unless someone lost a bet and is selling you his for pennies on the dollar there isn't a reasonable excuse to owning one.
Next recommendation; purchase Japanese. The quality control and engineering is leaps and bounds ahead of North American designed ATV's.
Parts availability is generally next day vs. ballpark week (Japanese vs. North American).
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You may get some flaming for this post, but I will come out and say I agree with you. Have 1996 and 2004 Hondas that just wont quit.
 
What atv dealers are in your area? I would suggest buying from a local dealer (what ever they sell) just for ease of getting parts and warranty work if needed. Saves a lot of running around.
 
I've ridden owned or wrenched on just about every make from 3 wheeler big reds to king quads and foremen to kodiak an grizzly's... Played with a few sportsmen and loved my old 400 2 stroke explorer! The rhincon(sp?) was a plastic nightmare but when they ran they were a treat... Guess my point is that all machines have there issues and even brand new ones suffer from poor engineering every once in a while... What you plan to use it for at the worst of times should dictate what machine to get... Want to beat it thru muskeg? Buy a big displacement machine, haul an armload of firewood and putt down trails? An old foreman or 300-400cc machine would save a lot of walking...

Hauling the machine around is a big consideration as well... If you don't have a pickup it can be a chore... Even then most new ATV buyers on a budget will buy a nice machine and a set of $50 ramps... You end up with a broken machine, scratched tailgate and busted ramps.... Think that thru before you spend the dough.

I moved away from the quads tho for a SxS, bit more utility oriented and if you need to haul/drag 500lbs of moose or get a weekends worth of firewood it's a lot handier...


 
Yamaha grizzly 550 , power steering, atomatic shifting, selectable lockers, dead simple and rock solid plow mounting....... mine gets used hard around the property all year round as a utility vehicle, towing yard trailers, heavy use plowing snow not only my driveway but 1/3 kilometer of road as well and of course for trail riding to fishing lakes and hunting.
I'm at 3200 ft elevation and get "real" Canadian winters. even at -35 on the middle of a frozen lake, she fires right up.
how can you tell I love my Yamaha ;)
 
I have owned...a 90 Honda trike, a 185s trike, one big red trike, two 250TRX's, two 350 Fourtrax 4x4's, and a rincon. One 250 4x4 two stroke and a 350 two stroke Polaris 4x4's, and a sportsman 500. I have owned three can-ams, a 400, an 800 outlander and a 1000 renegade. One Yamaha 125 trike and currently on a 660 grizzly.

For work and play I have also used Ranger's, rhino's and gators. If I was to own a SxS for around camp or a farm it would be a gator, for play and hunting it would be a Yamaha.

Of all the wheelers I would stick with a grizzly myself, so far it has been the MOST reliable and capable wheeler I have ever owned.

Just my $0.02
 
I have a 700 King Quad that sits in the back of the machine shop. I used to go on forest trail trips with it, then we got a 4 seater side by side, that was much fun, until the bear scare we had one day with my 2 grand-daughters on board. We have been seeing more and more bears around and I take my dogs on the rides, so I now have a small Sidekick 4x4 for the trips. It's better for us as a ATV, it's enclosed and the dogs can't jump out at will, and it's got A/C for those hot days and a heater for the cold days and an overhead gun rack.
 
Apreciate all the info, and it does make it more dificult to narrow down but for the most part. If i have the coin, Yammy or Honda, and if money a concern Polaris. Does anyone know a Good ATV form I could join to read more about peeps rides and models, farkles and mods they have done.

I am a bigger guy, so having a 500+ is probably what im looking for. I do want to "keep up" on the trails with friends, but im more concerned with gettign home without parts dragging on the trails. At work i have driven Polaris alot, they are nice and respond fast in my opinion. But as i read, i would like a real 4x4 or a locker, not slip or awd on demand. I know this brings up price, but as i said in the begining, want to buy 1 and only 1. I also want to wash it after im done riding, maybe a hose or a small hole in the trail, maybe even get some mud on the plastics. This will be my go to work on the property and fun in the bish ATV.

Hope more info keeps coming, pics are great seeing first hand what they can do, and a form would be great to ask more questions, or read more reviews from real deal riders.
 
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