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New to Atv market

5K views 22 replies 15 participants last post by  lloyd smale 
#1 ·
I may be looking for an Atv for farm and riding up into my woods.I know very little about them but have ridden a couple.What models should I look for or stay away from?
I know I'll have to go with a used one,if any and I am not familiar with the various" track records" for quality or problems.
I'm not adamant about four wheel drive since I have tractors and a 'dozer for pulling loads,trees etc. This will be a chore vehicle or shuttle vehicle.
Thank you.
 
#5 ·
its hard to beat a honda. Long lasting and dependable. I have a 2001 rancher. It has 10,000 miles on it and keeps on ticking.
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^this ^ ^ ^ ^
 
#3 ·
they all make good units these days. If your buying used stay away from older Polaris's but even there newer ones are great machines. My favorite 4 wheeler of all time is the Yamaha grizzly. Its 700 cc single has lots of torque. Even the 450 we had at work was about bullet proof. Yamahas arent as fast as some of the other top end machines but down low its hard to beat and is a dead reliable machine but compared to some of the new machines its a bit dated as are the Hondas. Honda makes very reliable and boring atvs. Polaris has come along ways recently and is hands down the best riding atv on the market and if you have big money to spend have the most powerful atvs and side by sides if that is a major point for you. Id stay away from Kawasaki. Fit and finish is pretty poor and reliability (other then there motors which are great) isn't as good as the others but then if your buying new they have a 3 year warrantee that nobody else matches. Pretty tough to even find one these days that's not a 4x4 unless its a small machine for kids. Bottom line is if reliability is paramount to you buy a Yamaha or a Honda. but then if your buying used your going to pay a bit more for those too then the others.
 
#6 ·
JMHO from dirt riding for several decades-

you likely don't need some big humpin' pumpin' dirt rocket like
everyone these days seems to want. something around 300 cc's
will most likely get you where you need to go without burning a
lot of gas and ripping your eardrums and scaring away all the game.
before 4 wheelers were on the market, several of us rode 200 cc 3 wheelers
through all kinds of terrain and steep hills and had no problems as far
as being "underpowered"

one more important thing- dress to crash- always

you can be crunching your head on a rock or scraping
all the hide off your legs before you even know it's
happening.
good luck
 
#9 ·
You're right.I don't want a hot rod like my son had.Took it for a ride once and when I topped out in my comfort range,I still had 3 more gears ! It was a Yamaha Warrior.After he married and his oldest was born,he sold it so he wouldn't be tempted to do stupid stuff.What little I ever rode it,I always wished it had another,lower gear.
 
#7 ·
i should also add to not buy anything that you
can't either push off the top of you unassisted,
or can't crawl out from under because it's too heavy
 
#19 ·
You must be way younger than some of us. I am not about to put myself in a position where it gets on top of me. 20 years ago was another story. The plastic on my wheelers was all beat to heck. My 700 Grizzly has 6,000 miles on it and has never been off its feet.....I aim to keep it that way. I wouldn't want any less of a unit when I put the 60 inch Moose plow on the front for pushing snow.

I do remember when I was a young and would jump an 8 foot creek with my Banshee and run it through the gears on the back wheels. I try real hard not to fall off of anything these days.....you'll get old once too!:tango_face_wink:
 
#8 ·
Well, I've had yamaha 4 wheelers and liked'm, but in 2013 I bought a new Kawasaki TransMule 4 by 4, and really liked it.
I kept it 2 years with never a problem, and when the 2016s came out, I traded for a new on. I've had it about 2 years now and once again, zero problems.
They won't run but about 28mph, but they just sip gasoline, and are almost bullet proof, with more steel than plastic, and both 4 passenger, with the option to extend the bed.
 
#12 ·
I also have the Gator 625 and have yet to see anything stop or phase it. This summer I even used it with a chain to pull small trees and brush that didn't seem large enough to use the tractor to pull.

It is my farm transport to take me and my tools wherever I need to work. Heck I even drive it to where I park the tractor. I've had many a day that if I hadn't been in it I'm not sure I'd have made it back to the house as I tend to grossly overdo it too often.

My first 4 wheeler was a used (OK abused) Honda 250 Recon. If all a fellow wants is a 4 wheeler to get around on and isn't planning to haul heavy loads with it that really is all the machine a fellow needs. I gave it to Matt and bought a Yamaha 350 Bruin and used it until I bought the Gator and then sold it. Neither of the 4 wheelers were 4x4 and around here they worked fine. I'll admit tho neither of them would have done some of the stuff I've done with the Gator.
 
#14 ·
Can't go wrong unless you get one of those cheap generic China POS's. I had a Polaris Ranger for 10 years until I bought a new one last year (another Ranger), never did anything but wear parts and fluids on it.
 
#15 ·
I picked up a 01 Arctic Cat last winter. Chased a problem till just this month, thought it was fuel related. In the end a faulty voltage regulator. I just couldn't bring myself to take it to a trained professional.

Anyway, this thing is perfect for my needs. ~30 miles a year or so is all I really need the thing. I simply could not justify $6000, but $1400 as it sits now, I could. Went out this morning and started it up just to satisfy my curiosity, lit immediately at -5f. Granted it might need to light off at -25 ice fishing some day but I'll gladly wait for that day.

So I guess I'm on the side of little need for 700+ machines.


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#18 ·
Two years ago heart failure caused me to have little choice other than get a quad or quit hunting. I ended up with a Suzuki King Quad 400, and got the Warne plow put on it to "justify" buying it.

I really don't know much about ATV's, but this one has not let me down. Carries the treestand in for me, and carries the deer out! Got carried away and plowed out half the neighborhood with the last few snow storms. Only problem I had was a squeeky RF brake. Great machine!
 
#23 ·
ive had 6 yamaha atvs and have had exactly zero problems with any of them. There as good and as reliable as a honda but with a bit better fit and finish. That's says a lot because Hondas are about bullet proof too. In my opinion theres only those two choices and you wont go wrong with either.
 
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