[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Which ATV? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 8/2/2004 9:59:23 AM EDT
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I've been thinking about getting a ATV for plowing my driveway, hauling my firewood in from the mountain and maybe an occasional trip on some ATV trails. I don't really want one of the big monsters that they have out now. I've narrowed things down to the Polaris 330 Magnum or the Yamaha Bruin. I like the Polaris's four wheel drive system as opposed to the Yamaha's 3 1/2 wheel drive. I also like the fact that the Polaris comes with an instrument cluster (easier to keep up on maintenance). However, I've heard of reliability problems with the Polaris. The on the plus side for the Yamaha, I haven't heard of too many problems with them and the dealer will sell me one for a great price (even beat the other Yamaha dealers). I know I could go with the ARFCOM adage and buy both, but I don't think that's an option! Thanks for any input you guys have! |
Agree. But I'm a big Honda fan and have a garage full of their stuff. Nothing from their Accord to their weedeater has ever let me down. I'm serious, between DeWalt and Honda, I should buy stock in those companies I have so many of their products. I just bought a Dewalt hammer drill just because there was a empty space on the shelf in the garage. ...nahh, I needed it  really......just ask my wife......anytime... she's home.....
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Magnum 330 has straight rear axle w/ monoshock and handles a trailer better than the sportsman with independent rear (although the hitch is still too low). Have had good luck with it so far (farm and fun use). We also have a 14 year old Honda fulltime 4wd (300 I think) that has been well worth the money and very few probs. |
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The only caveat to plowing with an ATV...it depends on the kind of snow you get. If you get really heavy really soggy snow (like, a snow/rain mix), the plow will basically fold on itself. At least, when we had an ATV to plow, ours did. We couldn't get more than a foot before the blade swung forward/down...also, ice storms would do the same thing. We were stuck doing the shovel/salt thing, even though we had the ATV specifically do deal with crap like that. Other than that...we had a Suzuki. This was well over 10 years ago, so I don't know what kind of quality they are now...but in the 5 years we had it (including me hitting a very large rock and really fucking up the frame  ), we've never had any kind of maintaince problem with it. Always started, always ran, never any hiccups or other failures. (I was 14 or so, "borrowed" the ATV without Dad's permission, and went tear-assing across a huge field filled with tall grass...and managed to hit the ONE ROCK in the whole damn field flying full-tilt. Whoops. Parked it head-in in the shed...leaving Dad to discover the damage 4 months later, when it snowed and he had to hook up the plow. Of course, the plow hookups were bent too far back to mount the plow...that night was painful )
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I have a lot of experience with the Polaris 500, 500HO and 700. They have a good 4wd system and great suspensions. It does well on the slick stuff, as long as you keep the gas on. We have had a lot of mechanical problems. A friend of mine has a couple Hondas. Very reliable but primitive compared to most other machines. Poor engine braking and uncomfortable compared to a Polaris. They do not do as well when it is slick. They have pretty good rebates right now. I just bought a Yamaha Grizzly and am very impressed so far. The suspension is close to the Polaris and it's 4wd system is better. Great engine braking. If you do not want a machine that size, they have IRS on the Kodiak 450 this year. Like the Grizzly, you can lock the front differential - none of this 3.5WD crap. |
 Ride a Polari or get towed by one !   On a more serious note, the only complaint I have about my two SP500's is that it's pretty time consuming to get to the raidator to clean out the fins after a weekend of muddin'. To pull the raidator, clean the fins, & reinstall is about a 5 hour job. The engineers could of done a better job w/ the design IMHO. echo6 |
Motorcycle/atv dealers are like gun stores... many, many a-holes and only a few good ones to be found. I'm changing brand next time (arctic cat) just because of my last dealer... If they had any biz sense they'd make tons-o-money. |
Artic Cat dealer here folded or I would have looked at them serious --- they have merit. |
Rock or cave dude? Lets just put it this way. The Honda Rincon, won the prestigous Baja 1000 its first year out, racng against full factory race quads. Obviously, you've never ridden/owned one.... 
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This comes from me as a rancher, although i don't do that anymore: Polaris all the way. We had a 6x6, and a sportsmen, and both were really good. We also had Mamaha's and i hated them. Never been on a honda, or a nagisaki though. Did i spell that correctly? Me thinks not. |
I sure hope their Utiliy quads are better than their sport quads. I have two friends that bought the Predator 500's when they came out. Lets just say they are looking at the Honda CRF450 now. Both had trannys that detonatd on themselves. They don't hold up well. And to top it all off, Polaris used Torx and ASE bolts to assemble the damn thing. Then throw in a Engine designed and built by Fuji Heavy Industries, and you have yurself one hell of a unreliable piece of shit. Thank god Polaris was stupid enough to offer a 5 year warranty(Unheard of) on the thing. |
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Yamaha or Honda, either one will do you right... Get a larger one than you think you will need, I started out with a Yamaha Big Bear 400, well after 2 years I said this aint gonna work no more, I want/need something bigger, soooo I got me a Yamaha GRIZZLY 660, now thats the one......... My buddie rides Hondas, and theya re good, but cost you more $$$$$$$ I like the Yamaha, just as reliable as a Honda, but costs a little less.... Also go ahead and get the 4 wheel drive, you may say I dont need it, wont ever use it, BUT trust me, you will want it after awhile of riding.....makes the day alot more fun... Oh and get a winch, if you are out riding by your lonesome, like I do alot, you will want a winch, JUST IN CASE......... |
You have the same idea of plowing a driveways as I do. Ive got a Raptor! Seriously the 600(Twin) Sportsman is awesome for plowing we got my dad one for his farm. No Problems in over a year. And we plow food plots, and the driveways with it. 
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I don't race quads I use utility quads like the guy was asking about If you had a clue I would go on -- but as it is I think this suffices. |
Maybe I didn't word it 100% properly. But, what i was trying to say is that a nearly showroom stock utility quad won a 1k mile baja race. I guess you don't see the significance here?!?None of the other manufacturers where even close to the top 5. I think the engineering of Honda products transcend the others by far. Just my .02 tho Performance, Quality, Durability, are the first thing that came to my mind whenI first rode mine. |
http://www.atvtime.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/003200.html http://www.atvtime.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/003179.html http://www.atvtime.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/003165.html http://www.atvtime.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/003171.html I go to many ATV boards this is just a few complaints/ problems with the bullet proof Honda. |
Hmmmmm....MILLIONS of Honda ATV's out there. Four complaints. You are correct. I submit to your superior argumentation.  In my experience, 65% of customer complaints are due to the stupidity of the customer. Like... "I didn't know you had to put oil in the engine." or "What? I can't take a 25' drop and not have the axle bend??" |
you want more Einstein ???? I am not going to tell you Honda's are JUNK, I will tell you they break and there are better quads out there in my opinion. Don't like my opinion ok -- like I care. www.yamaha-motor.com/news/dynamicnews.aspx?aid=348&lid=1&lc=atv www.yamaha-motor.com/news/dynamicnews.aspx?aid=343&lid=1&lc=atv 
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I'm pretty sure there are better racers, but a couple years ago my whole family (Father, Mother, brother and his family, sister and her family.....) got together for a group deal on a bunch of Polaris, Sportsman 500 and 600 twins mostly, with a couple of smaller thrown in for younger kids (I think 11 total). The only problems we've had with them is that my Sisters step son seems to take great pleasure in wrecking his and his fathers. I use mine mostly for scouting before hunts, or just trail rinding. My father bought a trailer for his and some kind of lawn mower or something. I've previously used the 6 wheelers on big winery jobsites in Nor Cal, they always worked and always worked hard, so I knew Polaris would be good when we got the quads. |
The Honda Fourtrax Foreman 450 is one of the longest production designs Honda has. It has been proven through and through. Farm-tough and still does well on the trails with the 2/4 wheel capability. Replace the stock tires and you'll really have something... Many choices, many considerations and a wide range of spending involved.... Good luck Brother.... 
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What are you really trying to say? ....LOL!!!!! 
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Interesting every picture I see of special operators in Afghanistan shown on ATV's were on a Polaris ? |
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I would just see which feels right. You're going to be riding it not us. If it feels awful under the seat but is a Honda, well that wouldn't make any sense to purchase it. I know guys who own each make. Each has a bitch about something. There are things I don't like on my Honda and things on little Ramjet's Polaris that are queer in design. Nothing is a perfect machine. I guess you need to make a list of what is important to you, then see what machine fits that list. My list is something like this. 1. Handling 2. Features 3. Cost 4. Parts 5. Service - Support 6. Looks 7. Ease of maintenance 8. Range 9. History |
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Found a good site thought I would pass it on www.powersportsnetwork.com/enthusiasts/review_list_mfg.asp?cat=2&catdesc=ATVs&year=2004&mfg=3&go=Go Take everything with a grain of salt few people will shell out major bucks and admit they screwed up -- I would and have. Others stand by their purchase no matter what because they are to stubborn to tell the truth. Honda owners mostly . |