Best ATV?
#22
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 17
I have a 2008 Honda foreman 500 4wd with the electronic manual shifter. It's not the fastest machine by any means but it's a true blue work horse that has taken some incredible abuse since I bought it used from a older fella 2 years ago. I picked it up with only 200 miles on it and his grand kids put ITP rims and deep mud tires on it for him for Christmas or something. It's not the most comfortable ride but there's very little I've found it can't go over or through! I've sank it in rivers over the handle bars and it ran long enough to get me out..rolled it a couple times on its side...drove over top thousands of trees and through nasty brush and this thing doesn't care at all. The ITP mud tires really make this thing a ultimate woods machine. It will go up extreme steep hills and not spin the tires at all. It's a 500 so it has more than enough power as its geared to be more for low end torque than top end speed which is fine by me! I usually take very good care of my stuff but I've moved a few times the past year and switched jobs and trying to complete a house I'm building for me and my family so I've neglected my atv for awhile now as I haven't changed the oil or even washed the mud off of it lol. But it has no complaints it fires right up everytime not a single problem.
I worked at a atv/dirt bike/snowmobile repair and sales shop in highschool for 4 years and I personally think Polaris makes the worst atv out of all the manufactures. They are plagued with problems. Some guys never have issues but from what I've seen and dealt with first hand...they can be nightmares. For work and hunting I think Honda and Yamaha are the 2 most reliable and rugged with Honda being the victor of the two. Yamaha makes faster more powerful machines if that's more your thing. Suzuki isn't a bad choice either. My sister had a 2004 Suzuki eiger 400 that I beat hard in highschool. Sank it in a lake numerous times. Rolled end over end. And just beat it like I stole it and it never had a problem. Good little machine. Arctic cats can be decent machines as well. I've seen alot of electrical issues with them for some reason. Alot of guys can't keep the batteries charged on them. But I like their simplicity. I don't know enough about can-ams to say much other than they are exspensive lol.
I worked at a atv/dirt bike/snowmobile repair and sales shop in highschool for 4 years and I personally think Polaris makes the worst atv out of all the manufactures. They are plagued with problems. Some guys never have issues but from what I've seen and dealt with first hand...they can be nightmares. For work and hunting I think Honda and Yamaha are the 2 most reliable and rugged with Honda being the victor of the two. Yamaha makes faster more powerful machines if that's more your thing. Suzuki isn't a bad choice either. My sister had a 2004 Suzuki eiger 400 that I beat hard in highschool. Sank it in a lake numerous times. Rolled end over end. And just beat it like I stole it and it never had a problem. Good little machine. Arctic cats can be decent machines as well. I've seen alot of electrical issues with them for some reason. Alot of guys can't keep the batteries charged on them. But I like their simplicity. I don't know enough about can-ams to say much other than they are exspensive lol.
#23
+1, prairies are great piece to have around. I think i paid for the winch saving dirt bikes and small quads that were majorly stuck or in a bad way.
#24
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 1,079
I have a 2006 Kaw. 650, they changed the name to "Brute Force". I bought it used three years ago with 300 hours on it. My first ATV, more powerful then I need but I thought I got a deal on it. It runs great. My only complaint is the Dunlop tires, they are two ply. I have replaced them with some six ply tires. Also, it is cold natured when first started. If I ever buy another, it will be fuel injected. I only hunt with it, I start it up about twice a month and run it around the yard to charge the battery. I have never had to use the 4WD to get it out of a bad place, I am not sure that 4WD is necessary in the hills, but it is nice to know that it is there if needed.