# ATV



## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I am looking to buy a 2007-2008 hold over 4 wheeler. The problem is other than driving a few, I really don't know any thing about them. What make is best and why? I am looking for 350-450cc range. Got any info on where is the best place to buy? Any and all info will be greatly appreciated!!

Laite


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## verg (Aug 21, 2006)

I'm not an expert on ATVs but Polaris is tough to beat.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I drove many of them for work, and have a Polaris Ranger now. I would not mind having a 300 or 350cc Honda. They get triple the mileage of a 700CC machine. The plus for Honda is they are extremely reliable. To own one you need to know how to turn a key. Most of the others that I have had experience with you will need to know how to turn a wrench. The plus side of Polaris is they are 4X4. None of the one front wheel one back wheel on ice and the others just sit there. When locked into 4X4 they are 4X4. Some lock the rear differential, but I think only Polaris locks the front differential also. I looked at Artic Cat, but the rear differential was always locked. I wanted to use it on my lawn, and when I turned the Arctic cat on sod it ripped it up bad.


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Big question is..What do you plan on using the machine for..?

I have a Polaris Sportsman 500 and a Honda 350.. 
I love my Polaris for hard work that requires a heavy machine (plowing snow, hauling a heavy trailer etc.) And the ride is second to none.

I like to hop on the 350 and cruise around to check fence or buzz down to take care of horse chores etc.

That said, if I were looking for a machine in that 350-450 range, I would give the Hondas a serious look. Polaris just hasnt nailed that segment of the market yet.
Hondas reliablity is second to none. They are not perfect. IMO (reverse setup. fulltime 4wd and the ride is rough) But they are bullet proof and get the job done.

I recommend visiting the dealers and taking them all for a test ride.
As far as Honda dealers go, give Jeremy and the guys at Pure Honda in Minot a call, they are great to work with.


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## 25-06rem. (Jul 6, 2007)

HONDA 420 rancher, excelent fuel millage, plenty of power, selectable 2/4 wheeldrive. they are tough as hell.... i ride with every make and modle out there and after a day of beating the everliving you know what out of them, you know who ride the hondas because they are not in the shop getting fixed. yamahas are the second choice because they have diff. lock on them and are built good to. the yamaha 450 is a 421cc engine, and the honda 420 is a 420cc.

my rancher will do 58mph with just me on it , and 57 with me and my wife on it and still get 32 mpg. I've pulled alot of BIG machines homeafter a long day of riding.
There is 21 4-wheelers i ride with and only 7 i have not pulled home or worked on and they all are honda ranchers/formans. not trying to blow smoke up your but. but there is a reason why the honda rancher is always winning the 4-wheeler of the year.

Mine is a 2007 rancher 420 FI ES 4x4, the only down fall with the ES is you have to let it warm up alittle bit when it is cold out, or it does not want to shift properly. other than that it is an great little machine. so take a good look at one and you won't be dissapointed. the artic cats/polaris machines have a better ride but like others said you better be able to fix them. lot of up keep on them, the only up keep on a honda is oil change and gas. and the honda engines are the best for longevity. hope that helps you out.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Thanks for all the responses! A friend of mine just bought a 2008 Polaris Sportsman 400HO. It has a 450cc engine and only cost him $4500. I am looking for some thing in this range.

I plan on using it to drag my Otter Lodge/sled and my ice fishing equipment all winter, and get me around to prairie dog towns and drag deer in the summer and fall. I don't need it to do any heavy work, maybe towing my boat from the back yard to the driveway in spring and back in fall, but that is it.

I got a quote for a Honda 420 4x4ES from Pure Honda for $5300, sounds a little high for a 2008 hold over. I guess atvs must hold value well?

Keep the info coming!!! Thanks again!

Laite


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## Gooseman678 (Nov 17, 2003)

We have a 1996 Honda 400 i believe (stickers are gone now) But anyways the thing is about as durable as anything i have drove. Pretty much anything imaginable done possible to a 4wheeler- this one has gone through it. And lets just say it has 8500 miles on it and still runs like a charm! Honda in my mind the only way to go!


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## goosehunternd (Mar 10, 2006)

Honda is the way to go, I have had and drove many make and models of wheelers. My old man has a 1986 honda fourtrax and all he has had to do is change oil and put a spark plug in it once in a while since 1986, that wheeler has been road hard and put away wet its whole life, hauling deer and 2-3 guys at a time threw the pembina hills and it is only a 250. Take it for what its worth but I will onyl buy hondas from now on!


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## goosehunternd (Mar 10, 2006)

Honda is the way to go, I have had and drove many make and models of wheelers. My old man has a 1986 honda fourtrax and all he has had to do is change oil and put a spark plug in it once in a while since 1986, that wheeler has been road hard and put away wet its whole life, hauling deer and 2-3 guys at a time threw the pembina hills and it is only a 250. Take it for what its worth but I will onyl buy hondas from now on!


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## Save Hens (Mar 15, 2008)

Honda, or else Im walking...


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## varmit b gone (Jan 31, 2008)

We've had numerous four wheelers from Honda to Polaris to Can-Am. As of now we have a Honda Rancher, which is a 350. It is reliable but it dosen't handle as well as the polaris' and the Can Am for it is very tippy. The second is a Can Am Outlander 400 and it is the best we've ever had. LOTS of power, selectable 2 or 4 wheel drive, handles like a dream, and if you need, it is pretty dang fast too. We've owed 3 Polaris' before this, all in the range your speaking of, and they couldn't come close to this one. Can Am all the way now.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

> The second is a Can Am Outlander 400 and it is the best we've ever had.


For the price they better be. I was looking at a few while I was looking at Hondas. They were around $2000 more than the Hondas with the same size engine. I don't have that much to spend!!


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## varmit b gone (Jan 31, 2008)

Huh, thats weird, because when we were looking at ATVs they were by far the cheapest, but we didn't look at hondas either.


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## fubar (Mar 10, 2008)

go with a honda, i had the sportsamn 500 whitch was a pice of crap and the 700 EFI also a pice of junk. there is always somthing breaking and going wrong and we didnt ride it hard at all.


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## MN goose killa (Sep 19, 2008)

Yes, i do live in thief river falls MN. But i speak the truth polaris ATVs will not do u wrong. IMO it is between polaris and honda


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## Jungda99 (Nov 17, 2006)

I have a 07 Sportsman 500 and LOVE IT. I have had it on mill lacs lake when it is -20 and she fires right up. Turn the key and sit back in the fish house until the engine warms up a bit.

My buddy has a brand new Honda 500 will not start if it is less than around 10. When it does start you have to sit buy it and hit the throttle once in a while to keep it running. Warm weather it starts fine. If I am 7 miles out on mil lacs ice fishing that damn thing better start.

He brought it back to the dealer and they told him that it needs to be broke in before it runs/starts good. Thats a bunch of BS if you ask me.

If I spend 5-$8000 on a new wheeler it better start every single time I turn the key the first few years I own it.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Save Hens said:


> Honda, or else Im walking...


Honda, polaris, yamaha, suzuki, bombardier, kawasaki (they make atvs?) or else I'm walking. I'll take what I can get :lol:


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## varmit b gone (Jan 31, 2008)

USAlx50 said:


> Save Hens said:
> 
> 
> > Honda, or else Im walking...
> ...


Guys gotta point.


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## Riich (Nov 22, 2008)

USAlx50 said:


> Honda, polaris, yamaha, suzuki, bombardier, kawasaki (they make atvs?) or else I'm walking. I'll take what I can get :lol:


Buy the Polaris and you can still walk.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

My buddy showed me his new Sportsman 400HO last week. It was pretty cold, maybe around zero, but not terribly cold. It took a while to start and keep running, and we were in the garage, so maybe the break in thing isn't so far fetched. He had only owned the thing for about 2-3 days. I have heard that the Hondas with fuel injection have never had a problem starting in the cold, only the push button shift types. Any one have any info to back that up or shoot it down?

Thanks again for all the info!

Laite


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## trikortreat (Dec 10, 2008)

verg said:


> I'm not an expert on ATVs but Polaris is tough to beat.


 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: ......grizzly man....


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## SD DuckSlayer (Nov 15, 2008)

Tough to beat a yamaha! Besides they are the only atv company that is helping out with DU and other outdoor funding! Over1 million dollars sofar! Amd there camo quads actually match the terrain! GO YAMAHA!


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## trikortreat (Dec 10, 2008)

SD DuckSlayer said:


> Tough to beat a yamaha! Besides they are the only atv company that is helping out with DU and other outdoor funding! Over1 million dollars sofar! Amd there camo quads actually match the terrain! GO YAMAHA!


YES SIR!!!!! :beer: :beer: :rock:


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## duckslyr (Nov 27, 2008)

I have used Honda, Yamaha, kawasaki, polaris, arctic cat and suzuki. the honda was a 400 rancher and it was completly gutless, had a really ruff ride and i hate the electric shift thingy. the yamahas were the grizzly and the kodiak i liked both of them but they are really heavy. the kawasaki prairie was pretty top heavy and the suspinsion was really soft which made for a nice ride but not good for hauling out big game. i didnt like the polaris because those things are huge. i also dont like the plastic rack. the arctic cat was extremely top heavy and the plastic bleached out in a year(red one turned pink). the only one that i have actually owned was a suzuki eiger 400 and i didnt ever have any problems with it. the only minor thing was the seat was a few inches wider than i like. it was pretty peppy and didnt weigh all that much. it is comparable in price to the honda but rides like a caddilac. grated it doesnt have all the bells and whistles but it works just fine.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Thanks to all who gave your thoughts and opinions, they helped out a lot!

When all was said and done I ended up getting a...............big old "hell no" from the wife. She said she needs a new vehicle before I can buy a new toy.


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## Jungda99 (Nov 17, 2006)

laite319 said:


> Thanks to all who gave your thoughts and opinions, they helped out a lot!
> 
> When all was said and done I ended up getting a...............big old "hell no" from the wife. She said she needs a new vehicle before I can buy a new toy.


I have an extra pair of pants if you want to see what it is like to wear them around the house. :beer: :beer: haha JK


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

No thanks, I have learned you don't mess with a pregnant lady! She is tougher now than she used to be!!


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## Riich (Nov 22, 2008)

Give her a big spanking, she'll lighten up some. :beer:


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## bigpipesT (Apr 12, 2009)

laite319 said:


> No thanks, I have learned you don't mess with a pregnant lady! She is tougher now than she used to be!!


 :lol: :lol: :lol: you got that right sir!!


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

> my rancher will do 58mph with just me on it , and 57 with me and my wife on it and still get 32 mpg.


I'm trying to imagine a scenario where I would need to go that fast on an ATV (sportsmans style). 35-40 would seem to be plenty fast. I think that is why a lot of guys overpower their needs. They want to carry/pull max load at max speed but only need that ability 5% or less of the time. The sacrifice is that they give up mileage and and lose some utility/portability because of how large the machine is. It is amazing the load the smaller machines will handle if it is only asked of them occasionally and you're not in a hurry.


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## wish2hunt (Apr 3, 2009)

dakotashooter2 said:


> > It is amazing the load the smaller machines will handle if it is only asked of them occasionally and you're not in a hurry.


I agree. My 400 kodiak will perform the same as my 700 Grizz, when asked of it. It just does it at a slower pace.


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## Jungda99 (Nov 17, 2006)

When the five of us head to the hunting shack to ride during the summer. We have

250 BIG RED 3 wheeler
300 Sportsman Fan Cooled polaris
My X2 500
660 Yamaha
660 Artic Cat I think

Obvioulsy the 3 wheeler lags behind a bit but not much. He drives it like he stole it..haha I don't know how he is alive but he is.

the 300 actually has never had a problem keeping up unless we are driving on the road full speed.

That little 300 can actually go through more stuff than the 660. It just floats on top of everything and you can throw it around with your body too.

IMHO I think a 500 is the best all around wheeler. Plenty of power speed ect. but yet not a gas guzzler. And the weight is in check also.


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## faithsdave (Jan 8, 2004)

I have a Honda and Polaris, both 300's. The Honda has NEVER failed to perform, while the Polaris, well, I wish I had 2 Hondas.


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## MstWntd (May 11, 2008)

Get a Polaris 500, thank me later.


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## utahhunter1 (May 3, 2009)

SD DuckSlayer said:


> Tough to beat a yamaha! Besides they are the only atv company that is helping out with DU and other outdoor funding! Over1 million dollars sofar! Amd there camo quads actually match the terrain! GO YAMAHA!


I purchased a year 2000 yamaha big bear 400. Over the last 9 years it has been ridden hard almost daily I got it when I was about 15 or 16 and at that age i was not good to it and beat the crap out of it. I grew up in a small town in the hills of central utah. No oil changes or work done ever other than I changed the air filter a couple of times. It still runs like the day I purchased it. I now have a 2006 yamaha Grizzley 450 and it has had the same reliability as the big bear so far. Gave the Big Bear 400 to my 16 year old brother he now beats the crap out of it and it is still going strong


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## dogdonthunt (Nov 10, 2005)

If you do a little research you will find out that Kawi, suzuki, and AC all use pretty much the same engine/tranny parts as well as some plastic and suspension parts... they are all interchangeable with the respective machines..... this is true with four wheelers both utility and sport as well as dirt bikes and motorcycles... not all of them just a few...


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Well, after all that and about a year of complaining to my wife she finally broke down and let me buy one! I got a really good deal on a new 2009 Arctic Cat 550 H1 EFI LE. Hopefully it will outshine the lack of reviews, and the few less than stellar reviews. Thanks to every one who pitched in an opinion or experience!


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## Andy Weber (Nov 18, 2009)

Savage260 said:


> Well, after all that and about a year of complaining to my wife she finally broke down and let me buy one! I got a really good deal on a new 2009 Arctic Cat 550 H1 EFI LE. Hopefully it will outshine the lack of reviews, and the few less than stellar reviews. Thanks to every one who pitched in an opinion or experience!


I think you will like it. Everyone said the Hondas were number one all the way. I do not DIS agree, but the ES is not a good deal. When we go muddin, or leave them in the rain, or ice fishing and they get wet, we have had to pull three hondas back with a Arctic Cat and two yamahas because the ES quit working and the notch for the little foot shift thing was froze solid. Hondas are built well yes, but Arctic Cat knew what they were doing when they built their frames. We had a 650 Tony S at work with front and back guards, and it was rolled 9 different times and all we ever had to do was bend the handle bars back up, and once we had to patch a fender. The racks are solid. I have a 700 EFI single, so it lacks the bottom end power of the same size Yamaha or Can am thats a Twin, but it still pushes 73. I have tracks on it and in Low range, it will pull almost anything, and still does 35 MPH in low. 
Let us know how you like it!


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Well, as I am a first time owner I have nothing to test against, but put 23 miles on in a quick ride yesterday. Mud, rain, water holes, woods, it was great. Every thing seems to work as it should, and the heated hand grips were great once I discovered how wet you get hitting small water holes at 30mph. Got her up to 58mph with my big butt on there, I really have no need to go any faster. Very happy so far. I just hope last nights thunderstorm cleaned it off for me!!


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## speckline (Dec 13, 2008)

Have an 05 Honda Rancher and it is absolutley bullet proof. It starts with no problem down to -10 but does need time to warm up before riding. 
I bought an 07 Rancher 400 and it hasn't been anywhere near as good. Carb issues. The float corroded and it was in the shop twice. Once at 550 miles and once at 600 miles. Gas just poured out the overflow and wouldn't start. It is supposidly fixed this time, but I'm not so confident. Honda paid for the fix each time, but told me that they won't again :******: 
My dad also bought a 07 400 (they were a "deal" at $3950) and his has carb issues also. It starts real easy, but the idle gets faster and faster as it warms. It's going into the shop in a couple weeks. :evil: 
.02


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## snowgoosehunter (Apr 15, 2009)

X2 for Arctic Cat.

P.S. Let us know how you like it.


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## Andy Weber (Nov 18, 2009)

Savage260 said:


> Well, as I am a first time owner I have nothing to test against, but put 23 miles on in a quick ride yesterday. Mud, rain, water holes, woods, it was great. Every thing seems to work as it should, and the heated hand grips were great once I discovered how wet you get hitting small water holes at 30mph. Got her up to 58mph with my big butt on there, I really have no need to go any faster. Very happy so far. I just hope last nights thunderstorm cleaned it off for me!!


Glad you like it man! Those Dunlop Quad Max's they put on them in 09 are sweet aren't they?! A good aggressive but yet smooth and stock tire. The only down side I see to them is how high they are if you do alot of just riding and want something that "hugs" the ground better. But I like the ground clearance, I can go places no Honda will ever dream of with my tires and clearance. But if you really want to impress your Honda friends and go places, put tracks on it. If you can find them on a special or a sale, it helps alot. 
The two things I would do is for sure 1. Put an Arctic Cat grille guard. They will save your wallet in the long run. 2. It helps in the super cold to put in a heavy duty battery that Arctic Cat sells.
Other than that your set! Make sure you change your oil at like 200 or 250 of your first miles to get the dirty oil that went through the engine first out.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Andy, thanks for the info! Had one hiccup so far, some part (I know nothing about these things) went out after I switched to 4 WD and would not allow me to get out of 4 wheel for a while. I took it in and the dealer replaced the part and had the wheeler back in my driveway in about 5 hours. Pretty good service!!! I have over 50 miles on now and am very happy with it. I think tracks are a little out of my price range, but I know they work great. A buddy of mine drove his Prowler through the 4' of snow in my back yard and never even slowed him down. I will give it a good workout in Western ND at the end of May on a PD trip. Should be a great time!


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## Andy Weber (Nov 18, 2009)

Savage260 said:


> Had one hiccup so far, some part (I know nothing about these things) went out after I switched to 4 WD and would not allow me to get out of 4 wheel for a while.


Ha hahah man that stinks! But sad part is i had the EXACT problem. About 50 miles on it it would go out of 4WD then switch back in when I tried to switch out. It was the 4WD actuator. They were about to put it in but it started working so they didn't and then this winter it went out while I was on an all day excursion to pull off 12 shacks before the snow thawed and we couldn't drive on it anymore. Needless to say all I had to do was call in and remind them of what was wrong, they ordered it and in two days I drove in out to to the dealer, then had it assembled and ready to go in 20 minutes. But I really like mine still. 700 miles on it in a matter of months.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Yup, the actuator is what they had to replace with mine. I am not overly impressed by this because it seems to be a pretty common thing with these atvs. One would think they would have an effective fix, not just a quick fix for the problem. They pulled a new actuator off a 2010 model, so I hope it works better than the origional.


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## Andy Weber (Nov 18, 2009)

Mine they had to order, but it happened because the boot for the Diff-lock got torn on some ice When I fell through, and it got wet.


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## GSPMIKE (May 28, 2010)

So what is the fall report on your atv purchase?

Still happy? Any more problems?

I love the 550 powerplant. I like it in the smaller b-chassis that the 550 went to in 2010. My latest purchase was a 2010 550 LE with power steering.


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## Mark_ferguson77 (Mar 5, 2011)

ATV is also the Pakistani official channel of entertainment.


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

GSPMIKE said:


> So what is the fall report on your atv purchase?
> 
> Still happy? Any more problems?
> 
> I love the 550 powerplant. I like it in the smaller b-chassis that the 550 went to in 2010. My latest purchase was a 2010 550 LE with power steering.


How do like your 2010 550 LE with power steering?

I'm thinking about getting a 2011 model.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I am still very happy with my wheeler. No complaints at all.


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## blalock (Mar 15, 2011)

I totally have to agree with most everyone on here, but especially what goosehunternd stated. I also have a 86 Honda 250 Fourtrax which was a big 4wheeler in its time, and Im telling u that thing has LOTS of miles on it, and the only thing that has ever been done is changing the oil, spark plug, an filter. My dad bought it when I was in grade school, and I rode the ever loving out of it, and its been thru a few crashes, always held its own in mud, etc etc.
I also own a 2008 Honda foreman rubicon and it is awesome, and kinda sorta own (ride all the time.lol) a 2008 Yamaha grizzly and yeah it pulls its weight, and is a good atv, but its had ALOT of work done on it. Either Honda I own has never given me a problem. 
:beer:


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

I'm totally happy with my Yamaha Grizzly 700 - nothing but oil changes, very reliable for everything I use it for.


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## maple lake duck slayer (Sep 25, 2003)

Bought an 800 Sportsman last Fall. I only have 55 miles on it in 6 months(really the only miles so far have been snow plowing). I did manage to get a little actual riding out of it last fall, and let me tell you, for a 740 lb machine, that thing scoots. Top end isn't really important to me, but it is fun to be riding down the trail and hit the gas going over some dips and being able to pull the front end up no problem. Just by accelerating heavy it will pull the front end up and it feels like you are driving a snowmobile in a few feet of powder.

There are lots of good wheelers out there, kind of comes down to preference. Personally, I have always liked the suspension, steering, and handling of the Polaris better than anything else, which is why I bought it over others. A price at $5800 brand new(hold over) doesn't hurt either. Should be getting some miles put on it soon with snow goose hunting and the riding season coming up.


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