Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum Which ATV?

If you were going to pick up a 4 wheeler (not looking at a side by side) in the $8,000-$9,000 range, what would you get and why? Going to a dealership. Looking at brand new options with power steering. Found 3 I like, but wanting opinions on why people would pick theirs again or why they would avoid others. Thanks for the input.

Honda 300 4x4 if they make em....good engine and good size to get thru the woods only u can decide now much power u need but I got machines for everything else

Honda Foreman Rubicon

Rubicon but they are a little higher

This

Honda Forman 500. Mines an 18 model and the differential lock that they come with now is absolutely amazing to me. I am a fan of the older 300-450 models.. I don't like the fuel pump and the fact that it doesn't have a pull rope or kick start but power steering and diff lock make it ok..

I bought a new in the crate Honda 420 rancher IRS for 6k from southern powersports in Chattanooga. They uncrated it and assembled it same day I purchased and picked it up.

Think you have your answer. Can’t argue with Honda’s reputation.

Polaris 570. Never turned a wrench on it except regular maintenance.

2 more votes for honda. I have a 1998 and a 2004. Never any trouble

I shared a camp last fall with a man that owns and runs a bear outfitting service in northern Canada. He and his crew are murder on ATV's, having to ride them several miles each way daily into their blinds and bait stations. I asked him what was the most reliable ATV he had found. He had to have something that would handle the pot holes, water, being able to re-start after rollovers in the swamps, something he could work on and such. He said thru the current models (2020), the one that served him best was Suzuki. He couldn't keep the plastic on, or the front end under, Polaris. He couldn't keep axles in the Yamahas. And no one wanted to ride the Hondas because of the rough roads and lack of IRS. I don't know if all Honda's have are solid axle rear ends or if it was just the one's he had used. The King Quads held up better than any of the others.

I found a rubicon with power steering and the automatic that can be switched to manual for $8700. I plan on going to look at it tomorrow. They also have a Yamaha kodiak 700 with power steering for $8800. It’s 20 more hp than the Honda, so I figured I’d look at it as well. And the sportsman 570 runs a little cheaper and also has more hp. But I know the reputation that Honda has, and they have upgraded to independent rear suspension. But I think the rubicon is my front runner at the moment. I want to go sit on them to be sure.

Thanks for all the input.

This been recently?

I had a 2014 polaris sportsman 570 i purchased new in 2014. I sold it this year only to buy something with more seating room for my family. I never did anything but regular oil changes and greasing. I wouldnt hesitate to buy another.

a TJ Wrangler with a 4.0........

Just reread, that particular rubicon did not have power steering. I knew it was too good to be true.

Yamaha Kodiak 700. This ATV has manual shift in/out of 4WD, whereas the Honda’s are electric/electronic shift. When I tried the Honda’s out at a dealer, the Honda’s I was on had to be rocked forward/backwards to get them out of 4WD (and that was in a dealer parking lot). No issues like that with the Yamaha. My Kodiak 700 is as rock solid today as it was the day I bought it. And it’s got PWS and can be steered with one hand. I’d buy another Kodiak every day of the week before I bought a Honda. Nothing against the Honda’s or any of my AlDeer brethren who own them, but they’re not for me.

I bought a Honda Foreman 500 5 speed back in ‘18. I wish I had saved up and bought a Suzuki instead.

The Kodiak 700 are very nice. I know a lot of ppl with Suzuki’s that really like them too. I’m still a tried a true Honda fan. They usually have fewer bells and whistles and keep it simple.