Looking at atvs for hunting and riding trails this will be used for moose and deer what features should I be looking at , I figure 4x4 is a must anything else engine size etc . Thanks
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Looking at atvs for hunting and riding trails this will be used for moose and deer what features should I be looking at , I figure 4x4 is a must anything else engine size etc . Thanks
This can become a whole loaded mud slinging thread of personal preference.
The biggest thing I can reccomend is to get out and test ride a few. Pretty much everything comes down to preference.
4X4 would be a must for me too and diff lock is something I wouldn't be without. If you will be in the woods more than not, ground clearance, ground clearance, ground clearance. Be it trees, rocks, snow or mud ground clearance will do more to keep you moving than all the power and the biggest power robbing tires in the world.
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Wait,I need a big bowl of popcorn for this one. LOL :moose:Quote:
Originally Posted by overtheir
I'm a yamaha guy but more important after having power steering I'd never get another bike without it
HONDA 4 Trax .
Glen
A winch will definitely come in handy as well. What sort of budget are you dealing with. For the money conscious guy you do get a lot with CFMoto. Not to mention the 5 year warranty.
musts, power steering, winch, mudlite tires or some other good tire, 4x4 goes without saying, automatic, don't need to go with the biggest out there, look at what you are going to use it for. I still use my 300, small, goes between trees, lighter than most does everything I need in quad, on ice or in bush.
Honda, Yamaha. Either will last for decades if you maintain them. A 500 class bike will drag/haul anything that you can shoot. Winch is a necessity. You can buy bigger but it truly isn’t a necessity.
I'm of the same opinion. You don't need big. You can only drive so fast off the beaten path anyway and the bigger they are the easier they are to get stuck and harder to get out. Unless things have drastically changed, insurance rates for larger displacement machines is higher too. So, 4x4, 350 or 400 cc will get you there and back, a decent winch (although I've yet to use mine in 25 years) and Honda or Yamaha for reliability. I see absolutely no need for anything over 450 or 500 cc.
^^^^Ditto^^^
Side x sides where’s it’s at now had two jd gators and a new can am at my place this year can am surprise us this is a new ca am demo 2 engine hours budy got we had way to much fun
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Limited use...we have one in our camp and he doesn't have access to 3/4 of our hunting area. But it does come in handy at times .Quote:
Originally Posted by js4fn
I've got a 1990 honda 350. Bought it off an old boss once he replaced it with a Canam 850 XMR, (he now has the 850 and a 1000cc). He still tells me every hunting season about how he misses the honda and how it was the best quad he ever had.
I agree. I have an 86 350 Fourtrax. Full time 4x4, shaft drive, tons of power and very hard to get stuck. A real workhorse and built to last. Not too big at all, I can pick up and move either end or tip it on it's side. Quite maneuverable in the bush too. No automatic, no power steering and I couldn't care less. I have absolutely no desire to upgrade, it's a great bush machine and has all the power I need for working around the property. I did put a winch on it but the only time it was used was to help haul out a bigger machine that got stuck.Quote:
Originally Posted by m1k3_88
Cheers
I own and swear by Yamaha 450 4x4 with Power Steering and dif Lock and Winch. They can take a beating and survive what I and one of my buddies can throw at it.Quote:
Originally Posted by overtheir
have been using Suzuki king quad300 for years. Great machine-wish they still made them. Their new 400 does not have diff lockQuote:
Originally Posted by BPR 30-06
Diff lock very helpful but not critical if you have a winch-much easier to use diff lock than winch
Consider putting hitch receiver on both ends and have a moveable winch
My preference is a manual transmission
I would only go Suzuki Honda Yamaha
500 is plenty
I have a 2007 Honda 350 TRX with the exact same powertrain that I wouldn't part with,either. The damn thing is bullet proof.Quote:
Originally Posted by smitty55
I have a 1999 Yamaha Big Bear 350. Full time 4wd, no belt, 5 speed, skid plates front to back with ITP midlite tires. I won’t even begin to tell you what that bike has dragged out of the bush. Thing is bullet proof and basically a mini logskidder.Quote:
Originally Posted by trimmer21
I love my 1998 KingQuad 300. I have hauled a lot of animals out of the Bush with that quad. Super low range and diff lok that bike will pull anything as long as it gets traction.
I only have 1200km on mine but they are hard kms lol.
If they made a 500cc EFI with same transmission I'd buy one in a second.
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Well, for me, skip the auto trans, skip the diff lock, skip the eps, 500cc's is plenty, a winch is needed, no lift kits or over sized tires, when the factory tires wear, put the same size on but with a bit more aggressive tread and more plys, you'll be good to go....
Many variables for the correct answer.
Side by sides depending on width can keep you off some trails.
Is the area you hunt more or less easy open area's or some very rugged trails.
New or used?
My Can Am is a 450 and has more than enough power for me and I do ride some rough area's.
PS is a must IMO on very rough terrain. Not so much on places like rail trails.
Used would be good so up to 500cc honda or Yamaha winch power steering 4x4 . Ok that gives me a idea what are the problens with polaris no one mention them
Nothing wrong with a Polaris. They start good and pull strong. There have been a few issues with electrical on the smaller models and some hiccups from time to time with parts availability.Quote:
Originally Posted by overtheir
If I was to buy a new machine today it would be a Polaris 1000. Honda and Yamaha are awesome bikes but severely underpowered for what I do with my quads, here's hoping Yamaha puts their side by side twin into a quad. Kawasaki has no ground clearance and burns belts like there's no tomorrow under harsh riding conditions. Suzuki makes a great machine but I find them rather bland. Two Can ams, one bent frame and one electrical nightmare.... never again. I'm still riding around on my old Arctic Cat 650 twin, she's beat to pee pee but still outruns any modern 700. Given Cat went belly up and is now Textron I'm not sure the new guys have the kinks worked out just yet Arctic cat had some strong machines with all the extra warranty you could buy but they would never honour it.
The others mentioned are mostly the tried and true older models, unfortunately everything is being built cheaper and lighter. Light weight compromises structural integrity.
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I have a Polaris 500 with EFI. I think 2006. Great machine, better stock tires, lots of storage areas, nice racks, back up lights, lots of clearance, nice ride, it’s never let me down. Would buy another.
Polaris suffered from 2 issues but it goes back in time somewhat. Hopefully, they've addressed it. Firstly, the company had a reputation of not supporting their dealerships when it came to valid warrantee claims. This of course landed on the owners lap and they had to fight tooth and nail for warrantee service.
Secondly, and I've had experience first hand with this, was the older ATV's had a belt drive rather than chain which would slip when wet. We had one guy in our moose camp who had a 500 that we pulled through every water hole that we walked through on our machines. It was a super comfortable riding machine though.
sawbill I haven't had a problem going through deep water with my Can Am.
My experience with them goes back quite a few years so one can only hope Polaris had addressed that problem. I think too that whenever a company puts out a product that has a particular issue its takes a very long time to regain a positive image. Think Pierre Trudeau and rusty '70's Fords for instance.
yea no one around here that I know has a Polaris.....was deemed a poor mans ATV and as usual you get what you pay for.
On the flip side...not to many drive Honda's...all agree probably the best in terms of reliability, but too expensive when you can get the job done cheaper.
That's where the Kowy's and Arctic Cats come in.
If I bought anything but a Honda they would throw me out of my camp.
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Have an ArcticCat 500. Used for work more than play. Knock on wood, zero issues for 5years now. Low range will pull a crap load of weight. No complaints, it's been a good working machine for what I use it for.
I've got a 1994 Polaris Sportsman 400 4x4 and couldn't be happier with it. It is a 2-stroke and smokes, but it also has a ton of low-end that a 400 4-stroke couldn't keep up with. It has no trouble pulling 2 wagons of hay stacked 6 rows high. It has seen better days as it is now requiring a bit of work to keep it running after 25 years, but I've always been pleased with its performance.
I've never thought that it could use power steering or many modern options, but a rear differential would be nice. It rips up the lawn every year when I fill the wood shed due to its straight axle.
As far as features in an atv, I decided after owning a few, that the following were absolutes:
- independent suspension. If you are gonna spend any amount of time on it, especially trail riding, your back and body will thank you. On the flip side, you lose some ground clearance when loaded or towing compared to a straight axle.
- fuel injection. No messing with a choke during a cold start and warm up. I found some machines to be very finicky in this regard, not so with EFI.
- front diff lock. Without it you are essentially driving a 3wd machine. Nothing more fustrating than getting hung up and finding that the one front wheel that is in the air is getting the drive sent to it while the one on the ground is sitting stationary.
- automatic. I did not like to always be shifting gears, especially when group riding where the speed was being determined by someone else.
- winch. If you are going to be riding alone, this can be a real blessing, even if you are trying to be cautious.
As far as brands, I have owned Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Arctic Cat. I have found that there reasons why Arctic Cat (USA) and CF Moto (China) have a lower price point compared to the Japanese machines of similar displacement. When compared side by side, the differences in engineering are obvious. Axle and driveshaft diameter, A arm and suspension components, frame structure - Japanese machines are superior in almost every regard in my observation. A pet peeve of mine is the braking system on Arctic Cat (now Textron) and Polaris machines that only offer a singular control, as compared to others that have separate front and rear controls.
I own both an atv and side by side (utv), and find that both have their advantages. The atv is more agile and able to navigate tighter trails, while the utv is a great machine for touring and hunting purposes in less confined areas, with lots of room for gear, and protection from the elements.
As always, your mileage may vary.:joker:
polaris sportsman, good value, reliable, I had a 500 then went to a 570, great for all chores and hunting.
Its heavier than most but Im not lifting it ….
Polaris will probably do the job. However I was turned off them a few years back, working in a transmission cooler plant that included producing Polaris coolers when they asked us to cut back on our quality control and leaktesting methods to save themselves some money. Only time I applauded management as they refused and subsequently Polaris moved their business to Mexico.Quote:
Originally Posted by overtheir
Thanks for all the input know to hunt one down and keep the mad money well hidden from the wife the kids the dog
I have been using Arctic Cat Alterra 400 for about 4 years. And I seriously considered Honda initially. I just went through side by side comparison and Honda was superior except a couple of things:
Rear mechanical drum brakes, I expected hydraulic discs everywhere
The rear suspension is swingarm, I wanted independent double-arm both rear and front.
I didn’t really care if it is 3WD or locked 4WD as long as the suspension is independent.
Electronic fuel injection was not a big deal since I’m ok with carburetor cold start, simpler is better.
As for mechanical reliability, I would politely disagree, both ATVs look very comparable.
The price point is another differentiator. Honda TRX 420 is 8 grands while Alterra is twice cheaper.
One issue during this time was a carburetor needle. The needle was bent in the middle of nowhere and I got my rig with fuel running through the drain hole, air filter, and everywhere. I had to abandon it and return with filter, spare carburetor, a jug of oil and fuel. It took me a while to replace carburetor, oil, and filter but this was my fault I guess. At this time ATV had slightly more than 170km and I had to ride it at least 500km to be sure it was ready for prime time.
Would I buy Alterra again? Definitely yes if they keep price point the same. Would I recommend it to everyone? It depends, your mileage may vary.
Quote:
Originally Posted by delmer
Now that BRP is no longer making Evinrudes, I wonder if Canned Hams will be next on the chopping block.
Aren't they two different companies? BRP makes (made) Evinrude and Alumacraft boats,getting rid of the outboard side of the business,but,keeping the Alumacraft brand with a contract with Mercury Marine for outboards. Bombardier still makes CanAm,don't they? It's a bit confusing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fisherman
No.Quote:
Originally Posted by trimmer21
One company.
Just different divisions.
My 2016 can-am ATV manual has BRP on the front cover.
BRP = Bombardier Recreational Products.
Not one company - used to be. They just kept the name for brand recognition. Bombardier Inc no longer has anything to with recreational vehicles - they sold the entire division off 15 or 20 years ago. The Bombardier family still owns a minority stake in BRP but this is independent of Bombardier Inc. The largest shareholder in BRP is an American investment company. So whenever you buy Can-Am, Sea-Doo, Ski-Doo and Evinrude you are sending the bulk of the profits south of the border but at least you are keeping some money in Canada as compared to any other brand.Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodsman
Funny my Cat has front and rear brakes with separate controls. As far as independent suspensions, can't complain as it rides very comfortable.Quote:
Originally Posted by delmer
Not sure what model you are riding, but all the Cat's I've seen have a single handle bar brake lever and a foot pedal. When you use the handle bar lever you get all wheel braking. When you use the foot pedal you get two wheel rear braking. There is no control to apply front wheel braking only, which was the point I was originally making.Quote:
Originally Posted by canadaman30
Yeah, your handlebar lever works all 3 calipers, 70% front 30% rear is how it should work. My mother borrowed my 650 twin when it was a week old and didn't realize she was on the foot pedal over 30 miles and melted the caliper for the foot lever. I took it all off and have only had the handlebar brake since.Quote:
Originally Posted by canadaman30
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I'm not interested in the others they are pretty much a dime a dozen on Kijiji. The reason the Yamaha and Honda are so hard to find is everyone wants them.
I'm still holding out for a Yamaha Kodiak 450 or a Honda Foreman. If I don't find anything this year I guess I will have to buy new next year. My son is just getting to big to ride on the back of the ATV.
These Bikes hold their value the 2008 Kodiak sold for 6 grand in 2008 and you can still sell it for 6 grand. I see 1999 going for 2500. Pretty sure I could ask 3 for my bike and I paid 2
Sounds about right, foot brake is rear only.Quote:
Originally Posted by oaknut