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ATV question

BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
edited May 2006 in General Discussion
I am in the market for an ATV. I am leaning towards a Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI for my property in Colorado. Any thoughts or suggestions on this unit, or is there another ATV I should consider for less money? Main use is utility, some trail riding and hunting trips to the high country.

Thanks
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Comments

  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    If you could go to any of the 48 states where would you go?



    Best trail system,

    most atv friendly town

    and where it's not so hot.

    Colorado?
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Any body know about these utv's??
    a dealer in Georgia has a bunch of them on sale.
    BRAND NEW 2014 400CC 28HP 4X4 LINHAI SIDE BY SIDE UTVS FOR THE LOW CA$H PRICE OF 5199.00
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Looking at 2005 Artic cat 500 4X4, Grinds when you try to put in gear. otherwise mint for 2000.00.
    Deal or no?
    What could it be and guesstimate on repair cost.
    Thanks
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Guys and gals...I am really looking at getting me a utility ATV (Honda Rancher or Kawasaki Prairie).

    The questions that I have are:
    1. How good are the Electronic Shift models or would you stick with a manual shift?

    2. How useful is the 4X4 option versus the 4X2?

    Most of my time will be on trails that are fair to good (logging roads in Arkansas and ranch land in Texas) with some mud thrown in...the trails are just too narrow for my F350.
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Are they worth having? What is a good engine size for a 5'9" guy? I havent ridden one in a while but I am looking at {elsewhere} and they are cheap.
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Why do you need a speedometer? It's just something more to go wrong. LED screen? Why? I look at these $16,000 utility vehicle and I think "why not just buy a truck". Don't get me wrong. A $8000 used gator, side-by-side, or utv is handy, but 16k for one that reaches 65mph? T

    Keep this up and the feds are going to regulate the heck out of all them.

    To each his own I guess. But is seems like the industry is pushing it.
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    For any of you mechanics or atv enthusiasts on here.
    What may cause an atv to bog down in mid/high gears. Its a 99' Kodiak 400.
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    I bought a 2y.o. Polaris 500 Sportsman last year and love it. I use it as a utility vehicle on the property. I would like to slow it down by changing pulleys. Is there such a thing as aftermarket pulleys? Will this be a huge job where I need to go to the dealer?

    Thanks guys,
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    I think CanAm is the best but I am not willing to shell out that much.

    That said,what do you guys think about Honda,Kawa,Suzuki,Polaris,ect.?

    I want 4wd,IRS and shaft driven.

    500cc is more than enough for me...I think?

    Been out of it too long and trying to find un-biased reports on the net is tough.
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    We bought the kids a Yamaha Breeze 125 4-wheeler a few years ago and now I want to sell it . I have listed it on flea bay but I have people asking about a title for it . Do all ATV's come with titles ? I cant find this thing ? Grr...Thanks
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  • dcon12dcon12 Member Posts: 32,036 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Boomerang
    [ Any thoughts or suggestions on this unit,

    I never discuss units. Don
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  • RUGERGUNZRUGERGUNZ Member Posts: 5,638 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Take a look at the Bombardier brand.
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  • civiliansoldierciviliansoldier Member Posts: 430 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I recommend the Honda Rancher. If not that model, then anything without a belt drive. As soon as they get wet they are worthless. they start to slip, then the belt stretches and breaks. Just my two cents.
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  • nyforesternyforester Member Posts: 2,575 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I own a 2004 Polaris 500 HO Sportsman. I have over 800 miles on it and so far so good. I really like the independant suspension. Power is good enough, especially in low range. Get a Winch !!!!
    I ride with buddies that have honda, yamaha, Arctic Cat, Bombardia, and Kawasaki. They can all get there, its just how comfortable you are getting there. Honda Rincon is my next machine, however it is over $1000 more than tha Polaris.
    Abort Cuomo
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  • 41 nut41 nut Member Posts: 3,016
    edited November -1
    I second the Bombardier brand suggestion. We have 2 of the Bombardier Outlanders. I really like the 4 wheel independent suspension and the fact that you can shift into either 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive. Great compfortable riding machine.
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  • KYfatboyKYfatboy Member Posts: 859 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Honda foreman with the eletric shift.
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  • dlrjjdlrjj Member Posts: 5,529 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Most of the folks in my area who use them hard seem to favor the Honda Foreman. I've never owned one, that's just what the guys who ride them tell me.
    Tax evasion is illegal, tax avoidance is an art form.
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  • KYfatboyKYfatboy Member Posts: 859 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The foreman is not A fast bike, if your looking for speed, its not the correct one for you, what it is, is A mule in the field, and A goat on the trail, pretty much bullet proof.
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  • paboogerpabooger Member Posts: 13,953
    edited November -1
    Polaris 500's are nice machines but gas mileage sucks!!!!!! Radiators are notorious for plugging up with dirt easily!!! Polaris have a lot of belt problems and in my opinion are way over engineered! They require a little more maintainance than a jap bike. We have a bunch of Polaris's in our club, most are happy with them!!!

    Bombardier's have some electrical problems, voltage regulator issues, and the new Outlander's have a tubular frame that crumples easily in a crash!!

    In my opinion buy a Jap machine and you can't go wrong!!! Hondas have been bullet proof in the past!!! Honda Rancher's are great machines!!! My wife owns a 350 Rancher.

    I have a Yamaha Grizz, with 4000 miles on it, never done anything to it but brakes and one drive belt!!

    Suzuki, Kawasaki and Artic Cat, are mostly made by Kawasaki Motors. Take the seat off of a Suzuki Twin Peaks and on the frame it will say Kawasaki Motors!!

    Im in a club here that has over 500 members, We have a variety of all types of machines, basically they all are pretty decent, they all take an awesome amount of abuse!!!

    If your looking for utility, I would recommend one of the machines with the automatic transmission, no shifting is a must! Avoid those machines that are full time 4 wheel drive, they are tougher to steer and handle thru the woods!!! Buy one with four wheel drive on demand!

    I prefer the machines with the straight rear axle for utility work, ride isn't as good as the independant suspension, but much more stable when pulling trailers, log splitters and stuff!
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  • brier-49brier-49 Member Posts: 7,103 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    take a look at these,it will go places the others won't.

    http://www.maxadventures.com/
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  • nyforesternyforester Member Posts: 2,575 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you are looking for "Go Any Where" then check out www.Rokon.com
    They will not stop, however they are not as fun as a quad and will not do the work a quad will do.
    Abort Cuomo
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  • NwcidNwcid Member Posts: 10,674 ✭
    edited November -1
    Me and my buddies all ride the Sportsmans, for at least the past 10 years starting with the old 400 2strokes. I currently have a NON EFI 500 Sportsman with close to 3500 miles on it. I have replaced 2 belts, and both have been in the last 200 miles. Belt 1 was showing some wear, but I burned a flat spot on it pulling a LARGE (obviously too large) tree getting fire wood this fall. The other one had a chunk taken out of it when I rolled it a couple months ago. As far as slipping when getting wet I am sure it does happen, but I am not sure how. It is in a semi sealed area, many times (I am the one in the group that does dumb stuff) I have driven with water up to my seat. That is well over the belt, and just below the air intake and never had mine slip. Mine is still a solid axle and I like it. 2 of my buddies have the new independant rear ends, which ride nice, but you cant go through corners as fast or in the same way. If I didnt own a Polaris I would most likely have a Honda.
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  • BoomerangBoomerang Member Posts: 4,513
    edited November -1
    Thanks for all the replies. It appears I have a lot to consider before buying an ATV it seems. FYI, the reason I was going with the EFI over a carbureted ATV is due to the mean altitude of my property in Colorado (7000 feet). I will be up i the San Juan Mts at altitudes of 10,000 feet plus. From what I have read the EFI ATVs are the way to go. The other issue is straight axle versus independent axles. I will be pulling old dead Pinyon Pines around my property, but not always. The salesman at the Polaris dealer indicated that the belts now have a lifetime warranty on them. I hope that is true. Especially in Southwest Colorado. I may have to drive a good distance to find a service center, Durango or Farmington, NM. I have no checked that out yet. Again Thanks for al the responses.
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  • anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have tried out most all of them, and I like the Kawasaki Bayou with the differential on the rear end best. But everyone I new in NB when I was more into ATV's says that "Someday we will all be riding Honda's! Think RED! I guess that is no longer true ... but I remember the "Big Red" trikes. Dangerous ... but what a blast! You can get Honda's any colour you want!

    What every you get ... learn to Ride Safely!
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