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4x4 ATV question?

NighthawkNighthawk Member Posts: 12,022 ✭✭✭
edited August 2013 in General Discussion
Ive been thinking about buying a new 4 wheeler, hunting Season opens soon. Ive got a 2004 Honda that I have babied since I bought it new back then, would like to trade it in while it still has some trade in value. Im looking at another Honda but the Artic Cat is looking back at me. It has to be a 4x4 450 CC's or above and water cooled. Anyone have any comments on the above 2? Or any other recommendations?? Or good history with any particular ATV?
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    gjshawgjshaw Member Posts: 14,697 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Last year I had a Polaris sportsman 700 4x4 and had no problems at all with it. A guy at
    Our hunt club wanted it more than me so iI sold it to him and bought a pPolaris ranger 800 xp. Buy what ever make you can get service on locally. I like Polaris products.p
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    shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,815 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Can not go wrong with a Honda. EVER
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    firechieffirechief Member Posts: 605 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I too had a Polaris 700 that I used on the farm. Best machine I ever owned.
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    sxsnufsxsnuf Member Posts: 2,945 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Honda
    Arrivederci gigi
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    jltrentjltrent Member Posts: 9,219 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Honda highly recommended also.
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    jimdeerejimdeere Member, Moderator Posts: 25,707 ******
    edited November -1
    Get one with power steering. You'll love it.
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    select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,453 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Been wanting a used one, PM me with what you have, hours on it, and what you need?
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    JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a 2 wd that can do anything the 4wd can except get stuck further in the woods.
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    BoltactionManBoltactionMan Member Posts: 2,048 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There is no decision between Arctic Cat and Honda. The ones we have at the farm (mid 2000's) the Honda is smaller, starts faster, runs quieter, the transmission on the AC whines constantly.

    KC
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    MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,976 ******
    edited November -1
    "Ive got a 2004 Honda that I have babied" .........good lord, why?...these are bullet proof, stick with it.
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    gearheaddadgearheaddad Member Posts: 15,096 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    "Ive got a 2004 Honda that I have babied" .........good lord, why?...these are bullet proof, stick with it.

    +1
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    AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,064 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here is what I have seen on the ATV club:
    Suzuki King Quad is great but the frame breaks at 10,000 miles. Also the transmission has no "Park".

    Can Am does good but drive line breaks at the u-joints after 5,000 miles. 4wd doesn't engage until 1 revolution of wheel.

    Honda runs forever but doesn't have the range or suspension to run with the big dogs.

    Polaris has the range and suspension, has solved the lurching problem with the new frame (XP models).

    I have 2 Polaris 500 Sportsman. No problems, not a service bay queen.
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
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    11BravoCrunchie11BravoCrunchie Member Posts: 33,423 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    What's wrong with the one you have?
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    Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,372 ******
    edited November -1
    Stick with Honda, or possibly go Yamaha.[:)]
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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    jltrentjltrent Member Posts: 9,219 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A lot of the people I have worked with over the years that bought something else wish they had gotten a Honda. If you are into racing then maybe something else.
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    AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,064 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jltrent
    A lot of the people I have worked with over the years that bought something else wish they had gotten a Honda. If you are into racing then maybe something else.


    Not racing them but we do regularly ride over 100 miles in a day, over very varied terrain. Belts I have seen last over 10,000 miles. So belts are not a problem.

    Again Hondas are great and the farmers up here use them and abuse them and they run and run.

    But they don't have the suspension and range to ride 100 plus miles in a day.
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
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    JimmyJackJimmyJack Member Posts: 5,401 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think you are blowing smoke when requesting a water cooled engine. Ive yet to see one in that size range in Honda engines?
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    rscoleman88rscoleman88 Member Posts: 4,250
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by shilowar
    Can not go wrong with a Honda. EVER


    Yup. Screw Polaris
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    Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,372 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rscoleman88
    quote:Originally posted by shilowar
    Can not go wrong with a Honda. EVER


    Yup. Screw Polaris
    Unless your preference is for rattles and squeaks and breaking down.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
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    select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,453 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Now you guys hush up, he needs to sell it to me. Never had a ATV.. and won't ride one just a few hours a year. His would be great.
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    rscoleman88rscoleman88 Member Posts: 4,250
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mr. Perfect
    quote:Originally posted by rscoleman88
    quote:Originally posted by shilowar
    Can not go wrong with a Honda. EVER


    Yup. Screw Polaris
    Unless your preference is for rattles and squeaks and breaking down.


    Indeed. Or having to pull the cover to dry the belt so it'll move again.
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    wolfpackwolfpack Member Posts: 1,152 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Listen to Alpine. I have both a Polaris Sportsman 500 and a Honda 350 Rancher. Alpine is spot on with his assessment.
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    NighthawkNighthawk Member Posts: 12,022 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:JimmyJack Posted - 07/31/2013 : 1:11:47 PM
    I think you are blowing smoke when requesting a water cooled engine. Ive yet to see one in that size range in Honda engines?

    Then you my friend have not been to MK IV Honda have you? Neither did I say what I was buying, or did I??

    select-fire, My Bro in law says he wants it for what they offer me for trade in. If it dont work out I will let you know first. Its a good 4 wheeler, just has 13,500+ very babied miles on her.
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    OakieOakie Member Posts: 40,519 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have two arctic cat 400 and 500. They are an 03 and 05. I wouldn't sell them for anything. I just can't kill them. We ride them almost every other weekend at our cabin. Go arctic cat and don't look back. Oak
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    TrinityScrimshawTrinityScrimshaw Member Posts: 9,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    DO NOT BUY AN ARTIC CAT!

    I used to work part time at our local Gander MNT, and we sold them there for the first two years after we opened. Gander dropped them because of all the breakdowns & returns. If you baby them they may hold up, but they seem to resist being put through any rough paces.

    You probably will not go wrong with another Honda, unless you want to haul a lot of weight. The transmissions are the weak area on a Honda ATV. Can Am's are nice but costly. Polaris has been around for a long time, and seem to have a corner on most of the ATV market.

    I have a 2004 700 Sportsman that is a brute & I have had almost zero trouble with it.

    Trinity +++
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    rscoleman88rscoleman88 Member Posts: 4,250
    edited November -1
    I bought my Rancher (4X4 foot shift) in February 05. Two months later my cousin bought a Polaris 500, don't remember what it was called, after six months he was so sick of working on that crap pile he decided to trade. Not one dealership, Polaris included, would trade for a used Polaris.
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    HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998 ✭
    edited November -1
    Another Vote for Polaris - Love My '07 700 XP Ranger
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    Chief ShawayChief Shaway Member, Moderator Posts: 6,199 ******
    edited November -1
    Gotta a Arctic Cat. Manual trans., 4x4. I have no complaints. It's a 2002
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    LesWVaLesWVa Member Posts: 10,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Locally speaking.

    You never see an Arctic Cat these days. A few years ago you saw a lot of them and the owners all had the same thing to say. Avoid them at all cost for they have to many electrical problems. I have saw them go into a full electrical wiring melt down to blowing every fuse in the fuse block four or five times in one day. Then parts were a pain to get. One dealer went completely out of business and the other closed down and reopened as a Polaris dealer.

    Polaris makes a good riding ATV. A lot of people have had the front wheel bearings, tie rods, ball joints and axles (both ends) to fail them. Same problems with the Rangers. The 2011 and newer 900 RZR's. I have yet to see or here of one making it past 5 to 600 miles without the carrier bearing blowing apart. The RZR owners will not pay Polaris $300+ for a drive shaft assemble like Polaris says needs to be done to fix the problem. Instead they are installing $80 Carrier bearings for a 2011 Toyota Tacoma pickup in their 2011 and newer 900 RZR's. Which happens to be an exact fit.

    Kawasaki Brute Force 650 and 750's. 2004 to 2010. Love and hate relation. People loved them when they ran correctly. Hated them when the front axles, CDI boxes, Coil, Cams or drive Belts failed which was often. Ride a wheely on one for long after it started smoking and the front cam gets fried from lack of oil. The 2012 up models Kawasaki designed the engine and I have not saw or heard of any failures in the electrical or cams. 8 out of 10 people that have them to use around a farm or to hunt here wishes that they had bought something else. All say the same thing. To much power for what they need.

    Tons of Hondas around here. The 500 Foreman and Rubicon line are nearly bullet proof. The thing that knocks them out of the top is the out dated suspension systems. Of the two the Rubicon is the smoothest riding due to it having dual rear shocks and more articulation in the rear than the Foreman's. The Rincon's have independent suspension. But their Hondamatic ($1500 each) transmissions lacks the top speed of the Kawasaki, Polaris and Kawasaki's in its class.

    Look around here and you would thank that Suzuki and Yamaha has gone out of business.
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    JasonVJasonV Member Posts: 2,480 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a 2006 Honda Foreman 500cc water cooled 4x4 electric shift.

    I beat the crap of of it. Ride it like I stold it every time I get on it. Wheelies, donuts, top speed on grass gravel and blacktop.

    Last week I was pulling a trailer of hay bales with it. 50 bales @65lbs each on the trailer at one time. Multiple loads.

    It ice fishes, runs the trap line and fords the river

    Nothing has broken. It just runs and runs.
    formerly known as warpig883
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    anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've had a Bombardier Traxter max xp ... for a couple years ... couple repairs ... my fault no complaints. Plenty of Power with a 500 cc water cooled motor.
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