ATV question

I think you should get a horse lol ! You don't have to worry about trails and all of that just certified feed for them. We have horses and use them most of the time and that is what I prefer to use but I would imagine you don't have the nessesities for a horse so...
I like Honda 4 wheelers. That is all we have ever owned and they have run forever!

That seems to be the common answer so far about the Honda ATV's. I might have to see how much used ones are going for. They are pricey brand new.

"smoothy1975" wrote:hey everyone, Iam looking to get a 4x4, 400cc ATV to use when I bow hunt, not only to get me deeper into an area but so I can get it out when I get one. There are so many brands that I was hoping to get opinions from all of you on which ones you enjoy and would suggest. Thank you for your time.

My ATV of choice is a Honda Rincon 650. My dads Yamaha Kodiak 400 is a great machine. I don't think you can go wrong with a Honda or a Yamaha. My personal opinion is Yamaha for performance, Honda for reliability, but both manufacturers make great machines. The grizzly 450 would fit your bill. It's a great machine that sits between the typical 400's and the big bore 600 pluses. Good luck with your purchase and stay on the trail.

I have a Polaris ranger for sale.. Im going to post it in the classifides in a sec..

Not sure what your price range is but the ranger is a year old.. 400 miles Kept in the garage.. Well maintained and a awesome machine..

We have Two Polaris machines and love'em!

What ever you choose. ( I like the Artic Cats ) make sure you stay on the trails and road that are dedicated to atv use. Don't go making your own trails.

"DeadI" wrote:What ever you choose. ( I like the Artic Cats ) make sure you stay on the trails and road that are dedicated to atv use. Don't go making your own trails.

+1 My Dad is the public land administrator for the county and he is really pushing the enforcement of these knuckle heads that do not stay on trails!

The biggest, $$$$, and loudest one you can find, that way I know when you are coming.
Go with Horses or Mules

I have asked around about this topic a lot as I am also passively in the market too. I have ridden a lot of them and came up with the following:
Acrtic Cat-very poorly engineered, as of a few years ago the cooling fan turns on with the key, which is a big problem when a battery is low; it should be thermostatically controlled like most. You have to take most of the plastic apart just to check the air filter...ranked last on my list.
Suzuki-not all that familiar with them, but have pretty good reviews. At one point, they were the only ones that had a pull start with EFI, probably no longer the case.
Polaris-nice smooth ride, but heavy as an elephant and very questionable reliability.
kawi-dunno about them
Honda-don't ride very smooth, but bulletproof. The rincon does appear to be the best of both worlds since it has independent suspension front and rear (only Honda model that has that).
Yamaha-I have not ridden any of the newer ones, but a Grizz would be a tie for first with the Rincon in my opinion.
Here is a site of a small dealership in Price that probably has the best deals around, has lots of very low mileage ATV's, located in Price-http://www.autopluswindowstickers.com/hdpowersports/search.asp

When I bought an ATV ( actually ATC ) I was cautioned against getting a 250 or smaller as at high elevation they run out of power(so do I). Altho I like my Big Red a lot, a 400 cc engine would definitely have been better. When I get wife a 4x4 ATV it will definitiely be 400-500 cc for the powwer. Some of the 750 and 850 are as large as a Jeep and I'd never have one, but 450 or close would be the tool. Good luck.

I've got a yamaha Bruin and love it but I've never took it hunting. I've noticed that the areas that I've hunted, an ATV isn't allowed and horses are. The back-back country..where the big boys are.

All of your replies were great and informative to read. I will always stay on the trail, I'm definately not a knucklehead..LOL I am looking for a used model..Do you guys know if there is an age limit that I should be aware of when purchasing an older machine..Would a 400 cc do a sufficient job in the backcountry or do I need to go higher?

I have a buddy who still has a mid '90s Honda Foreman 400. One year that 4 wheeler hauled him his dad and spike elk up one of the nastier trails on the mountain. It was slow going and they had to get off and push in a few places but it did the job. So I would say 400 is enough.

I know it's super annoying when someone offers a different alternative to your question, but I can't help myself on this one! ](*,) We have a couple polaris four wheelers ( 400 cc) and for the most part I think they have been great. I think we may have had both of them for about 10 years now....been in the shop a time or two for small things, but nothing major...and I've flipped one of them twice! #-o

Now, to get to the answer you're not looking for, I think the polaris rangers are awesome!! I know they're more expensive, but if you look around enough you can get a pretty good deal on a used one. They are incredibly versatile, and you wouldn't think it, but they can climb the side of a hill like you wouldn't believe....of course this isn't really applicable in a lot of public land hunts. But having the bed to haul in/out gear and your kill is also a major plus. Just my 2 cents....

I know nothing about ATV's, ](*,) but in all seriousness: +1 To horses or mules. You'll still have to drag the critter to a trail to get it on a wheeler. With the four legged critters, you can take them right to the game thats down.

I'll probably get hammered for this but, why is it I always find more critters where those machines can't go? Get a big red one.