I'm not trying to talk you into getting a Polaris but I know they have rebates now, so IF you want a new one this is the last chance to get a deal this year. I like them. Some people don't. There are 6 other brands to look at and you should check them all out.

I just want to say that all the people I know with belt drive ATVs don't have problems with belts breaking or slipping. They're worth trying no matter what brand or model you're interested in. My best friend switched from a manual Kodiak to a Grizzly 660. Our other friend switched from an identical Kodiak to a Sportsman 700 and his family got a few Trailblazers, a Sportsman, and a Magnum. His dad has an Outlander and a Sportsman 600. Another friend bought a Grizzly, an automatic Kodiak and a Polaris Phoenix for his family. Another friend bought a Sportsman last year. Half the people I ride with used to have manuals but now there are only a few left out of about 20 people. The last time one of them bought a manual was a kid who traded in a Big Bear for a Raptor 350 a couple of years ago. No one I know who's switched from manual to auto wants to switch back.

 

The Rancher lineup is kind of confusing when comparing the AT vs the 4x4 manual. I think Honda built a Rancher AT model for the 2009 model year which uses a brand new type of automatic transmission. I haven't read anything about how it works yet. Maybe somebody in here would know? It looks intriguing based on what I saw on Honda's website.

Otherwise, I think the new Rancher is the best manual shift sport-ute on the market.

 

Well, after test riding all morning I have decided to go with the rancher. Good thing too, the guy sold it to me at cost. He just wanted to get rid of it. It isn't even built yet. He is going to drop it of on Tuesday evening. I also bought a winch and helmet. I decided to get the manual. As far as I am concerned, there was not comparison between the auto's and the manual's.

I had the opportunity to drive one of the new manual AT models. It is pretty neat, but heavy, and feels like a typical automatic.

 

I rode manual transmission ATV's up until about a year and a half ago. My son had purchased a Kawasaki Prairie and my son in law had a 700 Sportsman. After riding these, I bought a Polaris Sportsman 700 and kept it for about a year, but did not like the lack of an independent front braking system and that it had no engine braking going down hills or the AWD system, so I sold it and bought an 08 700 Grizzly. Of course now much of the things I did not like about the Polaris have been changed for 09 except for the front brakes. As to quality, I saw nothing wrong with the Polaris and loved the engine. I really like my Grizzly too with the CVT transmission. If you don't trust them, which I do, I think some of the Hondas and Suzukis have automotive type transmissions. I will never get another manual transmission and have actually seen more manual transmissions break than those with CVT. The early CVT's were bad about getting water on the belt and causing slippage, but I have not heard of this on any of the newer models. Others have explained the pros and cons better than I can. My only comment would be that on a long hill or tight trail, changing gears can cause you to lose momentum or break traction which is never a good thing; always seemed to happen to me when riding dirt bikes too.

 

Congrats on the new machine Hacktorious. Have fun with it.

TripleR there hasn't been a Sportsman 700 made without engine braking on it stock. If it had the original belt and clutches on it then it had engine braking.

When my two friends had the manual Kodiaks you wouldn't believe how often they missed gears. I couldn't follow the guy who was worst or I would almost rear-end him every time he blew a shift. I was following him up a big hill once and all of a sudden he slowed to a crawl and I blew right by him. Most trails there's no room to pass. On this hill there was lots of room. I don't know what gear he was trying to put it in but he missed it by a mile. He got tired of that and switched to an automatic. They aren't for everyone but the choices in manual utes is almost non-existant compared to choices in autos.

 

JumboFrank,

Should have been more specific; engine braking to the front wheels. Mine had engine braking to the rear wheels, but on a steep down hill there was no braking to the front wheels and the back end would skip around a LOT. Mine was an 05, so maybe later editions were different. I know the 09 model has a feature to address this. I have limited use of my left hand, so I could not compensate with the brakes. Like I said, otherwise I really liked my Polaris and would not hesitate to recommend one, but with my limitations, power steering is becoming a must for me.

 

With a bad left hand and the only brake lever on the left I see the problem. I'm glad you got something that works for you. I've had EBS on the rear wheels only from around '98 until June this year and never had a problem. I had an EBS clutch kit put on my '97 and everything I've had since then had it except a Trailblazer. It never locked up or got squirrely, it just went so slow I had to give it some gas. I guess every ATV is different like every person is. Before EBS I had two choices; freewheel or ride the brakes. I didn't like either one.

 

I sure know what you mean, I have an old Kawasaki Mule like that and my son's Kawasaki Prairie was that way though I think the newer ones may be different. My brother just bought one, but I haven't ridden it and he only rides the flatlands. I am too attached to the Mule to get rid of it though I rarely use it since I got my Rhino. I wish the Rhino would come out with power steering.

I rode dirt bikes for so many years, I just can't live without a separate front and rear brake, just old fashioned I guess. I can't ride them anymore, but can't stand to get rid of them.

1975 Ossa Explorer
1978 Suzuki
1987 YFM 225 Moto 4
1990 Kawasaki Mule
2006 Rhino with guards, winch, front and rear bumpers and top.
2008 Yamaha Grizzly 700 EPS, winch, rack extension, Richochet undercarriage proetction.

No locks or chains, Glock 23 with laser sights and a Sig 556.

 

Hacktorious,

Enjoy your new ATV; wise move on the winch. I would also recommend A Arm and underbelly guards as what comes on most of them will be torn off before long exposing you cv joints to sticks and such.

 

yeah youll like the 420 4x4. i just got one a couple weeks ago. its very responsive, it can be pitched sideways at will, and will pull nearly anything ive chained to. it doesnt jump half bad either. not talking tabletops or giant jumps, but littel hills, ditches, etc nothing too big for it to handle or bottom out on (i have sport bikes for the real good jumps and when i defintiley want to rip [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] ). it has more power than people think. its a pretty good handling bike for what it is and even or marginally better than some 'real' sport bikes out there, imo.

naturally, coming from sport machines primarily, my complaint is the weight of it, but it is the lighest 4x4 you can buy (to my knowledge) and for the features and price ..not a bad deal either.