Currently in the market for three atvs for my family. We are all new to owning and riding atvs and I want to make sure I'm making a good choice. We will mostly be riding on trails or around our yard (have 3 acres of wood). Right now the best deal I could find through local dealer was going with Polaris/Kawasaki. For our daughter I wanted to start her out on a outlaw 50. She will be 8 in April and is about 90lbs. The local Honda dealer refused to even show us their 90cc because of her age. For me I was going to go with a Polaris sport mans 450 HO, doing this and the outlaw 50 the Polaris dealer could get us out the door for $8000. I'm just not to sure where to start with my wife. She said the 450 ho felt a bit big to her and she seemed to be more comfortable on a mid sized atv like a brute force 300. Is there any other option she should look at in that class?

 

From what I've seen, I think the Brute Force 300 is the best option in that class. Yamaha used to make a Grizzly 300 but 2015 was the last year. If she wants a cvt auto 2wd mid-sized utility machine, there really aren't many options. Honda and Suzuki have 250cc semi-auto machines in the Recon and Ozark but I think she would like the Brute Force 300 better than either of those and they're all about the same price. I assume its a Polaris and Kawasaki dealer right? Easier to buy all of them from the same dealer and probably can score a better deal on the Brute Force 300 if you bundle it in with the other 2. Arctic Cat makes a cvt auto 300 as well 300 » Arctic Cat but I think the Brute Force 300 is a better choice. I think she would like the Brute Force 300 and it seems to be quite reliable as well.

 

Yeah they are a Kawasaki and Polaris dealer and yes she wants a cvt auto so that ruled out the Honda and Suzuki and there wasn't any others I could think of that fit her list of wants but I wanted to make sure.

 

If i were you, I would go with the Sportsman 500 over the 450. I have owned both and the 500 has the extra bottom end to have a little more fun. As for your wife the Brute force 300 is perfect.

 

He's referring to buying a new quad and the 500 is no longer available as a new model, discontinued in 2013 in favor of the new 570. As for the new 450, the name is a bit misleading. It actually has the 570 single in it, just tuned to make more torque and bottom end than the one in the Sportsman 570. So it should have a noticeable amount more low end punch than the 500 had. It just won't have quite as much top end speed as the Sportsman 570.

 

I'm an Arctic Cat guy, but I think the Polaris 450 is a good choice. I suspect the detuned motor will last a long time. Give the wife the choice, Polaris 450, Brute Force 300 and maybe the Arctic Cat 500,450,400, or 300 or if you have a Kymco dealer nearby, Kymcos are not Chinese junk, they are made in Taiwan and similar to the small Arctic Cats.

 

I tend to favor Yamaha and Honda myself but when buying something, I look at all machines in the same class or price range. Honestly, the 450HO is probably the best bargain in a new 4x4 utility machine. The Can-Am Outlander 450L would be a close 2nd as its slightly more expensive. The Brute Force 300 I believe is the best of its class as well. Its simply easier and more convenient to buy all of them at the same dealer. If you have an issue or need parts or service, you only have one place to go. And as I said before, bundling multiple units from the same dealer should net you a lower total price.

 

We ended up getting a better deal offered through Honda on my wife's ATV if we go with a rancher. How reliable is the electronic shift? Are people having alot of issues with them down the road? Would foot shift be better? She is fine with either I'm just curious what's less problematic over the years?

 

I had an ES Rancher 350 a couple years ago. It was a 2002 model. No problems whatsoever with the ES. I think the only issue you might someday run into is replacing the shift motor, which is very similar to a starter. I think an aftermarket one for the 350 cost about $80, 420 might be a little more. But on a 2002 model it still worked fine until I sold it last year. I liked the ES myself. I wish more manufacturers other than Honda offered it.

 

I've heard off a lot of problems with the ES in the past but I'm sure they have it fixed by now.