I am looking at buying a new 4x4 ATV but i am not sure which to get. I have narrowed my search to a few,Outlander 650 XT, Sportsman 550 XP, Kind Quad 750, and Honda Rubicon 500. I am looking for something that is very reliable for the most part but it also has to be able to do a significant ammount of work as its main use will be in the back woods of Vermont. Also would be nice to have something that is good in the mud and on the trail. I am looking for your opinions on different quads not just the ones i listed. Thanks in advance.

 

The "which to buy" question is the single most difficult question to answer that is asked on the forums. Mostly because everyone will chime in with what they ride..

Personally the dealer plays a large part in my decision making on what I buy My dealer is GREAT, a very honest hard working small dealer. He bends over backwards to take care of his customers. Thats why all the bikes we own at the moment are Kawisaki that and I happen to like the quads themselves

Any of the ones listed above will do what you need them for.

Your best bet is to find dealers that will let you take test ride, and simply find the machine that you like the best, they all have different fetures that you may like or dislike.

Sorry as this is not a great answer, but if it counts for anything at all, out of the 4 you listed I would choose the sportsman 550xp, then they king quad, Honda then outlander, simply becasue I have no experiance with the Can Ams.

 

Suzuki just came out with a new 500 King Quad ute, the reviews have been excellent, they say it is fast, handles great, and was a fantastic all around trail/work/play quad, maybe check into that as well ?

 

First off, I would say that they are all very reliable quads. I think I would choose the King Quad as #1. Personally, I don't really see an Outlander being used for too much work. It's more of a trail quad... not so much for work (although it could be done). I feel that the XP is a similar thing - more for trails/play than work. So I would go King Quad, then Outlander/Sportsman. I feel that the Honda would be underpowered in this group, and not nearly as much fun on the trails. That's why I feel that all around the Suzuki is best for you.

I would also consider the Kawasaki Brute Force 750i.

 

Very popular and hugely argumentative potential with this question. Everyone thinks that theirs is the best. The best advice that I have ever been given was to go and talk to as many ATV mechanics as you can, and that is the same advise I will give. The mechanics will steer you in the right direction more often than not. I would visit as many multi-line dealerships as I could to get as much good and bad information as I could on all the models that interest you. I have found that talking to the mechanics will give you the best all around advice you can get. I have done this with the purchase of Jet Skis, Atv's, and many different things, even televisions. In order to not be biased I will not divulge the results of my questioning so that you can better form your own opinion and make the most informative choice. For me, alot of the fun was going to the dealerships and talking with these men and women who make their living repairing these toys that we love. It is also a great place to get priceless information about the model that you choose. It truly is a wealth of information and it only costs the gas to get there. Good luck and happy hunting.

 

Personally of the 4 you have listed it for me it would between the Outlander and the King Quad. The Outlander fits me a little better, like the ride on the trail, and I like the torque feel better... That is why I now own 2 Outlanders. My 2005 400 I purchased new and haven't any problems. I am at 1,200 miles on that one. But even though it could do it I did feel bad how hard I do needed to push it to handle plowing the really deep snow. So I just picked up a 2006 800 with 8,600 miles. One test drive I was sold... This is NO beginners ATV. This bad boy will pickup the front end with out much effort.

But the only real advise is like everyone else's... Get on them and ride them to see what fits you better. Pretty much all of them these days are going to have a good reliability rating. Back in the day I wouldn't touch a Polaris, but I believe they have improved.

 

Your best bet is to go sit on, and test ride each one of them. From there you will be able to make the best decision for yourself. Personally, I am counting the Honda out of this, simply because its lower ground clearance and solid rear axle will hold it back on the trails and in the mud. Hondas also do not have real 4x4, only 3 wheels spin, never all 4. Can-Am, Polaris, and the Suzuki all have what it takes to work and play. I'd wait a little bit longer if you want the Polaris, as it is a new ATV and may still have a few bugs, as can any ATV.

 

Good advice so far. Test ride as many as you can. None of the dealers around here give test rides so I can only try my friends quads. All I can do at the dealers is sit on them and see how they feel that way. I believe they're all good choices but some just don't feel right to me. And the Sportsman XP will need some mud tires before you do any serious muddin'. The regular Sportsman tires are better.

 

I think Cody700 is right. The best advice to get is from an actual mechanic. I've been riding Honda for nearly 20 yrs now, staring with Big Red. I strongly believe that Honda is the best on reliability and dependability. But, they are not the strongest. There are many rides that will outdue the Honda Rubicon and Rincon.

 

This is an excellent advice. Will definitely keep that in mind. Thank you!