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Greetings,
I will be purchasing my first ATV very soon, I have riden a friends Honda but I am not sure which one is right for me. I have test driven many. I am not sure which one offers the best in terms of quality.
I liked the Kawasaki 650 I test drove as well as the Polaris sportsman 500 HO, the Honda was nice as well.
Is there a place where I can go to view reports on quality (such as a consumer reports for ATVs')?

If there is anyone out there that can help out a new buyer to the ATV market it would be greatly appreciated.

I know this thread will probably spark a great deal of debating but please just the facts.

Thank you in advance.............

 

If I were you I'd cruise through this forum and also pick up some copies of Dirtwheels and ATV Action magazines.

First you need to decide just what you want out of an ATV. Comparing a P650 to a Sportsman 500 and a Honda (unless it's the new Rincon) is comparing different classes of rides. Most manufactures have ATV's to fit all the differnt classes out there, find the type of bike you want and then compare the different brands.

Jaybee

 

Another thing to consider is service,it is real handy to have a good,reliable dealer within easy driving distance for any big problems. Saving 500 bucks won't seem as nice when you have to drive 120 miles round trip for every service !!! Sounds like you got it narrowed down to a few really nice models,they are making some nice,powerful quads these days with lots of nice features, as long as it fits your needs, has the options you want, and is comfortable for you,it is hard to go wrong these days. Don't base a decision solely on model,a lot of brand-loyal people will try to slam the others,make your decision based on how you feel the quad meets your needs, and you'll be happier in the long run.

 

Thanks for the info. I plan on using the ATV for hunting, fishing, recreational riding and some work on my land.

I have really enjoyed all of the magazines I have purchased over the past few months, unfortunatley, I have yet to read anything about the Kawasaki 650, must be getting to the news stand a little late, hehe.

I recently started working for one of the ATV manufactures and did not want to buy their model just because of the discount I get.

Quality is the key. I don't want to end up having to replace a belt every 1000 miles.

But I will read a few more forums and listen to a bit more gripes before making a decision.

 

I would suggest the Arctic Cat 500. It is a proven work horse, very reliable, one of the best in ride comfort and for '03, has improved engine for more power. One complaint in the past was that it was slow (55-60mph), it is now supposed to be faster and stronger. Offered in either auto or manual. Best bang for the buck, Very nice machine, good luck.