I have never owned an atv and dont really know much about them so I only have a general idea of what to look for and even that is limited.
I want an atv for riding not racing, deer tracking and for utility, but of coarse I dont want to pay alot - where can I get the best deals? Should I buy a used 99 or new 99 instead of a 2000? I dont want a problem atv which brand is the most dependable and what kind? I would like automatic and 2w to 4w drive. Would Polaris be what I should shop for? If so what kind.

 

In my opinon Polaris is the best, but many opinions will be different on this forum. It is however one of the best for beginners,or those that prefer not to shift. I also think that most any brand you buy would more than suffice your needs.
So visit the dealers find one you feel the most comfortable with doesnt matter what brand and test ride until you find a quad you feel good on. Also being new to the sport if I were you I would purchase new to avoid getting someone elses problems.
These are only my opinions, you should view the many different opinions you will receive with an open mind and utilmately make the best decision for your needs,not anyone elses. I have a 98 Polaris Sportsman 500 to me it is the Rollsroyce of atvs. The best 4wd system there is bar none.
Best advice though find a good dealer for those shortcomings that be fall us all from time to time.
Scott

 

right now Honda makes the most dependable quad. but they make only one auto and none with switchable 4x4.....the auto is also VERY VERY VERY expensive!!!!!!

if ya want a good quad for riding, not racing with switchable 4x4, then the Suzuki King Quad is a very nice quad. but it is a five speed. one downside to the KQ is the drum brakes are not sealed very well at all. they constanly have mud or water in them..... the KQ is also amoung the lowest priced 4x4 quads and has the differential lock option to make it a TRUE 4X4

with your wants you will probably be best serverd to go with a polairs. i would stay away from the 2-srtoke xpolorers. they tend to foul plugs (as all two strokes), but are super fast for utility quads....the Sportsman 335 would probably be a real good choice for you....

bottom line....as superdeputy said.....look at several dealers, test ride several quads and find the one you like the best...

P.S. a Great dealer will make a good quad a GREAT quad.

hope i helped ya
cart

 

This website is a great place to learn about all makes of atv's, their maintenance quirks and owner's opinion of their machines. Read as much as you can, keep notes and visit manufacturers websites. Then start shopping - take your time and ask lots of questions. You will be surprised how much you will learn from this web site and how little sales people know about their atv product line. They want your money and don't give a dam what you bought or if you're happy because after the sale, you deal with the service department.

I'll bet you can't wait until you take your first ride on that brand new 4 wheeler...Its a rush! And its YOURS!

 

Fit is more important than brand. After all you want a quad that fits you!

Then you need to decide on sport or utility, this depends on your type of riding you will do.

All the manufacturers have a pro or con associated with their quads.

A plus is a dealer you can trust & will go back to.

Just a few thoughts

 

Also to answer your question I highly recomend that you get a 4wd,you may never need it but the day you do you will be glad you made that decicion. Yamaha, Suzuiki, Kawa, Polaris all make automatics,Honda is proably the most depenable,but not by much. For you I recomend these choices Yamaha Kodiak 400, Polaris Magnum 500 (not high maintence like my Sportsman)Honda Rancher 350,Kawa.Parie 400, Suzuiki or Artic Cat 500, I know these sound big but they arent really hard to ride even for beginners. These are what I would look at. And by high maintence on the Sportsman I mean routine stuff it has about 36 zerk fittings to grease I dont mind but some do. The ride on the Sportsman is 2nd to none because of the Independent Rear Suspension. But all of these would be a good place to start looking and would be great for hunting or working around the house or farm.
Good luck on your search.

 

Look for a shaft-driven, 4-stroke model in the 300-400cc range. Anything above that is great for plowing 20 acres or pulling stumps (if you enjoy doing such.) However, if your testosterone levels are normal you will find that a 400cc engine is sufficient to handle the heavier ATV workloads.

Depsite what others might tell you, you do not have to pay a premium for a quality ATV. However I will state that based on the hundreds of posts and other comments made available from this site, I would be careful before buying a Polaris. At one time Polaris was one of the few (if not the only) ATV manufacturer that did not offer an extended warranty for their ATV's. That in itself serves as a testiment as to their projected reliability.

I have found that the best prices can be found in rural areas from dealers who often sell ATV's as a side business. For example, a bought my Kawasaki from a tractor dealership outside the Houston area and paid well below list.

I also own a Honda that was bought from an individual in used condition. Honda quads make great deals as used quads since many folks will go out and buy one just to say they have one. Then when the money gets tight they have to unload it.

Good luck.

 

Let see in the 300-400cc range go with the Rancher, 400-500cc Kodiak, 500+ problaly a Polaris or Grizzly.

Test drive as many as possible!

 

Eagles:
You've got a lot of good advice from everyone on here so far. As of yet though, I haven't seen anyone suggesting an AC, so I thought I'd speak up for them. I was also looking for a quad to fit the needs which you have mentioned, for utility and hunting type stuff, automatic, and just general riding, not racing. After a lot of research, test rides, and decision making, I ended up with the Arctic Cat 500 4x4 Automatic. For utility work, the AC has the highest payload rack capacities out there, at 100 lbs. front, and 200 lbs. rear, as stated by AC. Towing is a substantial 1050 lbs, which isn't bad at all, again, one of the highest. The ride is very smooth, very comparable to polaris I believe. It has plenty of power with 500cc's, and a 4.75 gallon fuel tank. High and low range, with selectable 2 and 4 wd. It drives and operates great.

Overall, I'm absolutely thrilled, and love my AC. If you're interested, I just posted a "little note" (heh heh-actually kind of lengthy) on my recent outting up to the property, where I explain how I drug a large log up a hill with my AC, and even winched out my stuck suburban and trailer with the 'Cat. Just thought I'd mention it, as I'm still very impressed with the machine. So far it's gone and done everything I have asked of it, without so much as an arguement. That's a good thing in an atv.

But, as the others have stated, be sure to shop around for nearly every make and model you can find that might even peak your interest. Look at every option available and try to test drive everything you are interested in. Some machines just "fit" better than others. Thats one of the things I liked about the AC. At 5'10", 215 lbs., it fits me pretty darn good.

Good luck in your search, hope this gives you another option.

Mike

 

for light to medium work and fun for a a great price, get a Honda Recon