BUT, I do care about torque! I'm looking for a quad that I can use for snow plowing, hunting, and recreational riding. I like Honda's reputation but wish the 450ES had a larger engine. However, if the amount of torque was similar to other larger displacement quads, i would feel more comfortable buying the Honda. I have concerns that combining my weight(240) with something as strenous as plowing may be too much for the 450. Any advice will be greatly appreciated

I think you need an Arctic Cat 500. It has more torque than a Grizzly, much less a 450.

Arctic Cat 500: 31 ft lbs of torque @ 3500 rpm

Yamaha Grizzly: 29 ft lbs of torque @ 5500 rpm

(The quad with the most torque is the Banshee at 33 ft lbs of torque @ 7000 rpm.)

I have hauled my 330 pound cousin and his 185 pound bro on the back rack and the 185 pounders twin on the front rack while I (160 pounds) drove (total 860 pounds). It didn't even strained, it did bottom out the rear shocks though. So I think your 240 lbs shouldn't bother the Cat.

I have also pulled an 8000 lb truck around my yard. I also push a Toyota Extended cab, long bed, 2wd truck onto a trailer, with only my back wheels puting power to the ground because my front bumper climed the back bumper of the Toyota.

Arctic Cat 500, What all quad wish they were

[This message has been edited by BONER (edited 10-02-1999).]

Max I tell ya!

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I know this suggestion may come as a surprise but have you looked at the King, King Quad that is.

It only has a 280cc enging but with its triple subtranmission it will pull just about anything and barely grunt when it does it.

I weigh 280# and have no trouble doing the things you discuss. I have run the Cochranton twice with the King performing flawlessly. If there was a problem is was do to my error not the machine. King was able to over come my errors.

Good luck

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Eric Baatz 1996 Suzuki KING QUAD Remember the KING Lives!!

I think you will find that the 450ES has more than enough power to plow snow, plus it is easy to get in reverse (you may want to override the reverse button on the brake) that would make it even easier to plow