Dont belive every thing you hear about Polaris.They arent that bad if you get a newer one.If 4x4 isnt a big deal look at the 330 Trailboss.Your first pick of aa 400 Sportsman is a good choice too.If looks are important the 500 Scrambler is great but real peppy.

 

Rancher At


I bought mine I wish I would have bought something bigger. But my wife, who screams on a 20 HP John Deere tractor, loves the AT. Easy power, auto, Great engine braking(you don't have to worry about them on steep hills), 2-4 wheel drive, can't beat it.

 

Something to consider in your purchase decision.. a lot of people piled on with the full time 4x4 from Honda... I'd look into models that give you the ability to take it in and out of 4 wheel drive. When you are in 4x4 mode, the steering can be a little heavy. If you can click it into 2 wheel drive, it makes things a lot easier... plus you don't need 4 wheel drive all the time... I also like the hydralic automatic transmission that Honda has a lot. I have a Rubicon with a WARN 4x2 installed that lets me use it in 2 wheel drive for most of the riding I do. I really love the tranny...

 

My wife is 5'7" 140lbs and she loved the z250 a lot. She also wanted something light and more sporty. She also did like a Polaris Trail 250, but didn't like the 2-stroke's lack of engine braking, and also felt it was too wide because of the tranny sticking out so far on either side.

 

Hi,
I recently purchased an 04 Polaris ATP 330 to pull my swisher t60 mower and have a bit of fun on. My wife (who is 3-4 inches taller but about the same weight) was a bit leery about driving it. She was involved in an auto accident a few years ago that resulted in her right wrist getting pretty smashed up. (many plates and screws) We have miles and miles of wetlands behind our property. She rode it around for a bit in the yard (2 1/2 acres) then ventured out into the trails. She absolutely LOVES it. She has a blast on it. She wears a brace on her wrist and is able to steer and handle it fairly comfortably. Bear in mind her wrist is fairly weak and painful under any strain or twist. But this is a testament to it's easy steer-ability.
The ATP handles very well, even seems to handle better in the "turf" mode. (I was skeptical about this feature on purchase, but am now convinced) It is a big quad but doesn't feel like it when you drive it. It also hauls a ton of stuff if you need to. With the high/low/reverse
and 4x4/2x4/turf modes, it can handle pretty much anything we can put it through.

It is not a speed demon by any means but it will go faster then I would even dream of on any of the trails here anyway. If the trails where you would ride are pretty rough/rocky you might prefer an independent rear suspension setup. (the atp has a rear truck like shaft) But it has a very comfy seat and in honesty I have hit some pretty jarring spots at good speed and it took it in stride.

Did I mention it is a workhorse too? I think I could drag just about anything with this thing in 4 low.. :-)

Now I won't claim to be a quad expert, (heck, not even a novice) this is our first atv, and we have only had it less than 2 months. But we have put nearly 45 hours on it already and love it. In fact I have been an enduro rider since about 12 and am considering trading my loved and faithful suzuki dr350 in on a second quad.

Just my 2 cents on our experience. Good luck, look at them all, and no matter what, try before ya buy.

fsumarc

 

I am a woman rider, so I'll throw my 2 cents in. I started out on a Bombardier Rally (200cc). I was afraid of the bigger quads just starting out, and bought one way to small for me. I think that if I had started out on a mid-size quad, I'd still be riding it. (and would've saved a lot of money in the long run!) I am now riding a Twin Peaks 700. Anyway - I tried out a Kodiak 450, and I really liked it. It was comfortable and it has all the stuff the big-bores have. A good friend has a Bombardier Outlander 400, and it is very nice also. The Hondas are bullit-proof, not a lot of new technology, but they last forever. I'd suggest what some of the others have, go to the dealers and try out each of the ones you are interested in, then you decide which one is for you. No matter which one you pick, you'll like it because you chose it, and you will have a blast with it! The only mistake we made was not buying them a long time ago. (Mrs. Q)

 

One last thought.. when test riding, do NOT test ride it on the parking lot.. take it on dirt to get the feel of the machine... Asphalt does wierd things...

 

let us know what u get etc.

 

go with the kodiak 400 '05 with the new suspension upgrade it will be a really smooth ride. Also they have the technologies that hondas dont. the hondas last forever but they are sometimes clumsy with the full time 4x4. the kodiak on the other hand lends you the ability to but it in 2x4 which is easyer to steer it with. and dont worry about getting stuck on the kodiak either that thing goes through anything even in 2x4. also its probably in your price range.

tell us what you get!

 

Hey there, Hockeymom...

Just wondering what you ended up buying?