I plan on purchasing two utlity quads in the very near future. I want to purchase a quad in the 650-700 rnage for me and a quad in the 350-400 rnage for my wife. Both will have 4 wheel drive and an automatic trnasmission. I want both quads to be from the same manufacturer. (The Honda dealer will give me quite a price break on the purchase of two at the same time.)

I have narrowed my purchase down to the Honda Ricon, the Yamaha Grizzly 660, the Kawasaki Prairie 700 or the Kawasaki Brute Force for me. For my wife, the choices include the Honda FourTrax Rancher AT, the Yamaha Bruin 350 Automatic 4X4, or the Kawasaki Prairie 360 4X4. They are all darned nice ATVs. They will see mostly trail use and use in snow. No intentional mudding, dune climbing, etc. But they will see some of this use

Comparing comparable models from line to line there is not all that much difference in price or features.

I think that I'd look darned good on a black Ricon and my wife likes the yellow Rancher. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

The big question -- Is the shaft drive of the Honda really more reliable than the belt drive of the other ATVs? Reliabilty is a major concern. We plan to use them in some pretty isolated places.

These will be our first ATVs and I want to "do it right" the first time. By the way, I'm not a city slicker. I spend lots of time in the outdoors hunting. I also have two Harley Davidsons and and a Dodge Hemi with 36,000 miles of "open country" use. I'm usually pretty good at picking the right toy for me. I do this buy asking lots of questions.

Thanks for any advice you might offer.

Tom [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

First off, shaft drive is from the engine to the rear axle. All of these quads have a shaft drive.

The belt drive is the transmission. Honda uses a "hondamatic" mechanical cvt on their atvs. The rincon though uses a 3 speed automotive based transmssion with a torque converter.

I always hated belts until I owned one. I would still opt for a manual or auto clutch over a belt drive though. The rincon transmission is less reliable in my mind than most belt drives but the hondamatic is very good.

 

Personally, I don't like either belts or the very complex Honda automatics. Give me a good old foot shift manual, for simplicity and reliability. If you don't want to shift with your foot, what about the Honda ES shifters (I don't really like them either, but prefer them to an auto). How about a 350 Rancher for the wife and the new 475 Foreman (basically a manual shift Rubicon) for you?

 

Yep 5 speed manual/auto clutch is the way to go for an atv. I dont know of any atv that has a spare belt on board or is easy to change like a sled. Then maybe they would be worth having. The last ride I was on a one of guys had one of those new vtwin kawis. It was suposed to be the recovery vehicle for all our sport quads. The belt shredded and locked up the wheels at speed almost causing an accident. Hard to believe it didnt have a spare belt . Had to tow it a long ,long ways. When will they ever learn.

 

A lot of incorrect information here on the Honda's.. Correct, all utes have shaft drive... the belt drive versus the Hydraulic Hondamatic is the biggest difference here. All the belt based models have their own spin on the way they are engauged, but basically these are the two that are the most different. Honda uses a hydraulic torque converter/clutch system and an automatic transmission on their hondamatic models. This design is much like the one you have in cars and trucks today. It can shift in full automatic mode, or you can choose to manually shift it using the electronic shifter on the bars. Either way, you have full control.. and you can gain engine braking with this system, something that some, but not all belt drive systems have issues with.

Honda has the rancher AT, which I agree would be a perfect model for your wife, as it has the ability to click it into 2 and 4 wheel drive modes. Makes for much easier steering when in 2 wheel drive. The Rubicons are full time 4x4, so they steer harder. You can add a 2x4 device from Warn to them to give you this functionality and it is a great improvement. In 2005, the Rubicon gets new bodywork to look more like the RINCON.. in fact several of the new models get this update. the biggest improvement on this year's model is the introduction of disc brakes on the front. Something we have been yelling for, for quite a while. Older models can be retrofitted with several aftermarket kits available.

I have found the hydraulic Hondamatic on my Rubicon to be absolutely bulletproof. But I have noticed negative comments on belt drives if they get wet, or needing periodic adjustments as they wear/stretch... still I feel if properly maintained, you will have excellent service life out of either.

Also, I think that you would both manage to have many hours of enjoyment if you bought two Rancher AT's. The extra power/weight isn't needed in most cases. I will admit my 500 cc Rubicon has yet to find a challenge it couldn't meet though. ( I don't do dunes or mud holes on purpose), But I am at 300 pounds, so the extra oomph is appreciated.

I agree with the wife on the Yellow... It is Sweet, and yes, my Rubicon is yellow..

The Yamaha's are ecellent mahines too. Take a look at the Kodiak too, although that candy red Grizzly is gorgeous...

 

DragginButt,

Thanks much for the informaton. I weigh about 190 but am 6'3". I like the legroom of the Ricon and besides that a black Ricon would look good with my black Dodge Hemi, and my two black Harleys. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Tom [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

The funny thing about black is it looks so nice when its clean and new ,and then after the first ride its all scratched and nasty . An extremist color.

 

the hondas tranny is better than belt drive .good choices. the rancher would be perfct for your wife.

 

And I thought that I was only obssessive compulsive.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Tom [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

I didn't read all of this post.....not enought time, but the only thing to think about is we had a kodiak(yamaha) and burnt the belt and it cost like 300 bucks for that belt. For a polaris belt it's only like 30 bucks.........I don't know if this is normal or what.....but just telling ya. Maybe you don't burn belts that often either, or it was a freak case too.....