im about to buy my first atv. im 5'11" and weigh roughly 240lbs. i went to a dealer today and rode a new suzuki kingquad 700 efi. wow! the quad was fun but had to much power and the front end dipped down when you let off the throttle. it was alittlle too much quad for me. im looking at buying something smaller. id be using the quad for pushing snow, trail riding, and for deer hunting. but for mostly riding and having fun. ive narrowed it down to four choices- the suzuki kingquad 450, kawasaki prairie 360 4x4, yamaha grizzly 350 auto irs, or the yamaha wolverine 450 4x4. im not looking for a big powerhouse quad. im just wanting to have fun. any suggestions? im not sure if i need irs or the solid rear axle. thanks..Tim

 

hi there burnt3d my vote would be the 360 prairie i just bought one in june i am 6ft 250pounds and it hauls my but just fine iam doing the same thing you will be doing with yours if you would like some pics just send me your email and i will send you some i have a plow and winch on it and some executioners tires and itp c-series type 7 rims and more . hope this helps. mark

 

If ur NOT planning on crossing rivers and creeks, NOT submerging the engine in water the Kingquad 700, 450, or the Yamaha Kodiak will work great. if ur planning on rough and abusive riding and running thru deep water go with the Prarire 360. Other choices I would suggest is the Yamaha Big Bear, the Suzuki Eiger or Vinson Manual, The Eiger and Vinson manual both have high and low range and a front slip diff that works as good as a front locker. Plus all the Honda's are gear drive, thay may be slower but they will go anywhere. Most ATV's use a engine belt drive, its a cheap fan belt on pressed steel pulleys that connect the engine crank to the transmission, these belts will slip and smoke when they get wet or when you use ur atv in a stall of bulldozer condition, they get wet and slip when you ride across creeks, stall when you hill climb and ride over logs and rocks, bulldoze when you plow snow. Some ATV's don't use belts, they are a solid gear drive, with a clutch simular to whats on a motorcycle. Most ATV salesmen will lie and tell you the engine side case that covers the belt drive is waterproof, but fail to tell you it has a vent hose that allows water in, some will tell you the belt has an automatic belt tensioner that keeps the belt tight so it never slips. I have been riding with many makes and models of atvs for years and I have seen the problems with the belt drives, I call them "belt smokers". Most ATV's are made with belt drive cause its cheaper to make, they hold the price down and more profit plus they make money selling new belts. Buy a gear drive ATV!

 

Get a Yamaha Kodiak/Grizzly 450 4x4. It has all the features (IRS, lockers, etc.) of a big-bore 4x4 without the power, weight, and size. I got mine in early September, and have loved every minute of it. Believe it or not, it has gone places that my dad's Brute Force 650 couldn't because of its size. The Kodiak is a fun quad...not too much power, but enough to do powerslides and go almost anywhere reasonable.

 

Well, of the quads you have listed, the 450 Wolverine may be a little suspect for pushing heavy snow as it has no low range to help protect the belt. While motoF150 has some basis for his rant against belt drives, I wouldn't be afraid of a belt drive for what you want to use it for. The Kingquad 450 is just coming out, Suzuki has had some first year model issues recently. Nothing that can't be fixed or anything mind you, but something to think about. I do believe the 450 KQ offers a lot and will be a great quad. Honda also just redid thier Rancher for '07 with efi and all. Ranchers have a solid reputation, I think you could get many years of enjoyment out of one of those also.

 

which honda rancher would you recommend? what problems has suzuzki had with the new kq450? whats are the big differences between the grizzly 350 irs, 400 4x4 , or the 450 4x4? Tim

 

No problems with the KQ 450 that I know of, just they have had some first year issues with other models such as the z400, 700KQ, and LT-R450. Again, nothing that can't be solved through the aftermarket. The 450 looks to basically be a 700 with less power. AS for the Ranchers, the 400 model is belt drive with a carb. The '07 420 models are efi with geared trannies. Honda's ESP models have been more prone to break downs than is typical of Honda products, but there are plenty of people with a ton of hours on ESP trannies and no probs. Like the belt drives, I wouldn't necessarily shy away from them for what you have planned. BTW, the 450 Wolverine is the sportiest out of these. There is bound to be someone that has plowed with one to tell you how that might work out. You should be able to get racks for it if you need them for hunting. Another model to explore is Polaris' Scrambler, which is similar in focus to the Wolverine.

 

from what dealers have told me, polaris is junk. they break down alot and thay have alot of plastic parts. where im from in iowa, des moines area, the dealers have suggested yamaha, suzuki, or kawasaki.

 

Trust me, get the Kodiak 450!

 

ok... what about the polaris atv's? especially the 450 or 500 sportsman? are they too heavy? hows the track record for durability and longevity?