This is my first post, but I have read and learned a lot on here. I have searched and read most of the posts I could find that seemed like they could help my decision, but to little avail. I have ridden a Honda 400ex for the last several years, and have decided to move to a utility. Mainly for riding dessert trails, sandy arroyos, mountail trails, and logging roads, as well as for hunting and fishing. Probably not a lot of deep mudding, since that is a pretty rare find here in NM.

So far, I have (I think) narrowed my choices to Sportsman 500 EFI, King Quad 450 AXi, and Brute FOrce 650i. I definitely want IRS, and fuel injection. Price limit is $7000. I have had plenty of experience with Honda and Suzuki products with good luck. No experience with Kawisaki or Polaris other than a couple of friends who have had very good luck with Polaris quads, PWC, and snowmobiles. Polaris seems a good value from initial research in that they appear to include a lot of what seem to be extras with the others, such as heavier skid plates, added storage, better tires, etc.

Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated, and I really don't want to start another brand war. Just looking for advice based on personal experience, etc., as well as any other suggestions that I may be missing. Thanks!

 

Also, fuel mileage is a fairly big concern, not only for the price of gas these days, but when we do go out, we tend to go all day.

 

Welcome to the forum Tinner. I'm sick of the brand wars myself.

My friends and I all ride Polaris and Yamaha. We've mostly had good luck with both brands. They will both break if you abuse them bad enough. I knew one guy with a Suzuki but don't know how it held up since I only rode with him a couple of years and that was years ago. I don't see Arctic Cat or Can-Am on your list. I don't even know anyone who has a Kawasaki, Honda, or Arctic Cat but judging by the forums, most people who have them like them. The general consensus is that Can-Ams are okay but too expensive for most people. I can't honestly say that any of these are bad quads.

As far as mpg is concerned, I know a 400-500 will go <u>a lot</u> farther on a gallon than a 700-800. Since 650 is halfway between 500 and 800, the power and gas mileage should be somewhere between them. I'm a big fat guy and my 500 has enough power to get me up to 55 mph. I usually get about 25 mpg on the trails and ride several hours on a tankful.

 

just like in cars *usually* the smaller the engine the better the fuel economy.
i have the bf750 and love it but i couldnt tell ya the mpg cuz its mostly used for plowing snow and mowing my lawn havent had it out on the trails and burned a whole tank of gas out of it.

out of those 3 quads i couldnt really recommend one over the other since they will all do exactly what you want some slightly better than other but sacrificing gas mileage over the other machines. So i guess im saying if you want the best gas mileage go with the 450, you want the most power go with the brute or go right down the middle and get the sportsman. you would be very happy with any of those machines.

Welcome to the forums

 

Thanks for the welcomes and the replys, guys. I really hadn't paid much attention to the Cat due to it coming in last in the "500 Class Clash" article, but may look at them before final decision. I think I am probably closer to narrowing it down to the KQ450 or the SP500. It still seems like Polaris just gives a little more bang for the buck. I guess my only real hangup there is lack of experience with them and the (possibly old school thought process) theory of better reliability of the Japanese bikes.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Thanks for the welcomes and the replys, guys. I really hadn't paid much attention to the Cat due to it coming in last in the "500 Class Clash" article</end quote></div>

The Only two 500 class comparison up I have seen have Honda last.

500 Clash #1

500 shootout #2

Maybe a 650 AC would be worth looking at they have the largest stock gas tanks in the busniess at 6.5 Gallons.

 

I stand corrected, the AC was only last place in one and second to last in the other I have read. I am researching the AC, but so far am still pretty much between the KQ450 and the SP500, but the Brute is still not completely out of the running. Anybody have any opinions or insight to offer between these.

 

If the 650i is in the budget I would get that,its considered a big bore ATV while the 500 and 450 are mid size machines.

Fast ATV have the option of going slow but slow ATV do not have the option of going fast.


I,m with you on this one also, around here its big country with no gas stations some of our rides are 100+ miles long and hauling a extra gas can around is a drag.

 

After years of ridding I went to utility ATV's because the sports quads could not go where I wanted to go. I have the Brutes predecessor all though they still make a Brute with a strait axle I believe. Between my Kawasaki 700 Prairie and Polaris 500 Sportsman I like the Sportsman better for most things. Ridding street legal I get almost 30mpg with the 500 and only 18mpg with the Kawi (both are carbureted). When it comes to power on the trail I don't use the full throttle on the 700 most of the time. 65 miles per hour down a rocky trail or wash is just to fast. Besides, Kawasaki skimps on the plastic thickness and skid plate protection. I have dinted or torn things of the Kiwi that would not have fazed the Sportsman. For me the kicker is the hug amount of on board storage that the Sportsman has. Everything that I have to carry in the rack pack on the Kawi goes in the two trunks on the Sportsman which means I get to take more goodies in the rack pack or gas on the racks. A friend of mine that bought a Brute I complains that it feels way tippier than the Sportsman. The reason is the big swing arm on the back of the Sportsman helps keep it level when going around corners.

The biggest complaint I have with the Sportsman is the Polaris Extreme tires. The Extreme means extremely flat all the time. If you take the 4X4 where a 4X4 should go they will get punctured over and over again. Buy a new set of tires like Maxxis Bighorns and then romp the rocks without problems.

 

Thanks for the reply, MileHigh. You just confirmed a lot of what I have been thinking. There has to be a reason for all the extra weight of the Polaris, and better skidplate protection and thicker plastics would definitely play into tat thought process. I also like the available storage on the Sportsman. How has the reliability been, in your experience with the Polaris? I think that is my only real hang up with not buying a Japanese bike. As I said earlier, this may just be old school thinking, as I do know several have had nothing but good luck with Polaris.