Yamaha Big Bear 400 4x4 IRS

Honda FourTrax Rancher 4x4

Arctic Cat 500 4x4

The common features of these three that I want are:

1. Minimum 400cc
2. 5-Speed Manual Foot Shift
3. 2/4WD Selectable

With that said, which would you recommend? I will be using this mainly to get around while hunting and occasional trail riding.

I cannot find any other makes/models that possess all three of these features so if you know of any other makes/models that do, please post them.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

I can't say enought great things about my Rancher! It rips right off the bottom, handles great, stable in turns and off camber (unlike my buddied sloppy long travel IRS machines!), fuel injected and water cooled, and a great price!

I do wish it were lighter, but in an attempt to keep the price down they couldn't use many light alloy parts. The torque sensing front diff is great as well...never felt like I have ever needed lockers.

Don't let the ground clearance numbers fool you either...they are just numbers! I have never had a problem either rock crawling or out in the deep snow.

 

You are forgetting the Suzuki Vinson 500. I think the AC uses the Suzuki engine actually. The Vinny was discontinued for this year as it was replaced by the Kingquad 450. The Vinson was my choice in 2004 over the Hondas because Honda insisted on using drum brakes, which are Honda's biggest mistake...Honda wants to charge you all that money for their new rides and use 1980's technology when it comes to stopping? no thanks!!! By the way, I am truly a Honda fan....I have ridden them all my life...but I got sick and frickin' tired of the rear drum seals on my 1995 TRX300 letting water get in and corrode the heck out of the brakes. Don't let a salesman fool you..."triple sealed" only means that once water gets in, it has three seals to have to go through in order to get back out

I love my 5-speed Vinson...it handles better than most 4x4s, is very comfortable, is great for powersliding with the SRA, has GREAT brakes (all discs) and a manual shift...but I truly wish it had: Fuel injection (although I modified mine with a Dial-A-Jet so adjusting for altitude changes is easy) and locking front differential (although I may be able to get a locker for the front)

Check it out...I still see new Vinsons for sale at my local Suzuki Dealer, so they can be found!

Good hunting!

 

Drum brakes are actually 1900s technology. They started putting them on cars in 1901. When's the last time anyone built a car with them? That's one of just a few reasons I'll never buy a Honda.

 

You need to qualify this drum brake thing! There is a drum only on the back, and the front has discs. I don't know about the rest of you, but these manual tranny machines have serious engine compression braking. I can't even remember when I last used my brakes, either back or front!!! Just let off the accelerator (downshift if necessary), and the thing slows down real quick.

 

I don't use my brakes much either but when I do, I don't rely on such ancient technology to stop me. You can pound nails with a rock but professional carpenters use nail guns. There are good reasons why modern technology came to be.

 

I would get a "sloppy long travel IRS machine"

They have a more comfy ride and you will be thankful when your hauling your 200lb buck on your racks. You will also be thankful to have disc brakes that you will need to stop you with this extra weight.

If I'm not mistaken Hondas not only have horrible drum rears but they have the lowest amount of HP..sure you don't need a bike w/ 75 HP to haul deer, but I believe the Yamaha, AC and Vinson all have more. I'd rather be safer then sorry when I'm hauling a deer out of the wood and want to make sure my bike will make the trip back to the truck as easy as it could be.
The big bear and the AC seem more geared toward work IMO. which is what you want to do.
I believe the AC has a locker, I know the Big bear does. Honda's are still limited slip even on their big bore flag ship..drum brakes...don't know when they are gonna wake up.

 

A Honda 680 puts out 1 or 2 more HP than my 500. Instead of a 400-500 from anyone else, you need to spend more money on something with a bigger engine that probably uses a lot more gas. There's no way I'll spend my hard earned money on an underpowered Honda.

 

My buddy who is into ATVs said of the three I am looking that he would go with the Big Bear or AC and most likely the AC because it is about the same price/features and you get a 100 more CC's and it is noticable. He too commented on Honda's old drum rears and no IRS.

Upon doing a littte research the AC does use a Suzuki engine.

I looked at an 09 Big Bear 400 today but no one was around to talk to.....real turnoff. Showroom was stocked but not a person in sight.

I and am going to look at an 09 AC 500 tomorrow. When I called the shop today they said they have two in stock (dark green) and I could come over and ride one to see what I think. She (nice lady) could only give me the retail price ($6495) over the phone but when I come in she said it would go down. How much do you think I could get that down? Right now AC is running a special too that you get a free 3000LB Warn winch.

Anymore thoughts/suggestions?

And I would get a bigger engine jumbofrank but no one makes a 5-Speed Manual 4x4 bigger than the AC 500.

 

I have the 07 Rancher and have to say its a wonderful machine. 100% pleased with it. Brakes work awesome but like mentioned it has excellent engine braking. It's also a comfy ride, I even ride 2-up with it and it handles just fine. I use it for everything especially moose hunting and had no issues to date. Just search for reviews on this machine and you won't find many negatives at all. I love the efi, work wonders for me even in -15C. I'd HIGHLY recommend this quad.