Does the KQ 500 have a locking diff lock?

 

The 550 Grizzly and 500 KQ are both Full sized ATV and a jump over the Mid sized 450Grizzly or 420 Rancher but their price tag jump reflects that as well.

All the full sized ATVs have diff lock or a AWD system now except the 500 Rubicon and 680 Rincon, the 500 Foreman will even have it in 2014. (Honda,s first)

Next people will be suggesting the 750KQ or 700 Grizzly , then your off and running into a new category once again. LOL

 

If I were you, I would just go get a wildcat or a rzr xp...I would say you should be able to pick one up for around 20,000...j/k. Aren't you happy that you asked and then got suggestions other than the two quads you had it narrowed down to!! I would say at this point Yamaha is as reliable as Honda (if that is your thing). You will not get a new 550 grizzly out the door for under 7000...or if you do let me know!! Mine is non EPS model and wasn't under 7000 before tax and title!! I honestly would go ride them both before you get your wallet out...you may not care for one of them and then your decision is easy!

 

Yeah, I'm not interested in anything above 600. I had looked at the KQ before but had heard much about them. And I don't think I could get 550 for 7k either but you can always try.

 

Between the Grizzly 450 and Rancher 420 I would go with the Grizzly. It's just slightly more powerful but has all the features I want in a 4x4. Like IRS, diff lock, 4+ inches more ground clearance than the Rancher, a little bit bigger tires, bigger gas tank, high towing and rack capacity (Honda doesn't even like to list theirs), disc brakes all around. IMO the Grizzly is a better quad all around and worth the extra cost. You can get IRS on the Rancher AT IRS but it costs more than the Grizzly (over $7,000) and still has smaller tires and less ground clearance, etc.

 

Also the 420 uses odd ball 11" rims on the rear so when you do want to get better larger tires your tire selection is much less then with the common 12" rims that tire companies cater to mainly.

 

That's good to know because I did plan on upgrading the tires pretty early on.

 

TLC, does the rancher have the dang push button shifter? if so, did they fix the shifting motor? i forget what they call that dang thing. i remember honda having issues with that shifting motor. surely they worked the bugs out by now.

 

There E.S model are the thumb shifter but they still make a foot shift only. I hear a lot about the E.S problem here, but I ride with a friend that bought my 2000 450ES foreman 5 years ago and two friends with 2005 Foreman 500E.S they bought new.
The E.S has never been a problem, I just can,t believe we are just getting lucky.

I think you hear of the few that screw up but hear nothing about the many that do not.
They only complain about the one squeaky wheel on a wagon not the 3 quiet ones.

I never liked shifting on a utility ATV to stay in the right gear range, I just like the CVT gas and go, it makes the ride more pleasurable with one less chore to do.
I can,t be alone since 90% of all 4x4 ATVs are CVT now.

 

to me, CVT is the only way to go. i like'em. i'll stick with'em. thanks.