1st ATV Purchase - Need everyone's expertise
 

Hey guys. I'm planning on purchasing a new or possible used atv within the next couple of months. I'm looking for a 4x4 atv something in the 400-500cc class for a little bit of work around the house and for trail riding. I don't plan on doing much mudding. Definitely no deep mudding. I'm just unsure on what to get and would like to get everyone's opinions. I know honda makes a great atv like the rancher or foreman but I'm kind of liking the new polaris models. I know there's a lot of pros and cons for both. Polaris gets more bang for your buck and a faster atv but does it have the reliability of honda. Plus a lot of people are telling me polaris parts are harder to get and more expensive to work on. I mean heck you could get an 800 cc sportsman or the price of a foreman. Any help would be great. Thanks guys

Hey... I live high in the rock mtns of colorado and i have a mix of rocks streams fields woods. have owned a 200cc no name atv. a raptor 660 (whitch scared the holy hell outa me ) and was finding that i needed an atv that could do more. so i picked up a polaris 500ho awd. with a plow and winch. now i can trail ride rock climb cross deep streams right after my wife gets finished plowing the drive way. lol....imo the sportsman 500ho is worth every penny i paid for it.....hope this helps...

polaris or suzuki

Looks like any 4x4 would do the job you want. The problem with Honda is they all mostly have Straight Rear Axle (SRA) and a much rougher ride then a , Independent Rear Suspension(IRS).
IRS is pretty well the norm now. Also SRA have much less ground clearance.

Your the one riding on top of it all dat long ,so you might as well get a comfy ride.

If I was looking for bang for buck, I would look at the New 570 Sportsman, Yamaha 450 or 550 Grizzly or 500 Suzuki KQ.
Can-AMs are over priced and I do not know much about Artic Cat but the 550 may be worth looking at.

Don't worry about Parts just get them online rather then a dealer.

Hondas are just to dated , with their drum rear brakes, low powered per displacement OHV motors and dated suspension.

The Sportsman 570 has 22% more HP and better ergonomics than the 500 and you can get it with EPS (Electronic Power Steering). I would probably get one if I needed a new quad.

Yea the rear independant suspension is definitely a plus. But aren't polaris atvs more expensive to work on and I've heard they don't last as long as Honda even with proper maintance

i don't know much about cats either but from the few i've seen i really like them and the price seems pretty decent. i've heard the diesel cat is an amazing workhorse too

i've never owned a polaris but i know a few that have owned several and they have all told me polaris is really hit and miss with certain years being amazing and others having all kinds of problems. the only one i've ever worked on was my cousins 2001 500 and it's always had overheating problems

If that's a concern and you want Japanese that are not dated their is always Yamaha,Suzuki or Kawi.

I have some very very good Arctic Cat snowmobiles . Can't see why making a ATV which is a sled on wheels basically would throw their game.

never had good luck with Yamaha. my current Suzuki is the first i've ever owned from them and i'm pretty happy with it so far but i've had a few small issues such as some heat shield thing they put on the exhaust where it goes along the engine had a shitty spot weld job which came loose and rattled like crazy and they wouldn't warranty it