Hi all, I know there are a variety of threads on this great forum that ask variations of the same question: which ATV is best for me. I've read a number of them, but have yet to find one that is similar to my situation.


We are moving to a lake home and we're thinking of buying an ATV for two primary uses:


1) Hauling stuff up/down the hill, such as various items for the boat or jet skis (life jackets, wake boards, tow ropes) and just misc. things such as food, hoses, light kayak, etc. If it matters, the slope is probably a 30 percent grade over a 150' stretch from the back of the house down to the water. Odds are good my son and his buddies will probably be driving themselves up and down the hill on the thing as well.


2) Plowing snow. The primary use would be for plowing off part of the lake so the kids can play hockey/broomball and maybe go ice fishing (probably rare). But I'd probably also wind up using it to plow snow on the driveway which is roughly 30' wide and 75' long.


A few other facts: I'm not a gear-head by any means; this house is in what I would call 3rd tier suburbs in the Twin Cities so there are no trails around and too much traffic on surrounding roads to ride safely on them - so this ATV would just be for around the house (3/4 acre lot roughly); I'm 6' and 190# (45 years old if it matters) but my 15 year old son would mostly be riding it - he's 6' 3" and 170#. I'm mostly concerned that we buy enough ATV for these purposes, that it's very reliable and that we can easily get it serviced. To that end the motorsports dealership that seems to get rave reviews (and from which I already purchased a couple jet skis) sells Yamaha's, Kawasaki's and BRP/Can-Am's. So if possible, I'd like to buy something from them.


I'd like to hear your opinions regarding what size is sufficient for these seemingly simple tasks, 4WD or 2WD, which brand of the three noted above meets my needs best (or do you strongly recommend something else?), and anything else I should know? Thanks!

 

Hey there, I have 2001 yamaha wolverine 350 that has been a great machine over the years. I think a lot of people like yamaha and I always see a lot of people riding polaris stuff. If you're plowing snow I would def recommend going with a 4x4. or going with a machine that gives you the option of both 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive. Even though my machine is only a 350 it plows snow incredibly well and has enough power for my needs. Also look for a machine with good low end gearing... that will help you out with plowing and hauling.

 

Honestly, any brand you've mentioned will do what you want to do with it. I'd look for a machine around 500 cc or so. That will get you anywhere and do just about anything you want to do with it. All of the machines you mentioned have the ability to fully lock the front end in 4wd for plowing. The Yamaha has a limited slip front when you put it in 4wd and to lock the front end you have to move a lever and push a button. The Can-Am will lock as needed when you put it in 4wd. The older ones were a little slow to fully lock. The newer ones are just about instantaneous. The Kawasaki goes into limited slip when you put it in 4wd. To lock the front end you have to hold on to a yellow lever on the left side to keep it locked. Not my favorite system. For carrying stuff they all have decent racks. You can get a dump bed for the Can-Am to carry a lot of items. I'd also recommend a 2 rider machine for the times there might be a driver and a passenger. They're also more stable on hills due to the longer wheelbase than a single rider machine.

Another one that I think would be worth a look if you have a dealership around your area is the Polaris Sportsman X2. I had a 2006 X2 when they had a 500 cc engine in it. It treated me very well considering the abuse I put it through. The only reason I traded it in is that I wanted more power for winter riding. It's a quad that has a dump bed already on it. Great for carrying things. It has a true 400 lb. rated rear suspension. It also has a seat that flips up from the dump bed so you can have a passenger on it. The transformation from 1 person to 2 person riding takes, literally, about 10-15 seconds. The Polaris 4wd system is similar to the Can-Am system. You push the 4wd switch and it's there when you need it. If Polaris had a machine with more power at the time I bought the Can-Am I would still be riding a Polaris. The newer 570 cc engine in the X2 was about a 10 hp increase over the old 500 cc. Probably more power than would ever be needed. 2015 Polaris Sportsman X2 570 EPS Sage Green : Features

 

Any 4x4 you find will do what you want to do. A 2wd will work but not for the plowing unless it has chains on the back wheels.

The Problem with Can-AM is there smallest 4x4 is a 450 Outlander which is not cheap.
The bang for the bank Mid size ATV I think is the Yamaha 350 Grizzly or Honda 420 Rancher 4x4 (Base model).
The Artic Cat 400 and Polaris ETX are two more worth mentioning.
I once recommended the 400 Suzuki King Quad but it price went up crazy in 2015 for no reason.
Here is a 350 Grizzly next to a 400kQ and for the price diffence you do not get much.
2014 Yamaha Grizzly 350 Auto. 4x4 ATVs

 

Thanks everyone for your feedback so far. I didn't even realize there was a different configuration and wheelbase for the two-rider machines. I just assumed they slapped a seat extension/back on the standard machine and called it a day. It's interesting that the BRP/Can-Am machines (they're one in the same, right?) seem to have solid features and a good reputation. Our local dealer spoke highly of them but I assumed it was just because they were pushing them. I thought all the other, more mature brands would have had more things going for them, like Honda and Yamaha. I'll take a harder look at the BRP machines when I visit the dealer again.

 

Can Ams are known for a lot of power per displacement, that has to do with there higher price.

Example :The Yamaha 450 Grizzly and Honda 420 Rancher are both about 26hp while the new BRP/Can-Am 450 Outlander is 38hp.

The 650 Outlander is 62hp while a Honda 680 Rincon is 38hp and Kawasaki 650 Brute Force is 46hp.

Can-Ams are a conversation piece in any riding group but you pay extra for it.

Even their littlest 4x4 will give the big boys a run for their money.

 

I guess they didn't mention if they were going to be purchasing a new atv or used one. And also how much money they're willing to spend. Or if they prefer a cvt automatic or want a semi-auto so they can shift gears on their own. Honda's are the most reliable if you really want a workhorse. A Foreman 500 4x4 or Rubicon would be a great choice. Except for the brand new 2015 models, these are the only 500cc class machines that still have a solid rear axle and many prefer that to independent rear suspension as it doesn't squat like independent rear suspension when you load up the rear racks or are towing a heavy trailer. A Yamaha Grizzly 700 would be my choice if you want a cvt machine. They have great low-end, power steering, and diff-lock to give you extra traction when needed. A Polaris Sportsman 570 would be another great choice or even an older sportsman 500 efi. Honestly there really isn't a wrong choice but if you're plowing snow, 4x4 is almost a necessity. Even a 400cc Yamaha Big Bear 4x4 would be an outstanding choice for a work machine and probably would cost less than any of the other machines mentioned if you want the best value but it is less sporty than the others so when you want to ride just for fun its not going to be quite as exciting or fast.

 

Hi all, based on the feedback received here I asked for quotes on a few different ATV's from my local dealer. Thoughts on these deals?


1) 2015 Can Am 500 L w/PS: $7,699 ($200 off MSRP) w/5 year warranty
- Optional: 54'' BRP plow & 2500lb Warn winch: $1,270 including labor


2) 2015 Can Am Outlander XT w/PS: $8,999 ($600 off MSRP) w/1 year warranty
- Optional: 54" BRP plow: $750 incl. labor (XT comes with winch)


3) 2014 Yamaha Grizzly 550 w/PS: $7,799 ($900 off MSRP) w/??? warranty (they didn't specify)
- Optional: 55'' Moose plow & 2500lb Warn winch: $1,300 incl. labor


Beside your thoughts on pricing, does it seem odd to anyone else that the higher-end BRP Outlander XT machine only comes with a *one* year warranty, while their less expensive L machine comes with a *five* year warranty?

Thanks again for all your input!

 

I found it odd that Can-Am gives a 5 year warranty for the value line too. Really, with the prices you've got quotes I like the XT because of the extras like the front and rear guards, winch, 26" tires, upgraded rims, and other things that come with the XT package. But, all of them will do what you want them to do. Test ride them and see which you like.

 

Keep in mind a atv can plow snow, just not to much of it. If the wheeler is going to be the primary means of keeping your driveway open it will take 2-3 pushes for a 12" storm. Quads wont throw wash very far so start wider than what you think you will need because the driveway will close in fast.
IMHO Can am's are really cool machines high performance machines. I can only assume the lack of a warranty is due to big HP with smaller quad sized parts. You can use them work but if you want a strictly utility machine I would look at Polaris, like Moose talked about. The Griz are a good line of quads but the manual diff lock isnt that great in many situations.
Obviously, make sure you test drive before you purchase and let us know what you buy!