Educating myself getting ready to buy my first 4x4 and have some questions.

1 - Engine size. One of my wants is to be able to pull a trailer up a trail with a decent amount of camping gear piled in, so I've been told to either look for a good size motor or one with hi-lo gears. From what I've learned so far it seems that something like a Sportsman 500 HO or 550 Griz would do that job fairly well. But for the sake of opening up my options could I possibly look into a smaller engine than these if it had hi-lo? Put another way...what's the smallest engine size I should be looking for on a machine that has hi-lo considering my pulling needs?

2 - Can add power steering? Is it possible to add power steering to a model that didn't come with it, but other versions of that same year's model did? For example some of the 2008 Griz 550s came with PS and some didn't. If I found one that didn't have it could I reasonably assume I could add it later considering the frame and equipment has probably already been designed to work with it?

3- Mileage and age. Most of the machines I'm seeing have between 500-1200 or so miles and I'm wondering how many is too many? Seen some with 2-3000+ and I'm most def staying away from those. But whats the mileage limit where you can expect major things (read expensive) to start going wrong with the machine? I've heard someone generally speaking say they would rather take a 2006 with 1000 miles on it vs a 2012 with 2000. Would most people agree?

 

Most utility ATVs have High low range.
If you load heavy like use its more about the physical size of the ATV rather then motor size so you can fit your gear.
Make sure the ATV is a Full sized chassis, example is a 450KQ is a larger full sized chassis where as a 450 Grizzly is a small midsize chassis.
Once a ATV is in low range it not going to run out of wheel turning power . A 300KQ has a higher tow capacity the a 680 Rincon do to its tranny.
My 350 Grizzly has a 1100 lb tow rating and it does not even have a low range that's only 100lbs shy of my 500's 1200lb rating.
I think Yamaha clutched the 350 to make up the fact it has no low range because I have been pulling some loaded trailers with it.
I would easily take it camping if it had bigger racks for my stuff. Power and speed sure is not the issue on our rough 15mph trails.

 

Most of what I had to say has already been covered in the previous two posts. I'll just add that 500-1200 miles is what a lot of people put on in a year so don't worry about that being too many miles.

 

Good machines, my friend bought one in 2003 and only changed a battery twice and one front wheel bearing in 15 years. Even the spark plug and belt are original.

You lucked out, if that's the actual pic of your ATV, I can tell it had the gas tank cooling recall done since it has the shark gills on the side covers. The 2002 and 2003 did not have that stock.

This 2009 owner review should cheer you up http://www.atvreviewnetwork.com/enth...64582&veh=3199 The guy has 10,000 trouble free miles out of his .

 

Sill faster and with more power then Honda,s newest 4x4s.
I went on a long ride with a 660 Grizzly and 680 Rincon and we did some wide straight gravel road sections and the 660 easily out accerated the 680 and had a higher top speed. Put it in low range it will out pull it also.

 

Twins are great for speed but I like single thumpers for low rpm end grunt since trial riding is my thing.
I think that's why Yamaha and Suzuki stay with big singles rather then twins and they know where ATVs spend there time.
Singles have half as much to go wrong.