After studying these forums, reading all I can, visiting dealers I have decided on this quad.

Does anyone have any "on seat" time with this and willing to share experences with me?

I'm a new rider, VERY LIMITED experience and want to try trail riding, light utility work and hunting with it. Not into the racing, jumping, rock climbing thing.

I rode it, liked it, bought it, 5640.91 out the door, when you can find one in Richmond, Va.

All coments, positive and negative will be appreciated.

Special thanks to Jim Cowgill for his email replies.

 

$5600 out the door...that seems really high, do you have sales tax or something..

I don't mean to come across neg or anything, its just that right now I can purchase a 00'450es for a $5775 brand new.. that is in oregon with no sales tax though..

sorry my curiousity got the best of me...

If they are anything like my 450 You will love it. I was a little hesitant at first about the electric shift, but now I wouldn't want anything else

Have fun, be safe

 

I paid $5100 + tax, title and registration for a total of 5431.00 out the door. Thats in PA with 6% sales tax. I had to shop around to get that price. Most dealers were not discounting from the $5399 MSRP. That would have been $5730 with the taxes etc. You didn't do bad.
I have only had mine about a month. I am very pleased. You will be too. I did notice that mine ran a little rough in the cold but ran great this past weekend in temperatures between 55-60 degrees. It handles nicely on the trails, and does exceptionally well in the mud. On hills I need to gear down some but this is mostly me getting used to it. It seems to have top speed typical of most other utility quads. Faster than most, slower than some. You'll only notice the speed difference when riding with the true sport quads. Since you said that you are new to this, and you wanted all comments, I'll give you my standard advice. Always where a helmet even in the yard, keep the shiny side up and buy the insurance.

 

I have some miles on mine. I do mostly running around a camp ground on mine. I am not on a road much and have woods to run around in but no marked trails. I take it through a creek. I have hauled about 22 deer on it. I have pulled a trialer several times weighing over 1200 pounds and in all my uses, I have no complaints at all. I think it's a great machine. No problems with the ES. I did put a Warn 2000 winch on it. I only used it to pull a ford F250 4X4 up the drive so I could get a battery charger on it. Oh and the snowplow on the truck was down so I was pulling snow with the truck up the drive for about 40 feet. I have some steep hills in the back of the property and it hasn't failed me yet. Goes anyplace I want to go. It will work for you.

 

lablover,

I don't have a Rancher, but I looked at them before I bought a '00 Grizzly. At a dealer in Kansas City that handled Yamaha and Honda, they were offering the Rancher for $5,000. I drove 2 hours to Joplin, MO and saved $500 on the Grizzly over this dealer's price. I did not actually get a quote from Joplin (also handled Honda) on the Rancher since I had decided on the Grizzly. They also handle Suzuki, and I inquired about a '00 Quadmaster 500 4x4 for a friend. He could have saved $400. Based on this, I would say I could have bought a Rancher for $4,600 to $4,700. I paid $50 for doccumentation over the base cost and that was it.

 

I was in the same boat, new to atv's. I just bought my 350 4x4es, with only minimal experience I "ran with the big dogs". I backed off the truck and hit the trails. The Rancher is very easy to get comfortable with.I hope to be riding this weakend. Good luck with the decision, there are a lot choices for atv's.

 

i am new also to atv.s but love it now and its now in my blood i have a rancher 08 420 i love it but sets a little low and stock tires little poor what can i do to get it up off the ground i run the creeks in al need some height thanks

 

Ummmm..... bigger tires!

 

Anybody notice that the original post if from the year 2000!

If you genuinely need more ground clearance, probably should have gotten the new Rancher 420AT which has IRS (vs the standard Rancher with SRA).

My experience with large tires on the little Rancher has been negative! They will usually destroying the quad's sweet handling characteristics, and leave you riding a clunker.