Hey jltimm...I hate to break it to ya but about that 3 chain maintenance thing you are way off! I bought a 1994 Xplorer 300 and rode it(pretty hard) for 1 and 1/2 years before adjusting the chains! I was so not into the mechanics back then that I didn't even grease the 2 front chains for the first 2 years! Same thing on my 1998 Xplorer 400. I did grease all 3 chains but did not adjust chains for 1 year. The rear one was only a bit loose. Maybe I fell upon 2 great machines...don't know? The only problem I have had is the breaks used up really fast...but compared to all other quads I have ridden my 400 stops in a split second. So what if I have to change some really innexpensive pads once or twice a year! Peace of cake. Its worth it.

You want something fast that goes anywhere anytime..its Polaris all the way! There are rotten apples in every bunch and made by every dealer... quit "nitpicking" about dumb little details. All quads have there ups and downs...and by the way the things in life that get ragged on the most are usually the best and are envied by others!!!!!!!!!!!!! smile it's fun here!

 

I have A '00 Grizzly & '00 Kodiak for my wife she just loves her Kodiak,actually I like it better then my Grizzly as well.I think if you were to buy an ATV for you and your wife that the Kodiak is about the best bang for your buck ATV on the market at the moment,liquid cooled,automatic,2&4 wheel drive selectable,lots of suspension,high/low range and overall just A fun and easy ATV to drive.If selectable 2&4 wheel drive is not A big problem then I would look at the Honda Rancher.Just my opinion!

 

I've spent the last three or so months going through these forums and haunting ATV dealers looking for the best bargain for me. I started knowing virtually nothing of ATVs so had no biases toward any one brand. I decided to purchase an ATV because I live in an extremely rugged area (no pavement, just dirt roads and cow trails) and many people here own them as a primary mode of travel. Additionally, I hunt and explore a lot of country and ATVs are a practical means toward this end. To summarize my journey, I looked at the following sources for information: Forums, dealers, owners, magizine reviews and one I've not seen mentioned here, rental/tour businesses. I found the tour companies (we have a number of them in Utah) to be the best source of info relative to reliability. I found dealers and magizine reviews to be biased and subjective (magazines appear to just throw a couple of guys on bikes and they summarize how it fit them personally and how fast it went) no real research design involved. So what did I find? First, there is no bad machines. It's a competative field and all involved work hard to put out quality rides; no one model or brand is "better" than another. It's relative to each individual rider's wants and needs. There appears, however, to be a difference in reliability factor for average riders. Second, I narrowed my hunt to the SP500, Honda 450ES, Kawi400prairie, Kodiak4x4, and the AC500. What did I buy? None of them. I ended up with a Suzuki Quad500. I hadn't even considered it initially.

 

All the nitpicking about dumb little details comes from me spending alot of wasted time,and money with a polaris product and the company who wouldn't even stand by there product in there home state

 

TruSteel, I don't know by your post how many different ATV's you've taken for a test ride, but like one of the other posts mentioned, ride as many of the ones that interest you over the same terrain as you can. Here in Canada where I am, the different dealers are all good at letting you try out their machines. I was set on buying a Honda Foreman from all that I had read about ATV's in 1997, but after test riding it and several others, I bought a Kawasaki Prairie because of it's VERY comfortable ride and quality workmanship. I wanted a machine for the exact same reasons as you. The Prairie was the most comfortable one I rode. It is full time 4-wheel-drive, but is light steering. I was interested in the Arctic Cat then too, but it was very stiff steering and the seat was no where near as comfortable. I hear that they have improved their steering since then though. I've driven a Grizzly recently, and although it had the 2-wheel-drive option, I didn't think it steered any lighter than mine, so I don't miss that feature. I wouldn't trade my Prairie for a Grizzly. The Grizzly was a bit more powerful, but it was definitely noisier, and less comfortable. The Prairie is more economical to run too. The Grizzly that I rode was a /98. The new ones may be better. The most comfortable and longest seats are on the Prairie and the Polaris Sportsman. I also hear that the Bombardier Traxter has a very plush seat, but I have not ridden it. I have a 50" Cycle Country snow plow for mine that I lift with a Warn winch. It is a snap to put on---just 2 pins and the winch cable. I leave the plates for the pin attachments on year round. The Prairie handles it with ease, and is very easy to shift from forward to reverse, being an automatic, so plowing is easy. The only thing that is missing on the Prairie is engine braking when the engine gets down to an idle coming down really steep hills. It holds back fine until then. It does have excellent brakes, so you just have to use them on steep, slow downhills when you are crawling along. I think the fit and finish on the Prairie is first rate too, and its very reliable. I just realized that I'm starting to sound too biased, so I'll back off! I know that all of the manufacturers make good machines or they wouldn't sell any, but I found out that looking at them and riding them are two different things. We all have different preferences and the only way to know what is best for you is to test ride them all and then choose the best deal. Whatever you buy,I hope you don't regret your choice.

 

I don't have the EBS either but I find if you go down a steap hill and put the bike in low range it hold the bike back quite well I think it should work for your bike also.

 

Tru Steel, a guy I deer hunted with this year has a Sportsman 500 and seem very please with it. My wife and I ride Praire 300 4x4 and we are are please with it. The 300 4x4 is a little tougher to steer than 2 wheel drive,but we get along with it just fine. I like the automatic and the smooth ride. You may want the 400, but the 300 was good enough for our use. IMO ours rode as good as the more expensive models 0f other makes and cost less than $4700. I suggest you test drive them all and you be the judge.

 

Tim 1, You're right.I should have mentioned that my quad, like yours, holds back better when it is in low range. If I "blip" the throttle to keep the revs up a bit, it keeps it from "freewheeling" too, but I was referring to when when the going is extremely slow. Then I have to rely on the brakes, which is really no problem. The EBS would just help save on brake wear.

 

Honda, Honda, Honda.....where are the Honda fans. their so good they speak for themselves, I guess.

 

You can't go wrong with a Yamaha Grizzly, i have a 2000 with 800km's and the more i ride it the better it performs. I get now 120km's on a tank of gas which for a 600cc engine is ok, and it should get a bit better, has power galore and is reliable with low maintenance, oh ya and it rides like a dream.
You can work it like a TRACKTER or race it like a banshee except not quite as quick. Good luck and hang on because she will keep going without you.