I am new to your forum...please be gentle with me.
I am currently the proud owner of a Honda Rancher 4x4. It is by all means a great, dependable ATV. When I take it hunting in Missouri every year, it climbs an Ozark hill like a mountain goat. But, here at home in Florida, it just doesn't handle the mud or swampy areas very well. My riding buddies with Polaris and Yamaha ATV's eat my lunch. The main two differences between our rides would be ground clearance and true 4-wheel-drive. When in mud, the limited slip just doesn't work. My front right wheel spins freely while the left wheel just piles up in front of the tire.
I am looking to buy one of the new Yamaha Kodiak 450 Autos. I was going to buy a Honda Rubicon but figured I would be basically in the same unit except for CC's. Same ground clearance and limited slip. Just didn't firgure it was worth the difference $$$. Plus, the Hondas are very utilitarian. More work than play.
I am a novice rider by all means. I can easily see that there are a lot of people on here that take this stuff very seriously. Is the Kodiak 450 going to satisfy my hunting and playing needs? Are they good machines? I've seen threads talking about servo problems.
I really don't want to go bigger than the Kodiak. I realize the Polaris 700 is an awesome machine. My riding buddy has one. But, it just isn't as nimble for tight maneuverabilty in hunting woods. Besides, I think its just more than I really need for my purposes.

Thanks, ENIGMA206

 

why dont you look at the suzuki vinson 500, it seems to be a very good atv. hope i was some help to you.

 

The 450 yammi is a straight axle also so your gc will not increase much. I think for mud you may want to look more toward the independant suspension machines. Grizz for yammi which you said is a bit to many cc's or the Polaris sportsman series which comes in a 400, 500,600, or the 700. The 400 may do you fine but you will most likely be wanting more so possibly opt for the 500 HO. Take some rides on the machines, if at a dealer a spin around the paved parking lot is not a real test. Good Luck.

 

If you want to stay in the 400 class give the Suzuki Eiger a look. Great machine and worth more than it is selling for. Especially when you compare it to similar machines that sell for 700-1000 more and aren't nearly as capable as it is. A fair dealer will sell the auto for about 4600. It does have limited slip but my experience with mine was that it was very well designed diff that required the bite of concrete on on wheel and the slickness of snow on the other to make it go 3 wheel drive. The guy I sold mine too pulled out a couple of teens driving an S10 that were stuck in sand wash last weekend.

 

I've had the same experience with My Eiger in mud as Wolley has. The Eiger front dif. splits power to the front end between both wheels - many times in mud I can see both pulling. Mine is still set up with stock OEM tires and is an amazing mud quad. I can only imagine how well it will do with better tires.

Jaybee

 

i dont know whats wrong with ENIGMA206's differential. ive got a rancher 4x4 and as far as only 3 wheels pulling in the mud mine work fine. but on snow then i could see only 3 wheels pullin. and if i were you i would go with a big bore quad because its got the a-arm suspention in the back so its got the clearence. and as far as it being to much for your needs you will find a need for it sometime.lol

 

I appreciate the replies. I guess that I should have mentioned that my in-laws run a Honda/Yamaha dealership. I have absolutely nothing against any of the other quads mentioned. I can just get good deals on the two mentioned. Sorry about that.
The mud I speak of in this area is basically clay. It is harder to walk on that packed snow. Its very slippery. If you do get stuck and have to get off to push/pull, you will most likely end up in the mud before its over with. If a wheel stops spinning during the process of limited slipping, the mud piles up in front of the tire that's not pulling.
As for ground clearance, the Hondas have roughly 7.8 inches up to the Rubicon. The Yamaha Kodiak advertises almost 11 inches. Are they measuring at the same place? Is there actually almost 11 inches under the rear axle of the Kodiak?

 

TRX250xRkrider How did you turn you TRX250X to a TRX250R. Did you use a TRX250X frame.
I was just given a TRX250X bike and the motor is broke, I would like to buy a 250R motor but I dont know if it will fit this frame.
Please let me know what you did. Thank You

 

hey Jim...250xkrider hasnt been on these forums sence Sept. 2004....just an FYI.....[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

well enigma if you wanna be the king of the mudhole i would go off the wall with a 650 arctic cat like i did. i purchased it and i know i made the right decision i have driven circles around everything else out there. foreman's,sportsman's, grizzly's, and prarie's i got like 14 inches of ground clearance and 4x4 plus front diff lock and enough low end grunt where i can sit on it crack it down and i will go over backwards. sometimes the road less traveled is the more fun one specially when it comes to atv's.