I am in the process of buying my 1st new ATV. I have narrowed down to 3 choices. They are the Polaris Trail boss 330, Suzuki Ozark 250, or the Honda Recon. Any feedback anyone might have would be appreciated. Looking for something that requires very little maintanence. I also heard that a shaft drive is better than a chain drive(lower maintanence) . Is this true? Thanks.

 

Yes very true, Shaft drive theres no worrying about the chain falling off. Also its very aggervating when your far from home riding and your chain is loose and keeps on falling off all the way home! I think the Ozark and Recon would be best in this situation. I think the Ozark would outperform the Recon in speed and a few others but not by much, there both great machines!

 

You could go sit on the Recon and Ozark and see which one would fit you the best. I would also look at which one can be bought at a better price. Whichever one you decide to buy, tell the sales person that you want a hitch thrown in with the sale. Neither come with a hitch. I had considered the Trail Boss when I bought the Recon. The Trail Boss weighs more than the other two and is a little slower.

 

I agree with Eiger4x4. That is all I have to say.

 

Bussie,

Have you considered anything bigger than the 3 modes that you mentioned ?? I ask only because you really get into many more choices if you get a bigger machine....just dont get anything too small because once you start riding you may want something bigger....

Ride on.....

 

 

Stick with the Recon or Ozark I know guys that have them and they are bullet proof. The Polaris definately has a reliabilty issue to deal with.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Bussie.... I started with the Honda Recon, great quad, but not very much suspension when it came to the whoops or hitting a root. Then I got a Honda 300ex, but didn't like to shift,(I am too old to be shifting).
And then.... I got the best quad I have ever owned, my Polaris TrailBoss. This thing is like a couch on wheels. We live in Michigan, so there are a lot of tight, twisty, root filled trails, miles of them. I couldn't ask for a better ride! I am now more confident than I would ever be with the other two. The ease of the automatic, and the full floorboards are great too. And when it comes to suspension, it has MacPherson Struts, with 9 inches of travel, which makes those whoops easy on the body! Honda makes a great quad, I have never owned anything else other than this Polaris. And I have never had a problem with mine in the maintainence department. Goodluck.
Jude

 

I can't agree with lilred more, my trailboss has been nothing but reliable. I'd like to race Coyotechasers recon so I could correct him on his claim the recon and ozark are faster then the trailboss. None of them were built for speed or racing but I have raced many recons and am yet to be beat no matter the distance. I've never had the chance to race an ozark.

if you're a smaller person you might also wanna check out the bomb rally. atvconnection did a review on it and it was raced against a recon. The rally won all the races. They look a little funny but they do run nice.


Dan

 

the polaris is reliable so id go with that or the ozark (shaft drive), i know from xperience that chain drive is not the most fun thing to have to adjust constantly, but i think polaris fixed that with the new chain drive system. now i have shaft and i much prefer that.