My favorite would be a 230 quadsport, it's as reliable as a anvil.It may not be the fastest or best handling. But it's just a great all around quad.........

 

I had a 2000 honda 300fw-
I hated it- It left me standard more then any atv ever has- it's not even a true 4x4! Just like in these pics on a LMFT trail years ago.

Either the Polaris sportsman or a 2008+ outlander would get my vote for the big bore (as well as being a true AWD atv), or the 2000 King Quad for a small bore (damn thing had more gears then a MAC truck!) IRS with no rear driveshaft- thing was an absolute unstoppable "mini" tank!

 

I also have an 86 four trax, and have to agree they are great machines.

 

my fav too! lightweight and easy to mod & wrench on.

 

a shame they aren't 4x4, only 4x3- I'm sure honda will get their act together someday and start updating their atv's to compete with the current brands (disk brakes, locking diff, adjustable shocks...) Hell- they haven't even changed their rincon plastic in 8 years- still the same!

I do own an 05 rincon 650- but only because I couldn't afford a better one.








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Honda will eventually, jump on the AWD band wagon there just slow to improve. Honda did not even make a selectable 2wd/4wd ATV untill as late as 2003 when others had it in 1996. Honda also is the last to still use drum brakes and would give up on those under powered OHV motors on there Utility ATVs. There very slow to change.

My 89 Yamaha 350 4x4 Big Bear and 2001 450 Foreman were super reliable but it was so boring that that just did not matter enough to me any longer.

 

ain't that the truth! Reliability is one thing- keeping it exciting on the trail is another. I've met more people who own atv's and are selling them because they say they "lost interest" then I see it's an older 250 or 300 or whatever and I think "no wonder they lost interest!" I would too!

 

I've owned or my family has owned almost every major make of 4 wheeler... both sports and utilities. Currently have a 500 sportsman that i love and will own polaris from now own... that said, the most invincible, toughest, reliable quad i have had is my 1995 kawi bayou 220. Suspensions worn, brakes are shot, been rolled more times then can count, but starts on first pull everytime. Put some bear claws on it pulls 500 and 700s out of hte mud. Sometimes i let others ride the nicer quad and i ride the bayou jsut because. its a legand. ill keep that bike til it dies, and i think thats a long way away

 

Suzuki had selectable 2wd - 4wd - 4 lock in 1987 with the quad runner 250.

With that said, the longest lasting machine with minimal issues i have experienced is my dad's 1984 honda fourtrax (TRX) 200. taken in once for a tune-up around 1996 or so, and found nothing wrong (even the mechanics were impressed with it).

to this day, i know i can count on that machine. i dont even keep a battery in it anymore, because it just dies, and the thing pulls starts on 2 pulls max every time.

 

These machines last forever and will go anywhere you point them cuz of the 18 speed tranny. (5 high, 5 low, 5 super low, 3 reverses). Motors are indestructible.