MUDDY4LIFE, I agree with you. Operator misuse or abuse cannot be determined as the fault of the machine alone. However, parts breaking or wearing prematurely do. My Scrambler for instance, I broke the chain on it jumping it, I don't consider that to be poor reliability. But the swingarm bushings wearing out within 200hrs even with more than regular maintenance I do consider to be a poor reliability factor.

 

I COMPLETELY agree with you.I owned two brand new Polaris 4x4 ATV that were the biggest POS known to mankind.Every ride had something else wearing out or malfuntioning.

Thank God I had the extended warrenty and a mechanic that took good care of me!

Bill

 

booger that's the funniest damn post I've ever read

 

None of the Hondas that we have owned have given us one bit of trouble.

 

I worked at a Honda dealership for 16 months and we had exactly ONE Honda ATV come into service for warrenty work[Battery] in that time span.Try saying the same for the other manufactures,especially Polaris.

Bill

 

All of the honda's I have owned have been 1988 fourtraxx 300 2wd, 1997 fourman 400, 1998 fourman 450 es, 2001 300ex. The only problem I've had is when the electric shift gets wet on the 450 it won't shift without the backup shifter. I have a yamaha blaster and ever since I bought it it has been trouble.

 

The only ATVs I see at my local Honda dealership in the shop are either very old Hondas..I'm talking early 80s and some other brands. It's like that all the time.

atvmatt, the reason your ES doesn't work when it gets wet it because some of the electrical is probably getting wet. Try putting dielectric grease on all the electrical for the buttons and stuff.

 

I have a 2003 raptor, had an 02 just before it. Never any problems. Aside from the starter bearings and 01 trannys the raptors have been pretty good. But I do still think that honda has the most reliable machines. My father owned a 250r 3 wheeler, a 350x trike, and 3 250r 4 wheeler. We now have a 2001 rancher es 4wd. They have all been bullet proof.

 

Well boys, you got me worked up to the point where I just can't mind my own business now... First off, the thread sounds like it was started by someone with an axe to grind, and with very limited experience and forgive me for saying it, someone young in years.

I think you can pick out the replies that come from guys that have been around this game for a while. One guy said it all when he aluded to the point that riding styles, maintenance etc means a lot when it comes to reliability. Hell, I know guys that have never cleaned their air filters in 4 years (actually, mine is right at 6 years) Think about that for a minute... those of us that have been here for over 30 years will tell you that the old stuff took just about as many hours working on the bikes as you got to ride. Today's marvels stand up to a lot of abuse, and guys like me that just wash em off and put them away until next week. Just watch one of the heurvos grandes videos and see the amount of air these things can get.. I am sure the factory didn't intend on their machines going 30 feet in the air...

As for bashing this brand or that, that is totally bogus and ignorant. Again, show me your figures that back that up... not your misguided opinion. One guy even mentioned that at his local shop, all he sees is mid 80's Hondas in the shop... well, that is great that a piece that old is still around, and can be repaired to do battle again...

I get all riled up when people bash yamaha, Honda whatever. I personally have owned, and still own both. I have had some "issues" in my time, and yet, every time I have had a problem, the factory has pitched in and repaired, or covered parts etc. My son hit a tree with his blaster and made his frame look like a pretzle. Guess what, without even asking, Yamaha stepped up and provided a new frame gratis. That means freebie... You see, MY experience has been that Yamaha cares about it's customers. Half of that equation is the dealer you do business with too, but a little good will goes a long way, and it usually comes down to how you approach them... (Again, age and experience shows) You don't solve anything by bad mouthing the manufacturers and dealers.

DO I like Honda's...yes, do I like Yamahas... yes, do I like bambardiers... again yes. In fact I like them all, and just wish I could afford one of everything... but until I win the lotto, that isn't going to happen.
But until that day comes, I am going to just ride what I have, upgrade when I can afford it, take my lumps knowing that things wear out, and how I ride and maintain it makes a BIG difference...

Now I am going to go warm up some milk and toast and relax for a while.. I figure this has gotten my blood pressure so high, I might even chase the old lady around the bedroom tonight... at my age, you take what excitement you can get....

 

I've had:

One Yammy Big Bear. Zero problems. Then again, I only had it for about two months.

Polaris Sport. Beat the snot out of it. Modded it to the hilt. Only problem was, it went through tie rod ends like a fat lady goes through Bon Bons. That was it, I still liked it.

Yammy Kodiak. Dead battery, and the choke spring in the carb deteriorated into a pile of rust.

Honda 400EX. Burnt up the valves (adjusted too tight). Modded to the hilt. Zero problems.

I had an 86 Suzuki Quadsport 230. Something broke every time it was ridden. It was virtually rebuilt end to end by the time I sold it.(not as a project, just fix as needed.)