Thanks to all who replied to my inquiry about which Honda ATV to purchase. I must say I was surprised at the number of people who actually told me to get a Yamaha. I have several Yamaha outboards and can't say enough about them, but am clueless about their ATVs. My brother says get a Yamaha, but only had his 2 years so I'm a little concerned about his opinion. A friend of mine belongs to a LARGE hunting club...everyone has ATVs. HE says everyone with Yamahas..new and old, have problems with them. Break down, won't start or hard to start in the cold weather, etc. But these guys are rich dudes who just ride around with their fancy rifles. I want a strong, reliable workhorse that won't leave me hanging. Is that too much to ask of one brand or model ATV? I know there are some guys out there who have had LOTS of years of experience with both brands...what do you experts say. I will buy what the majority recommends because I'm ignorant about ATVs and you guys have already been down this road. Thats what makes this forum great...experienced ATV owners can save me from making an expensive mistake. Thanks for ALL your help.

 

What kind of bike are you looking for? utility or sport? you said you wanted a workhorse so I assume you want utility. As far as reliability, Yamahas are usually very good and I don't know many people who have had problems (other than 01 raptor owners) but It is my honest opinion that nothing beats a Honda. I know a guy who ran his 400ex for hours with almost no oil before he realizied it and it still runs fine.

 

also, I have an 84 200x Honda three wheeler with the original motor and it runs great. However, if you find a yamaha and you like it more than any of the Honda quads then get it. You want to get what you like the most and both brands are very reliable

 

If you want a work horse either a Yamaha kodiak 450(not new 400) or a honda 450s or es will both
do very well. I like the automatic of the kodiak better that either the "ES" or "S" honda but that's a personal
preference. The honda rubicon is also a good machine with auto trans. A yamaha big bear 400 would be a good choice also. At one time they were offered in both auto and manual trans. I believe they still are. $.02

eutaw: I see your from sommerville. I used to fish at eutawville around rock's pond, all up and down the diversion canal and santee lakes. Good to see a south carolinian on the forum.

 

Seems that you have made it very clear that you just want a rugged work atv. All of the choices that have been listed are very good. I say go for the Honda 450, any model will work. This way you get probably the most proven work atv, and your buddies won't harrasse you for getting something else(even though it may be just as good). I think you'll love a 450.
JP

 

Booger, so if you were me which 450 would you buy. Would you consider the Foreman es a good all around machine. I'm really leaning that way.

 

eutaw, I have a 2001 450 es and a grizzly and have owned others. I can say that the honda 450 has the stiffest suspension around at least in utiliy atv's(IMO). If stiff suspension won't be a problem, you will be happy. If it is, look at one of the other choices listed above, like the rubicon or Kodiak. The Kod has the softest suspension(IMO) of the ones listed above.

 

Thanks mudrush, unless someone has a terrible story about one, I think I've settled on the Honda 450 es Foreman. If I could afford it, I'd probably get a Grizzly. PS- mudrush, I have a summer place in Eutawville, just down the road from Bell's Marina. I'm sure you know Bell's. We hunt near Hampton.

 

I was comparing the Kodiak 450 and the Foreman 450. I ended up buying the Foreman. The retail for the Kodiak is $6199. and the Foreman 450S used to be $6199. but is now $5799. The ES has a retail of $5999. The thing I like the most about the Kodiak 450 is the locking diff. and the thing I like the least is the belt drive auto. I wanted to go more simple so there would be less to go wrong.

Why is it every year they seem to say the Foreman weighs more and more? First it was around the 570 lb range then 580's and now 590's. (in the mags)

Anyway the only thing that may be lacking a little with the Foreman is the top speed. I've had mine up to 52 mph but not constantly. Seems like Honda aims for a limited top speed with the Rancher 350, Rancher 400 and Foreman 450. (Maybe even the Rubi and Rin.) Most of the time, I don't ride much faster than 30 mph but once in a while I get in a race with a few others. When space allows.

 

Eutaw, if you want to go new and your price range dictates a 450 sized machine either the Foreman or Kodiak are reliable machines. I’ve had good luck with both Honda and Yamaha (bikes and quads, although I’ve never owned a Honda quad but have ridden regularly with them and know their owners). I strongly suggest you take a test ride on each one before you make up your mind and then decide based upon what “feels” the best to you. Make note of the functionality of the controls while you are riding it and see what you like the best. Your decision should be based upon these factors alone because when it comes down to reliability both are good (although statistically Honda may have a better long term reputation).

In my experience with bikes and ATVs, I found Yamahas in general seem to start “easier”, they are up and running smoothly in a shorter amount of time than the Hondas and Kawasakis that I’ve had experience with. The Honda and Kawasaki machines that I have known require more warm-up time before you try to move them than the average Yamaha machine does. However this is really not important as every machine should be “warmed up” before you start to ride it. Hypothetically you may get more battery life out of a Yamaha since you aren’t cranking the starter as much, plus you may be able to take off a few seconds sooner than the others. However this is all trivial. The fit, finish and functionality of Yamaha and Honda are excellent; just get the one that “feels” the best to you.

From what I’m reading into your posts it doesn’t sound like you are a speed demon so performance features are not necessarily as important as ergonomics and functionality. Another factoid that you may consider is that Hondas tend to be “quieter” by a small amount than the other manufacturers in case this is important to your riding style. You can also buy an aftermarket “stealth exhaust” (under $300 I believe) that can reduce exhaust noise (of any utility quad) by 50% or more.

Another point is transmission type; do you want automatic or manual. A manual transmission can generally be driven at lower engine speeds than an automatic equipped quad if power isn’t an issue (less engine speed, less noise), as the automatic transmission requires a certain amount of engine revs before it can shift and it is designed to keep the engine in the sweet spot of the power band. If you like the manual mode then the Honda 450 ES would be your first choice. To go with automatic, you can choose between the Honda 450S or Yamaha Kodiak…