I can't comment on the Kodiak, I've never ridden one. I would say the logical step up would be the Rancher. They're nimble, light, and a blast to drive. The fun factor is very high on that model.

 

Thanks - this is good input. Keep it coming!

I thought the Rancher and Foremean had the same 5-speed ES transmission. This is news to me that they are different. Or are they different from different model years? I just checked the Honda website - I hadn't looked at the Rancher AT - it looks like it has a CVT style transmission with electronic controls - is that correct? Is this transmission reliable? Does it have good engine braking on downhills? The AT has the 400cc engine, which I was not aware of.

I also expected the Foreman to be easier to drive, thinking it had better suspension. I assumed the Rancher would not be significantly better than the 250EX. Are these assessements valid for the 2005 models as well?

Thanks for the input.

 

FamilyRider,

You say your family mainly rides dirtbikes, so I would think that a sportier bike might be in order. I have nothing against utes, but for about the same cash you could get a Kawasaki KFX 700. It is a good size quad, and would have plenty of room for a 5'11" person to stretch out. It is fully automatic and is very easy to ride. For the rest of the family, throw on a set of $100-$150.00 nerf bars. They offer ALMOST foolproof protection if someone forgets and puts a foot out in the turns. Certainly better protection than just floorboards on a ute. The worst that would happen is you get "nothing but net." Anyways, I just thought this to be a better solution for someone trying to keep pace with dirtbikes.

 

A "sportier" bike is what first attracted me to the 250EX. I was about ready to buy a Recon when Honda introduced the 250EX. When I first saw one, it was just so much cooler than the ute. But it has not been very practicle for us. We mostly do long trail rides where we often need to carry jackets and lunch. We don't ride real fast, and many of the trails are quite rocky. I think a ute would be more practicle for my wife - and then she could carry the bulky gear in a cargo box. If I were getting a quad for me - I would have a compeltely different set of requirements ;-)

Yesterday I managed to swing by two of the local dealers and look at several machines. One dealer carries Honda, Suzuki, and Polaris. The other dealer carries Honda, Yamaha, and Polaris. To my surprise the salemen at both dealerships said the Hondas have the roughest ride - their suspension is too stiff. They both also said that Polaris has a nice ride, but they wouldn't recommend them - too heavy and unreliable (although I think Polaris has fixed most of their reliability problems). The first dealer recommended the Suzuki Eiger 400. Seems like a nice machine, but it just didn't catch my fancy. At the second dealer, the Kodiak 450 was clearly my favorite. I think my wife would feel very comfortable on that machine, and I have heard it has a sportier ride than most utes. Before I make a final decision, I want to check out the Arctic Cat machines and take one more look at the Bombardier Outlander 400 HO.

Does anyone have any comparison information between the Kodiak, Outlander, and AC?

 

None compare to the Kodiak! It's easy to switch from 2 wd to 4 wd. Just press a button. Great seat, along with IRS makes a comfortable ride. When she gets in the tuff stuff there the Locking front Differantal! I could go on and on , just go ride one. Did I mention the EBS, it's great! I put a trunk on the rear rack and can carry everthing inside and it stays clean. The rear brake gets dirty and makes a squeak...just hose it out and no more noise. You cant go wrong with a kodiak for her!