Hello everyone......I am need public opinion on what atv to purchase. I currently have a 1995 Honda 300 4x4. This machine has been well kept and is a great machine for my purposes of primarily utility use. I use it to plow snow, tow a utility cart, and minimal trail use. I want to purchase a new machine with more power and better ride quality. I want a machine that will push a Moose country plow and blow through 10 inches of snow with relative ease. I assume the Foreman 500 is the best choice but starting to wonder about the Grizzly 700, Suzuki King Quad 450, and the Rubicon. Anyone with personal experience plowing snow on any of these machines please let me know which would be the best.

 

Seeing you need mostly a work quad, you really don't need anything that is loaded down with a bunch of so called "features" (that just drive up the price)....so I would stick with the bulletproof ultra-simple manual tranny Foreman 500.

 

I plow with a Honda Rubicon in the winter. While it does a more than adequate job (although I never tested it in 10 inches of snow yet), there is one thing I don't like about it and that's the inability to adjust the shocks to compensate for the added weight of the snow blade. There is noticeable squat to the frontend when the blade is raised.

 

95' Trx 300 4x4, I have first hand experience on a 06 Rubicon with a 60" Moose country plow. It works Great plenty of power and the plow roles and throws!! the snow like no other plow I have used. I also use mine for work around the farm and light trail riding the Rubicon is perfect for my application I have owed a couple Polaris quads and find the Honda a better fit with the solid rear axel and assume tyranny. I hope this helps

 

if you are happy with the 300, you will like the 500. With the time you have kept the 300, it is likely you would be better off with the 500 too. Not to say you couldn't get more power/better ride with another brand, but the Rubicon had quality built into it that my Vinson (or Arctic Cat) has not matched.

Rubicon's are a better performer, but there is a lot more that can potentially go wrong. The likelyhood of something going wrong is dependant on how you upkeep it, store it, and luck.

While I do not like to reinforce Reconranger's selective paranoia with electronics (one could also make the argument of Carb vs. EFI ranger....) it is true that you are less likely to have a problem with the Foreman. K.I.S.S., right?

What about the Rancher 420?

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: MikeMWhile I do not like to reinforce Reconranger's selective paranoia with electronics (one could also make the argument of Carb vs. EFI ranger....) it is true that you are less likely to have a problem with the Foreman. K.I.S.S.</end quote></div>

Actually, I like the idea of ES...thing is, it just doesn't live up to Honda's typical level of bulletproofness.

I have been in this forum since ES first came out, and right off the bat there were posts about problems! Honda is reputed to have made some improvements over the years, yet lately the number of problem posts has gone up significantly.

Why does everybody want to give Honda a free pass on this one??? The only way they will get off their butts and improve they sytem, is if we em-bareass them into doing something about it. Again...it's buyer beware as always!

If there was a flood of posts about problems with EFI or if I had some problem myself, I would be telling folks to watch out for it as well.......

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>I assume the Foreman 500 is the best choice but starting to wonder about the Grizzly 700, Suzuki King Quad 450, and the Rubicon. Anyone with personal experience plowing snow on any of these machines please let me know which would be the best. </end quote></div>

The 700 is really in another league compared to the rest of the ATVs you are mentioning. The 450 grizzly belongs with that group. Any ATV with true 4wd (Diff lock) and a low range will push or pull harder than a standard 3x4 ATV. Plus the 700 has massive amount more HP than the other ATVs in your list.

Polaris (2007)

Hawkeye 300=17
trailblazer 330=19 hp
Phoenix 200=13 hp
sportsman 450=29.7 hp
Sportsman 500 Ho (carB) 34.5hp
Sportsman 500 EFI/x2/Scrambler 500=36 hp
Predator 500 = 48 HP
Outlaw 500 = 48.6 HP
700 EFI= 44 HP
800 EFI/ 800x2 = 50.2 HP

Honda (2007)

250ex = 16.8 HP
300 EX= 17.1 HP
400 ex= 34.2 hp
500 (fm and fe) =26.9 hp
680 (rincon) =38.5 hp

Bomb (2007)

400 = 28.9 hp
500 = 39 hp
650 = 55.3 hp
800 = 61.6 hp

AC (2007)

400 = 24.8
400 DVX = 36.6
500 = 32.0
650 H1 = 39.3
700 EFI = 41.4

KAWASAKI (2007)

KLF 250A7 = 17 HP
750 (PRARIE AND BRUTE)=50.1 hp
360 = 21 hp
700 = 48.7 hp

Yamaha (2006)

450 Kodiak = 26 Hp
350 bruin = 21.3 hp
350 raptor = 26.8 hp
yfz 450 = 38.6 hp
700r = 47 hp
660 = 40.9 hp

suzuki ( 2006)
250 = 17.3 hp (2007)
400 eiger = 22 hp (2007)
a500f=32.4
f500f=33.6

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: reconranger

Actually, I like the idea of ES...thing is, it just doesn't live up to Honda's typical level of bulletproofness.



I have been in this forum since ES first came out, and right off the bat there were posts about problems! Honda is reputed to have made some improvements over the years, yet lately the number of problem posts has gone up significantly.



Why does everybody want to give Honda a free pass on this one??? The only way they will get off their butts and improve they sytem, is if we em-bareass them into doing something about it. Again...it's buyer beware as always!



If there was a flood of posts about problems with EFI or if I had some problem myself, I would be telling folks to watch out for it as well.......</end quote></div>


Complaints? (or questions on how to maintain/troubleshoot) have gone up significantly, as they will continue to do as they get more in the field and older.

No free pass, it is what it is rranger. Nothing is bulletproof, but if it was as bad as you let on they just wouldn't sell any. More complex, more potential for issues, I agree with you about that. But more performance/enjoyment/ease for some too. It's just that you do more complaining about ES than anyone I know that owns one. It gets old. Have you ever owned one? Even the ones that have had issues eventually move on. You may not think it's worth the risk, but some do. You chose EFI. That fails and you are likely towing it home. That is your choice that some others would not make. Stop insulting their choice. Please, it is not constructive anymore. Anyone can search for one of the hundreds of your other posts regarding the issue.

TIC is right, the 700 does not belong in this group. My brother really likes his Grizz 450, but it is too small for me and I don't like the vibration from the always high revs of the belt CVT.

Is bold like caps?

 

Thanks for all the advice.....I am going to stick with Honda and most likely go with the 500 Foreman S unless the funds allow for the Rubicon. Thanks again!