I'm a Yamaha guy all the way but I will tell you that having power steering on your quad is just as nice as having it in your car and truck. It will be appreciated the most while plowing I would think as you are doing alot of backing up and going forward. I would definately agree with the preceeding post recommending EFI and IRS. There is not a minute that I have ever regretted getting EPS and I highly urge anyone getting a quad to get it. It is a great addition and truly appreciated every time I ride. The steering dampening is probably the best part of it I will add.

 

Yes I agree 100%.....I myself am a honda man to the core but they just didnt have the features I needed. I just bought the 2009 yamaha grizzly cause it had everything I needed independent rear suspension with 12'' of ground clearence and electronic fuel injection for super fast cold starts and the power steering, I rode them all and the grizzly won me over with its features / power and smooth ride (like a cadilac).

 

I agree with you on the Yamaha having the features. The features and my research is what brought me to the Grizzly. I talked to no less than a dozen ATV/Motorcycle mechanics that work on all makes and models and I was directed to Yamaha or Honda by every one of them with the exception of one who told me " I will buy American even if it isn't as good as the Japanese ". He was recommending Polaris and telling me that " They ain't as good as the Japs, but they are getting better". I too, like Honda and believe that they are durable and dependable, but just didn't have what I wanted for the price I was willing to give. I predict that within a relatively short time that all utility quads will either have EPS, or have it as an option.

 

Our next ATV will most likely be a new Rubicon with PS.

I doubt I will ever buy a new ATV without it.

 

The Griz is certainly the best of the rubber band drive machines. I don't however have any use for either the belt drives, or the needlessly complex Honda trannies in the Rincon or Rubicon.


The machine I see in my future, is the new Rancher 420AT! EFI, IRS, water cooled, a totally unique new dual-clutch automatic trans, and even power steering for those who insist. Plus, an engine that screams!

 

Hey!...whats wrong with the belt drives (I mean rubber bands)?..lol.

 

While it is true that belt drives have improved since the early days, one thing I don't like are that huge bulbous housing that is necessary to hold the two pullies and belt. This means that the cross-section of the quad has to be very large, which is not conducive to great ergonomics. And, I believe that there are still a few of them that do not have a centrifugal clutch on the drive pully. This means that when you are sitting, the pullie burns a hole in your belt...what a stroke of genius!

The other thing is that with two pullies, you can only develop a limited range of gearing ratios. Hence, one is required to have a sub-transmiission and a low range. I have ridden with one guy (on some kind of huge Polaris) who has to stop at the bottom of every major hill and get into low range, because it can't pull it in regular range. I on the other hand, just do a quick downshift and fly right past him (by not stoppping, I don't lose my momentum!)......then wait at the top for him to catch up!

I prefer Honda's strategy on its manual tranny machines to just put on an ultralow 1st "granny" gear, and dispense with having to lug around the extra weight of a sub-transmission, and be shifting in and out of low range all the time.

Notice that Honda puts a sub-trans on the Rubicon. Must be something about that trans, that doesn't let you have a wide range of ratios either. On the other hand, there are many who would say that the Rincon NEEDS a sub-trans.

 

Since this quad will mostly be used for plowing (the rest for work around my small acreage. Probably NO trail riding), is fuel injection even more important? If it won't start, it's no good to me!

I live in the southern part of Minnesota, so usually temps hover around -10 to 20 F after a snowstorm. It's cold, but nothing like northern MN which is a 5 hour drive north for me.

But still, if EFI helps get it started, that's maybe more important??

 

I like the sub-trans in our Rubicon, I like having 10 forward gears instead of just 5 and you don't have to come to a complete stop to shift from high to low range or from low to high.

It might be a "complex" trans but with over 9000 miles of 100% trouble free miles I'll keep it and take another one.

Even with it's heavy sub-trans it only weighs 7 pounds more than a new Rancher AT.

I'll bet by the time you add the "optional auxiliary recoil" the Rancher might even weigh more than a Rubicon.

 

All the high powered 4wd have the rubber band ,so that tells you something.

Try and name just one high powered 4x4 ATV that has no rubber band.

There are or were many manual ATVs such as the AC 500,KQ400 and Vinson 500 that still had a low range, I would not buy a 4wd without one. One super low 1st grear is not the same a a low range.