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New Honda or Yamaha?
I am going to purchase an ATV, it will be for fun riding with my 9 yr old with him on his raptor, also for some hunting. There will be some woods riding.
I have looked at the honda 500 eps & the yamaha grizzly 550 & 700 eps. I can purchase the Grizzly new 2009 550 for $6700, the 2009 700 for $7700 or the 2010 Honda with the electric automatic shift for $8200. I am looking for any recommendations or thoughts? I guess one of my questions is why did you purchase the honda over a Yamaha? |
when you say honda 500 eps, do you mean the foreman or foreman rubicon? the foreman is manual shoft or electric shift, and the rubicon is a hydrostatic automatic with the option of electric shift in the form of preset ratios that act as gears. both the foreman and rubicon are offered with power steering. all 3 of those machines are going to be awesome, so i would test drive them and go with what feels the best. the grizzly's have independent rear suspension, whereas the foreman and rubicon have a straight axle, so the grizzly's will most likely have a more comfortable ride at higher speeds, so if you are doing trail riding, maybe the 550 griz is the best, both for you and your pocket book. i do love my rubicon, but it is my cadillac workhorse. my rancher is my trail machine.
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If they are your pick list - then the 550 at that price wins hands down
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I personaly would go for one of the Hondas (although my garage is full of Hondas!). I personaly dont care for belt drive machines. I have 2 05 Rincons that have never let me down.
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The 700 Grizz wins shootout after shootout...excellent power and ergonomics, a fairly bulletproof drivetrain, fuel injection, and POWER STEERING that is second to none. You will not be underpowered with the 700, although you might with the 500.
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This is true, the Grizz wins lots of shootouts. I've never ridden a machine with PS, dont think it would last too long in all the water on the trails here in FL. In todays market you really cant go wrong
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I'd go with the yamaha as well, Honda makes a great machine and 10 years ago IMO. were the best on the market but now-a -days all the manufacturers are really up to par on there machines. Not trying to brand bash here but I think the hondas today are overpriced and overhyped for what you get. The other major brands are offering the same or better quality and performance for the same or even less $$$$ (Just my 2 cents)
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You really can't lose with either machine. Both are great quads, [ Rubicon / Grizzly ] Really depends on how long you plan to keep it. Hondas last forever and have great resale if you take care of it. Grizzly will get you there sooner [ unless you do get water on the belt ]
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All good machines, but as someone who owns both brands i can tell you that the Yamaha seems to provide more bang and features for the buck. I too was leery of belt drive and electric power steering but after research, determined that of all the belt drives (there's toms of 'em out there) the yamaha system seems to be the best IMO. As for electric power steering, not really needed UNTIL you spend and lond day on the trail with an EPS machaine and a non EPS machine - NO COMPARISON, your arms do not get the jars and jolts of the trail transmitted through the steering witht he EPS bikes.
Even though i own a 700 Grizzly, I have to tell you, the 550 would not leave you wanting or lacking. I weigh 215 in my birthday suit and carry lots of stuff and I rarely if ever need full power and, in fact, rarely use 78% power (550/700). BTW, I just spent a weekend trail riding with a gang who just about all had 800 Polaris machines. The pace was spirited but not crazy. My 700 Grizzly not only kept up - but excelled. My son, on his 250 Recon also kept up just fine. Unless you need the absolute max in power (few do) I owuld get the Grizzly 550 and a thousand dollars worth of accessories and riding gear. Or, the Grizzly 550, $800 worth of accessories and riding gear - leaving a couple hundred for gas and beer. ;) |
The Honda with less power , rougher ride (SRA),less ground clearance (SRA) ,rear drum Brakes,and no AWD diff lock opption,costs more than the two Yamahas ? I fail to see why there is a decesion to be made here.
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Don't care what anyone says that honda will outlast 2 of those machines..if your gonna get a new machine every 2-3 years buy whatever or if you dont put many miles on them get whatever.
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Chinese ATVs last longer then 3 years. I seen 98 600 Grizzly still running around with over 8000 miles on them.
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you know alot of people don't put many miles on thier quads I see it all the time... If your ridding 2000 3000 miles a season you better get a honda.. Once again I don't care what anyone else says I've seen what happens to these other brands after bout 5000 miles forget it.. sure some may last a while.. lucky maybe.. how many things have they repaired on it? I will say this.. the only atvs that hold a candle in reliability are the yamahas..but even those start smoking and feeling like all the bolts are gonna fall out at 3000 4000 miles..I got a buddy with a 2002 big bear 400 yes I know 2002 but it only has a 1000 miles on it.. you know what its already starting to smoke a little.. I had a 98 big bear and the same thing happened to me same mileage.. things havent changed that much.Don't even get me started on polaris with high miles holy cow!!
I like when people ask how reliable is your whatever and people write I got 1200 miles on my blah blah blah and it's been great.. WELL I HOPE SO GEEZZZZ I'm done with this... |
If your ridding 2000 3000 miles a season you better get a honda.. |
Yeah that is alot of mile I myself only get about 1000 miles a season but i know people that do get those kinda miles on there machines.. mostly people who are retired.. they go up north and ride for days... 800 miles in like 4 days stuff like that.. My neighbor puts on about 2000 miles a season on his average.. he's on his 3rd Polaris since 2000 .. his last one the rearend actually fell apart inside.. i didnt know that could happen.. But he continues to buy polaris for the RIDE and can afford a new machine when he wants..
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Some us live in states that do not allow quad riding and have to literally trailer the things out of state to enjoy them. Those of you blessed with the ability to ride any time you want are privileged!
With that said, I have used and been around machinery of one type or another all of my life. Boats, planes, quads,motorcycles, heavy equipment, and countless small engines. Sure, things do get worn out from use but, more times than not, a case of the sitz will hurt things more. Corrosion, stuck rings, condensation are all enemies of the internal combustion engine. Ask any outboard repair shop whose engine needs a teardown sooner, the commercial crabber who is running his engine six or seven days a week or the weekend warrior who puts 100 hours a year on, Just to keep the flames fanned, I bought into the whole Honda reliability thing when I purchased a brand new Rancher and Rubicon. Even went on to purchase a recon later for my youngest son. Those Keihn carbs are the pits. Totally replaced the Rubicon carb ($$), rebuild the Rancher carb and live with very poor idling but decent running on the Recon's carb. Oh, and you have to hand hold and babysit these machines in cold weather!!^*%$^%$ My 700EFI Grizzly? Push the button and go - and boy does she go! I hope out three Hondas last a long time but I do not see myself buying another. |
Once again you don't even know the reliability of this grizzly you bought yet.. its an 09?? whatcha got 800 miles on it 1200? youll see..
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The Grizz is as reliable as ANY Honda out there. Most of the time its not about the machine itself but how you take care of it! The Grizz would not be the number one selling 4x4 if it had a bad reputation for reliability!
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this unit is just another flag flying brand loyalist, worse then you HEMI :+). even polaris has good reliability these days and i believe yamaha has always been there with honda..
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I might be loyal to Yamaha but wont stop me from riding with the Polaris boys such as yourself sportszillasheex or any other MFG/rider for that matter!!!! :)
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im not an anything boy, i ride what i like no matter the decal on the tank.
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Originally Posted by sportszillasheex
(Post 2953387)
im not an anything boy, i ride what i like no matter the decal on the tank.
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Originally Posted by DODGE57HEMI
(Post 2953396)
Funny thing me too! I just dont like to share all the toys I have had a Popo and Honda 250R.
i have had too many to count and havent had any major trouble with any of them |
Ok fine your right they are all just as reliable as each other......which makes no sense but if thats what needs to happen to make everyone happy...
I can see if I was a youngster and didnt already own every brand out there... I never understood people that have brand loyalty blindy.. I only talk about things I have seen or experienced.. Ive owned all the major brands through the 90's and 2000's... I hate to tell ya but honda makes the most reliable wheelers out there.. or maybe my kawasaki/suzuki/polaris/yamahas ive had were all lemons.. Sure the yamaha did hold up good..the suzuki wasnt bad either..but Nowhere as indestructable as the honda's i have owned over the years.. I actually went with other brands for the power and features. I did..but one day I was in my garage looking at my current wheeler at the time a brute force...which was after my Vinson after my grizzly after my sportman... and said I gotta get a Honda I cannot put one more damn dollar in these atv's I want one that starts everyday does what I want out of it without my having to nurse it back to health once a month.. maybe I ride them hard.. maybe I neglect them sometimes cuz I ride them more than I wanna work on them.. maybe I skip an oil change for a month..maybe I go mudding and leave it caked on the machine for a week.. whatever all i know is I switched back to Hondas 3 years ago.. and it been nothiing but great..No shop visits NONE!!! Not one thing has broken in three years or worn out no rattles.. not even brakes or a single bearing.. I have no doubts I will get an easy 10k miles outta this rincon.. so anyway yes I am loyal to honda for a reason.. not just because I own one..because I am so confident in its reliability that i don't even have to think about it. I just ride.. |
I know what you mean! I would love to have a Can-Am Renegade X-xc but my pocet book tells me otherwise! I think it would be the perfect mixture of quad for the trail I ride.
http://en-us.can-amatv.brp.com/files..._wallpaper.jpg |
IMO Honda does make a very reliable wheeler but when it comes to a 4x4 quad they fall of my shopping list as they are least powerful per CC and have the least amount of options for the money spent. IMO I want something that is good all around for play and reliability and if that means giving a little something up for another that if fine by me!
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Originally Posted by unit6666
(Post 2953407)
Ok fine your right they are all just as reliable as each other......which makes no sense but if thats what needs to happen to make everyone happy...
I can see if I was a youngster and didnt already own every brand out there... I never understood people that have brand loyalty blindy.. I only talk about things I have seen or experienced.. Ive owned all the major brands through the 90's and 2000's... I hate to tell ya but honda makes the most reliable wheelers out there.. or maybe my kawasaki/suzuki/polaris/yamahas ive had were all lemons.. Sure the yamaha did hold up good..the suzuki wasnt bad either..but Nowhere as indestructable as the honda's i have owned over the years.. I actually went with other brands for the power and features. I did..but one day I was in my garage looking at my current wheeler at the time a brute force...which was after my Vinson after my grizzly after my sportman... and said I gotta get a Honda I cannot put one more damn dollar in these atv's I want one that starts everyday does what I want out of it without my having to nurse it back to health once a month.. maybe I ride them hard.. maybe I neglect them sometimes cuz I ride them more than I wanna work on them.. maybe I skip an oil change for a month..maybe I go mudding and leave it caked on the machine for a week.. whatever all i know is I switched back to Hondas 3 years ago.. and it been nothiing but great..No shop visits NONE!!! Not one thing has broken in three years or worn out no rattles.. not even brakes or a single bearing.. I have no doubts I will get an easy 10k miles outta this rincon.. so anyway yes I am loyal to honda for a reason.. not just because I own one..because I am so confident in its reliability that i don't even have to think about it. I just ride.. ive had many models from all the brands, not just one each, so id have to say my experience is good too... we're working on a recon right now, but it idles horribly and after a good 15 mins ride time it barely stays running.. believe me, even hondas have there problems, but they may very well still be the most reliable, but what i said is they;'re all SIMIALR (not the same) |
Originally Posted by DODGE57HEMI
(Post 2953414)
IMO Honda does make a very reliable wheeler but when it comes to a 4x4 quad they fall of my shopping list as they are least powerful per CC and have the least amount of options for the money spent. IMO I want something that is good all around for play and reliability and if that means giving a little something up for another that if fine by me!
id like to try a renegade too, but the price is insane |
Thats all I'm saying... trust me I get it.. I wish my rincon went like a brute force.. but then again I think that engine was why that machine fell apart on me..well and the tranny blew up.. and it overheated... pfft I'm having a panic attack thinkin about that thing.. I just got to a point in my life where the last thing I wanted to worry about was if my wheeler needed to be worked on..they are supposed to be fun and stress reducers.. not a stress producer..
they are all ok...but ok aint good enough for me anymore personally.. |
trying to start a carbureted honda in cold weather is a stress producer
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Grizzley or a Rincon, I wouldn't buy either one. I don't care for the Rincon's trans and the Grizzley is too top heavy for me personally.
People here ride a lot, I put 3000 miles on my ATV in the last year. The big ATV dealer here sells Honda, Polaris, Yamaha, Suzuki and BRP/Can Am. Calculating repair vs sales numbers the ATV that comes back to the shop the most is Polaris, followed by BRP/Can Am, Yamaha, Suzuki and last but not least Honda. |
Originally Posted by sportszillasheex
(Post 2953425)
trying to start a carbureted honda in cold weather is a stress producer
I have three Hondas and have been through carburetor woes with all three of them!!! |
in all actuallity a polaris is a much better cold weather starter... hondas come way to lean from the factory, but do excellent on fuel... carberated polaris' on the other hand suck gas...
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hondas come way to lean from the factory,but do excellent on fuel... carberated polaris' on the other hand suck gas... Gas mileage who cares ,'put a larger gas tank on it like Arctic Cat does I say. |
who cares? you wanna pay for my gas "mr hp means everything"
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I,m just too used to snowmobiles were 15mpg is the best you can hope for on a good day,but with 10 gal tanks you can still go 120 miles between fill ups.
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Originally Posted by TLC
(Post 2954106)
Thats because a Polaris per cc has way more hp than a Honda.
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Originally Posted by Specta
(Post 2954592)
That's because they're heavier.
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Originally Posted by Specta
(Post 2954592)
That's because they're heavier.
If the the a Honda had a extra 10 hp it would drink more gas also. |
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