Thanks everyone for your input! I really do appreciate it...

Please...keep it coming...


biz

 

Well count out the Grizzly 450, Big Bear and Kodiak. All great ATVs but there all carbed.

Like I said when buying used and eliminating carbed ATVs takes alot of option off the table.

 

I'm the same. Never had an issue with a carb. EFI is for the guy who throws his quad in the barn for 8 months and then wants to ride it. But, I guess EFI has an advantage when there's a drastic change in altitude. As for me, I wouldn't buy a new quad simply BECAUSE it had EFI, but if I needed a new quad and the one I wanted happened to have it, I'd buy it.

 

actually, there is less margin of error in small engines vs larger, multi cylinder engines. A poorly running small engine with an efi is more obvious than a poorly running engine with a carb- what carb people fail to understand is how the engine's fuel demand changes as it warms up, in different environmental conditions under different loads- the efi fuel map optimizes the air / fuel ratios for colder weather when fuel needs to atomize for more efficient combustion- if you look at the mechanics / logistics of carb vs efi- efi has clear and obvious advantages. Just the fact that an efi can change instantly to accommodate different environmental conditions makes it superior to the "one size fits all" conditions of a carb- this fact can not be debated.

all gasoline is hygroscopic- aside from the gasoline sitting in the tank, carbs have aluminum bowls with gas sitting in it- this sitting gas will wick moisture from the air and contaminate the gas sitting in the bowl, which clogs and ruins jets, gaskets & seals- regular maintenance and additives are required for any carb that'll have gas sitting in it longer than a couple of weeks (whether you notice it or not). Aluminum carb bowls are susceptible to interior sweat due to dew points and temperture differences between the metal bowl and the gas sitting in it. Water will condense and again, contaminate the gas... EFI has no bowl of gas, the injectors do not hold any gas (marginal at most) that is suitable to contamination, and gas is sitting in a plastic tank which prevents condensation sweat.
If by chance there is any contamination in the nozzle, the pressurized fuel line is usually adequate to "self-clean" the injector nozzle. the efi fuel system needs much less maintenance. Again- facts that show how the efi is not as susceptible to contamination like a carb is.

If you sink an atv- and water floods the carb, you now have to remove and clean every jet and recalibrate the carb- none of this is required with an injector. Simply drain the throttle body.

also- outside contaminants must flow through the carb to get into the engine, whereas only fuel from the tank flows through an injector on it's way to the tank.

the only clear advantage carb has over efi, is that it's field serviceable.... and that's it. like I said, and pointed out ad-nauseum, EFI has clear & obvious advantages over carb. But, I could be wrong, maybe you'll see all the atv's with efi systems move back to carbs... but I wouldn't hold your breath

every carbed atv / bike I've owned has needed at one time or another carb service- some on a regular basis.
out of the dozens of efi bikes /atv's I've owned.... 1 injector that stopped working on my suzuki king quad- it required 5 minutes of attention before it was back to normal.


it was -4* here yesterday- I don't care what anyone says- having a carb in these conditions is a severe disadvantage.

 

my atv has never sat in a barn for 8 months...
and I'd never buy an atv without an efi.

 

Mine hasn't either. I'd buy either, but the weather where I live is pretty tame compared to yours.

 

I sorta scanned over the reply's. I'm not getting involved with dat stuff..LOL
I will say that I won't buy another Honda utility quad till they wise up and utilize a CVT.
Shifting is shifting whether it's w/your foot, thumb switch, or a Rincon type of auto shifting tranny.
It's jerky. A CVT is constant. If this is for your dad, consider the CVT.
FYI:I have a 350 Rancher. Great machine but as soon as you get a load to move, you have to shift. Then it's almost stopped, then it lugs, ack.

I don't understand the big deal on EFI.
If your riding at sea level up to 9000ft maybe.

Neighbor has a 400 Arctic Cat (Suzuki motor) He plows virtually commercially with it and has had no problems. BTW, it has to be 5-6 years old. He did update last year. See below..
I started ourt in 1988 w/Suzuki 4x4. Trouble free quad.
I'm no Yamahaha fan but the Grizzly's seem to have a good rep.
To Sum: I think most all the 4x4's out there are of good quality.
Oh yea, Check out Kymco ATV's. Rock solid machines.

Dare I mention a UTV? OK, that neighbor gets on the internet and gats himself a China made $3500 UTV! Same thing Polaris sells for 10k. So far the only thing that's broke is the throttle cable. Goes thru snow/mud like nothing. I had a bet that it was a POS..I lost.

Good luck with your decision.

 

Thanks good info!



Actually...riding from around 6250ft to 12,000ft.


Really appreciate the info! Learning a lot about the efi .vs carb...and Honda in general.


Thanks,

biz

 

WOW...yes...starting to see your point about taking a lot off the table. I suppose if the carb was jet properly for the higher elevation...

Hmmm...lots to think about...


biz

 

anyone who's ever ridden an atv for any length of time with an efi would understand- trust me- I've owned them all - almost 3 decades and dozens worth of bikes & atv's- huge diff between efi & carb.

just like the power-steering debate... only people who have never experienced power steering on a rough trail think having PS makes no diff.