This come down to user preference. One thing to remember that the higher CC machines the motor does not have to work as hard to get through the same things a smaller CC. Most of the guys i ride with are 1000's and barley ever hit full throttle where areas on my 500 iv got the thing pinned. When i got mine a few years ago price was the big selling feature and i was not a big rider. I did not think i would get so involved in the sport. I now see where the bigger cc would have made things easier. While im not really interested in the 1000's im currently looking at a can am 850. I also figure that the more cc i have the stupider i will get at times..LOL

 

On utvs, weight is a big factor too. A 500cc engine that does well in a 650lb quad will really struggle to move a utv that weighs twice as much. Gearing is usually lower in utvs to compensate, making for a vehicle that can still be fairly capable but just won't go nearly as fast as the atv with the same engine. Take the Rhino 660 vs the Grizzly 660. The Grizzly 660 can top 60 mph. The Rhino 660 goes about 45 mph tops because of the added weight and need for lower gearing to move around all that extra girth. I never run the Grizzly that fast as it being a single it struggles on top end. It accelerates well up until about 50 mph and then its a struggle to get it to go faster. It will get there but its hard on the engine to push it full throttle long enough to get it up to top speed. I had a friend blow his up because he basically ran it all out for several miles. And it was much newer than the one I have now. I'd rather keep the speeds down and not abuse my engine. I have more than sufficient power for almost any normal situation.

 

gezz i run mine all out for 20 - 30 km at a stretch with no issues. Machine does not even over heat. Your friend may have had a underlying issue to cause the failure. But thats why i want a bigger machine so i dont have to push it so hard.

 

It was probably about 8 miles or so. Funny thing is that there were 3 of us all doing the same thing on identical machines and only his had an issue. I think that Grizzly was a bad one from day one. Later wrecking it didn't help either. Even Yamaha builds a few lemons. Still not a good idea, its something I never do anymore. Running a machine wide open all the time will kill any of them eventually. Think about it, would you drive your car or truck 100mph all the time? That's basically the same thing.

 

OK, years later, I jump back in... Somewhere along the way someone said "I have never seen a claim that their machine has more HP or bigger motors etc" Well, all I ask is that you pick up any magazine that compares two or more machines. Clearly, HP, engine size, top speed yada yada yada seems to be very important. The original premise was that at some point, where will it all end? Our TV commercials brainwash our kids into thinking we MUST have a product, or eat a certain food, or wear a certain brand to be cool. There is a very good argument that can be made that this carry's over to ATV sales too. It is Marketing 101. Those of you that have followed my musings over the years know that I have always stood for safety, and that I have consitantly commented on behalf of child safety, and been an advocate for the newbie parent who is just looking at an ATV as a way to get their kid off the couch and put down the video game. To say that their isn't a certain amount of machismo involved is kind of narrow thinking too. Parents start by listening to others, read lists like this, and form certain opinions before they walk into a dealership, and if they tell a sales guy that they are looking for an ATV, not knowing that there are guidelines for age, engine size etc, they are going to sell them what they ask for. It is natural. The real answer to the age old question is to sell them a smaller machine when they are young, and upgrade as they get older and/or their skill sets improve. But Johnny Hotshoe at work told them they need a 700 this, or an 800 that, and that is where the sales guy takes them on the show room floor. And that is a fundamental issue. And YES, I HAVE seen manufacturers claim to have the biggest this, or the best that, or the fastest whatever, or the one that lasts, has the best resale value whatever. The game is to discover a claim that the competition isn't using and market the heck out of it, because statistics will show that gorilla marketting sells units. My goal was, and is to bring some sanity to this whole thing. Years ago when I started the thread, 700 class was the hot set up, now the competition is at 1000. Where will it be tomorrow? All I really want is for people to be congnizant of the fact that what they say to a newb has an impact on their opinion formation. I mean how many times have you heard some anti-whatever spew pure BS over a hundred different subjects based solely on things they have heard, but never actually experienced personally? We all have heard it. And you have to admit that what is good for one person may be totally wrong for the next. I admit that my riding, my usage of an ATV has changed many times over the 45+ years I have been riding. My opinion has changed as many times as the weather it seems. But the premise has remained. We love the sport, want to see it continue to grow, want every square inch of unused ground to be available for trails, and most importantly, we want everyone to have fun safely, and return home with good memories, not standing in a hospital ER as a doctor tells you your child has just psased away, and they did everything they could to save them. It happens folks. It could happen to you. Maybe you are the cause, or it could be someone else, it doesn't matter. I don't care what you ride, I do care that you are safe, at least around me. I want to go home with happy memories. That is all I want for you too. Do we need 1000 CC's? Probably not. Could we have just as much fun on something smaller? Probably... is the right answer in all cases? Heck no. The hope is, you live a full life without injuries caused from your own over exuberence. And that you can pass this passion on to your friends and loved ones. Happy trails, and may the mud be in the eyes of your competition....

 

yes. i do.

nope. fun to me is being able to blip the thumb and have the front wheels go vertical. can't do that on a 500 or a 700.

I guess we should also tell people to stop buying cars that go over 70 mph?
hell- you can get from point A to point B at 25 mph- guess we don't need bigger & faster engines...
while we're at it... can just as easily kill someone with a 9mm than a .45- lets just remove all other caliber sizes since you can "probably" just use the 9.
should probably also just make all boats under 25 hp also- since 25hp boats will get you to the fishing hole the same way a 335 hp merc will- who needs speed, as long as it gets you there... 235hp super charged sea doo's? why? people don't need to experience the exhilaration of catching 20' of air over a 4' wake- which ain't happening on an 80hp sea doo gtx 750.

why should I consider someone else's opinion on whether or not 1000+cc atv's are necessary?

why should anyone else tell someone else what kind of "fun" they should have on anything?

9 out of 10 people who say they don't need a bigger engine, simply haven't ridden one with a larger engine...

9 out of 10 people who say they can have as much fun on their 400 / 500 class atv haven't tried gluing their ***'s to a 1000 renegade in a muddy sand pit- or on a wide open mountain trail, or effortlessly wheelied 50' over dried up river rock gardens- not on a 400 or 500 class 4x4.

get my point?

 

Don't know what 500 or 700 you have rode but on my stock 500 i can pull and hold the front end up on command with no mods done to the machine.. I also don't know of a 700 by any manufacturer that cannot do the same..

 

okay. not gonna argue the point with you- I've owned them all. if you think your your stock 500 pulls wheelies like an 800 or 1000- no skin off my back.

(btw- there's a long list of "most" 4x4 atv's i've owned at the bottom of this post in my signature, the list of sport quads is even longer, and, like I said- owned them- so just stop.)

 

I'm all for limiting Beergut to a 90cc. He seems to get into accidents on anything more powerful.

Seriously, put the kids on kids' quads and let them learn how to ride and build up gradually as they grow. That is common sense. But, sometimes people can't afford to buy a new quad, sell it at a loss a couple years later, etc. I have seen plenty of young folks learn on a 250 with parental oversight.

As far as adults go, let the market decide. I'm very happy with my 650 in all ways. My gripe is you often can't get the packages with all the bells and whistles you want in the less powerful machines. For instance, you can't buy an Outlander Max XTP with the 650 anymore. You have to bump up to the 850. But, if you want one, and can afford one, we have freedom of choice. A competitive market benefits all of us.

 

Evidently you haven`t rode a kfx700 Kawasaki! They aren`t the fastest atv I`ve ever owned, but will pull the front wheels w/ the best of them !