full of poo-poo.


(Sorry Beer)

 

To each his own. To say that it's all about ego boosting is a pretty broad brush to put it mildly. I had a 500 cc Sportsman X2. Probably the most versatile quad out there between its ability to ride single with a dump box that can carry 400 lbs. or change to a 2-up machine in 10 seconds with the flip up seat. Loved the quad. Was a great mix of utility and trail riding. The one thing it didn't have was much top end speed. Not an issue in tight trees and rocks, but was an issue when trying to go up long steep wide open hills in high gear. I could not keep up speed-wise with the 650's and up, on groomed snow trails in the winter or on flat wide open steep hills in the spring, summer, and fall. I ended up with my present Outlander 650 that does all I ask of it well. A 350 would not get my 345 lbs. around too well when on trails that allow you to open it up, while a bigger machine with more torque and horsepower serves every purpose I need it to.

To call a machine useless because it has more cc's than your 350 is pretty funny. I've been on many different machines from 110 cc to some of the big boys. Been on many in the 250 cc to 500 cc range and none of them would give me the mix of performance, low end grunt, and all around ability that the 650 I have now. This is based on seat time on many different machines including Hondas from elevations near sea level to over 10,000 feet in Utah. While the smaller machines shine in the tight trails they just don't have it in top end, towing, and toting numbers like some of the bigger machines do. The X2 I had was a big machine that overtaxed the 500 cc in situations I regularly encountered in New Hampshire, and Maine. It could pull 1500 lbs. with ease, and tote 400 lbs. on/in the back dump box. I wouldn't have gotten rid of it if it had a 700 or 800 cc engine that could get me up into the 50 mph speeds on the wide open trails like I needed it to.

All I'm saying is: 1) Maybe your 350 works for you. If it does, great!!! I'll ride with anyone that wants to go riding as long as they aren't breaking any laws. But, a smaller engine doesn't work for everyone elses' needs or wants. 2) If someone wants to get up to speed really fast and wants the latest and most powerful that's up to them. If they can afford it and it meets their needs all the more power to them.

On a side note, I've watched hundreds of videos of guys going through muskeg in Canada, and other nasty mudholes elsewhere. One thing I don't see making it through the truly nasty ones is the smaller machines that can't spin the tires like the more powerful engines can do. I'm not talking about rim deep or top of the tire deep. Rack deep is more in line. I've yet to get stuck in a hole that a smaller machine has gone through. I have had some instances where a more narrow machine could climb a hill and stay out of a 2 foot rut that the wider, larger machine couldn't help but end up in. But, that's the exception to my observations with something around 7,000+ miles in rough New England driving.

 

the only people with andy's point of view are those who've never been on a big-bore atv.

ego has zero to do with it... leaving my gut at the bottom of a hill when I blip the throttle and having enough power to spin 28" - 30" aggressive mud tires in 3' of swamp have everything to do with it.

 

I have to agree. With riding like yours there should be no ego involved.

Just kidding.

 

I do not go by cc I go by shear hp.
The BRP e-tech 800cc makes 165hp yet there ATV 1000cc Renegade is what? 85 or 90 hp.
The reason they will never put their e-tech motors in their atvs is law suits when people start to die.
Even the 600cc e-tech makes 120hp.

 

there has to be a sound mechanical reason why BRP isn't putting 120+ hp engines in their atv's- I don't think it has anything to do with liability- my body wont know the difference slamming into a tree with a 90 hp rotax over a 120hp rotax and tires don't spin any more in dirt with 50 hp than they do with 90hp.

I think it's a balance of exhaust / fuel regulations and actual use time / mpg on the trails- along with the mechanical limitations of some componets. sleds are not subject to noise & exhause regs like atv's are.

rotax has been making high-performance engines for ages- I have think they have valid reasons for their atv powerplant applications.

 

stopped reading right there, thanks for proving my point

actually i have but i spend more time towing them after they break stuff anyway oh and as for those huge tires all they do is dig giant ruts and ruin the trails for everyone else so again no point and useless, if you can't get through the mud either go around it or use the dam winch you spent hundreds on

 

Funny. I didn't see any kind of indication you're joking. If you're serious you're going too far. -Moderator

I'm sorry that we can't all be your particular build, height, or weight. I guess that leaves us out and any machine other than what you ride is useless to everyone? Love it!

We've had plenty of, "My machine is the best machine", types that don't realize we're not all little guys that a small machine will suffice. Or, that your machine will work for everyone. That's just not the case. Honda, is, by far the most ancient design of any quad. Non-adjustable shocks on their flagship, Rincon which rode like a brick on any surface other than flat open roads. Are you serious? I have also been on a Rancher that was decent but once again, non-adjustable shocks. Guess they wouldn't want to spend the extra money on rider comfort.

 

half joke half serious, but goes with my point that the heavier you are the bigger you're gonna need however i am also a bit jealous as more weight would really help me keep the wheels on dirt on those steep hills

honestly bigger isn't always better, my usual riding friend used a 400 Honda for years and never had an issue with hills then decided he wanted bigger so got a 800 and the throttle was just to much and he lost it, granted some might know better and be better able to control it but i've seen far to many big quads up side down simply because the rider could control the throttle properly usually happens while showing off and in the end just makes him look stupid

as for Honda i have to agree they are out of date and diff lock is the biggest reason i bought a Suzuki but Honda DOES have IRS on the Rubicon which is their trail ATV and i heard they are even putting a diff lock on the 2014s but not sure which models will have it so i'd say they have caught up and i don't see any other brands offering much they don't have plus you can't beat the Honda reliability which is really a must have. i don't care how big or fancy your ATV is if it's not reliable and leaves you stuck in the bush it's useless

 

Sounds to me like someone can't afford that new toy they are drooling over...