I purchased a Outlander and thought it was the best looking ATV made, others look outdated to me. The real reason I purchased it was because I like to ride hard and no 400 can touch it in every important catagory(power, handling, & features), plus a 3 year warranty.

 

Personally I like the outlander...I find it has a sharp look! Its the best 400 outlander and its as good as some 500s!

 

Dont get me wrong, I know its a great quad all around, I just dont like the plastic. It looks goofy to me.

 

you dont have to take my word for it, but you should take almost every magazine that has done 400cc utility comparisons latley, words for it. In 90 persent of the comparison test the eiger comes out with top honors, and the rest in my oppionion is just when another manufacturer pays the mag more money. Great value, awsome power for a 400, presise handeling, desent suspension (great for utility work, alright for trail riding). They are great in the mud, quick on the trails, no matter what hill you put at the bottom of it will climb it. The outlander is faster but not by much, and the eiger lookes why better, and is much much cheaper, and is avalible in 2 and 4 wheel drive, manual or auto. Anyway you get the idea. Get the eiger and you wont be disapionted. Over and out.

 

Test rode a Eiger before I purchased the Outllander it was nice machine(my second choice) but for work and the type of all around riding I do I thought the Outty was a steal (equal to top 500cc machines). Plus I learned a long time ago air cooled machines are not for me they get very hot when worked hard or ridden at low speeds for long periods. Not good for engine life. Also I must have a locking front differential, the snow covered mountians we climb a non locker won't make it. All depends what you are going to use it for.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Hey MDog, I'm curious did you try the kodiak 450? if so, what did you think of it?

 

I had a 99 Suzuki Quadrunner 500 4x4 with Air/Water cooled and it stayed just as hot as my Eiger does at low speeds. The outlander might be different but I dont think theres a big difference. Come on man atleast get one of the Top 4 brands : Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha, or Kawasaki!!! hah

 

Yeah, sport quads are much better. I like my dad's z400 way better than my utility, though I do still like the Moto-4.




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1986 Yamaha Moto-4 225
2003 Suzuki z400

 

Well, I quess I can see where sport quads could be a better fit. If one doesnt ride in areas where 4x4 is neccessary then probably ground clearance isnt a concern either. In that case, why not have a faster, better handling bike. I quess the obvious example of that scenario would be dune riding. Of course one could have the best of both worlds and get a Polaris scrambler. At the highlifter mud nationals, it will be classified as a sport bike.

I have some questions to sport bike enthusaists: What kind of riding is it you like most? What aspects of the sport models are valuable enough to give up the 4x4?

 

I didn't try a Kodiak 450 but the group I ride with have a Kodiak 400, Big Bear 400, Artic Cat 400, Eiger, Polaris 500 HO,Grizz 660, Honda Rubicon, Kawi 400 Prairie,Rancher 350,and now 6 Outlanders. Tried them all, we have swapped on occasion and my experience has been within 2 years all the air cooled machines are burning oil because they run very hot. We ride usually ride for 7 hours, one section (about 2rs.) is very tight, muddy, rocky and slow, the air cooled machines run so hot that when we cross the Naugatuck river the air cooled machines stall out not because they take on water but because of the quick contraction of a very hot motor. (We think thats the reason because they start back up quickly) This happens in the winter also. Another thing we noticed was this long ,steep, curvy, off camber mountain trail we go up freezes into solid lumpy ice with some patches of earth exposed. The only machines that makes it to the top without winching are the Outty's. Thats why there are 6 Outty's and counting with our group now. You should try one you'll be pleasanty suprised.

By the way I race a Yamaha YZ 250F motocrosser and own a Kawasaki KX 100 set up for trails( for my girlfriend) just want the best machines for my needs!!!