From your needs list.. I'd say a P650 would fill all your needs and then some! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I just bought my P700 a few months ago and LOVE IT!!!! Nice ride, TONS of power for sport or utility work. I tow my tandem axle trailer around the property full of firewood with no problems! Plus you just can't bea that vtwin power for the fun factor when needed!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Sounds good everyone. I don't need to catch a lot of air. I just don't want it to break I if happen to get 1-2ft off the ground on a whoop or a small jump or something. I don't plan on flying 5 ft off the ground at sand dunes or anything. And it also may just be the fronts off the ground that much and the back just a few inches.

 

It sounds like you want at Kodiak (judging from you requirements!) My 02 400 is a blast to drive and so far reliable. I've driven the P650 and liked it alot. My only beef was fuel economy. Compared to my Kodiak wow it was very hard on gas. And before someone jumps all over my last statement I do realize that it is heavier and has a bigger motor. If I would have know the 03's would have been 450 with diff lock I would have waited. Oh well I'll get the 450 the next time.

Good luck and happy shopping

 

I agree with Senater, I rode a 2000 Kodiak 400 during hunting season and it was what made up my mind to look at a new Kodiak. The lack of of a high/low on the 2003 made me aprhensive as I pull a trailer during hunting and did not want to start smoking belts while climbing steep hills, even though the dealer informed me they put a lower gear ratio to offset the selector did not win me over so I spent the extra money for the 450. I did also check out polaris but they must of not been in the need to push any quads as they would not budge on the price or were they willing to take the old tires and wheels off and put on a set of Mudlites for me, I was willing to pay for the tires but I did want them to give me some money off the new set in return for the old. Suzuki and Yamaha was willing but the Eiger that I looked at has drum brakes still and I did not want those so that made me talk to Yamaha and of course I was also used to how it feels after riding one for a couple weeks. I have bought other quads from them and the salesman Steve, sold me my Katana and my Suzuki King Quad when he used to work for Suzuki and he has treated me well so I went that route and once again I felt like I got a good deal and I am extremly pleased with my buy.AlaskaBoy.

 

I want at least 400+ cc's, but I need to be able to go a distance on a tank. At least 100 miles preferably. Are there any to stay away from that suck gas, realizing the monster quads always will???

PS

It's seems strange that no one has recommended a Honda product ???? I know nothing about them. How 'bout Artic Cat?

 

Honda is nice but you said you wanted sport utility and not huge and bulky. Honda is like a Cadilac, rides nice and costs alot. 100 miles? I like to hear the answer on that myself.AlaskaBoy.

 

I have a Foreman 450ES, has everything you are asking for except auto trans, which I am fine with the electric shifting mechanism. It is nice.

 

I don't think I'd like to push a button to shift. In my opinion, I would think anything in a Polaris less than a 500 would be a slug (aka. slow workhorse) due to there weight. Am I wrong?

 

I'm new to this game myself and am still in the break in stage with my 400 Sportsman so I have not come near pushing it to any limit. I have had it on some National Forest trails around my parts that were marked "difficult" and it performed flawlessly. I'm not an experienced rider so I can't speak to the reality of the Nat'l Forest's "complexity" rating but some of the lonnnngggg, steep, rutted hill climbs had me really scratchin' my head wondering whether I should just turn around but I ponied up the intestinal fortitude and went for it. The 400 (which is a 425) had quite a bit more throttle left than what I needed to negotiate the trails. As far as fast is concerned, it goes as fast as I could ever imagine wanting go on the terrain I was on. I suppose on a flat out sand drag race, top end might not all be there but if that's what I was looking for I wouldn't have bought a Ute in the first place. Again, I'm pretty green at this ATV thing but I'm not so sure that weight is your enemy on a Ute....physics will prove that, as long as it is in the right place. From what I have seen so far, the Polaris has it together where it needs to be!

 

Don't forget with the Wolverine you can add a Warn 424 for $220.00 so you can go between 4wd and 2wd. The rear rack holds around 120+ lbs too. It also has a good suspension for your air time requirements. I get mine 4'-5' up on a regular basis. I like the 5 speed auto clutch over the full auto though, personal preference.
I've been real happy with mine. It just took some getting used to it railing around the turns instead of powersliding like I used to do on all my previous 2wd quads. I was considering a Warn 424 but don't really see the need for it with the riding I do in the conditions we have here.
I guess it depends on how much sport you want with your utility, and how much weight you want to wrestle with too.
You definitely have a lot of quads to choose from. I did a lot of research before buying and am happy I went with the Wolverine. YMMV.
Hope you can find what suits you the best and have years of enjoyment with it!