I'm looking to buy the biggest baddest 4x4 on the market. I was interested in the Grizzy and the Sportsman 500. I like lots of power and lots of features like a transfer case and what not. I'd also like to have a little sport thrown in there too.

 

I do not claim to have the biggest or baddest 4x4. But here is some pictures of my Grizzly. Look at them if you would like.

 

Kawasaki Prairie 650 V-Twin

 

Design_Engineer:
In order to have the "biggest, baddest" 4x4 out there, it would help to know what you plan to do with it. Is it a pure play rig, work, hunting, recreation or a little of everything. Some machines will excell in one area, thus being "bigger and badder" while lacking in others, leaving you in great dissapointment.

Also, what type of features do you like-manual vs. auto, gear selections (hi-low range) 2wd/4wd selectable, or strait 4wd? The selectability between 2 and 4 wheel drive is a very nice feature to have at times, you won't always need pure 4x4. Also, is a "true" four wheel drive necessary? Polaris has the AWD system, which links all four wheels after a 1/5th slippage of the rears, while all other makes use a limited-slip type front end, with the exception of the smaller Suzuki's that have four wheel lock, and a modified 'Cat 300 that can be locked as well. Also, how "big" is big? 400, 500, 600 cc's? I personnally think the 500 cc range is great for everything. Plenty of power across the entire range. Only thing it doesn't have compared to a 600 cc is a higher top speed, but on a utility quad, who cares about how fast you can go anyway, if the difference is only a couple mph? For me, it doesn't justify the price difference.

Which leads to another thing-price. As an Engineer, I don't imagine this is a problem, but if it is, how much are you willing to spend. That could very well limit your options.

Sorry I can't give you an exact model for the "biggest, baddest 4x out there", but here are a few to choose from, so take a look at each, and compare the features you like the best from each model, find what is important to you. That is the only way to determine the "biggest, baddest" atv for you.

AC 500's (manual or auto)
Grizz (600)
SP500 (500 or 500HO)
Rubicon (500 selectable trans)

For big bad 4x4's, these are all great machines, and a good place to start. You can't go wrong with any of them. Good luck with your decision,

Mike

 

That is a very opinionated question. Not sure how much research you have done but all the manufacturers have a 500cc or more quad. The most popular ones are (in NO particular order):

Honda Rubicon
Yahama Grizzly
Polaris Sportsman 500 HO

Good luck.

 

Cowboy:

I plan of making it a PURE play rig. I don't plan on doing much work with it and I don't hunt. The raw power the Grizzy has and it's tight radius is what attracted it to me.

The ablity to select 4x4 and 2x4 is a must. I want to be able to also choose between high and low gears. With a big 4x4, I prefer to have an auto. trany. As for price, I'm in law enforcement now and I also design all the F.D., EMS, and PD vehicles with graphics, lights, etc which pays a lot so it honestly doesn't matter to me but I don't see a point in spending $1000 more on somthing that is the same, worst, or doesn't have a huge advantage.

The Grizzy attacts me not only because its 600cc's and huge, but because in my P.D. several other officers patrol on them and that makes it proven to me. So its between the Yamaha Grizzly and the Polaris Sportsman 500 unless sombody can prove that another quad is better suited for me.

 

The grizzly has the biggest engine available right now on the market but it is not the most powerful machine out there. Either the Suzuki or Arctic Cat 500 have more power than the grizzly. The Grizzly is very top heavy, it has lots of power but it handles like a tobbagan. If you want somehting sporty and you are never going to do any work with it buy a SP500 HO or a Scrambler in 400cc 2-stroke or 500cc 4-stroke. The 500cc is the same in the Sp500 HO and the Scrambler 500 but the Sc500 weighs less. The SP500 while very capable of doing heavy work is very plush to ride.

I don't know how your department economics work but with the Minnesota DNR the manufacturer that offers the division the best deal on 4-wheelers usually gets the contract. They are not necessarily the best machine for the job.

 

The biggest and baddest 4x4 is in your head. What I mean by that is the best is whatever you consider the best. Nobody has made the perfect quad yet. Kawasaki failed at that recently. Its an awesome quad, but comes short of perfection in my mind by its swingarm rear end and auto tranny. If it had a manual shift and a semi-independant or fully independant rear, it would have been the ultimate.

Check out all of them. Ask a lot of questions to people here that have them. Go ride them. Then after that, whatever you think is best is the best. Go get it. Then you will have the best, and you can come here and argue about that with us. Thats really about how it goes. For reasons unknown, no manufacturer will put all of the main features on one quad. Some lack IRS. Some lack a totally reliable tranny. Most lack true 4wd. Most lack disc brakes. Some lack steel racks. Some lack a speedometer. Some lack power (king quad). Some lack stability. some lack clearance.

Put it all together and you would have the ultimate, but nobody has done that to date.

 

well i feel the need to straightin out a few fellas one a few things. First of all unlike most people the very first thing you should do is to go buy yourself a good helmet, im so sick of seeing people putting up post to their websites to only see pics with a bunch of jackasses ridin their quads with no helmets on. That reflects poorly to us all, And I dont really do give a damm if you think differently that me.

And second, there are 3 quads out there now that have a larger engine then the grizz, Ever heard of the raptor? , and how about the ds 650?, and finaly, kawaski just announced i belive its a 660 cc pairie, i not too sure bout the displacement on that i know its at least 600 cc. SO fellas put the damm helmet on, it could be one more reason for gore to get us out of the forest, and thats my 2 cents

 

Must have seen my pics. No helmets there. If that was it, it sure doesn't take a lot to get old Rob *** riled up.