I am in the process of finding a good used atv to use for hunting and some trail riding.

My last atv was a 1999 honda 300 4x4. I love hondas, but the drum brakes and stiff ride have me looking at other brands.

I am considering a Polaris 500 HO. I have ridden a sportsman 400 and the ride was great, but needed more power. Do the 500's have much more power than a 400? I am an adult and will not abuse it. Are the Polaris bikes relibable???
I found a 2002 500 ho in perfect shape with 500 miles for $3,800. Is this an OK deal?

I am also considering a Prarie 650/700. I know they haul ****, but have heard the transmission is not as good as the Polaris. Any comments? I have found a 2005 P700 for $5,000. OK deal?

Also considering the Eiger. I have never ridden one, but they are only about $4,500 for a new one. Any thoughts on these? Are suzukis reliable?


Thanks for the help

 

Yes the 500 HO has considerably more snort than the 400. I love my Prairie, the tranny rocks, has given me no problems at all and it is easily modifiable to suit your needs(bigger tires and wheels ie) As far as reliability, no probs with mine, my brother and brother in law have newer 700 Polaris Sportsmans(got them after I got my Prairie) and both have had and/or are having tranny issues. Really it comes down to what you want, how much you want to spend, and if you want to tweak your quad yourself this forum rocks for info. I think maybe the Polaris 500 HO sounds like the quad for your needs, but I am definitely partial to you know what! Try to ride as many as you can, that will help you the most.

 

tx350x, its too bad you dont live a little further north. There is a dealer in Ohio that has a 2005 500HO that is decked out with the hunting options. Well here, I will just post what he wrote me. It seems like a pretty good deal for a serious hunting quad. Let me know if you need more info.


2005 Sportsman 500 Hunter Camo - $6,750.00 (this machine has crate damage - scratched front and rear fender left side, and rim scrapes)
The Hunter Edition comes standard with: $8,299.00 RETAIL
Mossy Oak Break up Pattern Camo
Mossy Oak Camo Rims
Front and Rear Rack Extenders
Garmin GPS - Mailed to you after the purchase
Warn 2500 Winch installed
Hand and Thumb Warmers

 

Thanks for the replies.

I rode the 500 HO today. It has WAAAY more power than the 400.

I am still looking though.

Any opinions on the eiger?

 

ied get a honda formen 500 or a Bombardier 400 camo

 

If you are considering an Eiger , read my post in this thread . I copied and pasted this from another thread .

All three of those machines will serve you well and are all very reliable however if you are considering the Eiger , you should also look at a Arctic cat 400 , they have the motor and tranny out of the Eiger but they also offer alot that the Eiger does not .
Tha Cat has Independent rear suspension wich gives a way nicer ride and more ground clearance , infact it has more ground clearance than any other brand machine , including the 6 ,7 , and 800 cc class machines . the Cat also has front diff lock , bigger racks with more capacity , heavier tow rating , larger fuel tank , 2 inch receiver hitch for towing and in my opinion it is one of the nicest looking and best equipped 400's on the market .
Arctic cat's also have a 3 year warranty vs most others 6 month .
As I said before all the quads you are looking at will do the trick , but if you are considering stepping in to the 400 class , I would take a good look at the Arctic cat .

Good luck

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oh this is gonna start an arguement but i have been around most of the newer atvs and not just because i own one but arctic cat is hands down the all around best atv for farming and hunting well slimegreencat pretty well much said them all and in rough terrain no other can keep up specially straight axle's. and if you want the power arctic cat has their new 650 H1 i haven't ridden it yet but i heard very good things about it.

 

I had a Polaris 400 Sportsman and the ride was excellent. I don't think there's another quad that can beat Polaris' great ride. But Polaris' are veeery heavy, 100lbs+ over the competition, while this is good for slow trail riding and towing it's terrible for everything else, all the weight slows their quads down takes away from the engines power. Also reliability of Polaris' isn't all that good in comparison to the other big four manufacturers. I had quite a few minor problems with my 400, I had to take it into the dealer's service center several times. Between the 02 Polaris 500 and 05 Prairie, I say get the Prairie, you'd definitely enjoy the V-twin power and it's 3 years newer.
The Eiger is a good quad from what I've heard, and yes Suzuki is reliable, but it's only a 400, I've always felt anything less than 500cc in a Ute isn't enough power, my Polaris 400 was veeery slow for my style of riding, But I'm sure the Eiger is quicker since it's lighter.