All things considered (Price,Maintenance, Reliability, Availibility, Dealer Support, Resell Value)what in your expert opinions is the Ultimate Auto-Utility ATV.

I personally own a 98 Grizzly that I use more as a tractor than a recreational item. It does well, however I believe I would prefer liquid cooling, for my current needs (all work, little play).

I am kicking around the following options.

1. Keep the Grizzly and put up with the heat and oil temp lights. This would be the cheapest. (My wifes favorite choice).

2. Trade to the AC500 auto this fall. Nice suspension, disk brakes, liquid cooled, I prefer the "push button on the fly" 2WD/4WD option I currently have.

3. Trade to the Suzuki QuadMaster 500 this fall. Same as the AC500 without the brake or suspension advantages, but probably a little less expensive.

4. Trade to the Polaris Magnum 500 this fall. I would love the AWD system and decent ride, however there are to many maintenance issues/horror stories out there for this coward.

5. Trade to the Honda Rubicon in the spring. Get the infamous Honda reliability, no belts and maintenance to worry about. Don't like the all time 4WD, I like to be in 2WD mode when I don't need the extra traction. Also what is up with drum brakes all around? A great new realease into the auto market and it comes with drum brakes.

6. Wait till next year and hope Yamaha comes out with a liquid cooled/updated Grizzly. They seem to breaking that ground now with the new Kodiak pretty well.

Awaiting your response's

Allen L. Grooms
98 Grizzly 1175 hard miles

 

I would pick the Rubicon or Water-cooled Grisley, given the choice.

And, if I may, I would like to pose a question to everyone, What is wrong with Drum brakes? I have had no problems or heard of any problems related to Honda drum brakes. Is there something I am missing? My 450ES stops on a dime, or as well as I would expect a 600 lb. machine to stop.

I have, however, heard of problems with disk brakes, especially short pad life.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

Phoenix1, I agree with you regarding drum brakes on a quad.

PROPERLY SEALED drums (and Honda knows how to seal brake drums), correctly adjusted, will stop you in a hurry and last a long time. Appropriately-sized drum brakes function adequately for a quad.

Disc brakes have the advantage of no wear adjustment required, lighter weight, and fade resistance (although any ATV rider pushing his mount to the point of brake fade rides a lot more aggressively than I!).

While disc brakes offer certain advantages, drum brakes seem safe and adequate.

Tree Farmer

 

Drum brakes are fine. BUT WE WANT DISC BRAKES ALL THE WAY AROUND. If I'm going to pay 7 grand for a quad, it better have what I want.

If I were you I would go with the 500 Honda.

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Arctic Cat 500, Not your average Kitty, The New King Of the Jungle

 

Thanks Treefarmer, I was starting to get an inferiority (SP) complex. I feel that they are adequate. I can see how someone racing would want disk brakes, but for a sport quad?

Robert, please don't take this the wrong way, but why do you need disk brakes?

 

I cannot and will not speak for any other manufactures of drum brakes except Suzuki.I owned a 87 KQ and my bro has a 97 KQ.Dont even think of going mudding with these two KQs without removing the drums for a real good brake and drum cleaning after a mudding event.The Suzuki drum brakes on the KQ are absolutly the worst drum brake set-up I've ever personally seen.And at 40$ per wheel for shoes,Suzuki should of done alot better job of sealing their drums.Thats why the KQs dont go mudding anymore. BILL

 

I never said I needed Disc Brakes. I said "Drum brakes are fine. BUT WE WANT DISC BRAKES ALL THE WAY AROUND."

It's cinda like going to Burger King and ordering a Whopper and getting a Big Mac. If I'm going to ut out the money you better give me what I paid for.

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Arctic Cat 500, Not your average Kitty, The New King Of the Jungle

 

I think that I am getting it, forgive me. But if I understand correctly, what you are saying is: Improperly sealed drum brakes suck, but properly sealed drum brakes are adequate. Disk brakes are better for racers and for manufactures who can not properly seal drum brakes. This sound correct?

Do brake pads for disk brakes wear better, worse or the same as brake shoes for drum brakes, in general?

 

Phonix 1,it has been my experience that disk brakes out wear and absolutely ''out stop'' drum brakes.I cannot comment on the sealing properties of any other manufacture's drum brakes except Suzuki,which I earlier told you is very poor when it comes to sealing out debris and water.Disk brakes are Overall just a better brake set up than drum type brakes,but because of differant types of quad set-ups,they are not allways practical in all applications.I guess what im saying is,if giving your choice of brake styles,I'd prefer disk brakes over drums. BILL

 

But Bill, why? If drum brakes can lock up the tires, what advantage would disk brakes have. I am not trying to argue, and I do not have much experience with disk brakes on a wheeler. Aside from the better wearing, how is it that they stop better?