I'm looking to purchase a utility atv. I know this is a broad question, but which is the best utility atv. Size 500 to 750. I believe Honda has it won. What do you guys think. Need to take into consideration, reliability, service, parts availibility. ect. Thanks. Wes

 

You're right. That is a broad question. If you are talking about reliability I'd give the nod to Honda. What they don't have in their quads is full 4wd. All the major brands are much better than 10 years ago. Competition is good. If you are talking about versatility the Polaris Sportsman X2 is the king. Heavy but made for heavy duty. The new Polaris XPs are worth a look too. Looks goes to the Kawasaki Brute Force. Powerful but with an odd little lever for engaging all 4 wheels. The Suzuki King Quad now comes with power steering. (I think all but Arctic Cat and Kawasaki have models available with power steering) It is probably the best bang for the buck right now. The Yamaha Grizzly has power steering in a 550 and 700. Great machines. Some say a little tippy. I don't know on that one. CanAm is usually the most powerful and fastest in each CC category. They've improved the engagement of the front drive over previous years. If you give more info on what you want to use it for we could narrow it down. Best bet is to test drive them if you can under the conditions you'd be in, but that may not be realistic.

 

Far from it 500 Class Clash

AND
Reviews of Motorcycle, ATV, Snowmobile and Watercraft vehicles

Honda is slow to change,they use a less powerful older tech OHV motors not OHC like everyone eles. Thats why a 500 Foreman pushes 27 hp while most other 500 have 32 to 36hp. They have a rough ride with no IRS, there the last with rear drum brakes most have disk, and they have no "true" 4WD diff lock option just there 3wd system.

Who told you they have it won?

 

I wouldn't even consider a Honda now days. Anything would probably be better than a Honda. Not anti-honda, I own one, but I wouldn't waste my money on a new one. There are far better choices out there. They're trading on their reputation of reliability from the 80s and early 90s but current product doesn't live up to that reputation in my experience. In fact, just the opposite. The new Hondas I've seen are probably at the bottom in terms of reliability. Not all bad though. Their fit and finish is really good.

Out of all the people I personally know who have bought new Honda ATVs in the past 4 years or so none of them were happy with them. Most traded for Yamaha, Polaris and more recently Can-Am replacements. The only ones who kept them were people who were stuck with them financially and couldn't dump them. One rincon is sitting in a guy's garage because he can't afford to fix the thing after the warranty expired. Had 2 transmissions in it that I know of and it is broken again. Doesn't abuse it. He's a middle aged farmer doing farm chores with it.

 

What are you going to do with it? Tow? Pull? Trail ride? Plow?

 

see my signature.

 

I'm going to be pulling towing and doing farm chores.

 

How do you like it? I do have a guy that will trade a 2007 Polaris 800 twin efi with a dump bed on it. IT LOOKS GOOD, but don't know about reliability. Thanks for all of the responses

 

The Polaris 800 you mentioned sounds like the 800cc version of the Sportsman X2??? Not sure if it is or not. If it is, you will be hard pressed to find a quad with its abilities. The X2 has a 400 lb. rating in the rear and can tow 1250 if I remember right. It can also convert to a 2 person quad in 15 seconds and back just as quickly.

 

absolutely LOVE my BF750. Best machine i've ever sat on......feels like a rocket.