if i go for a mid size quad what should i get? another sp500, outlander 400, rancher 420 at or grizzly 450? tell me why and if you've ridden any of them

 

I like the fact that Rancher has EFI but I also like that the Grizz has a true locker. Both now have Power steering so I guess a test ride would be in order! As far as the other two go there old outdated suspension just dont cut it for me anymore in this class of machine!

 

so you dont think the original sportsman (which was updated in 05) rides plusher then the yamaha, can-am or honda? id have to think it does, but i cant say for sure. the sportsmans are priced like they should be, everyone else in my opinion has gotten out of control. 5 years ago you could have gotten a 700 class machine for what they're asking of the 400-500 class, its pathetic. car prices stabilized a long time ago, i sure as hell hope atvs do soon too! some quads from suzuki and yamaha went up $500 from last year, ridiculious! one thing i like is if i wanted power steering the honda is onlty 200 extra compared to 700 for yamaha... rant over

 

For slow riding the McPherson front suspension is hard to beat on the Polaris. When it come to more spirited riding it is hard to beat a dual A-Arm setup that most 4x4 quads use today. I guess that the suspension works for what Polaris for what Polaris try's to sell in its utility machines (Easy riding work machines) For me a more spirited rider that wants a good all around handling machine and by owing machines with both types of suspensions I will take the dual a arm setup any day. Even Polaris figured this out with there XP machines. They ride and handle much better than there previous brothers ever did!

 

First of all I would rule out the Grizzly since Yamaha's mid-size ATVs aren't on par with their full-size quads and Honda as well since they don't have FIS on anything but the Rincon. The Outlander 400 also features the McPherson strut that Polaris has, but it features TTI rear suspension, which is unbeatable in a quad. The 400 also offers the power of the 500 class in a 400cc engine. As far as weight, the Sportsman outweighs the Outlander by 66 pounds, which is quite a bit of excess weight. The Outlander also features EFI for easy starts/running capabilities in all sorts of elevations and weather. The ride on the Can-Ams, are in my opinion, and I have rode both, far superior to that of the Polaris. They both have very plush seats which is nice, but not a real game changer. When it comes to power, handling, build quality, ride quality, comfort, and fit and finish, Can-Am wins hands down.

 

The Sportsman is priced cheap, by the way, because they are made cheap. They break down more than any other brand of ATVs for a reason. For God's sake they make you pay for engine braking, which should be standard on every ATV. Polaris has the letters POS in it for a reason.

 

ouch... well of them all the 400/500 singles are there most reliable and i havent had a real problem with my latest ones. whats FIS anyway? the grizzly im worried about the lackluster engine compared to the others i chose. the rancher is supposedly pretty sporty and is nicely sized for more technical riding. the outlander is inbewtween the sportsman and the others as far as size and i did ride one breifly years ago and liked it. power steering is not a deal breaker. if it wasnt for me wanting a smaller (physically) machine id probably just get another 500 or a 400 if priced right. they are the most reliable and most proven polaris has

 

To me if you are buying any quad in this CC category speed is the last thing you will be looking for. The Grizz is the smallest and should be the most agile of the bunch. I like the idea of the duel clutch setup found on the Rancher tho its hard to beat the reliable belt drive found in the Grizz. As far as the Can-Am goes it would be automatically ruled out as if I am going to pay that much for a machine it will have a V-twin with some potent power for that kind of money spent!

 

The new 450 Grizzly got a good review in the latest issue of Dirt Wheels. I'm not fond of a quad that is quite that narrow even though I admit the 48" wide Sportsman can be tough to fit in tight spots.

 

ther outlander is priced the same as the honda and yamaha... and power is something i want as if a 400 isnt lacking already so why not get the most powerful for the money? i also dont care to fly around on a 600 pound quad with racks anyway. the honda feels even smaller then the grizz to me and is supposedly punchier, plus i can shift if i want. the only draw back is no locking front end