Would like help deciding which one to buy honda no winch and yami with winch the same price AC with winch $900 cheaper would pefer the auto but not nessasary use mainly for work in soft wet condions whats the pros and cons of these machines

 

The one thing I know is that the AC only has about 14 horsepower but i hear they have pretty decent torque. The Honda is probably the most reliable, not really sure about the comfort on Honda's though. All I can tell you is find a dealership that will let you test ride one for awhile and decide yourself which is better. If I upset anyone with my opinion I'm sorry in advance.Have fun.

 

I have the Honda Foreman 450 es, 2002 model. I think it's great. I also have a 2000 big bear that I was riding. Now it is for folks who come to visit. The wife rides a 2000 Rancher es. It's also a great machine, but not as good as the Foreman although it will outrun the Foreman wide open.

Ted

 

The Honda is a great name, and around here, seems to retain more value used than Yamaha or AC. I priced out the Honda's before I bought the Kodiak, and with the winch on the Kodiak, the Honda was way overpriced at the Regina Dealership. Our AC dealer is actually a (not very reputable) car dealership, and the salesmen don't know anything about them, other than what is printed in the AC booklet. The Yamaha dealership here gave me a price that I couldn't refuse, and that's when I made the choice. I haven't regretted it. The kodiak is a great machine, lots of power, handling is great, the high/low/reverse is easy to operate and works great. This shifter is probably the best on the market, (only my opinion) but others that have ridden mine that own different quads always comment that they prefer the shifter on the Kodiak than the shifter on their machines (Polaris and Kawasaki). If you decide to go with the Kodiak, let me know what your price is there and I'll check with the Regina Dealer to see if he'll better it. The weak point on the Kodiak is that there is next to no protection for the rear axle boot. It's not quite the same as the front axle boots because it is a "dry" boot. The rear axle boot guard was only $36.00 so it's no biggie. I'd recommend the Kodiak to any and everyone looking for a mid sized engine quad. Check out other threads on the Kodiak, and you'll see that vast majority of replies highly praise the Kodiak. Good luck with your purchase.
PS> Get a winch no matter which quad you buy.

 

I have the AC 500i auto and I am very happy with it so far. Each time I go out for a ride it never fails to impress me. Although it may have only about 14hp ,it makes up for the hp with the incredible amounts of torque it produces which is more important to me.. I went with the auto because I got back so much positive feedback from other AC owners. They seem to think that its one of the better auto setups. I'd have to agree. The irs suspension is also incredible (no body roll!) with stock tires 12" of ground clearance & 10" of travel. You can also load up the racks with not alot of sag. I also think that it is a great value compared to some other machines.It is also built like a tank therefore top speed is only about 52 mph (plenty fast for me) All of the machines you mentioned (and others) are great machines. Try them all and get the one you feel most comfortable on. Make sure you like the dealer also.Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.
P.S.- you can check out my pictures below!

 

Get the Kodiak

 

Get the Kodiak!n you'll love it

 

Well, AC Does make one of the best rated products out right now. You can not beat their stock ground cleareance or rack capacity. The AC rack capacity is as much and more then a lot of the 650s that other manufacturers make. You also can not beat how well AC stands behind their products. I hope that the rumors are tru and that AC will have a 750 this coming year!!!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Enjoyed your pictures! I have a 2000 300AC also. I recommend you make front and rear CV boot guards. I made mine out of mudflaps and installed with tie-wraps. With 8 CV boots, these bikes need a lot of protection. I also carry duct tape and grease for emergency repairs in the bush.

 

I would go with the Kodiak. My neighbor is an AC dealer, and I refused an AC 500 for dealers price because I liked the Kodiak so much better. I dont think there is a better mid-size ATV. My Kodiak has more power than my friends Honda Rubicon 500. I would go with the Kodiak hands down.