Hi, I have a 2003 Raptor which im finding is not really what i want...though fast and all that...i really enjoy the swampy areas of our riding. Plus im finding i dont ride as fast as i used to and would rather have a smoother ride over the whoops etc...I also find that meeting and makign riding friends are much easier with the 4 wheel drive people rather than the sport quads. Those with sport quads can range drastically in riding ability and speed, etc....whereas the 4x4 group seems to be more sedate and into particular things...ie, mud and swamps or hills or whatever.

This is a description of my riding area in Ocala, Florida....

Mostly deep sugar type sand...can be dry and very dusty. Areas that are wet are obviously sandy/wet which makes a very abrasive wet slop, and can do quick damage to chains etc. Lastly is simply swamp areas...deep muck that can swallow about anything...black mud.

My Desires... I dont want to have to constantly maintain and replace/fool with bearings and chains and this and that. I want to ride and have fun, take it home...power wash it and put it away. I dont want belt problems and whatever inherent problems there may be with a farm working type ATV. I want a TRUE 4x4 fun quad that is fairly impervious to the elements. It has to have the power...the ability to go thru deep water and muck and mud and not even hiccup. It has to be preferably an automatic.

Is there such an ATV 4 X 4 ??... Price is not an issue at this point.

Your suggestions would really be appreciated...the Magazines are not reiliable in my opinion to give an unbiased view...however you guys out there that are doing it every weekend know whats the best and whats not and why.

Thanks !!
Dave Boyd
Ocala, FL

 

hmm, grizzly 660? lots of power, tough, auto, loves mud.

 

I'm thinking a Prairie 650 is in your future. I have heard and seen too many bad things about the Polaris 700. Both the Polaris 700 and the Prairie 650 are very fast and have real good whoop absorbing suspensions. Coming off a Raptor I think anything smaller won't have enough speed and power to make you happy. I know what you mean about the riding options around here! See you out on the trail!

 

I know of nothing that is impervious, as you say, to what Florida has to offer. What ever you use is going to require a certain amount of TLC. Sand gets into everything. Since you're used to a Raptor, to avoid disapointment, your choices are limited to the Grizzly or the Prairie. With available, and soon to be available mods, the Prairie is the only logical choice.

 

It'd be tough to beat the Grizz for what you're talking about.

 

I don't live in Fl nor have i rode there. You can put a locker on most atv's that don't have true 4 wheel drive, so that part is not a problem. If you don't want to do that then you have the Praire, Kodiak 450 the Grizz. The Bomb and the Polaris Sportsman come with true four wheel drive, but are different in that the four-wheel drive only kicks in when its senses the rear wheels spin, Polaris has to slip 1/5 of a turn. I'm not sure on the Bomb. Irs is the most comfortable ride IMO. Honda Rincon, Grizz, Polaris have irs systems. Most atv's have had their problems, anyone who says different is not telling the truth. I went with the HO and it has been very good to me. The reason I chose the HO is because it had everything that I was looking for, it had power, irs, awesome 4-wheel drive system and it looked good. What I didn't like about the 500 HO was that it felt tippy in off-camber situations, but that was a false feeling I got use to it real quick. Mine is a 02 and the tracker P's that came on it were ok, but i didn't like the way it steered so i changed them out. Its hard to compare because you find out something new everytime you ride your machine, but all and all it has be great. The speedo went out and that was the only problem I had. Anyway, I hope you find the quad the suits your needs. Good luck.

 

I don't know of a machine that meets all of your criteria except maybe a modded Rubicon or Rincon (when a locker comes out). You see there are currently no auto tranny, true 4x4s that don't have a belt.

 

IRS = deep mud ability. So the Prairie is out. The grizz is much "sportier" than the Polaris' so it beats the Sportsman for your needs.

You + Grizz = happy quadder.

 

Wheew...i gotta tell you, that Rincon in the link you posted is downright Bad A** looking...not much else to say about that. If it performs 1/2 as good as it looks that might be it. Yes you are right, engine braking is a moot point here in Florida. Our highest point in our riding area is 134 feet above sea level....the lowest ive seen beside being in a sink hole is about 120.

Thanks for your info !!

Dave Boyd
Ocala, FL

 

yeah, but how much do all those mods to the rincon cost???