I am going to be purchasing a new Utility ATV. I have decided it will be a Yamaha or Honda. I have 2 yamaha's now in which i am selling, a 96 kodiak (rock solid) and a 2003 big bear.

I use my ATV's to haul wood, do yard work and plow a 500 foot driveway that is sometimes 20" deep or so in Northern Wisconsin. I do very little trail riding but may so i want something that is rugged with a solid rear axle (not IFS)

My new ATV has to have 4WD and must be automatic. It will also need a winch and plow.

Can you suggest WHAT ATV from yamaha i should be looking at? Kodiak? Grizz? need the good and the bad as i haven't researched these in years.

 

Since your limiting yourself to certain requirements and you want a Yamaha(which I would since I really like them), you will have to give up certain things for other things.

The '09 Big Bear 400 has a 5 speed manual/auto clutch and has front diff lock (which is a must for me) and is a workhorse, but I believe it now has independent rear suspension.

The '09 Bruin 350 I believe has a solid rear axle but lacks a front diff lock, and has the Ultramatic without low range which is also a must when towing in rough terrain. Also a 350 IMO is at the lower limit to push a plow.

All the other Yamaha's are IRS units with Ultramatics.

Consider a Grizzly 550 and forget the SRA even though you wont trail ride. I use my Kodiak 450 for work, trails and towing and it's great. Higher ground clearance and a better feeling back after riding than the guys on older Honda's with SRA's

 

I agree with Headpressure up to the recommendation of the 550. To me it is too close in price to the 700. I don't see the draw for the 550 since it weighs exactly the same, is exactly the same physical size, but has less power. For less than a thousand you can have the 700 and they are a great machine.

 

You are correct cody, but some people just don't want or need a machine with more power. I personally wish that Yamaha had put the 550 engine and power steering on the same size frame as my Kodiak 450.

If it was me buying a new one, I too would probably buy the 700 instead of the 550 since it's on the same frame.

But I would never consider buying a SRA machine. I have one of those too, a Bear Tracker 250 and it's a really good machine but IRS is a better way to go IMO.

 

I'm with you on that Head Pressure, I have an 08 450 Griz and it would be awesome if it just had the EPS and FI. It's a great little quad anyway but it would be much better with the refinements of the 700. If they could take about 50 or more pounds off of it it would make it a much better machine. I'm also with you on the SRA, I had a 98 600 Griz and there is no comparison for me, IRS is the only way to go.

 

I agree go with the 550 as that is a heck of a machine in that class of engine. I test rode a 550 and loved it great power (very similar to the 700) and as I have said it should do a little better on fuel than the 700. Th only reason I chose the 700 over the 550 is because of the altitudes I ride here in Co and I wanted to get the most HP in a Grizz I could as altitude robs about 25% of it! But if it were not for altitude I would be owning a 550 right now instead of a 700! Good luck with your choice in a ATV.