Hello, I'm very new to ATVs.

I just bought 5 wooded acres that needs some serious TLC. I have a lot of dead trees standing and on the ground I want for firewood. The catch is that there is a lot of slope so there will be a lot of skidding them uphill. I plan on making a log arch and realize I'll have to block the bigger ones.

1: Which of these is going to have the best torque?
2: Which one is going to have the best, toughest transmission?
3: Should I be looking for something with a solid rear axle?
4: Which one will be the most stable on hills?
5: Which will handle the best in tight wooded turns?
6: Is EPS helpful in this type of situation? I don't have rocks, only wooded loam.

Sorry if this is too basic. Most of the comparison of these ATV I've found is about top speed and drag racing... All my experience has been on MX bikes, so any help is really appreciated!

 

I don't know much about the other two but the King Quad is quite a good machine. The 450 and 700 had problems with frame cracks, the 500 and 750 seem better. I know someone who had a 450 which cracked badly and often, so got a Honda 500 auto instead, he said the KQ towed a lot better, possibly because the hitch is on the frame rather than the axle. I maintain a couple of Grizzly 550s and they are OK, though have had knocking rear drive shafts. They also seem taller, this may affect their balance on side slopes. King Quads are a bit twitchy at speed, the EPS does cure this, and once you get used to lighter steering you find it hard to go back to non EPS machines.

 

Are you looking to buy new? Instead of the Grizzly, I'd look at the Yamaha Kodiak 700 instead. It sits a bit lower than the Grizzly because of the smaller tires and is more geared toward work. Costs less too, non-eps models can be found for around 6 grand brand new or can get one with eps for about 7 grand. Costs much less than the other 2 as well. Its cvt engages at lower rpm so its quieter too and gives better low speed operation, also good for work. Still offers plenty of performance to be fun if you want to go trail riding when the work is done. All have high/low range transmissions which give plenty of pulling power when in low range. The Brute Force has the most power because of being a v-twin but all have more than sufficient power to work hard when pulling in low range. The Brute Force would be the most sporty if you ever want to ride the machine for fun but both it and the King Quad 750 are noticeably more expensive.

 

Torque is a concern, but in my experience it is more about machine weight and traction. The low range in these is enough you are likely to get to a point where you are just spinning tires vs moving with a load on. Logs can just be to much for these to handle at times. Having said that, Yamaha probably has the best cvt transmissions in the industry.

I don't feel you will need either a solid rear axle or eps. While the axle would have some benefit in your application, they just arent commonly in production. EPS is quickly catching on and offers some benefit. I do feel that for a low speed work situation or short rides on a 5 acre plot it is unneeded. It can also be added aftermarket for about half the oem price if you do the installation

Dending on your budget and future needs, a small farm tractor or even a side by side may be better suited.

 

They all have low range and diff lock so they will pull the same. Any atv in low range will break ground traction well before wheel turning power .

If anything the heavier ATV would have a slight advantage in pulling or pushing , that's why people who plow add san bags on the rack, kind of like wheel weights on a tractor.

 

A 4x4 truck would be less expensive than any of these and would pull more weight than everything except a tractor.

 

I have done a lot of tree top and dead fall clearing with one of these.https://rochester.craigslist.org/grd/5272101357.html

Not the easiest to operate, but you won't find a 4x4 truck to out work it for the price. It is all in what the op needs. Not being sure of his exact situation, size of trees, grade of hill, mud, etc. Atv is more fun, but other options may be more practical.

 

I think all the quads you mentioned will handle what you want to do, especially with a log arch. As others have said, they will pull good loads until all four tires are spinning and losing traction.

If hills are your concern consider a Can-Am Outlander Max, Polaris Sportsman Touring, or Polaris Sportsman X2. They all have longer wheelbases that help on hills.

For a work quad, I can't think of anything better suited than the X2. It has a dump bed that can hold 400 lbs. It also has Turf Mode that will allow one wheel drive on your lawn. It does work well. The dump bed can covert into a passenger seat in less than a half minute. I had one for years and loved it. But, it was a 500 cc and couldn't keep up on long uphill stretches in high gear. The newest version has a 570 with a good bit more power.

 

Suzuki has the same design for their transmission too don't they? id tie them with Yamaha on best tranny

 

I would NOT recommend a can-am or Polaris if long term reliability is a concern. greg had a good point and I agree with him about putting a Yamaha Kodiak on your list too. its the best bang for the buck right now