ATV purchase?

[MountainHigh]

Looks good ... congrats!

Love my Warn Provantage front mount snow plow ... 2 to 3 minute hookup or unhook.

 

[user 122190]

Looks good ... congrats!

Love my Warn Provantage front mount snow plow ... 2 to 3 minute hookup or unhook.

Took some adjustments but now mine also attaches with the winch. Pulls the plow frame under, up and locks it into place. Great idea!!!

 

[esshup]

I have the Bombardier Traxter 500. Plenty of power for my needs, it's a 2 up machine and it came in handy when hunting out West. full time 4x4, shaft drive. Has a Warn winch also. Some things I don't like about it are the only 4x4 mode, no option for 2x4, no power steering (if not on dirt it's a bear to steer) and carb instead of fuel injection. It is a workhouse though. High/low gear range, both auto or manual shift. We froze our butts off out West with no windshield, so I bought one and waited 2 years to install it. Found out that the one size fits all wasn't quite true so I need to machine some brackets for it to fit the handlebars - it's made to fit smaller dia bars.

A little cold blooded in the morning but I am happy with it. Had ti for 10+ years, had to replace the fuel gauge, one brake cable and just recently the winch stopped. Waiting for it to get warmer out to tear into that. I have a plow for it but since I have a snow thrower on the tractor I never use it. On mine the engine oil also is the transmission oil, so I change it yearly no matter how little I use it. Thinking about it now, I probably should add slightly better lights in the front and a rear mounted backup light would be really nice. If you are driving down a gravel road at night at 50 mph, the lights aren't bright enough to see Black Angus cattle in the roadway. I don't know how, but with 2 of us on the machine we zig-zaggd through them all but needed new underwear!

Get a Battery Tender for it, that will help you keep the battery good for a much longer time.

That's a good looking machine!

 

[FlyingDutchman]

I would only buy a Honda from my limited experience with ATV's. Polaris has too many stupid problems, stators, computers, wiring, transmission wear, etc. I don't know who makes Can Am but I drove a John Deere Buck which is was made by either Can Am or Bombardier and it was horribly cold blooded and almost killed me several times trying to unload it off the trailer and other assorted issues with the junky shifter, weird transmission and other stuff. After trying to get a Polaris running for years and driving that John Deere, I pretty much gave up wanting an ATV.

 

[user 122190]

First oil&filter change, now in the book. What a PITA!!!

It will be easier next time. With all the panels and such that I had to remove to get at the filter, this machine is even more tightly packed then I thought.

Really a nice ride, at a very good price, but I can see that down the road this machine might be a major pain in the neck. I am going to have to take very good care of this, else lose my mind or it is going to break the bank.

 

[tbzep]

I would only buy a Honda from my limited experience with ATV's. Polaris has too many stupid problems, stators, computers, wiring, transmission wear, etc. I don't know who makes Can Am but I drove a John Deere Buck which is was made by either Can Am or Bombardier and it was horribly cold blooded and almost killed me several times trying to unload it off the trailer and other assorted issues with the junky shifter, weird transmission and other stuff. After trying to get a Polaris running for years and driving that John Deere, I pretty much gave up wanting an ATV.

The JD Buck is a Bombardier Traxter with green paint. I've owned Honda and Yamaha motorcycles, and have a couple Hondas now. When I decided to get an ATV, I went Honda. I made a big mistake getting electric shift for my wife, and she never rides it. The ES works fine, but I catch myself trying to shift with my foot all the time.

For what it's worth, the Bass Pro Trackers are Arctic Cats. Arctic Cat was bought by Textron (as in Bell Textron helicopters). AFIK, they still use the Arctic Cat name too.

 

[660catman]

For what it's worth, the Bass Pro Trackers are Arctic Cats. Arctic Cat was bought by Textron (as in Bell Textron helicopters). AFIK, they still use the Arctic Cat name too.

Textron tried to market the Cats as Textrons and failed miserably. They started using Arctic Cat again.
I missed this thread otherwise I would have recommended a Cat. I have two. 2003 400 FIS auto and a 2005 300.

Honda would be my only other choice. However what you hear about reliability is for the older ones. The new ones have their issues as all the manufacturers do with newer stuff.


Retired guy from SE Manitoba

 

[user 122190]

Textron tried to market the Cats as Textrons and failed miserably. They started using Arctic Cat again.
I missed this thread otherwise I would have recommended a Cat. I have two. 2003 400 FIS auto and a 2005 300.

Honda would be my only other choice. However what you hear about reliability is for the older ones. The new ones have their issues as all the manufacturers do with newer stuff.


Retired guy from SE Manitoba

Years ago when I first started thinking of buying an ATV, the Arctic Cat was recommended. I did look at the AC, but could find nothing to support the recommendation. Polaris dominates the market, and it was the dealer's salesman that got me to look at the Can-Am. The twin cylinder of the Can-Am vs the Polaris, and the power and $ savings was the final deciding factor. I had the Can-Am out a few days ago scouting for Firewood and looking for a Bear, and I have to say the Can-Am, after owning it for ~5 months, is a good machine. My biggest complaint was the shifting was very sticky initially, and it is finally smoothing out nicely.

 

[660catman]

Years ago when I first started thinking of buying an ATV, the Arctic Cat was recommended. I did look at the AC, but could find nothing to support the recommendation. Polaris dominates the market, and it was the dealer's salesman that got me to look at the Can-Am. The twin cylinder of the Can-Am vs the Polaris, and the power and $ savings was the final deciding factor. I had the Can-Am out a few days ago scouting for Firewood and looking for a Bear, and I have to say the Can-Am, after owning it for ~5 months, is a good machine. My biggest complaint was the shifting was very sticky initially, and it is finally smoothing out nicely.

We have guys swear at every brand and other swear by them. I’ve owned nothing but Cats and had three Cat sleds up until last December. Only have two now.
The power of the twin has always been a deciding factor. I’ve heard prices on Can Am’s are good for Americans due to the dollar. We Canadians pay for the US made stuff. Oh well, it’s only money and I’m not taking mine with me!
Enjoy your ride


Retired guy from SE Manitoba

 

[holeycow]

Honda.

or Yamaha...

but they are not what they used to be, as pointed out already.

 

[tbzep]

Honda would be my only other choice. However what you hear about reliability is for the older ones. The new ones have their issues as all the manufacturers do with newer stuff.

Yes, with Honda bikes it's usually electronics. Stators, rectifiers and wire connections fail occasionally, but the hardware is usually solid.

 

[Fatherwheels]

My nephew works for an ATV dealer, the back yard is full of broken Polaris quads,
the honda Yamaha and Suzuki are never seen in there, they sell them and other
than service or trade up they just keep going, I was going to buy all the polaris
quads until I read online about the many problems the models in the yard were prone to,
this was five years ago so no recollection of the exact models, but I do remember deciding
the nightmare they presented was better off where it was.

 

[user 122190]

More, faster and further about sums up the 570s plowing capabilities. We have had a few heavy snow dumps, and as a precaution and because I like to plow, I can say I am impressed. Still running stock tires, and sometimes I don't even bother to put it into 4x4, yet the Can-Am out performs. The snow season is just getting started, and unless I see something that I have never seen before, this winter is going to be easy.

I have already tested the winch load. Broke a pulley the other day. Luckily I bought extras. And already the winch cable is starting to show some wear. I expect to have it break a few times. Got wire rope sleeves on hand for same day repairs.