Help me choose an atv

[4x4American]

Yamaha and Honda have assembly plants in the USA. Ya know what, them nips sure did design a good wheeler. I prefer buying American, preferably local. Tools, clothes, food, boots, ammo, etc. It is getting increasingly difficult to find things made in USA anymore, so when I do, I'll spend the extra money to support my country. The first thing I check before I look into buying something is where it's made. Other times, you get what you can, and then pay tax on it. Some things are made really well from other countries. The swedes and the germans design great chainsaws, and quite a bit of them are made here in the states. If a company makes an excellent product that I have a use for, and I buy it and use it and it does what it's supposed to do, and it lasts a long time, then I'm happy with it. I don't like cheap poorly thought out made to break junk. The Polaris we have at the farm, well it has a lot of problems, I guess I do have to take into account that it gets beat on decent....When I got the big bear, it was a smoking deal, and a good wheeler, so I went for it. If I found a polaris that didn't have an auto trans and were a good deal, I'd have bought that. My snow mochine however is made in the USA. One thing I am not liking about the USA made things is that they're all automatics. Pickups, atvs, utvs, even eaton-fuller is producing automatics. You can't buy a new USA branded pickup with a manual trans anymore. That's disappointing to me....anyways...guess I'd better sign off and get back to real life.

 

[OnTheRoad]

ASV RC 30 will out pay load that TLB, fit on the same trailer as an atv, and load your dump truck (if it aint a road tandem). An atv for woods is over powered... Kind of funny to say RC 30 is better. 48" wide, 3200 lbs, unstoppable traction,

That is absolutely the way I would go. You can find a nice, low hour machine for $15-17k and it will hold it's value for as long as you own it. For a homeowner this machine will last several lifetimes. Oh yeah, they can be bought with an enclosed cab that has A/C and heat! It can do so much more work than a toy, it's not even a fair comparison. Pushing snow with an ATV is a joke, as is hauling heavy loads (like firewood) or really any type of work.

A couple of years ago I borrowed a buddy's 660 Grizzly to haul some firewood out of the woods. The route required crossing a small creek with a bank on one side. The Grizzly couldn't handle a trailer so we loaded rounds on the front and rear racks and held them on with ratchet straps. It was a joke. I worked my tail off for days on end for very little in return, and a badly wrenched back to boot. The machine broke and was stuck in 4 lock which made steering a real chore. When the racks were loaded with their tiny payload, the machine was overloaded, unstable and dangerous.

After going to the chiropractor and then resting my back for a few days I still had to fix the machine. It was a broken servo or solenoid in the front end that cost me another couple hundred bucks.

So that was my once in a lifetime experience of trying to use a toy for work. Never again! Bottom line; if I wanted a toy I would buy one. If I wanted to do a job I'd buy the right tool for that job.

Around here, I could charge $120/hr to push snow with that ASV and with 3 billable snow events a year, the machine would pay for itself. I do directional drilling so it would be a nice bonus to have work on snow days.

 

[mdavlee]

Arctic cat is what I had last. Suzuki engine and the largest chassis at the time when I bought it (2005). I had a suzuki king quad 300 before it. Both had high/low and front differential lock.

 

[mdavlee]

Dodge still as manual tranny trucks in the heavy duty don't they?

 

[OnTheRoad]

Something else for the OP to take into consideration is that with most machines, especially those with low range, you will run out of traction before you run out of power. I'd expect chains would help but then they create limitations at higher speeds.

I've thought about converting to a side-by-side but my ATVs also get used for riding trails (and the river in the winter). I'm hard pressed to believe that I'd get the same level of exhilaration from a Ranger or other utility machine as I get from an ATV in this setting.

For $21,000 you can buy a screamer! A buddy of mine had one delivered to his house but before he could pick it up his step-father killed himself on it. A week before that my neighbor killed himself on one. With the rollcage in proximity of the operator's skull, wearing a helmet is a must!

 

[redfin]

Wow that tin top looks really solid. Its amazing what these little guys will do with a set of decent treads and maybe a spool in the rear.

 

[Jim Timber]

Arctic Cat's come with factory spooled rears and manual lockers in the front (most models anyway).

I've pulled 2000# logs up some pretty decent hills with mine. Needed to use an arch to do anything but dig 4 perfect ruts tugging on it.

 

[hardy steve]

I really like my 800 can am. If I could buy a new one.It would be can am 6x6 forester model.Dont know why it's upside down???

 

[chucker]

I really like my 800 can am. If I could buy a new one.It would be can am 6x6 forester model.Dont know why it's upside down???

lol?? driving to fast! flipped, rolled upside down! taking picture up side down = wrong way picture?? maybe .... lol

 

[redfin]

Thanks to all for your recommendations. Fwiw I have been hauling for the last several years with a 2wd. it does ok until the snow flys. So anthything with 4wd and some more grunt will be a God send.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Well, i own a 3wheeler, 4wheeler, Kubota side by side, a dozer, several tractors and pu's ect...

For work, i would without a doubt buy a tractor! NO contest at all!

OK, gotta have an ATV, then i'd get a Grizzly, mine has been completely reliable, and "yes" i have used it for a lot of work!

For a WORK S&S, NO question about it! It would (and is) be a Kubota!

SR

 

[benp]

If you are looking for a work quad you can't go wrong with a Honda Foreman.

I don't think you can get one with a stock front locker, but they are available aftermarket.

This is what I was going to suggest.

500 foreman manual transmission with switchable 2/4wd. This goes everywhere that my 700 AC Mudpro does.

I have used both for hauling wood in the wagon but I like the Honda better for this. I think it's the straight rear axle vs the IFS that helps.

 

[redfin]

You got my attention with solid axle and manual trans.

 

[MarcS]

I'll add to the Honda Foreman suggestion. For a work quad you can't beat it. I've got a 350 Rancher than can also do it's share, pulling a tandem trailer with 1/3 cord at a time out of the woods. Straight rear axles and manual transmissions are the secret that everybody went away from but is really the best setup for utility work.

 

[MarcS]

I even remember the original Foreman 350 (first atv to have 4x4) with the solid front axle...then the 400, 450, and now 500. A great series for sure.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

You got my attention with solid axle and manual trans.

Thing is, the Yamaha has an absolutely amazing tranny!! The belt stays tensioned ALL the time, and the belts last forever! The secret to that is, it has a separate clutch! The belt is NEVER used for the clutch, so it doesn't wear the belt, and you have full power to the ground all the time, even when it's shifting...

I've pulled some amazing loads with my 600 Grizzly, and the "ultramatic" never squeals or complains, it just always works perfectly...

SR

 

[kennyl70]

I use a Honda rancher. opinion will rule the responses here lol.

 

[Ducksnuff870]

Thing is, the Yamaha has an absolutely amazing tranny!! The belt stays tensioned ALL the time, and the belts last forever! The secret to that is, it has a separate clutch! The belt is NEVER used for the clutch, so it doesn't wear the belt, and you have full power to the ground all the time, even when it's shifting...

I've pulled some amazing loads with my 600 Grizzly, and the "ultramatic" never squeals or complains, it just always works perfectly...

A friend of mine has a yamaha rhino and he did say yamaha has the best belt system. However, he tells me the other day his clucth is absolutely whoooped. Its headed to a shop to have a new clutch and clutch kit installed. As far as atvs go I don't know why they ever got away from manual transmissions. Probably because everyone has became a buncha darn sissies.

 

[naturelover]

You know, I swore off auto trannies too, but nowadays seems that is about all you can get in the large ATV's, unless it's a Honda, and have heard some bad things about the Rincon's tranny.

So the 750 King was the first one I had with it, and I've grown to love it now. It's always in the perfect gear for any situation, not have to worry about what gear you're in before a steep hill or mudhole, just give it the gas and go.

I'll still put the vote in as the 250-300cc Suzuki quad runner and king quad being one of the best ever made.




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[docwiley]

If you can find a Polaris 500 Magnum but it. You won't find a better working machine. I bought mine in 2002 and have not had anything it would not pull. The engine is bullet proof and the power for a small machine is great. My 2 cents worth.