Which Four Wheeler??

[RamThatStroker]

Guys,



I'm getting ready to buy a new 4-wheeler for hunting and general purposes. I'm looking at the Yamaha Grizzly 660 and the Honda Foreman ES. Do you have input about the advantages, disadvantages of each. How about pricing and any personal experience with each...



Thanks ahead of time,

Joe

 

[BHaner]

Take a look at Polaris!

I have a Sportsman 700 and a Sportsman 600. Before the 700 I had a 98 Grizzly 600. The 700 is by far the best bike I have ever owned. The 4x4 is unstoppable. With the Grizzly I was lucky to get 3 tires to have power in the mud... With the Sportsman’s I have never had less than all 4. The other thing I like about the 700 is that it seems to use about 1/2 the fuel that the Grizzly did and about 1/2 a gallon less than the 600 on each fill up. I used a Honda about a month ago... wasn't to happy with the way it shifted... but I think it was just me... I am not a fan of push button stuff. I have only found a few trails that I had to use low gear for in my sportsman... otherwise you just put it in high gear and go... . never even need to think about changing gears. Heck you can even leave it in 4x4 mode all the time if you want... Doesn't make it any harder to turn because the front only engages if there is more that about 10% difference between the rear wheel speed and the front. Lots of other cool things too... but there is a down side... The Polaris Sportsman 700 is close too if not the most expensive quad out there. However I feel you get what you pay for in this case.

 

[mcoleman]

There are a few choices out there that are all excellent. I like the Kawasaki Prairie 650 myself as it is a little more sportier than the 700 but I also like the 700. I've seen a lot of bad things on the 660 Grizz from overheating to the floorboards sagging and also when in deep water the steam will sometimes cause the carb to sputter. The 700 has that great ride with the independent suspension but the 650 Prairie has awesome power and good trail manners. There is a big dealership in Denver that sells quads at a discount sometimes. It's Faye something and I can't remember the rest. Lake Hill Honda's website will give you an idea of what a grizz can be bought for at the right dealer as well as a Honda. I buy all of my stuff in Jonesboro Arkansas.

 

[TowPro]

I feel "underpowered" reading all these posts. My 2002 Yamaha BearTracker does great for what I need it for. I bought it to replace the lawn tractor in every job except cutting the grass. It snow plows good, takes the trash out well, moves rocks around in the trailer good. hell I even pulled a cement mixer down the road the other day (it was way more weight then I would want to move with it everyday).



My 10 year old daughter is starting to enjoy it. She loves driving as I sit behind her. One of these days she's going to ask to solo! (then comes cars, collage, growing up, and boys (in that order I hope))

 

[mcoleman]

The big bore quads are addicting. I use to ride bikes and wanted something with power. I've also got a Suzuki Z400 and a little Suzuki Ozark 250 that has been a real good machine for a 250. I plan on getting rid of the Z400 and getting another 4X4 quad to replace it with. I don't need a sport quad anymore. I hardly ever ride it and it's a 2003 model that I purchased in May of 2002 when it debuted.

 

[TPCDrafting]

Faye Meyers in Denver is the place mcoleman was thinking of. I haven't been there in about 20 years, but they were pretty good back then. Can't be too bad if they've been around this long. They were an old company back then it seems.

 

[bmoeller]

I have used 4 Hondas (1 2wd), 1 Polaris 2wd. , and 1 Deere 6x4 diesel Gator.



Hated the Polaris, really liked the Hondas, and the diesel Gator kicks butt.



If these were all I had to choose from, I'd get the Gator. No questions asked.

 

[Ncostello]

Until I bought the Dodge Diesel I was big into quads. Now I need the money for bombs. So they are all gone.



I've had fast sports as well as 4x4 work machines. Plus my friends all have one kind or another so I've ridden everything from two stroke racing machines to Sportsman 4x4's.



After alot of research on this subject, I feel a very heavy duty and dependable quad, yet inexpensive for what you actually get is the Yamaha Big Bear 400 4x4. The thing is practically bulletproof and has alot of great low end power. Plus it has front disks and a decent sealed drum rear brake. I've always had bad luck with the Honda drum brakes which all of their 4x4's have. My next will be a Big Bear.



The Polaris are good too but I never liked their use of alot of self tapping bolts and weak looking front suspensions. I busted alot of front A arm bushings on mine.



I've got a buddy who rides a Wolverine 4x4 from Yamaha. He absolutely abuses it to the maximum amount a person could and it keeps asking for more. I just think the Yamaha's are very well built as far as the 4x4's go. But I dont like their automatics such as the Grizzly and the Kodiak. Their gearboxers are better in my opinion.

 

[MGordon]

I have a Polaris Sportsman 500 and a Honda Fourtrax 300. Both have been very reliable. I personally prefer the Polaris units, but I think that over all, most of the manufacturers have good products and it boils down to personal preference. The main thing is to keep up the maintenance.

 

[Idaho CTD]

I have a Grizzly 660 and it has performed well for me. The only thing I would change would be the gear growl they have. I also would like it to be a little quieter. It has way more power than my buddies 500 Sportsman HO and it seems to be lighter as well. I wouldn't be afraid to buy a Sportsman 500 either though.



Nathan

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

I guess I am a Polaris fan since I have a sportsman 500. It is a 1996 and has about 3500 miles on it. It has had a 5 foot snow plow on it since new and plowed a 3 mile dirt road all winter long in northern Maine . It is pretty tough. I've skidded logs and a moose with it. If I were to go and buy a new one right now it would probably be a sportsman 700. With that said, they are all good, the things I look for in a woods machine that is going to go slow and have to work is liquid cooling, an air cooled machine will cook your leg if your not going at least 20 mph all the time. My last one was air cooled and that puppy got hot. Second I like the true 4 wheel drive polaris offers. On the down side polaris machines are heavy I think the book says 660 lbs or something and when I put mine on the scales it was more like 720 lbs. They do ride nice though. On the other hand Honda has always been known for being bullet proof, hence the reason I have a XR650L. Just like trucks you have to look at the features you want and the ones you can live without and the price you're willing to pay. When I bought mine polaris was the only one with an automatic transmission which I like for tight trails and working a machine. By the way mine is on the original belt and one time when I was plowing I melted the side cover when it got too hot because I was doing about 30 mph with a 5 foot blade but they belt survived. Sorry this is so long.



Tim

 

[ISB RAMBO]

Joe, get the Griz 660 if you want power, good ride and dependability. I'm sure some of the others are equally good. I have a 2002 Griz and it has never given me a problem. The 4wd with locker is flawless and the power is great. The motor reminds me of a Cummins with all the torque all the way from the bottom. Others may outrace it - depends what you want. Don't know how to compare it to other machines but the 2low and 4low ranges come in very handy for towing or going down steep hills. Have fun!

Stan

 

[RamThatStroker]

Well guys thanks for the opinions and after test driving both models this weekend and two additional ones I have more questions. Test drove a Kawasaki Praire 650 and I am wondering if any of you have any experience with this machines and what are you likes, dislikes. I was impressed by its power and stability compared to the Yamaha, Honda, and Polaris. I can get a great deal on this bike $6100 and I think I have narrowed down my choice to the Kawasaki or the Yamaha. So any input would be appreciated...



Thanks,

Joe

 

[Okie-Go]

I have a 650 Prairie and love it. I have had no trouble other than a dirt dobber built a nest by the fan and the temp light came on. replaced the fuse and it is fine. I thought it used to much gas but after riding a 300 2wd drive Honda I guess it it understandable to use a little more. The power of the 650 is awesome. I plan on keeping mine a long time. Just change oil and take care of it. Okie

 

[Skydiver]

Hunting and noise.

If you are going to be hunting you will appreciate the models without the belt drive. On the land we hunt my friend Max has a 2000 grizzly. He is always generous to let other hunters use it when he is not hunting. It is a great machine but you have to keep it rivved up a bit more than a 4-wheeler with gears. Noisier.

Last month I test drove a new Polaris Sportsman 700. This 4-wheeler performs even better. It will flat hall ice. But I tried to operate it at a low rpm and it would not even pull off on a grade without extra gas.

I can take my 98 Yamaha Big bear 4x2 get it up to 3rd or 4th gear and just quietly putt around the trails of our land at 15 or 20 mph.

I guess you can tell I like to sneak up on the deer.

My next purchase will be an electric golf cart all jacked up with 4-wheeler tires.

Tim

 

[Idaho CTD]

I think the Prarie is a solid axle in the rear unlike the Grizzly. They usually feel more stable on flat ground but when the going gets rough I'd rather have independant rear suspension. I guess it just depends on how hard your going to 4x.



Enjoy whatever you choose

Nathan

 

[RamThatStroker]

Well guys picked up my new red Kawasaki Praire 650 Saturday and boy am I impressed. The atv has tons of power and is really stable on inclines. Thanks for all the advice because it sure made my decision easier (and so did the price).



Happy fourwheelings



Joe