Most reliable ATV?

[Cochise]

The unspoken truth about 4-wheelers is that a light two wheel drive will take you places a heavy 4x4 can't. I will take a Honda 300/350 with balloonish tires over anything else, personally.

 

[angrycookieman]

My 03 rancher es 4x4 has been flawless. I bought a new 2013 Foreman manual shift and sold it a few months ago. I personally will not own another manual shift when I can get es. My next one will probably be the new Foreman rubicon with the dct and irs.
Also, I think the rancher 350 is more reliable than the old 300. The 300 had a great engine but it had lots of rear end issues.

 

[edman87k5]

My personal experience with the rancher 1 mine and. A dozen or so belonging to friends) is if they stay dry they are fine. Any splashing in water or heavy use and they will smoke and the es hates water. I sold mine with the es not working properly and smoking. The jug has a tendency to warp.
Everyone I know that had ranchers either went to the 420 or ditched the rancher name all together in favor of something else.
The weak link in the 300 is the rear end. It is prone to taking on water and failing bearings must be addressed immediately.
These opinions are from bikes that see hunting use and are in water over the tires regularly.

 

[assault]

Grizzly 660

 

[bjeepin2]

The unspoken truth about 4-wheelers is that a light two wheel drive will take you places a heavy 4x4 can't. I will take a Honda 300/350 with balloonish tires over anything else, personally.

i am at about 350lbs so any light two wheel drive is going to be heavy anyway. i have a honda forman 500 es with mudlights i think does well at the hunting lease.

 

[rocko]

My 99 Polaris 500 has been a great machine.

 

[toddrod]

I am really liking my Grizzly 450 4X4 with 27 inch Mudlites (12 inch rears, 10 inch fronts) I bought from a fellow forum member.

 

[Neil09]

I am really liking my Grizzly 450 4X4 with 27 inch Mudlites (12 inch rears, 10 inch fronts) I bought from a fellow forum member.

Is that the camo one with black rims/snorkel? If so, that is a very nice bike.

 

[gmshooter]

Honda foreman 450 and honda 500 for the wife . will probably never own anything else but a honda!

 

[toddrod]

Is that the camo one with black rims/snorkel? If so, that is a very nice bike.

yes it is

 

[Gus McCrae]

The unspoken truth about 4-wheelers is that a light two wheel drive will take you places a heavy 4x4 can't. I will take a Honda 300/350 with balloonish tires over anything else, personally.

Having dealt with both in varying conditions.... I'll disagree. Lighter is better, but I'll take a 4x4.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[longdude17]

Well I use to be one of them guys that Rode a lot but riding and getting crazy is expensive!! I started out on a little bayou 220 that my dad now uses, moved up to the Yamaha Kodak 450 with was hard to keep water out the diffs and I drown, I loved the grizzly 700 but with 29.5 tires my heavy thumb proved murder on axles. It was a great bike tho, eventually had water pump failure which let to water ingest into the motor and eventually required a overhaul. The belt system is a beast to clean once mud is in it.

I've grown up a bit since then and I've been riding a honda rancher 420 for five years with zero problems, heck I've never changed the battery. It used all year for trail riding and the fuel injection is the icing on the cake. As others said, if you want performance get a yamaha or can am, if you want a simple bike that will last go honda... They don't really have enough power to tear themselves up. I've gone 95% of the place on my rancher that any of the big bikes can go

 

[Col_Sanders]

Depends on what you are going to do with it? Leave it bone stock and not beat the crap out of it? = Honda manual shift
If it will be modified, it all depends. Each has theuir own quirks.
I have owned Honda, kawa, Suzuki, Yamaha, Polaris. Each has their own advantages. In stock form, Honda is designed to last, but not perform- just look at the factory tires as a comparison, Honda is mild compared to the rest. Of course gnarly tires are going to tear stuff up, but they do a better job of getting you home.

Pretty much what I was going to say. For a chore/hunting bike I'd go Honda. For all out play with a bigger budget I'd go Can Am (with power steering so you don't get the crap front diff). For a play/chore bike with a price between the others, I'd consider a 700 Grizzly or possibly one of the 550/570 Polaris Sportsmans.

 

[mike84z28]

HONDA all the way, and like he said ^^^^^^^ get the power streering its worth every penny !

 

[oleheat]

I will vouch for Honda. I have a 450 Foreman that will turn 15 in February and it's still going strong. Two of my brothers still own '85 model 250 Big Red three-wheelers that run like new.

I believe you can't wear these things out, if you keep up the standard PM.....

 

[PAPACHUCK]

Honda here also. In '07, I bought new a '06 Recon and a '07 Rancher 420 4x4 that have been absolutely reliable to this day. As long as I stay away from ethanol, that is.

My son has a Polaris 500 that is a horse. It pulls like a horse, and it rides like one. He can drag my Rancher around all day, every day. It's a beast for a 500. I'll still take my Rancher. Easier to ride, smoother, quieter, lighter.