Favorite ATV brands and features?

[DarkRider]

Hey Everybody,

 

I am always curious about any ATVs I haven't tried yet. I'll probably be in the market for something different soon, currently looking to sell my 05 Brute Force 750. I decided to note my favorite features of any 4x4 ATV and compile them into a list. These are all models I've had in the past, the King Quad 300 and Brute Force 750 are my current models. I'll most likely consolidate to one.

 

Really just wanted to get some ideas on what other people have owned in a similar range, and maybe get ideas for my idea quad (used). So far, I keep finding myself back at the 05 Yamaha Kodiak 450 or Grizzly 450. Not sure exactly what years they made which, but they seem pretty similar.

 

Some of the features I tend to like best  (aside from durability and reliability)

• Engine braking (good for hill descent)
• Park gear (the regular parking brakes always seem to be finicky)
• Mid sized engine for better fuel efficiency (Seems that anything 500 or above really starts to guzzle gas, and they fit better on narrower trails)
• IRS (more comfortable ride)
• Diff Lock (can't live without it)

**Side note: I know Durability and Reliability might seem like they'd be the same, but the way I am defining them is:

• Durability is how long I can go without something breaking. OR how often things break with seeming not much of a good reason.
• Reliability is about the on-trail experience of having everything work properly as designed (i.e. Starting up and being able to get going without much issue, the 4wd drive engages without quirks, I can park it on a hill when needing to help someone else without worrying it'll roll away, etc)
• My Brute Force 750 is a perfect example of why Durability and Reliability were rated so differently. With durability, I really never felt like I've had anything break on the thing that was really from riding it. Which is great in that regard. But all of the things i've had to fix on it seem more so in it's design. The infamous KEBC code on the dash that refused to go away even after completely cleaning and lubing the KEBC and confirming it functions properly. Hard starting issues. 4WD requires you to roll about 10 to 15 feet to engage, so if you get stuck in 2WD, you're in a pickle. The infamous bus connector that goes bad and stops your charging system from working. I've worked through all of these, but these are all things I'd consider reliability issues that happen really at no fault of mine as I ride it pretty gently.

Writing up this list has actually put a lot into perspective for me. The King Quad 300 really is a superb quad. The inclusion of the Super Low range provides stellar engine braking down pretty much any hill you can think of, it seems like it's unmatched. It has great gas mileage, and it's been dead reliable despite being a 1994. It's got 4x4 AND Diff lock, and the semi automatic transmission also help with not letting the quad get out of control down a hill. Plus it's more fun to me and gives me a bit more to do while riding. The biggest annoyance so far has been the parking brake. No matter how much I adjust it, it just doesn't seem stay adjusted after some time. I believe this might just be flawed on these models.  Also, parts availability is not the greatest on these since they don't make anything newer with any similar parts. Front axles are quite expensive, rear drive shafts go for $400 to $500 brand new, etc.

And that's where the Park gear on Yamaha's Ultramatic eliminates that issue. That's where I keep landing on the older Grizzly or Kodiak 450s. They have a park gear, IRS and Diff lock, a lot of power and they're super fun to ride (got to test one).  But I'd be giving up fuel efficiency and the Super Low range. The Ultramatics still have good engine braking, but still not comparable to the Super Low on Suzuki.

 

With ALL that said, curious about what other people out there have had and enjoyed, and I'm just looking to get some ideas of what other smaller/mid sized quads are out there with similar features.  I don't really know anything about Honda, Suzuki, or Arctic Cat models from the mid 2000's.

 

Curious to hear other perspectives!

 

Make	Model	Year	Parking (gear/brake)	Engine Braking	Fuel Efficiency (mpg)	IRS	Diff Lock	Durability (1-5)	Reliability (1-5)	Overall Rank (1-5)
Suzuki	King Quad 300	1994	Brake	Super Low range	20	Yes	Yes	4	4	4
Honda	Rancher 350ES	2002	Brake	(none?)	17.5	No	No	5	5	4
Kawasaki	Brute Force 750	2005	Brake	KEBC Module	12.5	Yes	Yes	4	2	3
Yamaha	Grizzly 660	2006	Gear	Ultramatic	12.5	Yes	Yes	5	5	3
Yamaha	Wolverine 450	2009	Gear	Ultramatic	17.5	No	No	4	5	3
Polaris	Scrambler 4x4 4-Stroke	2002	Brake	(none?)	14	No	AWD	2	4	1
Polaris	Sportsman 500 4x4	2000	Brake	(none?)	15	Yes	AWD	2	4	1

[Gwbarm]

Great information here! This took a long time to gather the information and put together. Thanks for sharing! 

I really like the looks of the new Ca-Am Outlander, got a lot of good ratings. I havent done the reasearch you have done, Good work on doing that. 

[DarkRider]

Thanks! Believe it or not, most of that is off the top of my head since I've owned them all and pretty much remember everything I've had to do. But gas mileage is the one that's fuzzy, so I had to just look up ranges and then I averaged out low to high for all of them.

Can-Am (more specifically, the Outlander) was on my list of things to consider. From what I understand though, they have a less traditional AWD system maybe similar to what Polaris has. I've seen of videos of people riding them and showing that sometimes it takes a while for AWD to engage when you need it, and that turned me off to them. I had the same issue with both my Sportsman and Scrambler where the AWD stopped working on either one or both of the front wheels. Then you have to start checking the fluid and seals in the hubs, and go from there.

It's a bit out of my comfort zone. I think I'm probably narrowed down to the Yamaha 450's as a first choice.  And I'm curious the mid to late 2000's Suzukis or Arctic Cats  I think I've ruled out Polaris and Kawasaki.

But every now and then, I see an Outlander for sale and it does tempt me haha. I've had to do so much fixing on a lot of my stuff before I've gotten to enjoy them, that I'm trying to just find something with lower hours and that I'll enjoy and keep for a long time.

[Antonio_D]

Really great information seems you know a lot about ATV's and finding yourself a amazing ATV shouldn't be a problem. About the issues with the parking brake. Same with my ATV. If I just press it, it usually doesn't do a good job. It's starts slowly rolling down barely any inclines. And what I have found is if you press the parking brake a few times (pump it a bit) it grips much stronger and does the job. That's what works for me. Hope this helps!

[Grannville]

Honda TRX420FM2 2014 onwards. im on skye and i see alot if them all working not toy machines, very very durable bikes.

[hillbillyhermit]

Wish I had seen this a couple months ago.  Bought a Polaris based on the recommendation of an independent mechanic and a dealer that sold Pplaris, Yamaha, and Suzuki.  Wish I hadn't bought the Polaris.  I learned never to buy again without a test drive.  The lack of engine braking makes me feel it is dangerous to ride in hilly terrain.

[Winnem]

I've bought a TGB Blade 600 se-x for nearly five years ago. Mainly for cleaning snow. And different work around my house. I made a lots of trips too with my kid.

I haven't had any issues with it and always starts even in very cold condition. I like that it's a short model in size, and stile room for a passenger. It's equipped with a p-break handle that seems to be quite good. 

I had a LCD display malfunction for a couple of years ago, but I got new one from the seller at no cost. It's been working fine ever since. 

Lately I have had issues with the ignition fuse that fails right after startup. Assuming that it's a broken wire somewhere. 

All over I'm very happy with the ATV so far. 

[Callaway]

Sold Arctic Cats for a while and I really liked their SXS but saw lots of problems with their bigger quads.  Was also a Kawasaki Dealer and the Brute Force 750 was an excellent quad and really only broke because the riders were very very hard on them with massive tires.  I have a Yamaha and quite like it but would buy a Kawi without hesitation.   

[LCP92]

I prefer the older carbureted and oil cooled machines for simplicity and like Hondas the best with Yamaha being a close second.  My personal machine is a 2009 Yamaha Grizzly 350 and it's about perfect for my exploration needs.