ATV carbureted or fuel injected opinions please

[Black Bear]

Please only respond if you have first hand experience with carbureted and fuel injected utility ATVs.

If you were to purchase a new or newer ATV this year and money really is not a factor. Which would you prefer. (I'm pretty much set on a Honda or Yamaha if it matters) I use it 99% for hunting, ice fishing and spraying weeds.

Thanks!

[gr8icefishinmind]

I have an 07 carburated and ridden many EFI machines! I personally have no problems with my carbed machine even in the bitter cold! Never once have i had a problem with it not starting when i have been ice fishing with it or just starting it up to plow! EFI does start a little easier though! Either way whether carbed or not, the machine still needs adequate time to warm up! Throttle response is better with EFI. Bad part about efi is that there are more things that can go wrong with the fuel system and those things usually cost alot more to fix!

Good thing about carbed is that they are easy to fix!!

If it is going to cost you extra money for the EFI, i would say that it is not worth it, but that is just my opinion!!

[KatoMike]

I have both. An '05 Yamaha Kodiak 450 (carbed) and an '09 Yamaha Grizzly 700 (EFI). The only problem I have had with the carbed Kodiak is after it has sat a while (2-3 weeks) without having been started/run - the gas can gum up the carb (there is a screw you can loosen to drain the carb of fuel and this won't be an issue). The Kodiak also has to be choked in cold weather and warmed up longer. Never an issue with the EFI.

I wouldn't shy away from a carbed machine - but everything seems to be moving to EFI.

[4wheelingmama]

We have both. 06 sportsman carb and a 2010 550 xp. Both are great. My 06 starts a little hard in the winter, but if you know how to use your choke its fine. The one think I like about the carb is if somthing does go wrong, its not so much electrical fixing, a much easier application! I clean my carbs every spring just to keep things in good running order and have not had a problem in the 4 years I've owned it. But since my hubby and I own a small engine shop that makes things much easier.

[4wheelingmama]

Oh yeah, the other down fall with a carborated machine is if you change altitue you will probably have to re-jet for the best performance.

[gr8icefishinmind]

Oh yeah, the other down fall with a carborated machine is if you change altitue you will probably have to re-jet for the best performance.

Not only a change of altitude but also if you put any aftermarket stuff on the machine!! With all the extras i have on mine i find myself messing with jetting and needle settings quite often which isn't a real big deal but with EFI you don't have to mess with it!

[gr8icefishinmind]

Don't get the assumption that with an EFI machine you won't have to warm it up before riding in the winter, cause that is false!! Any machine should be warmed up good before riding whether carbed or EFI!

[huntercj]

I get a new atv or side by side every year and for pure simplicty its hard to beat a carb. I curently have a 2009 500 polaris ,carb and just use it for plowing and have had no problems starting in the winter. I have had efi in the past but if somenthing goes wrong it can get tricky to track down the issue.

[Dave S]

All but one of my machines have had carbs. The Rincon was the only EFI machine that passed through my stable and will continue to go with EFI machines.

Otheriwse everyone above has pretty much covered the pros/cons.

[Ryan_V]

I had a carb and now have efi. As stated, either one will do. My carb (01 yamaha) was hard to start in the winter, but once it started and warmed up it was fine. I have an 07 Cat 700 now and love it. Zero problems and easy to start with no choke to mess with. I mostly use mine for ice fishing/plowing snow. Don't be scared by a carb though, nothing wrong with them IMO

[Rippinlip]

We have 2-2008 Polaris Sportsman 500's, 1 with each, mine (carbed) wife's (EFI),

both start and run fine. Hers may start a ittle easier in the cold weather, not by much though. Like Gr8ice stated, they both need to warm up before they should be run anyways.

Only difference I can see is when we get side by side (both stock machines, except for tires), she has a little better acceration performance.

Pretty minor difference.

Mark