What would you get?

[Northland Sportsman]

I had a starter problem on my first ATV, a 2000 polaris sportsman 500 I bought used, not my current ATV. It needed to be taken apart and cleaned up, seemed to work well after that. I sold the ATV to a relative and have had no complaints from them. I now have a 04.5 600 sportsman. I did have a question on the charging system on that as well but as I posted then, it was a wire connection that I unplugged installing a winch.

[CaptainMusky]

Quote:

---

Arctic Cat offers you IRS and basically the same motors as Suzuki (Suzuki is a major share holder in AC). They also have the locking front diff. Biggest complaint about AC is the price for what you get compared to the competition.

Can-Am is the way to go if horsepower is your game. They dominate in horsepower from 400cc and up. 500cc and up you get a V-Twin with EFI. Everything frmo the 400 up also has IRS designed to eliminate tire scrub and provides one ofo the best rides in the industry.

---

I agreed with almost everything you stated with these two exceptions. Can Am are by far the highest price. Value for the dollar you cannot beat the AC 400 and even the 500, they are far cheaper than the competition at least at every dealer I have been to.

The AC 650H1 is a phenomenal engine and is built by AC at their new St Cloud, MN plant. The others are built by Suzuki.

Stay away from the Rincon, for the reasons listed in other posts. They are a smooth riding machine, but are intended for trail riding and would NOT make a good work machine. I know people who have them and went mudding with them and they would not even spin the tires.

There are a lot of options out there and Polaris machines will be easy to find new or used. Personally, I would stay away from them. If you are pulling something the belts are more susceptible to failure than the rest due to the design of their CVT transmission. AC and Suzuki also have CVT trannies, but do not have this same problem since their belts do not "engage" as snowmobiles do so they do not build up the heat that the Polaris counterparts do. If money were no object, I would get a Can Am, but they are pricier than the rest. For my money a 650 H1 AC would be in my garage. Enough power, fully independent suspension, tons of ground clearance, built like a tank, and a good value at $5400 to $5900 for a new one.

[dogs]

I have an 650 H1 with a 1000 miles on it in a year, I like it. Good ground clearance,pump the primer on it 2-3 times and starts up at -25F would try to get it not to start on the coldest days but she would go. Like the speed rack set up on AC. Had to pull a trailer load of dump out of back yard with soft ground when weighing at the garbage station the trailer weighed 2600lbs

Pulled it uphill as if it was not there. Atv Rider Mag. says alot of nice thing about Polaris 450 for work.

They're all good just some are better to some.

[killerloop1]

One good thing about the smaller machines, you do have the option of pull start.... That was my lifeline on the 500 Polaris, now getting off the lake w/o lights was another thing, and unable to lock in 4x4 was the next,, but the wheeles were turning and I was happy. got home sent the thing down the road. battery problems from day 1.

Now have a c/a.. little leary on the cold weather starting issue though .. w/o a pull start.. we will see I guess

[Dave S]

Based on what I paid for my 2001 Vinson, some of the cats command more $$$$. But as you mentioned, it has more to do with the dealers. Some just won't budge off MSRP.

Rincons are great machines. They're just not inteded for heavy utility use. Pulling ice fishing gear or plowing snow is well within their cappability.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Since you are using mainly for ice fishing it sounds like you wont be beating it too bad. I would say all the major players have nice vehicles for that use. Price was the deciding factor when I got mine 2 years ago. I ended up with an AC and have no complaints. The backup recoil starter on AC is a nice feature so your not depending entirely on your battery and electric start.

[luv2fish]

Thanks for all the input. I have found 2 used ones at a local dealer I am interested in. I think it will come down to riding them both and seeing what I like. the Polaris is about $500 more.

They are:

2004 Honda Rancher AT with 1000 miles and no winch

2002 Polaris 500 HO with 700 miles and a winch

I kind of like the smaller Honda for loading into and out of my truck. I work with a few guys that have the bigger Polaris (600 and 700) and say with ramps it sucks to get them into a full size pickup.

Thoughts?

[slotlimit]

Honda all the way.

[Bjjams]

I can't believe I'm writing this but if those are the ONLY 2 you're going to buy get the popo. I like hondas, they are good machines but the 400 AT is not a very good four wheeler. I had a lot of issues with mine, could have been a lemon but even when it ran well it just wasn't that good of atv. Even when talking with a honda mechanic he said the 400 AT is a good wheeler only to a certain extent. I'm not exactly sure what your needs will be but you'd be better off finding a foreman of the same year only it won't be automatic. I hear the new 420 rancher can run circles around the old 400.

[SomethingFishy*]

How much are you looking to spend? What prices did you hear on your selections?

[luv2fish]

I am looking to spend about $4000, and both were in that range. I did go look at them again today with some friends experienced in 4-wheeling. The honda was sold already, and my friends showed me how bad the Polaris was beat up. Man the education from my friends was priceless. Things I would not even know to look for. Got me very scared to buy used (showed me what I do not know). Might have to raise my price, and look at new.....

[SomethingFishy*]

hsolist has a lot of offerings, I know that both the minneapolis and St.Cloud areas have local hsolist. That is actually where I listed one of our machines. I would definetly check it out, there are new listings daily, we listed one of ours about a week ago.