ATV Opinions

I’m casually in the market for a used ATV. No, I don’t want something big with power steering, and 50 different add-ons. Simple is better. I’d love something that can go in a pickup, fit on skinny trails around the land, and so on. Primary uses will be checking on land, running to the buildings and back, maybe pulling a real small utility trailer while clearing some field edges, and the occasional ice fishing outing on the river.

-400-500cc
-4WD
-preferably foot shift
-not beat to death
-not more hours on it than I’ve been alive

What specific brands and models do you recommend? I like the Honda Rancher and Foreman. Is the Yamaha Kodiak something similar? I had a Polaris Sportsman at one time that was a POS, and would avoid going that route again unless they’ve really improved.

I have cash for whatever I may find, but is there any place to look other than Facebook?

Honda rancher would be my number 1 on the list. Foot shift, manual 4×4 no electronics to go bad. And a solid 420 cc motor plenty of power. My brother’s rancher vs My foreman 520 was 2 mph difference in top end and you couldn’t tell the difference in lower. The rancher has been the king of the farm for many years.
The Kodiaks look like great machines as well but I don’t have any experience. Polaris, well I personally would never purchase one

Hard to beat the reliability of those older hondas

Honda rancher . Hands down . Warning they hold their value

The Honda would be my recommendation as well. Kodiak’s are good to, but you have to go back to I think ’99 to get one with a manual shift. I had an ’04 400 with belt drive and it was a great machine. Honestly wish I still had it. The Yamaha Big Bear 400 was manual shift and made until 2012. That machine was bullet proof.

I wouldn’t be afraid of a nice used cat 500. I have an 06 that won’t die or even break and my buddy has an older one he still uses for trail maintenance on his land. Mine is now primarily dedicated to plowing.

isu22andy wrote:

Honda rancher . Hands down . Warning they hold their value

You weren’t lying. Preliminary searches are showing some that are 15 years old for 4-5k. Seems crazy when a new one is $7k.

I hate the manual electric shifting on the Hondas

I’d go with a 2016+ Yamaha Kodiak to get one with fuel injection, you get get them fully loaded or stripped down to the very basics if desired…

I have a 87 foreman and a 86 both 350 single, been bullet proof drove 3 hours to get the 86 for 2600 it was 1 owner and he would not come down a dime. everything works like new great find.bought 3 years ago, the 87 I have owned 15 years put a fuel pump in it is all can’t go wrong with a Honda

If you plan on using during the winter don’t get a electric shift Honda. They work fine in the summer but they don’t like the cold. If you only want foot shift you only get a straight axle.

I have a 2000 or 2001 Rancher and it’s an awesome machine, I bought it used last year for a pretty penny. It’s been a great machine and we’ll keep it forever.

That said, with the insane prices they go for, our next one we will buy new or at least very next to new.

Miles and hours don’t ever tell the whole story either. I’d rather buy machine with 5,000 miles on it that an old guy put on pavement than a machine with 500 miles of snowplowing, food plotting, or dust/mud.

Coletrain27 wrote:

I hate the manual electric shifting on the Hondas

He wants a foot shift. But yes Hondas with electric shifting I find less then desirable.

fishingstar wrote:

If you plan on using during the winter don’t get a electric shift Honda. They work fine in the summer but they don’t like the cold. If you only want foot shift you only get a straight axle.

I had a 01 rancher and 04 foreman since new and never had a issue with shifting either in the cold. Anything past -20 my foreman was tough to start. My rancher always started.

My vote would be a rancher.

buckybadger wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>isu22andy wrote:</div>
Honda rancher . Hands down . Warning they hold their value

You weren’t lying. Preliminary searches are showing some that are 15 years old for 4-5k. Seems crazy when a new one is $7k.

And they are still worth every dollar

I have a 660 grizzly. Awesome. Had a 2000 Forman. Great quad. Suzuki Vinson is another great choice. Any of the Japanese bikes are great.

I have a couple Yamaha Grizzly 700s, great machines, nothing wrong with a little extra power.

I have a POS 2005 Polaris Sportsman 700 that I have done absolutely NOTHING to in 18 years.. starts right up and boogys, so my opinion is probably worthless to you, but there it is.

big_g wrote:

I have a POS 2005 Polaris Sportsman 700 that I have done absolutely NOTHING to in 18 years.. starts right up and boogys, so my opinion is probably worthless to you, but there it is.

Kinda sounds like you won the lottery!

Bearcat89 wrote:

Honda rancher would be my number 1 on the list. Foot shift, manual 4×4 no electronics to go bad. And a solid 420 cc motor plenty of power.

I have a 2010. Zero issues.

-J.

big_g wrote:

I have a POS 2005 Polaris Sportsman 700 that I have done absolutely NOTHING to in 18 years.. starts right up and boogys, so my opinion is probably worthless to you, but there it is.

I also had a 2004 or 2005 sportsman 700 and had it for several years and never had a single issue.

Buy American. Oh yeah that isn’t a popular idea on this site.

Jon Jordan wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
Honda rancher would be my number 1 on the list. Foot shift, manual 4×4 no electronics to go bad. And a solid 420 cc motor plenty of power.

I have a 2010. Zero issues.

-J.

I sold a 03 rancher 350 all time 4×4 to a guy on this site, he still rides it all the time. I never had 1 issue with that machine. Besides the old red plastics faded to pink.

I have a Polaris 570 that has never given me any problems either. My uncle and a buddy same.

Yamaha big bear is great also. The have been running one on the farm we hunt on forever I think it has like 16k miles on it and it has just ran forever.

michael keehr wrote:

Yamaha big bear is great also. The have been running one on the farm we hunt on forever I think it has like 16k miles on it and it has just ran forever.

I have had my Yamaha Big Bear since 2004 and no problems. It is not the fastest but the thing has a ton of power. Very simple machine to the point my year did not even have a speedometer.

I have a 2000 (now my sons) and 2012 big bear (last year made). Very basic 400cc machine and have been pretty much bullet proof. first gear is like a low range 1st, lot of pulling power and great for slow going thru the slop. The newer one has independent rear suspension and button for full time 4 wheel lock. I think not easy to find one but they are a great option if you want manual foot shift.

Dan

Bearcat89 wrote:

Honda rancher would be my number 1 on the list. Foot shift, manual 4×4 no electronics to go bad. And a solid 420 cc motor plenty of power. My brother’s rancher vs My foreman 520 was 2 mph difference in top end and you couldn’t tell the difference in lower. The rancher has been the king of the farm for many years.
The Kodiaks look like great machines as well but I don’t have any experience. Polaris, well I personally would never purchase one

I’ve had a rancher since 2006. I plow my driveway with it and use it ice fishing. I love it.

buckybadger wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>isu22andy wrote:</div>
Honda rancher . Hands down . Warning they hold their value

You weren’t lying. Preliminary searches are showing some that are 15 years old for 4-5k. Seems crazy when a new one is $7k.

I agree, the Honda used prices are redicilous. Just go new and get everything in mint condition with a warranty. Also, I want to know how a machine was maintained and with new, I know absolutely because I was the one who maintained it.

I have a Honda UTV and a Polaris ATV. IMO Polaris are just fine. Not Honda great but unless you are a daily user, Polaris will hold up fine. There are plenty of ancient Polaris ATVs out there that still run just fine. If they were so bad…

So this is just like reading Google reviews….you’ll have some great and some bad..you never know what the truth is…I’ve got a Polaris 570 (to most that is a “Bad” ride) but I have no complaints. I wouldn’t spend $2k-$3 more for a different brand. Maybe it’s just a matter of how you run and treat it….