looking at an atv. 500cc ish. i have no need for the bigger machines. what do the denizens of the hide have to say on various machines?
500 cc ATV..... brand advice
- Thread starter myronman3
- Start date
I’ve got a 2019 Honda Rancher 420.
It’s been in for a new top end already.
In the cold, it doesn’t like to start.
It has less than 300 miles on it.
It does plow snow pretty well. It has the IRS and power steering, but it’s not the best trail machine. It was made for ranching, and not for riding.
I know a few guys with Can Ams, and they’ve been great. They also ride very well, meaning they’re comfortable on the bumpy trails.
My dad has had Polaris Sportsman 500s and they’ve been pretty good. The newest One was in the shop for oil in the air box and the shop said that’s normal.
The Polaris machines also are very comfortable on the rough trails.
At the end of the day, most of them are pretty good and you’re going to get stories from owners of all of them.
I would stay away from CF Moto but only because they’re Chinese.
It’s been in for a new top end already.
In the cold, it doesn’t like to start.
It has less than 300 miles on it.
It does plow snow pretty well. It has the IRS and power steering, but it’s not the best trail machine. It was made for ranching, and not for riding.
I know a few guys with Can Ams, and they’ve been great. They also ride very well, meaning they’re comfortable on the bumpy trails.
My dad has had Polaris Sportsman 500s and they’ve been pretty good. The newest One was in the shop for oil in the air box and the shop said that’s normal.
The Polaris machines also are very comfortable on the rough trails.
At the end of the day, most of them are pretty good and you’re going to get stories from owners of all of them.
I would stay away from CF Moto but only because they’re Chinese.
I have a 2008 Honda 420 rancher. Base model zeros bells and whistles. No hour meter or way of telling miles on it. Best thing it is shaft drive, no belts. I plow snow with it, move wagons, hauled a 375 lbs. black bear on the back rack for 26 miles, trail rode above 10k feet in Colorado, hauled quartered elk around the mountain, pull started tractors with it. I change the oil 1 time a year and the rest of the fluids every couple years. I only remember changing a spark plug one time. I had to get another battery a couple months ago, makes #3.
Would I buy it again? Yes. Strong machine and reliable. I did have them add a pull start when I bought it. I'm not getting stuck 30 miles from camp with a battery issue. I have never had an issue but wasn't going to chance it for the $150 more it costs.
Would I buy it again? Yes. Strong machine and reliable. I did have them add a pull start when I bought it. I'm not getting stuck 30 miles from camp with a battery issue. I have never had an issue but wasn't going to chance it for the $150 more it costs.
Honestly all the machines in this class are pretty good, but its pretty hard to beat the all around reliability and trail performance of the 500cc yamahas. Best transmission on the market, honda reliability with much better trail performance than ranchers and foremans.
Observation of one, but my 2010 Polaris has been great. Runs as good as when new. I’ll buy another if i ever part with this one. And yes, get power steering regardless of brand you select.
Whatever your local dealership carries. Your experience there getting parts and service will make or break the entire experience.
The only dealer within 100 miles of me does Honda, Polaris, and Kawasaki. We ended up with a Honda rancher 420. 2014, has about 1500 miles.
Wife enjoys riding around the woods.
I plow snow all winter with it.
I change the oils yearly. No problems yet.
Power steering is pretty nice. I put a 3500lb winch on it so I can drag stuff all over. The battery is starting to get a little weak, and it is probably due for a valve adjustment.
Since it's used for plowing, I keep it in the heated shop. So it's never really hard to start in less than 40* weather, even though last weekend I was plowing in -30* weather and it did just fine.
The only dealer within 100 miles of me does Honda, Polaris, and Kawasaki. We ended up with a Honda rancher 420. 2014, has about 1500 miles.
Wife enjoys riding around the woods.
I plow snow all winter with it.
I change the oils yearly. No problems yet.
Power steering is pretty nice. I put a 3500lb winch on it so I can drag stuff all over. The battery is starting to get a little weak, and it is probably due for a valve adjustment.
Since it's used for plowing, I keep it in the heated shop. So it's never really hard to start in less than 40* weather, even though last weekend I was plowing in -30* weather and it did just fine.
it all helps.
we have a old polaris sportsman here.....but i am unfamiliar with the newer models. getting the input from folks who have more recent experience helps a ton.
Have an 02 foreman 450.
Oil and batteries so far.
This isn't a 2 week a year machine.
Clue ^^^.
R
Oil and batteries so far.
This isn't a 2 week a year machine.
Clue ^^^.
R
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I would say your closest "and best" dealer too but I travel a little farther because I like Honda
2015 Rubicon that has been trouble free.
2004 Rancher nearing 30K miles that just won't die and it has been rode hard and put away wet more than I care to admit.
I don't have ps but rode some that do and it does make a difference. If I ever buy another one, it will have it
2015 Rubicon that has been trouble free.
2004 Rancher nearing 30K miles that just won't die and it has been rode hard and put away wet more than I care to admit.
I don't have ps but rode some that do and it does make a difference. If I ever buy another one, it will have it
If you can live without reverse, the Yamaha YFZ-450R is really a lot of fun.
Hey, you didn’t specify what you wanted to do with it.
Hey, you didn’t specify what you wanted to do with it.
I haven't kept up with them in years, but we had 4 Arctic Cats and I never had any qualms about recommending them. It used to be that AC 500s were bombproof. Just looked, and they don't even make a 500 anymore.
Kids stopped riding and the wife wanted a SxS so I bought a new RZR 800 10 years ago and sold all our other machines aside from the wifes '05 AC 400. Gave that to a friend and he's still riding it.
The RZR has done everything I've asked of it, including going thru a lot of really thick brush many times to drag a deer out. Snow, ice, mud, logs, nothing has stopped it. Aside from oil changes, it hasn't needed anything. Based on all that, these days I'd look at Polaris 1st.
Kids stopped riding and the wife wanted a SxS so I bought a new RZR 800 10 years ago and sold all our other machines aside from the wifes '05 AC 400. Gave that to a friend and he's still riding it.
The RZR has done everything I've asked of it, including going thru a lot of really thick brush many times to drag a deer out. Snow, ice, mud, logs, nothing has stopped it. Aside from oil changes, it hasn't needed anything. Based on all that, these days I'd look at Polaris 1st.
500cc 4 wheeler...
The first thing that pops into my head is......
The first thing that pops into my head is......
My 1987 Yamaha big bear has been great, I tow a 20 ft boat and drag logs and pull down trees around on my property, but it’s only a 350
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If you ride any any water don't get a belt drive......Polaris is the worst but they all suck in any moderate water crossings. Hard to say a bad word against Honda if reliability is your goal.
If it has to be a 500CC I would piddle around in a rzr 570 before getting a 500cc utility quad. Two regular seats and a cargo thing on back.
- Nov 3, 2010
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Honda is what everybody in the villages up here have. They are far more abusive to any machine than anyone of us could ever imagine. I also like Yamaha machines, they hold up well. I personally stick with those brands for quads. I hate Polaris for things with wheels.
