Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's What ATV?

I am looking for a new ATV(quadrunner) to replace an old and tired
185cc Honda trike. My land is fairly level and not to swampy. I probably will not do any trail riding. Hauling out deer and firewood logs will be about the extent of my use for it. That being said, I need something that
is at the lower end of the price range; but, sturdy and dependable.
Would appreciate commentary as to prices and brands.

Look for an old 300 TRX. Even the 2WD models were plenty useful for your application.

New or used?

Your ATV usage screams Honda Foreman. I'm a big honda and Yamaha fan. It doesn't sound like you'll need the added stuff the yamaha has, but you'll surly like it.

If used, no question... Honda.

Honda Foreman or Honda Rubicon 500.

Honda Foreman 4x4 or Honda Rancher 4x4.

The Honda 300's were good machines in their day, but the last one made is 16 years old now. I'd want a lot newer than that if I was looking for reliability.

If you don't see yourself truly need 4WD, I'd say a 2WD Honda Rancher or even a Honda Recon (much lighter and easier to snatch around than the Rancher in the thick stuff).

Go Yamaha. Hondas are great but I feel the Yamaha is a little better having had both.

Those old 16-year-old 300s were much better machines than the Ranchers for a good number of years after they were introduced. Might as well buy new then unless you can find a good deal on a lightly-used 5-year old. Either the Recon (Honda) or Ozark (Suzuki)....I think I'd go with the latter for its better disc front brakes and manual shift tranny, but those are personal preferences.

I just sold a '99 Kawi Bayou 300 2x4 that ran great. I'd taken it in some hellacious places. The 2x4 was fine with just me but with much of a load, the 4x4 would have been much better.

The new utv's are getting nice. The narrow models will go most places a full size 4 wheeler will go. My honda rubicon and polaris big boss just sit around now. Way more comfortable if you have a fair amount of years under your belt.

Ain't THAT the truth. We just bought a UTV. It's scary where that thing will go and it's a lot more comfortable.

Still have our 93 Bayou 300 4X4 and has a whopping 2021 miles on it. Other than normal maintenace and a set of tires has been a tough machine. Sold the plow (due to being in the Boise banana belt), so set of tires was basically a wash.

RC, Have started considering a UTV seeing as how it is tougher to throw our legs over the *saddle* on the ATV. Couple of guys I know with the UTVs only gripes have been is the amount of dust rolling in when you are just creeping along. Any thoughts there?

The big dust problem comes from windshields. Take it off. The air will swirl behind one, even a 1/2 sized one, and you'll end up with everything coated inside. Use googles or a helmet face shield instead.

You solve the dust problem by putting a rear net on. It will still let the air through but will stop the dust from coming in the cab.

I have a rear net but it didn't stop the dust until we removed the windshield. We have half doors that might cause at least some of the dust problem but again, removing the windshield took care of that, too.

There's a cure for that dust problem, it's called the Ryde On dust cover. I run a full front window and rear vinyl window on my Rhino and i no longer have dust issues in the cab.

I have a 570 RZR that has a 1/2 front shield and I added a vinyl rear window. I have noticed a big decrease from dust but it didn't stop it all together.

I have sat in a few UTVs, but with my long legs they aren't the most comfortable for me. At least the ones I sat in. I still want the box for hauling so am looking at a Polaris Big Boss 6 wheeler.

I had the same problem...an old 1984 Honda Big Red, so at the tail-end of 2015, I took advantage of the Honda buyer incentives and purchased a nice green 2016 Honda Foreman with the manual tranny. I am very pleased with my choice.

Honda Fourtrax 4x4 here. Bulletproof.

I'm looking at the Polaris Ace models. 60" wheelbase, single seat, fits in a regular pickup bed, and has a full rollcage.

Couple years ago I got in a new club where an ATV is mandatory for moving stands and fetching kills because of rough and hilly terrain. Honda Big Red 250 was down and I'd been thinking of a 4 WD anyway. Ended up finding a 1999 Foreman 450 4X4 with few hours/miles. Never did fix the 3 wheeler and finally sold it about a month ago. No way it would have done the job. You will never understand the difference between even an older 4 WD and your trike until you have used one a while. Even on flat ground 4 WD is amazing at crawling over small logs, thru ruts, over rocks, etc at low speed comfortably. Add grade to the ride and it's more amazing.

Your history with an old Honda probably matches mine. My Big Red was a 1986 I got from a lady owner in IIRC 1995. Thought it was the Bee's Knees compared to the Kawasaki 250 I wore out and I rode it places I had no right going. Based on my experience and experiences of friends I'd go Honda again without a blink. If you can shop around and come up with an older Foreman with a basic 5-speed transmission in good shape you'll save thousands over the price of a new one. If money's no object new is always good. And for me a 2 WD ATV is like a 2 WD truck....only about half as good as a 4 WD. Good luck.

I like polaris. Not as tough as Honda but better power and more comfortable.

The 450 with power steering would be just right for the kind of work you want to do.

4 wheelers with out power steering should be against the law.

You owe it to yourself.

Honda or Yamaha sumthing.........

most machines around here are all SxS UTV's anymore

I'd look at the Kawasaki Bayou 4X4 300, or the Honda. Maybe a Yamaha Kodiak 400 if you can find one. The older shift machines are pretty darn reliable.

I am a fairly large man and the SXS do not fit me very well, even as a passenger. I like the older Honda's because of the old style engine. They use less fuel and seem to have as much power. I had a used one that I finished wearing out, except for the engine. I kept thinking that I would find a good one with a bad engine but never did. I still have it in the shed, just in case. I do like it way better than the newer rancher, although the rancher has worked for everything that I need, it is just not as comfortable nor as gas stingy. miles

I've been thinking of buying one of those for the Ranch just for patrolling the fence lines on the big Hill Country ranch I manage.

Took one for a test drive at the Dealer's the other day, and it rides smoother than our big double seater Ranger 900.

I used to have a Bayou 300 but it was a 2x4. It was almost bullet proof. The same thing in a 4x4 with a low range would have gone about anywhere. It was also light enough to be easily maneuverable.