Home Forums Gear Horses and ATV's Looking a new atv

My old 4 wheeler is about to give up the ghost and I am not sure if I want to spend the money to get it fixed. It's an arctic cat 700 trv circa 2012 or 13 not sure , it has electrical problems and nobody around here will try to fix it .So I am looking for suggestions for a new ride. Don't care necessarily about make just want something reliable and easy to get fixed if it breaks , 700 cc or larger,thr two rider option is a plus, need to be able ti tow a small trailer or sprayer ,of course winch and cargo racks are a must. What say you. Any ideas?

Have owned a few. Honda is your friend but I don’t know if they build one that big.

Have owned a few. Honda is your friend but I don’t know if they build one that big.

Thought about a rancher or Foreman but I think they only go to 500 cc

I’d likely buy a Yamaha if needing that much engine.

Have you considered a 50" SXS? There aren't many models on the market but they do have advantages. Besides 2 seats, they have more 'trunk' room. They'll climb as well as an ATV although they aren't as good on steep sidehills because you can't stand on 1 footpeg. However, the weight is lower so that balances it out somewhat.
They're about the same width as an ATV but a little longer.
We have a 2016 Polaris RZR 800 which is a 50". I've taken it some scary places. The only problem I've had was a plugged oil pressure relief valve. They said that was a very unusual problem.

I have a Gravely JSV side by side which I really like. Made in USA by Ariens, with a Polaris engine. Has a power steel dump bed which is handy for hauling, so I dont need to tow a wagon. Not a speedster, top end of about 35 mph which is plenty for me, but really good off road and on road. So far bullet proof.
JSV stands for Job Site Vehicle which aptly describes it.

https://www.gravely.com/en-us/power-equipment/vehicle

I have tried a couple of sxs but they are hard for me to get into because of my knees , thefolding up to climb in hurts more than swinging a leg over . I think if I wert that route I would just get a jeep cj and be done . I just prefer an atv to a sxs. From what I can find on line so far this might be the ford,Chevy, dodge argument all over again. Just substitute honda,yamaha, can am.

My impression is it goes Honda/Yamaha first, Suzuki second and the rest somewhere down the line. I inherited a 2001 Yamaha big bear that was used on the farm. It’s been beaten on hard and had little maintenance. It still runs well but needs a carb rebuild (after 22 years).

Wasted half the day looking on this computer, and it looks like there is not that much difference in the major brands . Prices are very close usually within a couple of hundred bucks for the same size motor . So I guess it boils down to the best deal and dealer service.

Go and demo ride them, there is significant difference in the machines. Pick the dealership you like best and pick the machine you feel most comfortable riding. We have had excellent luck with Yamaha. I also like Honda but they don't make a machine the size you're looking for. The Can-Am is different. My Polaris RZR is well made, I have the 50 inch and she's a tad tippy and I have flopped it over once. I took the 4wheeler in much worse conditions and have always been able to save it from going over. I prefer the 4wheel for hunting.

Yeah that was my plan.looks like there is a dealer about 50 miles away that has Suzuki and yamaha in the size I am wanting . He may be a can am dealer also. Looks like road trip as soon as I can get a day to kill

Whatever you get, get one with power steering.

Power steering, a good winch, high and low lockable 4wheel drive, and a good rack system are at the top of my list of extras

about that winch - check to see if it's possible to switch it from end to end using the hitch. If you get stuck, often you need the winch to pull you out backwards, not pull you in deeper.

Good idea I had to run my cable under mine one time to drag me back ,was a hell of a mess. Probably need to look into a wench for the backseat on a two rider style also

I would go Yamaha.


Love my 700 Grizzly, awesome machine.

The yamaha is on my list along with the Suzuki king quad and the can am

A big enough back seat wench can just push it out by herself.

What electrical problems are you having with the 700 TRV?

Yamaha Grizzly is the standard that all others are compared too, top of the heap as far as I’m concerned. The Yamaha Kodiak seems to have all of the same features in a slightly smaller frame package. Either one would be an excellent choice

The damn thing eats batteries, leave it parked over night ,dead battery, slow or weak to start ,if you get it started it will run great for about an hour then dead . Let it sit and it might start tomorrow but not while the engine is hot. If you are riding at night the lights keep getting dimmer until it shuts off and you walk out and get the trailer . I am tired of messing with it ,the dealerships around here will not work on arctic cat ,the last independent shop kept it 6months and charged me 500$,put in a battery and it sits on the trailer like always. Dead. Now I got no electricity to the key ,don't know what he did except rip me off . Bought it from Bass Pro in 13 ,of course they no longer fix anything I guess I got a boat anchor for sale.

if you need 2 up definitely look at a CanAm Outlander Max

Ive had both the CanAm and an older Grizzly and the CanAm is way better for carrying heavy weight and more stable on sidehills


the CanAm is a rocket compared to the Yamaha , mechanical reliabilty was a tossup

The 2nd rider will usually be one of the grandkids ( one 6 and one 10) for a ride to the deer stand with the rifles in the gun rack and a bag of munchies to keep him interested while we sit till dark and then putt back, learned to take them separately a long time ago one today the other one tomorrow seems to work better for all involved. Need the horsepower for pulling a mower and trailer for wood and such . I will take it out on cape lookout maybe once a year that will be the only time it would be loaded down heavy with camping and fishing gear

I would unplug the voltage regulator for a couple days and see it the battery still drains down. The plug can be a little stubborn after ten years. About $120 part on those and will help you sell it for a lot more than a boat anchor.

Yamaha is the only name on my list for ATVs

I've owned a couple of Hondas and a yamaha grizzly.

They all three were good.

I still prefer the foot shifter over the thumb shift electronic bullshit though. Been thinking about converting my '09 420 Fourtrax over to a foot shifter.

Been watching some videos online and it looks pretty simple and straight forward.

FWIW, mine will drain a battery if left for extended period of time. I always take the cable off when parking it up for a while.

When I bought it *used*, it needed some rear end bearings and since then, I've had to replace the starter once. Also replaced the rubber grips a while back too. The old ones degraded and got "gummy" from a lack of better description.

Other than that, haven't had a second of trouble with it.

All the manufacturers are pretty good... Ford/Chevy thing. I have had a '95 Polaris Sportsman 400, a 2010 Sportsman 500 and now a Sportsman 570... They were all great and dependable. After 10 years or so, they start having problems. I USE mine a pretty good bit and have enjoyed Polaris... good dealer support around here. Yam and Honda are both good machines. Look around and make a choice - there are no bad decisions. . Happy Easter

I'd been in the market looking for a clean used one for almost 2 years. Where I live most who have them beat the hell out of them and they still want big money for them. Finally found a 2018 420 rancher with eps and irs 742 miles on it, didn't waste anytime getting it bought..mb

The saga continues, two days on the charger and the battery is full, but no juice to the key so no crank. I looked under for the voltage regulator and fount it has not been touched, so I am going to pull it and look around and try to figure out what the last guy either didn't do or tore up and go from there. Looks like he just stuck in a battery and took off the old winch and the wiring harness for it and most likely left something unhooked . We shall see says the blind man. As for a new ride , prices are high,13k or more dressed out and nothing available for now so l better try to fix what I got myself

ALWAYS HONDA/YAMAHA, NEVER the off brands! You're Welcome!

Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki

You got lucky on that one they hard to find in that condition. Like you said most are run hard and for the asking price just as well buy new.

Riverc, yeah I did get lucky as hell. Had a new 450 Kodiak with irs and eps priced out at 8999 for green and 9199 for the camo. It looked like it was gonna ruin 10k for a Yamaha. The local Honda dealer only had 420 ranchers with out eps or irs. They wanted 1000 dollar premiums over msrp + shipping+ setup+doc.fee and whatever else they could dream up. I got down to figuring on not buying local because of it. Just got lucky checking Craigslist sat morning it was less than 5 miles from my home. I was 1st caller after they listed it the day before and I told them I'd be there in 15 minutes. The owner from New was a gal 70+ who rode with her hubby and inlaws til the hub passed last spring. So I test drove it we settled at 6800 and I had a 1/2 hr to get to the bank before it closed for the weekend, she didn't want a check and I was able to get the green fast enough. It just went down perfect
.mb

Do you have Cat the service manual?

Not yet but am looking one

VIN is top of the rear left tire on the frame. C=12

Here is the 700 manual, I don’t have the 700 TRV manual.

https://support.countrycat.com/posts/2806461-2012-550-700-service-manual

Wiring
https://support.countrycat.com/posts/2792231-2012-atv-utv-wiring-diagrams

Why thank you sir that's what I like about the fire , there is always someone that is willing to help .we only have to ask . You are a good in spite of what your wife says about you . Looks like I have some reading to do

Get a voltage regulator (transformer rectifier) off of ebay for $20 instead of paying the dealer. Usually if an ATV isn't charging that's what it is. It's a 5 minute job to change it out and if that's not it then you're out $20. I have a 2002 Honda rancher that wasn't charging so I got one off of ebay and it's been working great for the last 4 years.

Arctic Cat Rectifier

Part ordered thanks will keep you posted

Some of these dealers will screw you royally. A friend of mine called last week and asked how much a starter for a Polaris should cost. He was having problems and said the dealer wanted $700 to put in a new starter. I asked some questions and concluded that the battery was the problem. It's 7 years old and has under 1000 miles on it. I think the battery was just aged out and had sat too many winters without being charged.

7 years (!) is twice what I get from a Polaris battery. AGM this spring to see if that makes a difference.

I bought my 2012 Polaris in '16. It still has the same Polaris battery that was in it when I bought it and it's quite possibly the original.

Anything over 500cc is a want, not a need.

Our 2012 Grizzly 450 has 20,000 miles and 6,500 hours on it.

The saga continues, after spending weeks at the local shadetree grease monkey and costing big bucks for nothing, I got my ride home. I have looked it over and decided the jackass drained the gas, and tinkered with fuel system . What he didnot do was replace the battery like he said or go thru the wiring looking for a short,. So, after days of reading the manuals and watching u tube I got a new battery and a new voltage regulator, spent the morning hooking everything up . The battery dropped in as it should,the regulator was a bit of a bitch cause of it's located under the seat and was hard for this fat old guy to get underneath . It didn't snap in as easily as it snapped out but it's connected and secured. Test fire time?.... break on ,kill switch set ,key on ,punch button, hold breath, whine ,whine,whine and fire¡!!!!yes let it sit and run 30 minutes or so rev it up and idle back down , cut it off ,count to 30 , try again, whine, whine, whine, nothing. Dammit, Dammit.,Dammit.. went to the house had lunch, took a nap ,let it cool off . Went back out to shop, punched the button ,fired right up ,no codes showing this time, get her hot ,shut down and then fires back up, did this 5 times, so far everything seems to be working. Going to fill it with gas in the morning and then give her hell across the field and swamp.. moral of this story ; if you need something done, do it yourself!! Thank you Crow hunter and 24hourcampfire guy for the help with parts and manuals

Late to the party but Yamaha Grizzly. Oldest I have had is an 02 660 and my son still uses it for his cows. In 21 years I have put two rear axles in and two batteries. Change the oil and air cleaner regularly. My 700 I had for 12 years and never did a thing to it except change oil and air cleaner.

At the moment the repairs seem to be working, only time will tell .but I am certainly looking for something else I just don't trust this one much anymore ,if I make it thru this year I am sure I will trade for a yamaha or a Suzuki they seen to be the most popular in this area and the easiest to get repaired if something goes wrong . Need to start saving pennies.

28 days ago beav you were tearing your hair out and ready to haul it to the junk yard. You owe crow hunter and 24hr campfire guy BIG TIME. Whether you hate or not it runs and is now worth something again.

I do own them muchly and have already thanked them just to be sure I thank them again. They are good men in spite of what their wives say about them.. and yes I am still mad at the usless trouble that the local shadetree mechanic cost me ,and yes I am planning on riding myself of this machine and let some other poor soul worry with it.

Still running my 99 Honda 300 and a 2012 Honda 500 foreman. My Honda 300 is a peach!

An update on the article cat==my repairs only worked a couple of days ,so after asking the local auto zone found another guy that came highly recommended, went by his shop explained my problems and he said bring it over .Droppedit off late Sept and just got it back today, $800 later, new battery, voltage regulator, fuel pump throttle
adjusted ,power steering adjusted,and some wiring replaced where the last guy messed up . It was late when I got so haven't tried it out yet except to crank and load it on the trailer however I did strap it down tight and let it idle on the way home ,about 15 miles and it was still running when I got home so that in itself is a major improvement . Will get out tomorrow or Monday and run a tank of gas thru it ,then decide to sell or keep. Once again MANY THANKS TO CROW HUNTER AND 24HOURCAMPFIRE GUY AND ALL THE REST FOR THE HELP

Yamaha !

Son of a bitch it it ain't one thing it's another , filled the tank with alcohol freehigh test ( 4 gallons plus, 20 bucks), and put about 25 miles on it around the woods and fields, spooked a bunch of turkeys feeding under an oak , had a ball. Runs good , cranks and idles good . Then I started hearing a grinding sound by my right foot , sounds like I got a bearing going bad started slowing down and just managed a to get back to the truck and on the trailer, crap,taking it back to the shop today .

Did acceleration feel normal or did the engine rev while acceleration was weaker or something else? Did it try to accelerate from a stop or stall when you were stopping?

Engine would rev as normal but vehicle would go slower and slower almost like it was pulling a heavy load . ,would sit still stopped until I gave it gas and would be slow to move the grinding noise would get louder as I accelerated and ease off when I stopped but never quite go away ,all this started about 20 miles in and of course about a half mile from the truck so it was a slow go back to the truck

Four wheelers are made to go to the cabin> six wheelers are made for hunting.... get you the Can-Am 650 6x there you go...buy once 😢 once.

Grinding sound is not good. Otherwise it could be as simple as using the wrong oil.

6x6 can be a great machine, if you can give up some maneuverability of the 4x4.