Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Yamaha Grizzly vs. Honda Rancher

Great pics! That's gotta be about the best use for an ATV that I can think of. There is one happy rider....

On a scale from one to ten, with one being a "nice to have" and ten being a "must have", how would you rate the addition of a winch for a "casual" ATV rider?

Edited to add:
The winch will be a "must have" if I decide to plow with it, although last winter I didn't even use my snowblower once.

What is that,..remnants of where a glacier was at one time?

This is not my machine but I got to ride it a few times last Fall.
One day we traveled around 40-50 miles so I got a pretty decent idea, it's a nice wheeler.


Klik's rocks look nasty, that would be a good test!

I would have thought so, but according to this local newspaper article explaining the formation, the glaciers did not extend this far south.

The formation is just off of the Appalachian Trail in Berks County PA. Although not as bad as in this pic, these types of rocks make hiking the AT in PA a real "pain". Here is a link to the article. You might have to click past an ad:

Blue Rocks

CoalCracker, what kinda deal you gettin on the 450 if I can ask?

What, no respect for the rocks in PA that I posted?

I missed it man!


Those PA rocks are worse!

The best deal that I found online was at Miller's Yamaha in Lemont Furnace, PA. The price shown on their website is $5,990. I called and spoke with them and hinted that I was suspicious of the price. They assured me that the online price is correct, except that they do add an additional $345 for destination and set-up charges. Of course, the advertised price does not include tax & tags.

I think all dealers have a similar destination and set-up charge, but some may disguise it better in the overall cost. I found a few other prices that were close, but none of the dealers are real close to home.

I buy my stuff down in WV at Romney Cycles. No tax. Register it in PA and pay the tax. They have a 450 Griz for 6595. Wheel and deal a little youll get a better deal. Take cash. Once you get it to PA with tax and reg your probably at 7000. Thats a good deal too you found tho. Good luck with it!

Winch?...depends on how old you are, how strong your back is, and how creative you are. I should add "how smart you are" too, but strong back and smart are often an odd combination. Anyway, I have never had to walk away from a stuck machine, but I tend to avoid "mud-bogging" situations when possible. I would rate a winch as "nice to have" though I see that moving up the scale as the calendar rolls. Getting the winch as part of a new rig package is probably the least money. Often times a dealer may not dicker much on price, but may be agreeable with lower-priced add-ons in order to sweeten the deal instead.

Do you see an ATV parked in them, or similar ones? I'd call that respect , or at least good sense.

BTW, I'm never crazy about banging through those rocky volcanic crumble strings. However, sometimes it becomes the preferred alternative when the other choice involves miles of equally lumpy, if less abrasive tundra.

Thanks for the heads-up on Romney Cycles. I like them better than Obama Cycles....

I still have a few calls and Internet price quote requests in with dealers that are closer to home. I'd pay a few extra bucks to save 10 hours in a car and nearly $100 in gas money. I won't pay $1,100 more at the local dealer if for no other reason than I will feel stupid if I do.

Dont blame ya, id feel the same. I looked all over when I bought my King Quad 750. Guy at work told me about Romney. I called the guy up and told him what I was lookin for. He said hold off 2 weeks im getting a truckload of leftovers in, 5830 out the door, I almost [bleep]! The local dealer wanted 7500. Super nice folks too. Good luck which ever way you go!

Using the winch as a deal sweetener is good advice. I really don't think I need one, but after reading the Grizzly forums for the past few days, it seems like the winch is viewed as one of the more important add-ons - sort of like good glass is viewed on the 'Fire.

Looking at your pics, it doesn't seem like you would have a good place to hook up a winch. Could you drive a bar into the ground, or is it too frozen?

Ive put the guy I worked for in high schools honda rancher through hell and it had LOTS of miles on it and all we ever had to do to it was change oil. I only have 900 miles on my Honda Rancher and I have no complaints at all about it. Mine is fuel injected and it started everytime no problem no matter the conditions. If I ever have to buy another 4wheeler I will for sure go with a Honda Rancher again

What type of transmission does your Rancher have? I've read many times that the Rancher is a top-notch, bullet proof quad, except that the newer auto trans doesn't yet have a long track record. The Rancher started out as my first choice, but what scared me was a thread I read on a Honda forum which said that if the AT fails, it cannot be repaired and must be replaced. I'm nearly certain that someone posted that they were quoted $2,900 to replace the AT in a newer Rancher.

Don't forget to pick-up a small electric pump (any auto parts store has em) and a tire plug kit.

Folks that have the winches sometimes carry a fluke type anchor and, (or at least), a long rope. 4WD seems easy, generally, when you've put tens of thousands of 2WD miles on these rigs. I carry a small saw (to build beds across mud bogs, if necessary). Paul Bunyan couldn't kill these willows and alders.

IMO, a winch is a must have. You say the type of riding you do shouldnt require you to need one BUT, there's always the chance that you get an invite to go someplace that could hold some nasty terrain. You'll need it for the plow anyways so I would just work out a deal with the dealer and have them put one on.

Like someone said above, get yourself a small portable air pump and a tire repair kit, that's another item I wouldn't leave home without.

Got\have had both Honda's and Yamaha's. Currently have a Rhino and Fourtrax 300. You won't go wrong with either. Like said above-a winch is a very desireable piece of equipment to have on the rare occasion that you need it.