What should I buy?

[Mindy]

In the market for a new ATV. Im partial to Can-am's but the $ is crappy lol.

But I want the best...what is the consenus?
Hubby wants a Kawi...not really too keen on that myself. I also like Polaris...love the 500 HO Sportsman...thats been a good atv so far. But need a new one.

[Rubberdown]

I'd go with a new 500 HO sportsman but that me.

[BIG_T]

what are you doin with it? That makes a huge difference.
Polaris is the best trail machine, I think, and probably about the best in mud. Not the fastest off the starting line though.
What type of riding ar eyou gonna do?

[Rubberdown]

Forgot to mention, WELCOME to the forum ;)

[Riven]

You cant go wrong with a 500 HO!

[bmdjmd]

God stop looking at ONLY sportsmans and go sit yer but on a new 700 Grizz, that will rock your socks and will make you think twice PERIOD.

[Mc800]

I like my Popo, and would buy another in a heartbeat, just for the ride. :first: The 500 is a nice machine specially if you plan on doing a lot of trail riding.

Mc800

PS: Brian has a good point, that Yammie 700 power steering is nice

[slapnuts8725]

If its going to be used for work and trail you cant go wrong with a sportman. I am a lil bias on those thoue. your best bet is to go and test them out. the 2 main selling points for me was polaris does very well stock in water(creek behind my house) and is very stable. The new grizzly seems to be a bad machine. :car: to your dealer and test um out!!

[98frontier]

yamaha 4 ever.....nuf said :hail::hail::tea::tea::violin::peace:

[Donut Slayer]

Mindy, Mindy Mindy, go with the best, get a Polaris. Then get Rubberdowns lift so It'll match your truck.:hail:

[Dirtbmw20]

God stop looking at ONLY sportsmans and go sit yer but on a new 700 Grizz, that will rock your socks and will make you think twice PERIOD.


I'm a Polaris fan by heart and there is no doubt the 500 is a bullet proof machine but I do have to agree with bmdjmd and BigT. Alot will depend on what kind of riding you plan on doing and don't just limit yourself to the Polaris. With all the new bikes out in 2008, like bmd said, go sit on a new Grizz, you just might like it. Go sit on every other brand you are considering, ask for a test ride. I personally like the Brutes, not so fond of the 2008 efi model but my buddies 2007 is bad ass. Arctic Cat makes a good machine. Just don't limit yourself to one or two brands, take a good look and a ride at all of them you are considering.

[Jonathan]

No one mentions HONDA. You are all blinded by the heat comming from your belts lol. I still need to know if you want a trail, mud, mountain rider, or whatever you want to do with it. Each brand has a bike suited for each. Let us know.

As in bullet proff, thats a Forman 500 from Honda. Will never be in the shop. And for calling the 500 Ho the best trail bike/?????? Hummmmmmmm Rincon anyone.

Just my 2 cents, we are all biased guys!!! lol

[bmdjmd]

Funny jonathon i have never sat on a honda, ever, not because of anything other than im never where there is one for sale

[PoPoRZR]

I would also take into consideration Good Dealer....A good dealer that stands behind his product makes up for alot....

["Bankrupt"]

No one mentions HONDA. You are all blinded by the heat comming from your belts lol. I still need to know if you want a trail, mud, mountain rider, or whatever you want to do with it. Each brand has a bike suited for each. Let us know.

a honda is good for running around a farm. but it not a very capable trail bike.... solid rear axle.... come on. welcome to 2007. they invented IRS years ago.

As in bullet proff, thats a Forman 500 from Honda. Will never be in the shop. And for calling the 500 Ho the best trail bike/??????

dont know what mythical honda you ride. EVERY bike needs service work and general repairs. even polaris... although not as much as other bikes.


Hummmmmmmm Rincon anyone.



who the hell wants a pos underpowered 4 wheeler with no low range?

EFI is nice....ohh wait. they dont offer that either.

[slapnuts8725]

Trail bikes need low range!!:fish:

[Jonathan]

a honda is good for running around a farm. but it not a very capable trail bike.... solid rear axle.... come on. welcome to 2007. they invented IRS years ago.



dont know what mythical honda you ride. EVERY bike needs service work and general repairs. even polaris... although not as much as other bikes.





who the hell wants a pos underpowered 4 wheeler with no low range?

EFI is nice....ohh wait. they dont offer that either.


Hummm, I have independent rear and EFI. Did I also mention I have a Honda. Lets take a good look!!!

[Dirtbmw20]

Yea, there's no doubt the newer Rincons are nice bikes also. I think Jonathan has one of the best looking Rincons I have ever seen. I think if it had LOW range it would be a more versatile bike. But still, the Rincon would be one I would throw in for consideration as long as you can do without low gear.

[Rincon1906]

The rincon is the best handling trail bike on the market. What it lack in low is made up for everything else. But I sold mine, soon to be sporting a RZR.

[bmdjmd]

WOW i dont think i would say best handling BUT i have never ridden one.

[Jonathan]

Dirtbmw20: thanks bro, that means a lot to me. About 3 months of research went into my Rinny.

I would say best handleing. I love my buddys Grizz but he can't hang with this thing on the trails. But if we got to go through some very thick mud on the way he is going to beat me.

I would love a low gear but I have plenty of low end power. So far I have not seen the use for a low gear. Besides by not having a low gear I get the tranny with direct shaft power. No need to carry an extra belt for trail rides.

I am not knocking the PoPos or the Grizz at all. Like I said each company makes a bike to handle different areas of a riders needs. I just didn't want Honda to be left out of this mix.

[bmdjmd]

Funny i think everyone "thinks" their atv is the best, i have lost many machines on trails with my grizz, but i have made every change to make it the best trail machine i can, that said i have also fixed tons of stuff due to my own stupid fault and mud getting where it shouldnt be.

[98frontier]

has anyone said kawasaki yet i have a 300 prairie 4x4 and my buddies bruteforce 750 in back yard and i can say i love the way they ride the praire has a popo style suspension and it rides way smoother than my big bear. but if you like power that brute is soooo much fun to ride. but i have rode or rode with most brands and heres my 2 cents:
brute: power 10, handling kinda sways a little 6 seat comfort 4 not enough padding for me
grizz: power 9, handling 10 ,seat defianetly a 10 they are soft and cushy
popo: i can only base this opinion on polaris700's but with his mods it seems equal in all the above but i dont know how it handles with a lift and 29.5's

[PoPoRZR]

Well I drive a popo but i like my brothers grizz...If i had a fourwheeler that is what it would be...

[Rincon1906]

The other bike that handles similar to a rincon is the outlander 800 it is smooth and has plenty of power, but it is a little more tippy on off camber situations than the rincon. I just think credit should be given where credit is due. And the rincon dosent get enough it is the best trail bike I have ever rode. It dosent have a low and everyone knows this but with 27s it will do fine. But I also like the Grizz for a all around bike.

[bmdjmd]

rincon1906 where you from?? i wouldnt mind a little ride with ya sometime if its feasable, just to see what the rincon is actually capable of.

[Rincon1906]

I am in Northeast, TX. But I dont think that is possible anymore, becuase I sold her friday night and hopefully going to pick up a RZR monday. I would like nothing more to show you what I am talking about on some steep hills and how fast the rincon is on a not so strait trail. But I would let you ride it yourself and get your own oppinion on it if I still had it.

[bmdjmd]

AHHH well that does throw a little monkey wrench into it and all, the whole selling it and all, that and we are at least a 30 hour drive apart, HEHEHE, might make for a good weekend of riding though. Im located north of Toronto,ON.

[Rincon1906]

Yeah, you are a pretty good ways from me. Load up and head to mud nats. when its time and we will show you a good southern welcome and some real mud lol.

[bmdjmd]

mud nats is that the HL bog??

[Rincon1906]

Yeah, thats it happens about 2.5 hours from me.

[Rubberdown]

mud nats is that the HL bog??

Yes

[boatman]

I wouldn't have a Grizzly from what I have seen. Without snorkeling the belt equast you will have problems. The Polaris is great in stock form and even better modified.

[bmdjmd]

Hey there Boatman, the 700 Grizz is BETTER than the Polaris now for the cv exhaust and intakes. they are high and dry, the machine you are referring to is the 660 and really its only a true problem if you cant keep and eye on things.

[nathan_]

THat sounds good Mindy ,,,,, BTW, DTO ROCKS !!!!

[boatman]

The 700 grizzly still has problems with the belt getting wet. My friend has a newer 700 grizzly and he is constantly getting mad because the belt starts slipping. He has outlaw MST's on it and I can show you pictures of some of the places we ride. None of the Polaris machines had any problems but he kept having problems with his belt slipping. The grizzly just want rev up in the mud like my Polaris 800. My brother in law has a 660 grizzly and it is a piece of junk. If you get in any water of any depth the belt starts slipping.

[PoPoRZR]

He must have problems then my brother grizzly 700 been up to almost the seat with no snorkles belt never slipped...

[boatman]

Buy a Polaris 500 efi, you can pick up a left over 07 model 500 efi for $4999.99. What a deal!!!

[mbogosia]

I had a 2002 Sporsman 500 with IRS. Nice bike, but it was just too beat on so it was having issues. I replaced it with a new 2007 Honda Foreman 500 w/power steering. I know it is more of a work machine, but all I do is trail ride it and the thing has been great. I know it has a SRA, but to me it really isn't much different than the polaris I had. The huge plus for me is I know I have a very reliable machine. So I loose a tiny bit in performance, but it is worth it for me to be on a Honda. I also installed a perfex long travel kit and it rides really smooth.