if I couldn't buy a polaris I'd buy a yamaha... its a coin toss for me which is better and would likely come down to which I could get the best deal on... you won't go wrong with a yammie
I know where you can get a Grizzly 660 (2006 model) with 130mi. on it for $5,500 Don't know if that's a deal or not.
Matt, I have a 96 Big Bear 350 SE 4x4. It has been ridden HARD (and we bought it in 98 used). I'm not lying when I say during late middle school through high school, I rode that thing about 200 days of the 365 (maybe more). I've changed the oil twice (not proud of that, but I was a young kid who didn't care much about maintenance. This is a barebones full time 4wd unit. It's been ridden through 12" of snow (barely at times:D), on pavement (yes, again, hard on the drive-train in a fulltime 4wd, but again, I was a kid) been through nasty rock trails, mud, etc, and recently, it's now my food plot lime and seed spreader. I've changed one CV joint. That's it. It's still ticking to this day. I'm happy.
I've never personally owned a Yamaha 4 wheeler, but, I have owned their dirt bikes. Friends of mine own their 4 wheelers, and, they work for them. I plowed my driveway, my neighbors (both large), and walk ways with a Yamaha Grizz this year. I borrowed it from a friend. He purchased it used. He uses it to plow, for farm work, etc, etc and it's held up very well ! I would have no hesitation purchasing a Yamaha, Honda or Kawi. I would NOT purchase a Polaris because they have some major set backs that make them grossly inferior to the other brands.
You CAN'T go wrong with Yamaha .... I had my Kodiak 400 and I used it year round ... plowed A LOT of snow ... most of you guys don't see the snow we in the buffalo area see, and my driveway was over 100' long ... I ran my dog daily up and down the hills on m,y property and went cruising almost every day ... I towed wood from the back of the property in a cart .... I mean, I WORKED it and played a ton ... and I NEVER had problems with it ... Yamaha all the way, IMO
This would be me .... if I could buy one right now.. http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/products/modelhome/535/0/home.aspx
I owned a 2005 Polaris 700 EFI that was a great machine. I used it for puting in food plots, pulling a Mossy Oak Tufline disk weighing 450LBS, and also plowing snow. Mine was unstopable. The only issue I had was the battery would not keep a charge in the winter. Never did figure that out. I sold it because my dad bought a 2010 Polaris 850XP. It is very impressive as far as power and seems well built, better than the Honda at least. You ride a Polaris and then ride a Honda....the Polaris is like a Cadilac and there is something to be said for weight. While the Polaris may not be something to ride through a swamp, due to weight, there something to be side for having a lot of metal under you. The stabilness, true 4x4, paint on a Polaris vs mold colored plastic which fades over time on other brands, built in storage compartments, ect all are great properties of a Polaris. If you are truely not sure I would try and take a weekend and hang out by some trails, if there are any in your area, and talk with a few owners. Maybe they will even let you take theirs for a ride.
Absolutely! You will love it .. and you will still be able to kick the azz end around when your playing (It looks real cool) :D I used to have to push the new snow up the old plowed snow in my driveway .. I would just ride right up it ... man I miss those days ....
Seriously......:D http://powersports.honda.com/2011/fourtrax-rancher-at.aspx Matt, I would love to see the ground you run on. I have absolutely beat the living piss out of my Honda's the last 9 years and there is no way I could, or would, buy a different machine.
I know one place where I honestly don't see very many honda's, Not just saying that, they may be there, but I would say it's the least common... Outlaw Trails West Virginia. Youtube sometime when your bored... Here's two of my own videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDzGyO56sww http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHo31YJ0JcU&feature=related We usually go several times a year. If any of you guys are ever interested in meeting up and riding, shoot me a pm, You could ride for a year and never see the same trail twice if you didn't want to.
Rick.. I have a 500 Polaris and travel all the types of terrain you're talking about. I bought it when I moved here in 2007. I have a plow for it and plow my drive and my brothers. I take it ice fishing, go to the hunting camp close to home, drive it up on the Tug Hill Plateau and belong to the Oswego County ATV Club and drive their trails. I service it regularly and it's never missed a lick. My buddy got it stuck once going where I said no 4 wheeler could go. He proved me right. LOL I love the thing. The only thing I ever had go wrong was my winch switch. It was really the coupler that went bad. Using the plow that switch and coupler get a lot of work. If you get 150-200 inches of snow every winter... you plow a lot.
