ATV Question

[Huron River Dan]

Guys I would like your recommendation on a quad. I was thinking something in the 350 range 2x4. I want it to haul stands in and out of the woods at the farm, icefishing, and minor snow plowing. I saw a Polaris knockoff Tractor Supply is selling; it's a 260 cc. Would that be suitable for my needs?

Thanks,
Dan

[Kfisher]

Do you know the price on that machine

[FishinJoe]

I heard those knockoffs are no good. Spend a little more and get a decent used quad. I have a 99 Kawasaki 300 Bayou 2x4 that I used for both hunting and ice fishing it is a great machine and will go through just about anything but deep snow did slow it down a bit. This year I got a Arctic Cat 300 4x4 and let me tell you this machine is pretty much unstoppable, great for hunting and work and it will go through just about any mudhole you can throw at it, you actually have to try to get it stuck.

[Hunt4Ever]

I looked at the Arctic Cat quads and I must say I was impressed. I want one that has tons of clearance for the snow. That machine fills the bill. I think they are underrated because people can't associate quad with Arctic Cat. If I ever find a place to put one, I will probably get that one.

[FishinJoe]

Yes tons of ground clearance, my 300 looks like other companies 500 or 600 class machines. The only thing mine lacks is top end speed but it has more than enough ow end to make up for it.

Joe

[Hunt4Ever]

If it has clearance, torque, 4 wheel drive, and some descent accessories, I could care less about top end speed. I'm not in that big a hurry to get anywhere. Good choice!

[Huron River Dan]

Kfisher, the price on the rig at TSC was $3199.00. The ground clearance on the machine was great. The guy at the store said the engines were from the same supplier Polaris uses. One nice feature I thought was the Hi and Lo range gears. Thanks for the replies guys.

Dan

[woodsrat]

Kfisher, the price on the rig at TSC was $3199.00. The ground clearance on the machine was great. The guy at the store said the engines were from the same supplier Polaris uses. One nice feature I thought was the Hi and Lo range gears. Thanks for the replies guys.

DanThe guy at TSC is full of beans. The engine on that Manco ATV is a "Lehai" [sp?] and is manufactured in China. It is actually a copy of a Yamaha engine. Manco is an American Company that has been making go-carts for many years and entered into the ATV line a few years back. www.mancoprod.com (http://www.mancoprod.com)

TSC told me that the engine was a Subaru aka Robyn. Manco puts Robyn engines on their go-carts. It is NOT a Subaru/Robyn engine either. A guy I know sells Manco products (for now) and told me that this particular quad had lots of problems at first and there was even a recall on them early on. They seemed to have things straightened out now. I test rode one of them and it was pretty gutless. It rode o.k. though. I thought about getting one for the wife, but I think I'll stick with something that the salespeople know more about and I can get repaired easily with parts readily available. For a little more $$$ you can get a Kawasaki, Yamaha or Polaris with a bigger engine and 4wd.

[William H Bonney]

I'm gonna be in the market for quad also. I had my mind set on a Polaris or Honda,,, but the more research I do,,I'm kinda leaning towards the Yahama. Theres a show on OLN called, ATV Today or something like that,, they product test all kinds of machines. Its a great show.

[woodsrat]

I'm gonna be in the market for quad also. I had my mind set on a Polaris or Honda,,, but the more research I do,,I'm kinda leaning towards the Yahama. Theres a show on OLN called, ATV Today or something like that,, they product test all kinds of machines. Its a great show.
It's all about personal choice. I think you would be happy with any of the products you named. The Yamaha is a good choice though.

[stream wader]

shopped them all and bought a honda rincon best purchase ever :)

[Capnhook]

Huron River Dan,
I got the Polaris Sportsman. We use it around the farm, and I also take it fishing now and then. It gets put through the wringer, and never misses a beat. It's like woodsrat says, a matter of personal choice. They all (Honda, Polaris, Yamaha) have tons of satisfied customers. I would stay away from the off brands. Brand names just aren't that much more. Capnhook

[WDGibby]

I have a Honda 300 4x4, use it year round, great little machine. No repairs since 94 when it was new. Other than a battery and oil, filter changes.

Gibby:)

[MiketheElder]

I keep talking about buying one also and after Shadow7663 gave me a ride in from the point at Metro today I might have myself convinced. I really appreciated that ride!

Now I just have to figure out how to store it. I might have to convert a portion of my staionary fence to open wide so I can get it into my backyard. Privacy fence is keeping my own yard private from me!

Thanks again for the ride Shadow. You treat an old guy well. Oh yeah, thanks for the three holes you power-augered for me after the ride. Man I love M/S people!!!!!!!!!

Big Mike

[shadow7663]

My pleasure Mike I was glad I could help. You paid for that ride in full with that hot little trick you showed me..Thanks a million for that

[Marrble Eyes]

Okay guys any of you buy one that you wish had a bigger engine in?

300?

350?

400?

I am looking at 350 and 400 models. Meaning 320 cc to 395cc. could use your honest opinions.

[shadow7663]

My quad in the pic below is only a 330cc(polaris) but man does that sucker pull big time. I haul all of my gear including at times 2 shanties one close to 150 lbs or more the trailer my fat 300 lb butt and people in the trailer through the snow on the ice and has not let me down yet. The only thing that i may do is get a some chains for the front and back(4x4) So I can get a little better traction.

I have many pics of my machine in my gallery if you want to look at it better.

[FishinJoe]

This is my second 300 and let me tell you they have plenty of power as long as you are not a speed junkie, I like them because they are smaller than the big ones, the big ones are like driving a truck through the woods.

Joe

[salmonslammer]

What kind of top end are you going to get on a 300???? I think this is my last year of walking......knees don't like the pounding much!!

[woodsrat]

Okay guys any of you buy one that you wish had a bigger engine in?

300?

350?

400?

I am looking at 350 and 400 models. Meaning 320 cc to 395cc. could use your honest opinions.
I have a 700 Polaris Sportsman. Several of my friends have 400's or smaller and I'd say it's about half and half. Half want something bigger and the other half is fine with what they have. Out of the half that want something bigger, I'd say that half of them want something bigger for their ego alone the rest want more power. That said, I love my 700 and take it all over in the woods and it is not too big for anywhere I've been. Plenty of power and can plow snow and climb hills like you wouldn't believe. Tows my other implements pretty good too. It is a personal choice-depends on what you need it for. I would say that I could have gotten by with a smaller machine, but I really like what I have. Really liked the Polaris 335 Sportsman. Nice machine. That's what my wife wants. By the way, my 700 weighs in at around 800 lbs. with the winch on it. That is alot of weight. Something to think about. Gas mileage ain't as good as the smaller machines.

[shadow7663]

What kind of top end are you going to get on a 300???? I think this is my last year of walking......knees don't like the pounding much!!
I have had mine up to 40 and still had more to go but had a turn on the trail....lol

I only use low range on the ice pulling my gear go about 15-20 m.p.h.

[WDGibby]

I have the 300 Honda 4x4 and see no need for me to go bigger. Does everything I need it to do. Hauls me and tree stands out back, 15 gal tank sprayer on back in the spring, back and forth on the ice, alot of times it two folks and their gear. I use my machine year round. All depends on your needs.

Gibby:)

[neversunk]

Don't waste your money on that TSC chinese junk....you won't be able to get parts later and they WILL break and they have no resale value at all. Get a quality machine cheap.....call Honda East in Maumee, Ohio. You can buy a Honda or Yamaha for that kind of money there. They will deal under MSRP....these guys up here in the Metro Detroit area won't cut you any slack on the price. They're driving everybody to buy out of state with their no haggle pricing, setup fees etc. Besides.....if you buy it in Ohio you won't have to pay Michigan sales tax. Its easy to save over a thousand bucks buying there.... TRUST ME!!!! Theres a couple outfits in Tennessee near their northern border that are even cheaper, but its a further drive (Abernathy I think its called)

[Marrble Eyes]

Don't waste your money on that TSC chinese junk....you won't be able to get parts later and they WILL break and they have no resale value at all. Get a quality machine cheap.....call Honda East in Maumee, Ohio. You can buy a Honda or Yamaha for that kind of money there. They will deal under MSRP....these guys up here in the Metro Detroit area won't cut you any slack on the price. They're driving everybody to buy out of state with their no haggle pricing, setup fees etc. Besides.....if you buy it in Ohio you won't have to pay Michigan sales tax. Its easy to save over a thousand bucks buying there.... TRUST ME!!!! Theres a couple outfits in Tennessee near their northern border that are even cheaper, but its a further drive (Abernathy I think its called)


Okay can you send me a email filling me in on who to talk to down there? It will be a cash sale. Either a 350 or 400, either 04 or 05 models. Earlier models 01-03 would b okay but they better have been owned by old men who used them to retrieve the mail :lol: Would prefer selectable 4x4 and ES.

[Ed Michrina]

I have the ES (electric shift) on my recon. its a hard to get used to but works great. You might want to stear away from the chanin driven atv's for ice fishing . Honda is direct drive. The cheep look-a-likes skimp on important things like (pull start) very important. my honda recon 4 x 2 was just under 3000 out the door and the trailer from Lowes ran $600 but fits it perfect easy on and off pluss Its small enough to hook up to the atv. Good luck

[dongiese]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/538/36244X4-med.jpg

I looked at all of the machines out there, and I bought this one. I've rode the Polaris sportsman 500 for days, and I would compare this to it and I can ride 2 people, and the price is about the same. I've had mine up to 50mph.

[Marrble Eyes]

I have the ES (electric shift) on my recon. its a hard to get used to but works great. You might want to stear away from the chanin driven atv's for ice fishing . Honda is direct drive. The cheep look-a-likes skimp on important things like (pull start) very important. my honda recon 4 x 2 was just under 3000 out the door and the trailer from Lowes ran $600 but fits it perfect easy on and off pluss Its small enough to hook up to the atv. Good luck

Ed, You ever wish you had got the 4x4 instead of the 4x2?

[neversunk]

Hey Marrble Eyes....I sent you a PM with that info. If you did'nt get it let me know. And in my opinion the little bit extra money for the 4 x 4 is well worth it. I got stuck last friday night on my trike out there in a foot of snow with 3 inches of slush under it.....thought I was gonna have a heart attack trying to get it out (and I've got chains and studs too). I sold it to my brother the next day am buying a 4 x 4. The 4 x 4 will probably get up ramps into your pickup better too without flipping over or sliding and you can put a snow plow on it someday later if you want to make the rest of your life easier and justify the cost of the whole thing to your wife....those things plow like heck!!!

[Marrble Eyes]

I got the email thanks.

I got a JD 4300 with a front end loader for the snow. That excuse only works once with this gal. :lol: I guess I need to take her to Linwood for a walleye trip on hard ice. I figure after a couple mile walk both out and back in she'll like the idea of a quad. :D

As Bush would say, 'it takes plaining and Stradegery!'

[Ed Michrina]

Ed, You ever wish you had got the 4x4 instead of the 4x2?

No not for the extra $$ . Most of the time on LSC there is little or no snow and the times it does the 2 wheel will do ok with chains. The big snow dump we had is more of a rare thing. I have a feeling that my 2x4 is just a steping stone to an 8x8 Argo but that is hard to justify $$ for only 2 months use ice fishing.

[neversunk]

You are correct Ed....this is a very unusual year. However....these conditions have stopped me from using my trike with chains and studs on the east side of the bay so I sold it to my brother. I will be buying a 4x4 quad so that I will always be able to get access in the future. No hurry though what with the dirty water and crummy fishing this season..but I will be ready for next year. I guess my spending the $$$$ on this rig will guarantee that there will be no snow on the ice next year. So just remember guys....I'm taking a hit for the team!!!!! :grouphug:

[Outdoorsman360]

Hey guys, I have Kawasaki Prarie 360 4X4 and it has been great. I also thought about the 2X4 version but am glad I went with the 4X4. The 4X4 moves better even in a little bit of snow or mud. At times I wish it were a bit faster but it does 46mph at top end. Like the others have said it will practically tow your house if needed. I have had no problems and have put 800 miles on it in one year. Another thing you may want to consider is auto shift trans so you don't have to shift gears when hauling a bunch of gear out to your fishing spot or hunting blind. They also come in handy for baiting blinds and haulin out deer out of the woods. Just my 2 cents.

[Huron River Dan]

Guys,

One of the fellows mentioned checking with a dealer in Ohio. Said that the benefit was no sales tax for Jennifer; according to the salesman I talked to sales tax is collected. Price he quoted me on the rig I was looking at was very good.

Dan

[gilly]

I have a 400 Prairie 2 X 4. I have been ripping around and the 14" plus dump we got means you are getting stuck here and there. It handled the first 8" dump pretty good though and now no problem. I haven't bought chains yet and also feel most of the time you would be ok as huge snow falls aren't too common. I do wish I had 4 X 4 but when a deal comes along you have to jump at it. Hope to get her out on the ice this weekend.

[neversunk]

Did you clarify with the salesman in Ohio that you are a Michigan resident? The guy I talked to said as long as you pick up personally at their dealer and show proof of being a non-Ohio resident it would be a no sales tax deal.

[Bambi]

I just sold my Honda 650 Rincon,I didnt like not having the low gears.
Monday i bought a 2004 Honda 450 Foreman es from tom cycle in St.
Johns for $5367 pus tax .Brand new