I'm looking at possibly getting a new ATV (with approval from the wife ). These are my 5 possible choices. I looked for reviews and couldn't find anything that helped and I haven't had the chance to ride any of them. Most of these have somewhat similar features. I just want the best for my hard earned $$. The Can Am is in there and is probably the best out of the five, but it's also about $1000 more than all of them. Vote for the best all around ATV and give some opinions why.

 

If you have the money, id go for the Can Am, all I hear are great things, although ive never actually gotten the chance to ride one to give any reports...
My Mother-in-law/FIL have both a Grizzly and Artic Cat and both are pretty decent as well, older models, but still plenty of power. They also just bought a basically new Polaris, that I havent gotten to ride yet, but my fiancee says its a blast...

Id check out some 4wheeler sites and see what problems you can expect, if any, and go from there.(As well as getting opinions from folks on here)

 

I have a Polaris MV-7 and Im looking for another one. Winch in the front, and the back. Fuel tanks front and back, has a pull start and was built STRONG. I'd like to have a fleet of them.

 

I just looked at the Arctic Cat and I think I'll add that one too.

 

Im kinda biased, but if you are buying it strictly for utility purposes I would go with the Arctic Cat. I absolutely love my Kitty. I have a 06 400 TRV and its awesome. Built really stout, and has a factory 2" receiver. My next one will either be the 700 Diesel Arctic Cat or the new 950 Arctic Cat. Honda builds a real nice unit too. Can Ams are also nice, but are a little pricey. Just my 2 cents worth.

Marshall

 

I voted for the Honda. Every Honda ATV anyone I know has had has been abused and beaten (rode hard and put away wet so to speak). They last forever. The Rincon has some good specs too. I think you will probably be pretty happy with any the ones listed though.

 

Honda is the best hands down!!

 

Thats if you can stand the stiff ride on the Honda!!! And where I live if you need to get it fixed your going to sit for at least 2 weeks.

I have had no serious problums with my Polaris sportsman 500 after 15,820 miles. My Sportsman 700 EFI really looks promising so far but it only has 1,400 miles.

If I was to buy one tomarow I would take a look at the Artic Cat 700 diesel. Engine is rated for 10,000 hours of service.

 

I just bought a new 2007 Kawasaki Brute Force 750 last Christmas. I have ridden it 500 miles this year. So far it has been awesome! Gobs of torque! It has a V-twin engine that just won't stop and sounds so awesome even with the stock exhaust system still in place. 4 wheel independent suspension. The only thing about mine is it is doesn't have fuel injection. But the new 2008 Brute Force has it!!

I am not knocking any of the others. I considered some of the others too, last Christmas. But in the end, I made the best decision for me. Good luck!

 

I have a Polaris700 Twin. I like it but I think I made a mistake. The auto trans is not what I had expected. Now, I wish I had gotten one of the Hondas with the finger select switch for the gears. Buddy of mine has the Honda, I really like the gearing. Wanna trade mine in but I don't want to take a beating.

 

I must say, i've got a Can-Am 800 Max XT. That thing is incredible, the comfort and power, is unreal. It is a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for, Now I do know several friends that have the brute force, and I really will say that you couldn't give me one of them bikes. I'm all for the Can am. I'm running 29.5s with no lift, and no strain on the engine.

 

I got one of the first Grizzly 660s when they came out a few years ago. I love the thing, have taken it up on top of the tallest mountains in NM and never had a problem starting it, even when it was covered by half a foot of snow from the night before. I wouldn't mind upgrading to a FI twiin, but this thing definitely does what I ask of it, and the ability to lock the diffs with my right hand and not worry about shifting gears does it for me.

 

They are all nice bikes that will serve you well, the Arctic Cat's have in the past had the smoothest low maintenance suspension. I've had 2 kawi 650's and a Bombardier (now Can AM) traxter. The kawi650 will run down the Polaris 700. The Can Am 800 outlander will run over them all. At a recent sledpull a bone stock 800 towed the sled a mile further than all the rest and hooked to the bumper it could tow them all around...sometimes two at at time. As far as traction and gettting the power to the ground the Can Am rules. Hondas are reliable but are a little behind in suspension and features and they look like toys beside the new "big bikes".... That said I went to a mud bog and a modded 450 killed all comers and a buddy put slicks on his 450 and had it modded to go 160km/hr... So there ya go. Good luck, Kerry

 

I have had the honda and the polaris and I love them both, ( pics in gallery) you can't go wrong with either one. The yamaha is to top heavy imo.

 

My wife has had a 04 660 Grizz for the last 4 years and we have a little over 4000 miles on it now. Its been to Colorado 5 times in those 4 years and most of the miles on it are from those trips. Colorado riding is not easy on anything. Its super rocky and abusive. The thing has had a few small isues that are mostly rider indused but simple to fix. I recently traded my 700 raptor for a new 07 700 Grizz and couldent be happier. It dont have the overall power of the Outy but it has far supirior ground clearence for the rocks in Colorado. The power stearing is also awsome. I never thought it was nesasary to have, infact I wanted one without it but they dident offer it till abought 2 months after I bought one. Now after having it in Colorado and being able to ride one handed while taking pics with the other and my budies fighting there machines down the same trail with no PS it was worth it. The Grizz is a fine balance of power and ridability. It dont have the power of the 2 cylinder models but with its awsome ground clearence and PS and locking front diff it was a no brainer for me to get one. Mt cousin has had 2 Outlanders. The first was a 400 the second the 800. He had been to Colorado 3 times with me and all 3 times they have left him sitting with a dead machine. There literaly is not enough time for me to list the isues he has had with them. Both machines have had the Voltage regulator go out when we where abought 50 miles from camp and the 400 boiled the battery while the 800 just stoped charging. He has had to be towed back to camp 4 times in those 3 trips. The 800 broke 3 shocks this year and consiquently he had no ground clearence. His fram looks like you stood it on end and beat it with a sledge hammer. It is just thin sheet mettal and does not take any abuse to damage it badly. I test rode a 700 Cat before buying my 700 Grizz this past spring and it was a desent machine till I compared it head to head against the 700 Grizz on the same terain behind the dealer. It was tall and rode like it had a solid rear axle. There was absolutly no suspension give. The stearing was harder than anything I have ever ridden. Over all it just dident compete with the Grizz. My good budie has a BF and seems to like it but he is ALWAYS working on it. I will admit that a lot of his isues are self indused due to drownding it and just generaly beating the snot out of it, but it is always requiring some maintenence. It is better than the Outy but I was partial to the Grizz after using and abusing the wifes for so long. The Polaris machines have come a long way in the last 5 years. The first machine I owned was a 99 500 Scrambler. It was in the shop more than my garage. I swore to never own anouther Polaris but the newer ones are better. I know some people that beat the snot out of them and put high miles on them with minimal maintenece and they just keep going.

This is my new 07 grizz


When riding trails like this the front locking diff and power stearing are awsome.

You can see my Grizz sitting up the trail a ways. I had to stop and come back and help my cousin get his Outy over this rock. My Grizz and the BF just drove rite up and over with no drama but the outy had to have a helping hand due to its visco lock front end. The tires on them have to spin 5 revolutions to lock the front end and once it locks if you let off the throtle it will unlock and you have to spin the tires 5 more revs before it will relock.


Like I said the Grizz may not have the power of the BF or Outy but it is one of the most refined machenies I have ever owned or ridden. Dont get me wrong on the power either. It has plenty. On pavment it will stand straight on end. It has no problems getting the front end off the ground a doing welies either but it wont win a drag race against the other 2.