4 Wheeler

[OffshoreDuck21]

I'm thinking about buying a 4 wheeler. I've never owned one, so I don't know jack about em. I've always been partial to Yamaha products(ie outboard motors) but I don't know anything about their atv's. Any input to an atv novice is apprciated.

[Swamp Rat]

Pay attention to what you will be using it for. If there is any chance you will be pulling food plot implements or stuff like that, go bigger (350 minimum - 400+ is better). Mine isn't horsey enough to do that... I have a Yamaha Bear Tracker (essentially a 250-class ATV) that is only 2WD. Other than not being able to pull a disc or something well, in 7 years, I have not missed the bigger engine I could have gone with. I have driven this thing up hills with two dead deer on it, and it never burped. And, being smaller and 2WD, it is easy to load, lift off of stumps, and get unstuck....

That being said.... if I was going this route again, I might look at something like a Rhino that can comfortably carry two folks with a lot of stuff. OR, a beefy electric golf cart... no place I hunt now would require an ATV over a golf cart. And golf carts don't spook deer as much as ATV's.

As for brands, you can't go wrong with Yamaha or Honda.

[Chap]

Check the classifieds. You dont need a cadillac. In fact, stay away from all the electronics. Polaris is where I would start.

[dcmbsc]

Honda is king of atvs. By far. My little 250 will pull a deer or a hog out the woods anyday.

[Fat Lab]

Kawasaki Brute Force 750.....Nuff Said'

[Steelin' Ducks]

I 2nd the Brute Force

[wskinner]

polaris sportsman 500. You cant go wrong and there is nothing better than a Ranger if your looking a 2 seaters.

[Chap]

I agree with wskinner. We have a Ranger and love it.

[Palmetto Bug]

If you want to ride and play, get something small. If you want to use it as a tractor, get a big one. The little ones won't pull implements and the big ones will kill you if they roll over on you especially if they are outfitted with racks.

Whether you get 2x4 or 4x4, plan on getting a winch right off the bat.

I've had a few over the years and now have a Ranger 350ES 2x4. I do not use it with any implements but I do haul a lot of corn, deer, and miscellaneous stuff. I've used it to drag some sizeable trees around the farm too. I once even used it to pull a pair of stillborn calves from a cow and saved her life.

Get an add-on silencer muffler for it. They take out the loud puff puff noise that carries so far. The tire noise on mine is now the loudest part.

[DUCK BUSTER 68]

You wont go wrong with a honda.

[ceddy]

Kawasaki brute force 750 or Yamaha Grizzly 700

[DRDUCK]

Da winch for sho. Will be suprised what else you can use it for around the house and woods besides gettin ya unstuck. I got a ArticCat and it is one tough machine. I ain't ever touched it besides changin the oil.

[Faith and Grace]

I had a Yamaha Grizzly 700 and wish I necver sold it. I loved it. I now have a Bad Boy Buggy and I love it too. If I were going to get a side X side then I would go with the Polaris RaNGER IF i WAS GOING to do more work stuff like plots and such but if I wanted to play and hunt then go with the Rhino. Unfortunantly no one here in Charleston sells Polaris. I like the Brute Force but can't understand why they still use carb. engines. Honda or Yammi is the way to go but I would go with Honda.

[MediaGuy]

For goodness sake just make sure to strap down whatever you get so it doesn't blow out of you truck during a tropical storm

[Islandboy]

We've got Yamaha Bear trackers(250's). They have been great and virtually indestructable. They have been flipped, rolled, sunk, and punished. They just keep chugging along. The only time one had to go in the shop was when we stripped the splines in the gear shifter and we couldn't shift. The only other feature I wish they had is 4X4. They can hang in some nasty stuff b/c they are so light and the front end floats. I think with 4X4 I could go virtually anywhere and still be able to lift them over/on top of anything. The big 500+CC machines have their place, but the little guys sure do have some guts.

[woodykillingmachine]

ive got a honda rancher 350es and love it i dont know about working the plots and stuff but other than that it does just about as good as any others ive ridin with. ive gotten through stuff the 350 4x4 couldnt with my 2x4 so its all your choice.

[Chessbay]

I just recently bought an 08' Honda Rancher 420 manual shift 4 x 4.

I could not be happier with the bike. Fits nicely in the back of my truck and is small enough to easily manuver through tight terrain.

The 420 is plenty of power to haul deer, smaller tree's and accomodate an additional rider (usually my wife). We plant all of our food plots with 4 wheelers of similar size.

In my opinion you cannot go wrong with a Honda Bike.

If you think you might ever have a need for a bigger ATV I would jump up to a side by side. Figure out what your needs are and then go and test drive them all and base your decision on that. You'll get a million opinions on the internet.

I will say that once you decide what you want figure out who has the best pricing in South Carolina and take that price to your LOCAL dealer and ask them to match it. I think you'll find most will be willing to deal to keep your business and it certainly makes service much easier.

Good Luck.

[cajunwannabe]

For the money...the best deal around is DVR's Honda 420 for sale on SCducks classified's. If I didn't have so many mouth's to feed, I'd buy it. I

own a Honda Rancher 350 ES 2 x 4 WITH a winch...best money spent. I pull a drag harrow with mine like a champ. Only problem about going up in horses is the width of the machine...they can't navigate the big machines where I run my little 350. The big one's are too big, wide and bulky...if you're on a farm, different tool for the trade.

[duckduckdog]

I second the Polaris. I've had my 330 magnum for 5 years now and never had a single problem. Tough as nails and goes anywhere I've ever tried to put it. I've never used it for foot plots but I've drug a lot of stuff around with it and never had it let me down.

[Whackumstackum]

I had a Rancher 350 4x4 es and miss that thing everytime Im dragging a deer! My buddy had a 500 polaris sportsman and the only time he could pass me was on flat ground, put him with me in the mud and i would pull him out when he got stuck. Never had a winch as I had big tires and never got bogged down. I drove a yamaha bruin once and it seemd a little top heavy to me but was pretty quick for a 4x4 350. Will be back on a honda soon I hope.