What 4 wheeler to buy

I'd like to buy a 4 wheeler but know nothing about them. I need advice on what you all like for trapping. Do you feel it's worth the money to own one for trapping?

I know about as much as you do but when I was looking I was told Kawasaki, Honda, or Yamaha. I got a great deal on my Yamaha and wouldn’t trade it.

I love my Honda 250 recon. If you get one for trapping, make sure it’s a utility and not a sport. Mine has racks that I mount buckets and totes on.

Honda is generally considered the best. It's all I'd own. Mine is a Rancher. Foremans and Recons, Rincons and Rubicons would probably also be well suited for trapping.

Been running a Honda Foreman 500 since 2014 and never had a minutes trouble with it. It is just limited as to the load it can haul. I am upgrading to a Honda side by side for more cargo capacity. The SxS cargo box is rated at 1,000 lbs and with 4 wheel independent suspension, it will ride a little better also.

I would say reliability wise you cannot beat a Honda. I own a 250 and a 500 and they have been great bikes. I think a lot of it comes down to what all you will use it for. The size on bikes have grown and that matters when you are in the woods. Also, IRS or straight axle. Will you need 4x4? Many things come down to personal preference. I will help answer any questions you have.

Yamaha or Honda if you want reliability

I own 4 myself a 2001 Honda Recon 250, a 90 and 91 Honda 300 FourTrax, and a 1999 Polaris Sportsman 500.

The 2001 Recon 250 is an awesome little machine especially for making your own paths in uncharted territory, its light enough to throw around and control. Starts easily in 0 weather. Downside was I am 6' 275lbs. and the rear axle bearings went after about 5 years of abuse.

The 90 and 91 300 Fourtrax are awesome, they are workhorses, plenty of power and take all the abuse you can throw at them. I have pulled car trailers and carts with a half ton of rocks loaded over uneven terrain with no problem. Downside is that the brakes suck, but if you learn how to downshift right you wont need them. Been running without brakes for 7+ years.

1999 Polaris Sportsman 500, I have owned it since 2004 and put more money in parts into it than gas, In Short IT SUCKS! always broken down.

My parents just bought a NOS 2016 Honda Foreman 500 for our camp 2 weeks ago, It's shiny and its got lots of goodies and all but I don't like it, I hopped on it this morning checked about 1/4 of my line took it back to the barn and hopped on my 91 Honda Fourtrax and finished my checks. That old 300 goes better in the snow and seems to have more power than it does.

Have an 04 rancher. It's been great.

Thanks for all the feedback. I would be using it mainly for trapping farm country and need one that will travel through mud and deeper snow. I won't be doing any brush busting or hauling real heavy loads. I do want to be able to haul passenger since I pick morel mushrooms, hunt and fish.

I have had two 350 honda ranchers for 14 years. No problems start every time. Just replaced the original tires last year. Love them.

I'm also going to need one that I can plow my driveway so i'd need a model that would plow. Any comments on that?

I have four Yamaha Kodiak 450's, 2003-2004 models, I'm pretty sold on them.
I can't say much bad about Hondas though, except that Honda didn't offer the option to shift from regular 4x4 into true 4x4. That may have changed recently though.

Thanks again. How do they work in the snow?

I will be the odd one out. I have Arctic cat 500's in my camp and they have been bulletproof. 10 years no parts issues no problems.
One is automatic, one is manual. I bought over Honda and others at the time because they have 4 wheel independent suspension. That is huge in the ride comfort.
Without tracks, none are great in deep snow. If your going to plow get a machine with some weight and horsepower.
I will buy cats again, and plan on it, the big upgrade will be power steering.

The top names are all pretty good, I chose these.

Osky

i have a Yamaha Grizzly now and want one of these badly-with tracks
https://atv.polaris.com/en-us/sportsman-6x6-570/

You could put a sand/salt spreader on this and actually pack some product.

I have a 2002 Arctic Cat 400 that I bought new. I had to replace the rear drive shaft and cv joint last fall. Today I put rear brakes on it. It has 7500 miles on it! If it blows up tomorrow, it doesn't owe me a dime.

Yep, Artic cat 400, great machine.

Put me in the Honda camp. I have a 92 model 300 Fourtrax that will not die. A few months ago I bought a new 2016 420 Rancher 4x4 manual transmission and power steering. It was the last 2016 on the lot and the last year model that they were pairing the manual tranny with power steering. I got a steal of a deal on it. 1500 below sticker price. It only has 50 miles on it but I love it so far.

Something the guys in the service department at the dealership told me is beware of the Rubicon if you plan on pulling or pushing a load. They said it would run like a scalded ape but when it came to handling loads the transmission wouldn't cut it.

I've always been a Yamaha & Honda man. Recently got a deal on an Arctic Cat 700cc 4x4 that I couldn't pass up & bought it. Actually like it a lot. For just trapping, I'd say go w/ a 400cc Honda, you can't go wrong there!

I have an 03' Arctic cat 400. Always starts and runs. Has plenty of power. It's never let me down!

I have a Can-Am 450 4x4 bought new for a very reasonable price. Apparently their motors are legendary. So far I haven’t been in a mess I couldn’t get out of with it. Not sure if you have them where you are but if so I encourage you to check them out.

I didn't even know Arctic Cat made 4 wheelers, lol. Sounds like they're good ones too.

Honda. I have an '84 TRX250. I call it Timex, it keeps on ticking. It's sat out in the snow and cold for 2 months now. I brushed off yesterday after a couple days of mild temps. About 6 pulls and off it took. When/if it dies.... I'll be looking for another Honda.

I have an Arctic Cat side by side. All I will say is I will never buy another one.

I still ha e a Honda 300 i bougbt in 1991 and it starts and runs great. Simple maintenance and no repairs.

I still ha e a Honda 300 i bougbt in 1991 and it starts and runs great. Simple maintenance and no repairs.

I like Yamaha outboards and Honda ATVs.

One thing to keep in mind is service by the dealer, that can make a machine that is not very good really good.

In my opinion I prefer the Polaris or Honda. The last 4 wheeler I picked up was in 2002 when Polaris came out with the 700. That machine now has just under 12,000 miles on it. It started its life out in bush Alaska and I got a block heater on it as it was my daily driver as well as a trapping/hunting rig so I was able to start it up at -45. Side note: not that fun to ride at that temp but beats walking. As far as the up keep on it...nothing major has gone bad with it just common things.

I have a 93 and a 94. Theg have spent half their life in water half way up the engine. Still run great. I wouldn't buy anything but a Honda!

Yama Hammer is what I have personally put the most miles and abuse on with no issues. Honda is good product too. My 2 cents.

I had bad luck with Polaris. Won't even look to buy another one. I use a John Deere Gator 825i & love it.

Thanks for all the comments. I'll start looking this week.

I run Yamaha's and never had a lick of trouble and I do about Zero maintenance even though I should. My Dad bought a 400 Honda with electric shift. It sucks. It has spent more time in the shop getting worked on than any machine I was ever around.

I have owned an Arctic cat and two Hondas in the past. Right now I have a suzuki and a polaris. The arctic cat is the only brand I would never buy again, it was the only new one I have ever owned and it was in for warranty work constantly, when the warranty ran out it still had troubles and I finally got rid of it. I'm in the market to upgrade one of my two this spring and I will primarily be looking for a 500-650CC Polaris or Honda. I recommend paying a little extra to get at least a 500 because you never know when you'll need to pull something or need the power to get out of a tough spot.

I still have a 1985 Honda 200sx, runs great still.
Also have a Yamaha side by side that gets most of the use now.

That's been my Arctic Cat experience. I bought one new for my boy and it has been nothing but trouble from day 1. I went to buy another larger machine and looked at the Honda's as they tend to be bulletproof but settled on a Yamaha Kodiak 700. They're a beast.

The dealer told me the most trouble-free machines they carry are the Suzuki. I still went with the Yamaha.

I have a 03 or 04 Honda Rancher 350 and I love it.I would suggest getting a winch and aftermarket tires when you make the initial purchase or you wont get it afterwards. The winch in very handy especially if you are back in the woods by yourself. Back in the 3 wheeler days if you got it stuck you just got off and pulled it out of the mud. You cant do that with a 4 wheeler. the aftermarket tires are just so much better than the factory ones that it is well worth the up grade. My brother has the same bike i have and got different tires right off and he can drive around me stuck in the mud.

On and be sure to get one that has 4x4 select. Being in 4WD all the time riding trails can really wear you out.

On and another think for riding through woods, on log trails, and making your own trails I wouldnt get anything bigger than a 350 or 400

Get power steering if it is an option.

I'll get power steering. Thanks.

I think the Hondas are hard to beat. My son has an older Arctic cat 400, and its been bullet proof. I have a Suzuki and its been OK....not great. Just picked up a Yamaha last year and so far love it. Don't like the rear boots on the Can Am quads....no protection. They wouldn't last 5 miles on my trails.

Have a polaris magnum 330. Would be like new, I'd say less than 200 miles on it easy. It's burst into flames 3 times now. Known problem, no recalls. Afraid to take it anywhere cause you never know when it's gonna burst into flames. Can't sell it to anybody with a clear mind. My brother has a yamaha frizz 500. Now that's a nice machine.

Ranch I worked for had a Honda Foreman - That thing was like hammered rat poo from ranch abuse. But it started every time and would get you anywhere you wanted to go. I was so impressed with it that I bought a 2015 Honda foreman rubicon to use on my trapline.

I bought a 2015 holdover Yamaha Kodiak 700. The salesman who sold it to me helped me move it off the showroom floor and load it on my truck.

About four days later I received a panicked phone call from the salesman that sold me the wheeler. He gave me the wrong one. There were two on the showroom floor that looked almost identical at a glance but one lacked the power steering, a speedometer and an additional headlight. One thousand dollar difference in price.

I paid for the one lacking the additional amenities but he gave me the upgraded version. I offered to pay the difference but the easiest thing for him was for me to return it and make a swap. He was already embarrassed and I didn't want to add to his misery.

I returned it but not before I got spoiled by the power steering. What a difference.

Power steering is the best thing they ever did to them. I dont have it but have rode ones that did.

Depends on your needs. I only use mine for beaver trapping, and it's absolutely necessary for what I do. I didn't want to fight with storage boxes and other rigs so I'm going to build a custom storage rack to mount on the front of my bike that will neatly stow a dozen 280/330s, stabilizers, my driver, setters, maul, and it will have a narrow piece of 3" pipe welded on the side to hold the front ends of my kill poles/drowner rods. It may not work well for other people's needs, but it will hold exactly what I need to carry.

Something else to consider is whether or not you need a 4wheeler or a side by side. For me, I need a 4wheeler, because I need to get into places that I wouldn't want to have to deal with a trailer. There is a Honda side by side that can be loaded into a truck, so that's something else to consider. Still, it comes down to what you need. Some people need an ATV/UTV, and other people can do everything that they need from a truck or boat. I bought the Honda Foreman Rubicon with foot shift, independent rear suspension and power steering. I love it.

Is there an ATV tire that stands up to bean field stubble?

Mike

I like the ITP Mudlite AT myself. Im also a big fan of Slime. Put it in your tires and you WILL NOT have a flat

HONDA

Old Honda 350 four trax at deer camp. Been abused badly since 1992. Still runs great. Still gets the crap beat out of it. Great machine but not real powerful.

Been a Polaris Sportsman fan since 2004. Got big 600 twin brand new ,and recently got a used 2008 sportsman 800 EFI. with gorilla 30"ties on it.a few minor repairs ,did my maintenance my self and am happy to proclaim I love them. never a clutch problem or engine issue.
I have a Suzuki Eiger 400 2WD 2003 and that's one smooth running ride too..and No issue.
Keeping in mind I dont beat my equipment,never will and that's a Big part of long life.

So to bring this story to a end, If you have at least 2- 4 wheelers your always in business.

Thanks for all the support. I'm going to start looking at the Honda's as a first choice and go from there. I will probably go with a side by side since it might be more convenient for the all-around purposes that I can use it. I do want it to be able to plow some snow and the side by side might give me the weight required. Appreciate all the replies.

I have a 1997 Honda 300 Foreman. I bought it used 10 years ago and have had little to no problems. The only thing I would like and will do the next time is get a 400 or a 500 as this is my 3rd year of hauling sap out of the muddy woods and pulling a 50 gallon trailer with 5 five gallon buckets full is about all it can do when muddy. Hard ground it goes like a champ.

Bryce

bblwi, How does it do in the snow?

I had a Yamaha Rhino. I don't believe the footprint on that was much bigger than the Kodiak 700 I have now. Has the same engine. The nice thing about the side-by-side was the steering wheel. I could drink a cup of coffee while going over some nasty terrain and not spill a drop. And it had the bed.

Everybody whines about Polaris, but I have close to 5000 miles on my 2012 Sportsman 500 with on only issues being a torn CV boot and new battery.

CAN-AM. Bought a 2016 450 with power steering new and have 1800 miles an 140 hrs and not a single issue of any kind. I tested new Honda Suzuki Polaris and am very glad went with can am.

Mike in a town, Titan 589 tires, stiff ride but never had a puncture, I had 6500 miles on my 02 Rubicon, tire only lost 3/8" on tread, I put many miles on in wy, rocks, cactus, Iowa corn and bean stubble, I put them on my 2013 Rubicon too

A good 4 wheeler will get the job done with the snow. The plow can make a big difference. When you finally make a choice go with a Warn plow. My 05 Sportsman along with this plow are workhorses. I put the auto rotate on mine which is nice so you aren' getting off all the time. I had no issues with the wet snow last night and plowed the farm driveway up north on the farm for the first time this year. Can't really go wrong with any of the options listed although i would stay away from anything Kawasaki or Arctic Cat. I've run the Hondas, Yamahas, and Polaris. Never had any real issues with the Hondas or Polaris'. The Yamaha did go through front CV joints until Yamaha fixed the problem.

Thanks for the tip on the Warn plow. I'll definitely look at them. I'm more than likely going with a side x side since I'll probably have grandkids in a few years that I can take on rides and feel this would be the safest way for them to travel with me.

I had an '84 Honda 200S 3 wheeler that I sold maybe 3 years ago - great machine but no electric start and no reverse. Ran like a race horse!!
Got an old Kawasaki 250 Bayou now. Does fine on dry ground but any snow deeper than 3 inches give it fits to break trail if going up hill. It's not 4 wheel drive (wish it was!!) but does get through the woods easily because of the smaller profile. Has enough power for me...
Next one WILL be a Honda 4 wheel drive with power steering!!

I have 2 Honda bikes-one 24 years old one 12 years old.Both used on the trapline every year,and the older one for bear hunting quite a bit.Just routine mtc on both,and a wheel bearing,on the older one.Very reliable machines.The older one is a 300 4 trax,and a bit underpowered,the other a 400 rancher.

I agree with that. My sleds are on the block for that same reason. Wife can't ride anymore and my granddaughter is 2 yrs old. She loves the 4 wheeler and helping grandpa but I would feel better with a SXS with her up at the farm for sure. It will also get my wife back into riding again. We used to put around 3000 miles on the wheelers annually and the same on the sleds. We miss that. Neighbor has the Honda SxS and likes it alot but wishes he had gone with the Polaris General instead. That will be the machine that I get into. In the SxS I would only look at Polaris, Honda, and CanAm in that order.

I still run my 1993 Kawasaki bayou, I wish it had a tach on it. Many many miles on it. Never had any problems with it.

bblwi, How does it do in the snow?

It can go through all the snow with no problem and I can pull a large otter sled full of green wood. The only issue not being a larger machine as soon as you get about 12 inches and the tires don't get as much traction it does not perform too well. If you have a trail made and keep it so no more than 6 inches or so no real issues.
We are having some starter linkage issues now and sometimes it won't start by using he starter but with the kick stick we use that instead of spending time and money right now trying to fix it.

Bryce

Thanks Bryce. Much appreciated. All of you have supplied me with tons of information. I know a lot more now than I did 2 days ago. LOL

HONDA. You will not be disappointed.

I have a Yamaha Big Bear. So far, so good. I have friends with Hondas, Yamahas, and Arctic cats. All like their machines. The only machine I've really heard complaints about are Polaris. I had an uncle that got rid of his in less than one year before the warranty ran out. He had lot's of problems.