ATV advice. Honda vs yamaha

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by kingrat

Id get the honda but foot shifter, bullet proof.

This, 13 years and still going strong.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Xbolt7mm

30 year old technology, why would you even suggest this to the guy

Because it works...sit in a big for 10 hours recovering vehicles that the belts got wet...tires not moving...or better yet a broken belt at minus 25....crap is some of the words I heard buddies use as I poured a hot coffee

[Ranch11]

Two Hondas
One has 13000 kms the other has over 17000 kms
No issues other than regular oil changes, tires and carb cleaning

[ram crazy]

28000 extremely hard Kms. the Honda and the other Honda has 17000 Kms. very dependable machines. Brakes and the odd oil change are the only things done to the machines.

[lmtada]

Originally Posted by ram crazy

28000 extremely hard Kms. the Honda and the other Honda has 17000 Kms. very dependable machines. Brakes and the odd oil change are the only things done to the machines.

Wow, 17000 km on Honda. With basic maintenance. My lil Honda 2000 Honda rancher has 2800 km. If I live to 2050 I can drive lil honda in Vintage ATV Parade. The machine might make it into the 22nd century.I won't need another machine ever.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by lmtada

Wow, 17000 km on Honda. With basic maintenance. My lil Honda 2000 Honda rancher has 2800 km. I won't need another machine ever. If I live to 2050, I can drive it in Vintage Atv Parade, won't have 10,000 km on it. It Might live to 2100.

Had mine in to get the brakes done and dealership said they see these fourtrax come in with plus 30K on them as they are widely used by many companies that require thier employees to use an atv...now you know how employees use company equipment and they can't afford downtime so they run with Honda's.

[jcrayford]

Originally Posted by Grmpy

I know what you mean, I've been reading and watching countless reviews, but I know everything is biased. That's why I was looking for people with these machines to chime in with what they like and don't like. I have 4 old Honda's in my garage now, all from the 80s. I just want something brand new so I know the machine, know what it's been through and know all the maintenance will be done properly and regularly.

Grmpy, one thing I don't think anyone has mentioned yet is by buying new, you will have the chance of the newest technology.

I'll give an example - the older 400 that I sold to my brother? It was a 2006 machine with a carb. I used to take it to a plane crash site South of Coleman, above the tree line. That poor little quad would start stumbling and coughing half way up there and by the time we reached the crash site, it was working hard just because of the carb! However, my FIL had a newer fuel injected machine and had full power without a glitch at the top. That's what convinced my to upgrade to a newer used unit with fuel injection.

I'm not sure about the newer Hondas as I have stopped looking, but I know the Honda work machines we have here are about a 50/50 mix between carbs and fuel injection. I can't see myself ever stepping over a carb unit again....

J.

[dangerranger5143]

My father and I own 2 2011 Honda Rancher 420s. Neither have had any issues. Regular fluid changes and that's it. Mine is at 5000km, dad's is nearing 4000km. I personally don't run mine in Auto mode. Always in electric shift mode. I find I have better gear control with electric shift mode. As mentioned in Auto the machine seems to be hunting for a gear and doesn't want to downshift soon enough. I don't find pushing a button to be an inconvenience to be in the proper gear. Plus with a Honda you can't beat the reliability.

DR

[JDK71]

Honda 420 great 2012 and a 2013 always start never leave you in the bush manual shift on both

[amosfella]

Originally Posted by Grmpy

Thanks for the reply, I heard they are way better for shift points and it always feels like the right gear. I heard the honda in automatic is sometimes looking for gears on inclines and what not, sometimes have to switch to manual. But the thought of a belt worries me. I haven't looked into them much but are they sealed away from the elements and deep mud? And how big of a job are they to change? Somethjng that could be done on the trail?

No shift points on a CVT in the honda. We had a 430 HP tractor with a cvt in it. Agco's new 600 HP tracked machine will have a CVT in it...

[amosfella]

Originally Posted by artie

I was looking at a new Yam and they have the wet rear brake or the braking system in front of the differential. Has anyone had any experience with this type of brake system. I have read that it causes the differential oil to boil if you are using your rear brakes a lot on a hot day. Also how hard is it to replace or repair the rear brakes with the wet system. i have a 05 yam kodiak with the old style with brake pads on just the left wheel and they are easy to change.

I use an 09 Grizz. I had the rear calipers seize up and get wrecked. I replaced the entire calipers and rotors. Wasn't that bad of a job, really. Did everything that needed to be done in 4 hours, including bleeding, and seating the break pads.

Get amsoil diff oil.

[jim summit]

Originally Posted by JohninAB

Go with the Yamaha for the CVT style transmission. Blows any Honda offering out of the water. Always in the right gear, smooth as butter and belt life is fantastic.

This. Run a 450 kodiak since 2004, changed belt at 5500kms and 500hrs.
Always in the right gear, throttle and go.

[Dean2]

I run Honda and have for 40 years, brother runs the Yamaha and has for the same length of time, both are great machines. Very little to pick between the two. Probably the top two for reliable hunting type quads on the market. Personally would not touch a Polaris, really poor for reliable, nor a Kawasaki, because they are a true pain in the butt to work on, but would happily drive either the Honda or Yamaha.

[tri777]

Originally Posted by Dean2

".. Personally would not touch a a Kawasaki, because they are a true pain in the butt to work on.."

Is this really true? Why a pain?

[brendan's dad]

I have a 2005 Foreman 500 and a 2006 Rubicon 500. Both have been very reliable with only standard maintenance. The ride is not as comfy as some other machines but it is good enough for me, my wife, and kids. Actually this summer the kids did the driving and me and my wife were riding shotgun. My brother has the 2016 Rubicon and the ride is a lot smoother with the new suspension. I really have no other experience with any other brand other than the Can Am 650 which I have used for work on occasion. The Can Am was an excellent riding machine but I can not speak to it's durability or maintenance issues.

Good Luck with your search, good time to be in the market whether it is used or new.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by jim summit

This. Run a 450 kodiak since 2004, changed belt at 5500kms and 500hrs.
Always in the right gear, throttle and go.

My Honda is always in the right gear, foot shift, the gear I need, when I decide...throw in the reliability of the rest of the machine...

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

My Honda is always in the right gear, foot shift, the gear I need, when I decide...throw in the reliability of the rest of the machine...

I have yet to hear from someone saying how their Kodiak was unreliable or breaking down at all for that matter. I have heard several accounts of how much better Yamaha's suspension is over Honda's though.

Honda had its day of being the best atv on the market, but that day has passed. They are still reliable, but so are a lot of machines these days. Honda has fallen behind in the power and suspension department when compared to other machines. To tell you the truth, I think they are actually at the bottom of the list in regards to power and suspension.

I have owned Honda, Arctic Cat, Yamaha, Polaris, and Can Am atv's, I've only owned a Kawasaki Jet Ski though, so obviously I'm not brand loyal. If it's purely a utility vehicle you're after then a Honda is a great choice. If you want a trail machine that can be used as a part time workhorse I think the Yamaha would be a much better choice. Polaris probably has the best ride but they are heavy and reliability might be an issue. Can Am is a powerhouse with a good ride but your going to pay for it.

At the end of the day they'll all get the job done, and if you treat them right they're all going to last so I say pick the one with the most comfortable ride.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

I have yet to hear from someone saying how their Kodiak was unreliable or breaking down at all for that matter. I have heard several accounts of how much better Yamaha's suspension is over Honda's though.

Honda had its day of being the best atv on the market, but that day has passed. They are still reliable, but so are a lot of machines these days. Honda has fallen behind in the power and suspension department when compared to other machines. To tell you the truth, I think they are actually at the bottom of the list in regards to power and suspension.

I have owned Honda, Arctic Cat, Yamaha, Polaris, and Can Am atv's, I've only owned a Kawasaki Jet Ski though, so obviously I'm not brand loyal. If it's purely a utility vehicle you're after then a Honda is a great choice. If you want a trail machine that can be used as a part time workhorse I think the Yamaha would be a much better choice. Polaris probably has the best ride but they are heavy and reliability might be an issue. Can Am is a powerhouse with a good ride but your going to pay for it.



At the end of the day they'll all get the job done, and if you treat them right they're all going to last so I say pick the one with the most comfortable ride.

Agree the old Honda is a harder ride but sink your yamahas in the bog for a 6 hour labour intensive slug out and see what happens when the belt gets wet..all machines are made for applications, mine is to get out and back, no trail side bs, not doing 80clicks an hour, not filling up every 60 clicks, just get me out and back and haul that moose with no issues...hope the OP fines his/her ride and posts a pic.

[tacomama]

Lot of people are talking quite a bit about comfort.
Keep in mind this may also affect your stability. From my experience a solid rear axle is more stable than independent axles with dual shocks. I have experienced this with a Yamaha that was very tippy, and this is why I have a Honda with a solid rear axle. I prefer stability to the loss of a little comfort, and by the way my machine is pretty comfortable.
Comfort is relative and dependent on your application, just keep that in mind.

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Agree the old Honda is a harder ride but sink your yamahas in the bog for a 6 hour labour intensive slug out and see what happens when the belt gets wet..all machines are made for applications, mine is to get out and back, no trail side bs, not doing 80clicks an hour, not filling up every 60 clicks, just get me out and back and haul that moose with no issues...hope the OP fines his/her ride and posts a pic.

The OP is buying new so the ol' TRX is out of the question. All the new machines start at about 580lbs and go up from there so unfortunately the days of a 300lb 4x4 are long gone. It's impossible to fit the suspension, power steering, transmission, and 500+ cc's into a 300lb package.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by tri777

Is this really true? Why a pain?

I do all the repairs on my own and a lot of my friends ATVs. I will not work on Kawasaki any more because they are such a pain in the ass. I told my nephew to sell his two or take them to the dealer for service and repairs from now on.

A couple of examples. Even after stripping off almost all of the plastic from the rear tires forward, removing the air box and plumbing, adjusting the valves is still REALLY hard to do. There are frame members that get in the way of easily being able to put the feeler gauge in and the wrench to lossen/tighten the adjuster down. To change the plugs takes two hours of removal and reinstalling body parts to get to the plugs. Imagine how much fun that would be at the side of the trail if you sucked a bunch of water into the motor.

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Agree the old Honda is a harder ride but sink your yamahas in the bog for a 6 hour labour intensive slug out and see what happens when the belt gets wet..all machines are made for applications, mine is to get out and back, no trail side bs, not doing 80clicks an hour, not filling up every 60 clicks, just get me out and back and haul that moose with no issues...hope the OP fines his/her ride and posts a pic.

Ha, i could get 30 ish km's to a tank on my 92 Foretrax, 350 cc & full time 4x4. Loaded up for hunting with a box on the back, chainsaw in front. In reality it had a small fuel tank. Never went anywhere without a Jerry can. If I went with the boys for a summer ride, had a big Jerry can on the back.

I called it the tank. Front and rear axles, 4 shocks. A tree root would hurt your back lol. But dependable, slow and easy is the only way you rode that quad.

Honda is bar none the dependable choice and I have thought of a Rubicon many times for my next one. Every time I think about it, I still want a Grizz. The ones I have rode were so nice on the body, power steering, diff lock and some get up and go when it's a fun ride.

I don't think the OP will be disappointed in either of his choices. It comes down to what he will need his atv to do.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Kurt505

The OP is buying new so the ol' TRX is out of the question. All the new machines start at about 580lbs and go up from there so unfortunately the days of a 300lb 4x4 are long gone. It's impossible to fit the suspension, power steering, transmission, and 500+ cc's into a 300lb package.

Ahhh my 04 Honda fourtrax 350 (329 cc) fm weighs in at 524lbs dry weight.

2017 Honda 420 weighs in at 586lbs dry weight....just a little fatty, needs to trim up a bit

Your right there is a lot of stuff stuck into these machines to make the wk-end Warriors ride nicer

To the OP buy what suits your fancy...270 or 30-06...campfire discussion.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Sooner

Ha, i could get 30 ish km's to a tank on my 92 Foretrax, 350 cc & full time 4x4. Loaded up for hunting with a box on the back, chainsaw in front. In reality it had a small fuel tank. Never went anywhere without a Jerry can. If I went with the boys for a summer ride, had a big Jerry can on the back.

I called it the tank. Front and rear axles, 4 shocks. A tree root would hurt your back lol. But dependable, slow and easy is the only way you rode that quad.

Honda is bar none the dependable choice and I have thought of a Rubicon many times for my next one. Every time I think about it, I still want a Grizz. The ones I have rode were so nice on the body, power steering, diff lock and some get up and go when it's a fun ride.

I don't think the OP will be disappointed in either of his choices. It comes down to what he will need his atv to do.

I average about 80-100 clicks on a tank, 12.9 litre tank.

When I first got it I hit 89km/hr scary as heck just to see what she would do,

[ronkaren]

honda for sure. foot shift with automatic clutch bullet proof is right.
I have a 250. 400, and a couple of 420, new from 2002 to 2017, all the same standard transmission set up. grand kids and kids and friends of kids all learned to ride on them, and they're all still going strong. great product.

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by jcrayford

Grmpy, one thing I don't think anyone has mentioned yet is by buying new, you will have the chance of the newest technology.

I'll give an example - the older 400 that I sold to my brother? It was a 2006 machine with a carb. I used to take it to a plane crash site South of Coleman, above the tree line. That poor little quad would start stumbling and coughing half way up there and by the time we reached the crash site, it was working hard just because of the carb! However, my FIL had a newer fuel injected machine and had full power without a glitch at the top. That's what convinced my to upgrade to a newer used unit with fuel injection.

J.

A simple jet change in your carb would have solved that problem. It's something so simple that most people don't know or understand.

[pikeman06]

Total honda guy but my 2007 grizzly 700 with the efi and eps. (Power assist steering) blows any honda away. I mine and prospect gold where no man or beast has ever been. I put my life in that machines hands. Enough power to get you out of a bind. 400 and 500cc machines are fine till you try to climb a mountain or got serious sticky mud to deal with. I seen those little Hondas plugged up so tight with mud they won't move. Depends what you want it for. Better too much gun than not enough I always say.

[Sask Bearman]

I had a 2004 Suzuki 400 and a 2013 Suzuki 400. They were both rock solid units and the 2004 is still being used by my oldest son. Traded the '13 off on a new Yamaha Kodiak 700 EPS. It seems like a real good unit but haven't had a chance to put through the paces yet. I really like the EPS.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by pikeman06

Total honda guy but my 2007 grizzly 700 with the efi and eps. (Power assist steering) blows any honda away. I mine and prospect gold where no man or beast has ever been. I put my life in that machines hands. Enough power to get you out of a bind. 400 and 500cc machines are fine till you try to climb a mountain or got serious sticky mud to deal with. I seen those little Hondas plugged up so tight with mud they won't move. Depends what you want it for. Better too much gun than not enough I always say.

Different story in muskeg though. I ride a 2003 Honda TRX350 with 26x12's on the back and 26x10's on the front. I do circles around the heavy machines up here in the Muskeg. Low weight and a large footprint keep me on top of it. The heavy machines just sink. Hard ground and I wouldn't have a solid axle Honda. But up here I wouldn't have it any other way. The only issue I have is when I need to cross flowing water. The machine tends to get carried away because it is so light.

[Ossie]

I have two Hondas, a 1992 Honda 350 (4 wheel drive) and a 1989 Honda 250 (2 wheel drive) both are used as working bikes at our camp, so lots of log pulling, rough terrain and countless miles. I would love to have an excuse to buy a new bike, but other than oil changes, occasional new spark plugs, and worn out parts (brakes, mufflers) I can't justify the purchase. Honda just never quit.