Author Topic: Kodiak 400 ATV  (Read 19611 times)

Offline fishinnut

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Kodiak 400 ATV
« on: Nov 29, 2004, 01:01 PM »
Thinking about purchasing a used Yamaha Kodiak 400 ATV. It's a 4x4 used with about 2000 miles. Anyone have anything good or bad to say about this ATV? Thanks
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Offline Mark Komo

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #1 on: Nov 29, 2004, 01:12 PM »
Thinking about the same thing. Check with NADA for FMV just to make sure your not overpaying.  4WD is the way to go. Also, check if it is belt or shaft.  Shaft so much better. 

Depending on the year, check with consumer report. Also look for back issues of Field and Stream and other outdoor magazines. They may have tested or rated the machine you are looking at.
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Offline red_eyes

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #2 on: Nov 29, 2004, 03:26 PM »
I think most if not all, utility yamahas are belt driven
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Offline fishercat

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #3 on: Nov 29, 2004, 04:46 PM »
I think most if not all, utility yamahas are belt driven
  Not so with the Big Bear 400 mine is shaft drive front and rear with a 5 speed. :) Kodiak I believe is shaft drive with a auto transmission that does have a belt. Not sure what year you are looking at.

Offline fishinnut

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #4 on: Nov 29, 2004, 05:12 PM »
It's a 1997.
God grant me strength to catch a fish
So large that even I
When telling of it afterwards
May never need to lie.

Offline fishercat

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #5 on: Nov 29, 2004, 05:24 PM »
Cant speek to the Kodiak directley but the Big Bear that I have is in the same class. Has not been a bad machine.

Offline ChenBassHead

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #6 on: Nov 30, 2004, 06:03 PM »
I have a 2003 Kodiak 400, and it's a great machine. It certainly doesn't lack on power, and it never struggles to start. I'd recommend it! Of course, I'm selling mine, and getting a 2005 Grizzly 660 4X4 Special Edition.  ;D Oh baby, I can't wait to use that on the ice.

The newer Kodiaks have a re-designed engine...however, the only difference between a 97 Kodiak and a 97 Big Bear is that the Big Bear is a 5 speed, semi automatic transmission (no hand clutch), while the Kodiak is fully automatic.

Oh, and one more thing, Yamahas are shaft driven....Polaris makes all belt driven machines, with the PVT (Polaris Variable Transmission).

-Zach

Offline joekrz

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #7 on: Dec 03, 2004, 12:12 PM »
All Kodiaks from 2000 and on are belt driven.  A belt drives the shaft that goes to the wheels.
Don't confuse the shaft with the driving mechanism.

http://www.motorsports-network.com/YAMAHA/atv2000/utility1.htm

Kodiaks previous to 2000 were 5 speed gear driven. 

I have a fleet of ATV's in my garage if anyone has any more questions.

Offline fishercat

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #8 on: Dec 03, 2004, 01:54 PM »
All Kodiaks from 2000 and on are belt driven.  A belt drives the shaft that goes to the wheels.
Don't confuse the shaft with the driving mechanism.

http://www.motorsports-network.com/YAMAHA/atv2000/utility1.htm

Kodiaks previous to 2000 were 5 speed gear driven. 


I thought that was the case thanks.

Offline TGF

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #9 on: Dec 03, 2004, 04:21 PM »
Not sure how old you are looking at but I have a 93 Kodiak. Love it except a little hard to start when it gets really cold. I haul logs with it to my sawmill, pack out moose, haul firewood, icefish etc.  Word of caution: Not sure where you drive mostly, but here in northern BC Canada some roads can get downright ugly, and I dont like to get a bike that I cant lift both ends. Make sure to get a winch. Friend is a locomotive engineer and was driving the train, when he came around a corner he saw a couple of oldtimers tossing gear off the bike they had rented. They were trying to get it off the tracks and they could not. The bike ended up in a million pieces when the train hit it. SO get to know what your machine will do before you go barreling over something and cant get out.

Offline Kodiak Commando

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #10 on: Dec 03, 2004, 05:15 PM »
I'v been using a Kodiak ATV (named after where i live) for 2 years one some rough trails and have had no problems or complaints about it.

Offline TGF

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #11 on: Dec 05, 2004, 11:00 PM »
I'v been using a Kodiak ATV (named after where i live) for 2 years one some rough trails and have had no problems or complaints about it.
What type of oil do you use in yours in winter kodiak? Does it get to -40 where you live or do you get some warm moist ocean air. Not that I drive when it gets that cold, but I do drive at -25 to -30. Any tips for cold weather driving?

Offline Kodiak Commando

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #12 on: Dec 06, 2004, 12:27 AM »
Trust me i am not the one to ask. It is not cold everwhere in Alaska! We get a very warm ocean current that forms in Japan. Therefore it rarely gets below 0 degrees. In fact although it was consitently between 20 and 30 last winter i don't think it got below 20 degrees more than 10 days and it never got below 0.

Offline TGF

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #13 on: Dec 06, 2004, 09:05 AM »
You must be able to ice fish in your shorts eh Kodiak ;D

Offline ChenBassHead

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #14 on: Dec 06, 2004, 05:17 PM »
Cider-
We haven't purchased yet, as we're looking at the competition. The Grizzly seems quite tippy, which is something we sure as hell don't want. We've owned Polaris' before, and we aren't real crazy about em. They seem to be really heavy, and the PVT tranny makes riding for extended periods uncomfortable, because it makes you ride with your legs spread farther apart than normal. My personal #1 is actually the Kawasaki Prarie 700 V-Twin. This machine is so awesome. It seems like it's pretty stable. Can you varify this? Also looking at the Arctic Cat 650 V2 4X4 LE and the Honda Rincon. The Rincon is nice because for it's engine size, it's light weight (around 500 lbs dry, as claimed by Dirtwheels). So many choices... ;D

-Zach

Offline Kodiak Commando

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #15 on: Dec 06, 2004, 05:35 PM »
Probably if kodiak didn't rain so Much! I definetely don't have it as bad as a lot of mainland alaskans in terms of weather.

Offline crappieloo

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #16 on: Dec 06, 2004, 06:19 PM »
I looked a Polaris for 2 years and almost bought one in July, but bad $$$$$$ things kept happening here evey other week. Allways wanted a 4 wheeler but never bought one,let alone even ride one :-[
It was opening day of archery when my hunting bud (neighbor) bagged a buck and said his bud (which i also know) was coming over with his brand new Bruin 350. We all rode it down and located the buck and while they were field dressing it they told me to ride it to the store for a 12 pack (at 9:30 am) since i was the only one with money.
Man i was impressed ;D It ran and steered real smooth and i was told that i didn't have to use the brake. 2 weeks later i had my own, 2005 Kodiak 450. Cooooooooooooooooooool 8)
Traction is very good as i havn't used 4x4 yet on it. Strong motor and not real heavy like a Polaris. I love it ;D
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Offline ChenBassHead

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #17 on: Dec 06, 2004, 06:36 PM »
Congratulations Loo! May your new ATV be the key to.....oh, what the hell am I sayin? Have fun with yer new wheeler!!!  ;D ;D

-Zach

Offline Sasquatch

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #18 on: Dec 07, 2004, 02:03 PM »
BassHead:  I have a SUzuki TwinPeaks 700.  It's the same as a Kawasaki Prairie 700.  The only differences are cosmetic.  It's a real nice machine although I do have a few complaints.  Both have a V-twin engine and loads of power but don't have an independent rear suspension.  The grizzly has more ground clearance and an independent rear suspension.  Those two feature have their benefits but may account for why people say the grizzly feels tippy.  The Kawasaki Brute Force has a little more power and the independent rear suspension and would be considered by many to be the best machine on the market.   

Everyone: how fast do your quads top out?  I always heard the twinpeaks would hit 70 mph but it tops out at 62 according to the speedometer.

Offline crappieloo

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #19 on: Dec 07, 2004, 06:23 PM »
I agree with Boerboel. The IRS quads'' Feel Tippy'', but really are not tippy from what i have experienced so far. The straight axel quads can be riden more agressivly on smoother surfaces. If you need to power slid all the time at higher speeds a straight job is what you need. If you need a 4 wheeler for utility work horse grunt work over rough logs and boulders a IRS is the ticket.

Offline ChenBassHead

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #20 on: Dec 08, 2004, 09:43 AM »
I like the Brute Force, but it also seems like it sits narrow and high...and, like the Griz, narrow + high = tippy...Im sure that the IRS helps of course. My complaint about an IRS is that they don't jump well...Okay, my 18 years are beginning to shine through, aren't they? ;)2 I have a track at my house, and I've found that my Kodiak 400, with a basic swingarm rear suspension, jumps better than my neighbors 2005 Kodiak 450, with an IRS. Oh well, I guess that the IRS is better for icefishing and hunting, and that's what I intend on using it for mostly. I've already had one concussion from flipping one of my old wheelers, so I probably don't need to flip this one! :wacko: ;)2 All I know is that I need to get a machine soon, because the snow is on its way, and I HATE shoveling!!! Oh yeah, ice is coming too...I hope :unsure:

-Zach

Offline tarbot

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #21 on: Dec 08, 2004, 11:30 AM »
My buddie and I just got Prairie 360 4X4's for the hard water... have a large sled (about 90 to 100 lbs loadded not including the gas auger!) and a Clam 5600 to drag out on the ice.  We found alot of locations over the summer in his boat and saved them to the GPS unit.  Can't wait to get out there!  Bike has plenty of power for any situation except maybe really deep mud.  Anyone have problems starting them in the cold?


Offline Sasquatch

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #22 on: Dec 08, 2004, 12:09 PM »
Cider:  same thing happened to me with the suzuki.  I was looking at the prairie 700 and the suzuki twinpeaks (basically the same bike) and a month or so after getting it the 05's came out and the brute force 750 was introduced.  I'd have gotten it if I had known.  My twinpeaks accellerates pretty well and gets to the top speed pretty fast but once it gets there it feels like there is a govenor on it - the engine doesn't rev high, it just stops accellerating.  I don't think I could get it any faster by losing weight or even by going down hill.  Maybe it has something to do with the CVT.

Have you been out for partridge?  I was in VT 2 saturday's past and got three.  That was my only partridge hunting this year except for a few incidental misses while hunting VT woodcock in October.  Those are the last 2 times I've been to VT because I've been too busy. 

Offline TGF

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #23 on: Dec 09, 2004, 11:11 PM »
Funny you should mention that cider. I called the Yamaha dealer on Monday and they recomended a synthetic 0W40 for our cold winters here. I did buy some Amsoil to put in. I changed it on Tuesday and went to my remote cabin by quad. It did get down to -10F last night and I was a little worried that it may not start. First crank and away she went. Gotta love that synthetic.

Offline bigpapamike

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #24 on: Jan 14, 2009, 07:54 AM »
I have a 96 400 kodiak ive had it for four years awsome machine goes absolutley anywhere. Hauls logs plows snow hauls deer and takes me out to the bay. Only work needed was new tires and one sparkplug. one battery also. buy it.

Offline markacruciani

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Re: Kodiak 400 ATV
« Reply #25 on: Jan 31, 2009, 10:55 PM »
'95 Kodiak since new -- no belts, guaranteed.  No problems.  This thing for 10 years prior to our
tractor pulled our #2000 chipper around and a 1 yard dump trailer (#3300) loaded.

These days it's our rink plow with a 5ft blade and the ice-house tow'er!



 



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