Best ATV?

[AugustWest]

What is the most "practical" ATV one could get for general to hard Ice Fishing?
Size?
Brand?
Make?
Thank You!!!!

[iceman04]

honda . . . . hands down . . . my grandfather had a kawasaki and the thing was finicky as all get out . . .  bought a honda new in 96 ran it til two years ago never had a single problem with it, replaced the brakes once i think . . . and this is a machine that was ran probably 4 to 6 days out of the week from end of may til end of november and 2 to 3 times a week from december til may . . . TONS of miles on it and my cousin bought it from him and besides being a little sluggish on the get go it runs like top . . . my father bought a 92 Honda Fourtrax in 1996 and still has it today . . . we dont run it as much as my g.father's but we've hauled 8' logs out of the woods with it in the middle of winter (2 wheel drive) ice fish with it, run it all summer on dirt roads in western maine and have only changed the oil in it once and have yet to have to make any major mechanical fixes on it . . . . can't go wrong.  my g.father now has a honda rancher 4x4 . . . . he loves it.  my 2 cents.

[mikeyk101]

Polaris sportsman 500
I have a 98 my father in law has a 2000 and i have yet to find somthing they cant do.  I plow snow with it pull my shanty around, pull trailers of fire wood threw the woods the 500 can pull more than a chey s10 i wouldnt of believed it but i saw it with my own eyes the things are indistructable besides cracking all off the plastic there is nothign to brake the other nice thing is the true 4 wheel drive so all 4 wheels spin and the auto matic because when your pulling somthing as unstable as an ice shanty or hauling wood you dont want to be shifting go with the automatic you wont regret it.

          Good luck and nomatter what you get somone will like it and somone will hate it.  there all good and there better that walking.

[fishuhalik]

If you're looking for a bare-bones, no frills atv that'll get the job done, go with the Honda Rancher 350 4x4.  If you're looking for something that'll get the job done & still be able to keep up on the trails and still reasonably priced, I'd go with the Yamaha Kodiak 450 4x4.  The auto tranny's nice, & I think the 4x4 works better than the Polaris On-Demand.  I raced wheelers in high school, and still follow them quite a bit.  I have ridden almost every wheeler out there, from $17k rippers to the biggest, baddest 4x4 in the woods.  The Kodiak really impressed me, and the durability is just as good as a Honda.  My dad has had a couple Polaris' (Magnum 325 & a Sportsman 750), and I'm not very impressed.  The 750 has great tourque, but the reliability leaves something to be desired, and all the Polaris' are heavy as a small truck. (around 700+ lbs).  Trust me, go with Yamaha.  Oh yeah, & if you wanna have the best out there, as far as 4x4s are concerned, go with the Yamaha Grizzly 650.  Absolutely incredible.

[billditrite]

i can only speak from my own eperience . i have a 2000 hond foreman 4x4 450s . i love it. it is a beast .add the snowplow in and there is nothing it wont do.all on 3.00 a day in gas...if i ride it a lot   hondas got it going on

[shark]

I  have the 2000 honda 450 4x4 also , I love it . Every make has its good points and bad points.

[Robb]

I have a 2003 Polaris Sportsman 400 4X4 and it has been flawless!! It's not cold blooded like some atv's, it is reasonably priced (05's around $5300), it has awesome ground clearance, plenty of power, no shifting gears, and goes just about anywhere!! I just put a winch and plow on it and it works great too!! MY 2 cents! Good luck.
Robb

[shrub]

I would recomend a polaris sportsmen but my unle bought a yamaha kodiak 400 in the early 90s he never works on it it has no brakes, he never changes the oil and only the tires wen he has to and it runs perveck so that could be good to.

[Gamalot]

I managed a large Honda, Kawasaki & KTM dealership servicing the Hattfiels/McCoy trail system.
By far the most reliable ATV ever is the Honda Rancher. They are just about bullet proof.
I owned three Polaris Sportsman 500s and love them all but they do have break down issues.
Like it was mentioned above, they all have good and bad points but for ice travel and towing a sled or shanty I think I would want selectable four wheel drive and the ability to install chains on all four wheels. The rest would be strictly personal prefrence.

[roverowner]

  Yamaha Big Bear 400.  I've had one since 2000, not a single problem.  Ever!  Screws in the tires for winter and you're all set.  Last weekend I pulled a 2000lb trailer across a lake and up a ramp with no effort.  It's simply the best vehicle I can imagine.  I plow with it, play with it, pull deer with it, drag firewood with it.  I'm thinking about putting a winch on it, and maybe some bigger wheels and tires when the originals wear out for more ground clearance.

RO

[water walker]

I agree with fishuhalik, I would go with either a honda or yamaha.  Both have bullet proof motors and the fit and finish is second to none.  The size would be up to your needs and comfort level.  A size of 250cc or higher should do what you need, but the larger displacement machines with do it more easily.  I now have a yamaha kodiak 450 and it is a very reliable, go anywhere machine that fits me well.  Most importantly is to find something you are comfortable with.

[TGF]

I've driven ATVs since they had introduced the Honda 3 wheelers. IMO: 4 tires are nice, especially if inflated properly. I don't like square tires either. 4 wheels more stable than 3. The best one would be.......one that runs well.

[Mongo]

03 Prairie 360 4x4 works just fine for me

[NORRM]

Just about all my toys are Honda powered, you can't beat em for reliability. Two generators ,a Goldwing and my 86 Honda Fourtrax 350 that's been a 20 yr. pal for hunting & fishing. I want to update a quad for myself and my 12 yr. old son is and will most likely drive the Honda for many more yrs to come for the same reasons. My thoughts are leaning toward a Artic Cat at this time only due to all the accessories that are available with the MRP system thou. If Honda comes up with a simular system, no questions askedHONDA

[C.C.]

I just read everyone else's reply , now I'll give you mine. I have an old honda 250x, works super for sport. Just bought a Arctic Cat 400 4x4 last year and for hunting I love it. There you go, have fun deciding
      Jim

[Hookset]

One downside to the Polaris. My buddy has a 2001 Sportsman 500.  We were up in Tupper riding in about 10 inches of soft snow.  At some points, the 4 wheel drive disengaged on its own, for no apparent reason.  Anyway, come to find out that the transfer case that engages the front wheels is magnetic, not mechanical, like the Arctic Cat for example.  The snow prevented the magnets from fully engaging.  After the salamander blew hot air for an hour, all was well again.  FYI

[Jigger]

Well I do an awfully lot of riding and have rode with all brands,they are all good as long as they are running.I myself have a 2003 rincon with modifications and love it,the only thing that I had go wrong was the waterpump which Honda covered.The people I ride with have polaris 500 and 400 and they have not had any problems with there machines.For ice fishing or hunting I would not go any lower than a 400 and would also look at ground clearance as that is what will hold you up either hunting or ice fishing.

[cnyfishing]

Polaris Sportsman 400, it has good ground clearance but frosty hook is right about the 4 wheel drive
disengaging.

[Bigred1]

I own a 96 Honda 300 FWD and a 05 Bombardier Outlander.  The Honda is a work horse but really showing its age, and the outlander starts well in the cold and is very comfortable to ride.  I really like the outlander.

[jigginman]

I bought a Polaris ATP 500. It starts well when cold. The thing I really like about the ATP, it has a ton of storage. It has a good size box on the back, pockets in the rear fenders, and a covered storage trunk on the front. Enough to carry all your fishing gear, auger, cooler...etc. One down fall to the ATP is it's about 6" longer than the Sportsman, so if you plan on hauling it in your truck, you have to leave the tailgate down. Not a big deal, but it takes a little extra time to strap it in.

Jigginman

[dsmatuska]

I might as well join in...

Moved "Up North" (as we like to call it here in Minnesota) almost two years ago.  During our first winter our neighbor kept us both plowed out (our driveways and the private drive we share to the county road.)  He has a Honda Foreman ES.  It did everything we needed done.  So last September I bought one too.  I use it for plowing and pulling my iceshanty and other assorted hauling.  I guess what I'm getting at is the best ATV is contingent on what you want to use it for.  The Foreman is not the smoothest for trails, OTOH some ATV's are excellent for trail riding.  For my application I think I have the one that fits perfectly.

[PGKris]

Yamaha Big bear 550 semi-auto. Hands down. Great power, great torque, simple shifting, tons of rack sapce. Just my 2 cents
KRIS

[shiner]

My vote is for Honda .Have a rancher 2001 esp 350 works great.And you can run chains on all 4 wheels . I can pull my shanty's (3 small -medium- large)  with no problems .No mechanical problems at all . Good luck!     SHINER 8)

[PikeyMikey]

BomBardier  OUTLANDER..       Runs great and have beat the snot out of it...

It started on a -20 below morning after a 35 minute ride on a trailer... My buddies rincon(honda) wouldnt..  Also light and powerful..  the 400 will keep up with any other brands 500..   

Won a obstacle course race with it 3 days after owning it...

Same engines as the Ski-doo's.. Belt drivin..

[docpyzon]

One vote here for the Suzuki Eiger 400. Great machine at a great price.

[cid]

have a 2000 Honda Rancher with well over 1000 miles and the only thing Ive done is change oil and replaced choke cable(got water in it and it would freeze) I think they modified that.
The air cooled engine works great and is simple
what ever stirs your soup I guess, but the reliability of the Honda is gotta be up there among the top.
You will enjoy whatever you decide on I'm sure!!

[fishuhalik]

Yamaha Big bear 550 semi-auto. Hands down. Great power, great torque, simple shifting, tons of rack sapce. Just my 2 cents
KRIS

550 semi auto?  I guess that has to be the only atv I'm not familiar with.  Did it just come out?  I haven't been keeping up on my DirtWheels lately, and I must of missed something.  Oh yeah, & if you guys are wondering, I use to drive a Yamaha Banshee that had almost $17k worth of mods.  Not very good in the snow, but it topped out at around 110.  Had to sell it for college $.    I miss my baby.