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If you guys were to be in the market for a new bike, what would you get? Let's keep price reasonable b/t 5K-6K. Will be used in water fairly often but not snorkel type water. I know there will be several opinions on different brands, so defend your answers. I'm thinking about a new one but i'm not sold on any particular brand yet so you guys help me out?

If its not a Honda, I wouldn't buy it. They are the most well built and durable bikes on the market. Easy to service and they will take a hel of a beating.

+1 on the honda. I have a 2003 that has been through hell and I've never had a problem with it. keep them serviced regularly and they'll run forever. you can get a hell of a deal on a foreman 500 at Brookhaven honda rite now. IMO that is the best bike honda makes, even though I have a Rancher. I'm sure more can attest to honda's durability

grnheadhuntr wrote:If its not a Honda, I wouldn't buy it. They are the most well built and durable bikes on the market. Easy to service and they will take a hel of a beating.

I agree....I know there are "more powerful" and "higher performance" bikes out there, but ya cant beat a Honda in my opinion.

honda

These answers don't surprise me in the least and if i would have to make a decesion in five minutes it would be a honda. I was just wondering if anyone on here liked another brand for some reason and could justify their answer to me.
Thanks fellas

Don't know if they still make them like they used to but i had a suzuki king quad and it would go anywhere and do anything the "big boy" bikes would do. IF compared to a truck it would be like the old toyota hard body. I put that thing through h#@! and it never failed me. 4wd Indpendent suspension, with a 3 range transmission. She was a beast! best bike i've ever owned! wish i would've never gotten rid of it.

I have a honda to and it's done fine. Just like my old king quad better.

I replaced my king quad with a polaris magnum, it's been a great bike thus far. it just won't do near as much as the suzuki.

+1 on the king quad. I owned one for 5 years and it was a hoss. Don't get me wrong I love my foreman I have now but that king quad was special

Honda Rancher 420 - $5K

for just a little over your price range you can get a brand new foreman, but you need to look at what you need (size of motor, size tires you want to run, how much your going to sink in it once you get it). Ex i can run 28's on a stock suspension on my polaris, some foremans and ranchers need a lift just to get 27's. do you want and 400 or the biggest motor you can get for the $$$. IMHO for 5-6k i would go with good low mile foreman but thats because ive noticed there a little less high maint. than some of the others. But you may want a rancher and would probably have a little $$ left over to get a winch tires etc. Let me know if you need any help looking for some, Ive always got my ear to the ground and can usualy find some decent deals.

When I went in purchase mode back in 2005.. I looked at all the brands.. Kawasaki, Polaris, Honda, Suzuki, Arctic Cat, Yamaha.. I was looking for certain things.

1. Independent Rear Suspension (if you ever ride a bike with one you won't want the suspension anymore)

2. True 4wd.

3. No Slip Transmission

4. Reliability

5.Price 5-6k like you.

6. And additional features.

Pros for each brand...
1. Independent Rear - Kawasaki, Polaris, Yamaha, Arctic Cat - Honda and Suzuki had it but not in my price range.

2. True 4wd - Polaris, Kawaski, Arctic Cat and Suzuki, Yamaha - Honda had it but not in my price range.

3. No slip tranny - Honda (Automatic), Arctic Cat and Suzuki (Manual) all other brands didn't offer a non slip Auto or a Manual
True 4wd -

4. Reliability - Talked to a ATV mechanic. He said that Honda used to be the most reliable till they changed thier engine program in the early 2000s. He said the most reliable engine now was the Suzuki. Which is in both the Suzuki and the Arctic Cat.

5. Price 5-6k - All brands had models in this price range, but I had to give something up in each of the models to get into that price range... Only ones that had everything in the price range was Suzuki and Arctic Cat.

6. Additional Features - The Arctic Cat won hands down in this with Heavy duty racks, floor boards, 2 inch reciever, adjustable shocks, Hi/Lo manual tranny, true 4wd, disc brakes all the way around.

I went with a Arctic Cat 400 4X4 and love it... I don't like some of there newer models as much as I like mine. Just because of styling, the thinner racks and floor boards.

I know everyone gushes Honda, but IMO they are not what they used to be. Thier newer engine design is not what it used to be and to me they have way to much electrical gadgets... I have been riding with several people that have bought newer Hondas and have had to pull them back to thier trucks because something goes wrong in it.

Go ride a Suzuki and a Arctic Cat look at all the features and then go check out a similar priced Honda.. You will find a world of difference in the features.

i have a honda and a yamaha and i like to ride the one that is easiest to get out of the shed. no complaints on either one.

judge jb

I've owned a 1996 400cc Kodiak with 26"x9" front and 26"x12" rear vampires and a 2002 400cc Big Bear with 27"x10" vampires all around. The Kodiak was the best bike I've owned. It had the hi-lo trans and went through hell. I just hate having a granny low 1st gear and a big gap to 2nd gear in todays most standard manual shift quads. If you go with big tires, that gap from 1st to 2nd is a royal PITA. The Big Bear was nice as it was the first year selectable 4wd and that was a plus for trail riding as I frequently did. As I'm sure you know, wheel spin is key in mud. Having that gap from 1st to 2nd would more times than any, kill me if I was in thick stuff. Imaging trying to pull a 20k lbs load behind a 1ton truck and having a granny first and a wide gap 2nd. I would still buy another '96 at the drop of a hat though.

The Artic Cats are nice as they have the heel and toe shifter and you don't have to worry about getting your foot jammed up underneath though. However, I prefer a solid rear axle if hauling alot of stuff on the racks.

Automatic bike, hands down Polaris. They've had autos longer and more experienced.


If I have to buy a brand new bike today, it would be a Polaris and this is coming from a person who always said he'd never own a Polaris. Their quality has come a long way since 10 years ago. I've always said I'd never own an electric shift bike either and to this day I'll still never own one. I've seen way to may on trail rides with the buttons getting muddy and trans staying in a gear.

grnheadhuntr wrote:If its not a Honda, I wouldn't buy it. They are the most well built and durable bikes on the market. Easy to service and they will take a hel of a beating.

+1 on that

go with a honda rubicon


E

+1 King Quad The smoothest ride I've ever had. Got the 700, not the most powerful but its got plenty.