Need some utility advice

[mudnuri]

First off I am not starting this thread to start a pissing match over whats better. I am trying to guide my friend into a quad that will suit his needs.
He will be using it as a hunting helper. There is lot's of water. He is a big man.
I am under the impression a belt driven machine would not be good as I have witnessed myself one get wet and thats where the machine sat.
$8,000 of crap. It was at that point I said I would never own a belt driven anything. If I am wrong I am open to enlightenment.
He seems to have in his head that he wants a Yamaha. I am thinking a Rancher 400 4WD would be perfect for him. He also wants an automatic
Thanks for any advice.

[Bigscrb15]

I have a belt drive, and wouldn't trade it in. I will admit that if you let go of the throttle and sit in the water for a little bit it will flood and you might have to push or winch out of the mud/water, but if you pull the drain plug and let it drain, you will be runnin like normal in just a matter of minutes. 1 advantage to the belt drive is you don't have to keep your feet in the water to shift gears in mud.

[shulco]

I have a belt drive and got around that problem by snorkeling my belt intake and exhaust. my friend has a king quad that is a belt drive ,I saw him ford a creek about 100 foot wide and a good 21/2 to 3 foot deep without any problem. one thing though, if your friend does get a belt drive have a drain plug installed if it don't have one . makes getting any water out of the belt chamber a lot easier.

[mudnuri]

Yeah see that wouldn't work out for him.
Hmmm... I looked at the Yamaha site and they have the Big Bear and it is shaft drive. The Kodiak has the ultrabelt.
Honda has the AT
Arctic Cat has CVT
The Arctic Cat seems to be a really nice machine. Don't know if they are good or bad.
The Rancher has the least ground clearance.

[05greengriz]

Arctic 500 manual rides pretty good, and hos more ground clearance than all of them.

[Joedirt]

Artic Cat is the way to go...they have a boatload of Hunting stuff he can get with that machine.....

[Kawa3]

the AC's are great machines, even the 400. If you have any questions and want it from AC onwers ask on www.arcticchat.com

I have the AC V2 650(belt drive) and it hasnt got wet yet. and I have been in some VERY deep stuff(which I thought I wasn't going to make it). And to make sure it doesnt get wet install a snorkle and there will be no worries.

[rubicon500kid]

i have a rancher 350 and love it pulls nice i run 27s on it and it pulls them no prob but it has only gotin stuck cuz i have goting it hanged up
now if i could of gone back and gotin another bike i would of got an articat they r awsome and big even the lil 250 is irs wich is awosme

[mudnuri]

Dang, kid! I might live in the woods but at least I know how to spell. I needed to read slow and think too hard. LOL! 
The A/C 500 has 12 inches of ground clearance!! That always makes me do a double take when I see one. Then I find out it is stock. They do seem to have every kind of attachment you could want. Definitely a hunters choice. I myself wouldn't get one. I am 140lbs soaking wet. And turning 39. I couldn't get it unstuck if I ever got that way. I wish they had a 4X4 Recon 250. I would get that. That would have to have the old school "high/low" tranny. Okay, I am dreaming. I am thinking to get another one this January to replace the one I had stolen the night I rejoined this site.

I called my friend today and told what was said so far and he still has a hard on for a Yamaha. Says A/C is the most expensive.

[americanhighlander]

Well do you have directv on your dish.Go look at the great outdoor network
A show called atvtv.

They have web site on it.I know it had specs on alot  4x4 atvs.
http://www.atvtv.com

This guy on show he is very good on mods and type atvs your ride.

If was me I went with king quad the new one or with a  2002-2004 rancher 4x4.Or somthing with front lock diff or with perload shocks to audjust with loading racks and with  lower or higher ground clearance
 to  ride better on rocks or dirt trails.
And set of Itp tires with atr's that will make it going in water and mud better.

Becuase I have been reading alot stuff in dirtwheels magzine.

Well depends what type utility atv he wants.I won't go with yamaha grizzy
I know stock shocks are pretty bad ride and it tips alot and fall over to high on ground clearance.If goes with yamaha my best bet you might have change out stock shocks to new better improved shocks to get ground clearance to lower level.

I hope he get nice fourwheeler.
I hope some these tips help you out on here.
Good luck on it.

thanks,
amhighlander

[Qdawg76]

I did alot of research when before I got my Polaris Sportsman 500. It has More than enough power, good ground clearance and has plenty of things you can change out on it to suit your needs. Automaic, AWD. I love this thing, I didnt need the 800cc monster they have, You cannot beat the stock tires that come with it, ( Polaris PXT tires) There is more than enough storage.  The only thing is that it is a bit hefty for a 500cc machine at @700lbs or so. This thing handles whoops and bumps with no problem, I have yet to bottom it out plus it has IRS.
Well whatever he picks hope he enjoys it.

[LakeMaryKid]

i have a rancher 350 and love it pulls nice i run 27s on it and it pulls them no prob but it has only gotin stuck cuz i have goting it hanged up
now if i could of gone back and gotin another bike i would of got an articat they r awsome and big even the lil 250 is irs wich is awosme

[Kawa3]

Tell him to look for 05s, and not go to outdoor world for them.

I would never buy a Yamaha 4x4 but would buy their Sports. I have rode with yamaha 4x4's and seen what they can and cant do and wasn't impressed espically when i passed them on my old 220 bayou.

[mudnuri]

LOl LMK!
I was just bustin' on you rancher kid. I like your 350. That is my choice for what I need. The Recon is all I can afford though!
Yes, I too, am not as impressed as some over Yamahas line-up. Nor the Kawi. I am really liking the AC 500. I will suggest a winch for the inevitable as that thing is heavy!
How does the belt thing work anyway?
What do duck hunters prefer? I know there is a lot of down time in a little less than gas tank deep water.

[FOREMANRON]

IF HE IS A BIG GUY AND WANTS AUTOMATIC HE MIGHT CONSIDER THE HONDA RUBICON 500. I AM A PRETTY GOOD SIZE AND HAD A RANCHER IT WAS NICE BUT NOT ENOUGH POWER FOR ME

[05greengriz]

Put a set of Outlaws on the Cat and then you wont have to worry about getting unstuck.

[americanhighlander]

So go for 350cc or above that.So you will have very nice engine size and good  4x4 power.

To order free catalogs
On atvs your are looking for.
Go to theses web sites or just go look at atvs on there.

suzuki
http://www.suzuki.com

honda
http://www.honda.com

Yamaha
http://www.yamaha.com

Arctic cat
www.arcticcat.com

polaris
www.polarisindustries.com

kawasaki
www.kawasaki.com


thanks,
amhighlander 

[bruteforceski]

I have both the 05 honda 400 rancher and the 05 kawi bruteforce 650,
the honda by far is the most reliable and has plenty of power for any mess a hunter can get into. However the kawi is still very reliable and much more powerfull, and in my opinion $ for $ the best bike on the market, arctic cats are great,  but can be costly.