School me on ATVs

[Erni]

So I took the kids ATVing when we went on break. They all loved it but best of all my tween loved it and I want to get him active.
Would love to pick up 2 ATVs with 2 person capacity each. This is what we rented and it worked well enough. I don?t think I can store more than 2 ATVs though plus towing 4 ATVs with my truck was iffy.

Used is fine and I can do some work to get them up to par.
What should I look for? Brands to avoid? Features that are must have? Trailer issues and recommendations?

Thank you.

[SouthPaw]

Stay away from anything chinese. What's your budget?

[ray1970]

I used to ride quite a bit and with a diverse group of people. Seems like any time we had trouble with any of the machines it was always a Polaris or Arctic Cat. I don?t think I ever remember a Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, or Yamaha giving us any trouble.

I have two matching Kawasaki?s that would probably work great for you but they aren?t really made for riding two-up and I would have to discuss it with the wife before I could decide if I was willing to part with them.

[kidicarus13]

The Japs have motorcycles and ATVs mastered. Boring reliable with only basic maintenance.

[ray1970]

The Japs have motorcycles and ATVs mastered. Boring reliable with only basic maintenance.

Plus, you meet the nicest people on a Honda.

[kidicarus13]

.

[ray1970]

This is my Polish ATV at my favorite mud hole. (Fine. It?s a Kawasaki. I affectionately refer to it as a Kawalski.)



Ignore the red cooler bungeed to the front rack. It was the quickest way I could think of to haul beverages.

[00tec]

I have a polaris RZR. Never again.
A friends Artic cat 550 utility atv has been rolled multiple times, has 2500+ hard miles on it, and the only thing we have ever replaced (other than body work) was a spring perch.

[Great-Kazoo]

I'd check parts (as in engine & electric) availability before buying an older yamaha. They like putting parts in OBS status. Even on older, popular, models.

[sniper7]

I?ve had over 100 Atvs over the years so I might be able to provide a little insight with personal opinions interjected.
First off I?d look for somewhat newer ones with fuel injection due to our large changes in altitude available in CO. Carb can be done but need to be jetted correctly and at a mid range altitude.

Yamaha Grizzly/Kodiak: no 2 seat option but you can add foot pegs and a rear seat without issue but lose the rear rack storage. Amazing machines. Great overall power. I used to call them my 4wd raptors as I could do tricks on them like no other machine.

Kawasaki brute force or before that prairie: solid machines, more of a work/utility type atv. Not as comfortable as others. Plastic on the ones I?ve had or seen seemed to break easy. The earlier ones mid 2000s had carb issues and having to sync them was somewhat difficult. Don?t think they make a 2up model so you are in the same boat as Yamaha.

Honda anything:
One of my first Atvs to ride on the farm. These are solid work machines. They last. The aren?t as comfortable but they are solid. Newer ones with IRS (independent rear suspension) are a huge upgrade over the old solid axle. The rubicon (500cc) or Rincon (650/680cc) are excellent. Rincon 680 fuel injected is amazing. Little harder shifting than about any other brand but they have steel shaft, no CVT, no belts to worry about and are straight up workhorses that are fuel injected with IRS and will really keep their value. I?ve seen these with 30,000 miles (yes you read that right) with nothing but basic fluids and tires for maintenance. Same as grizzly for adding a second seat.

Polaris sportsman: the most owned machine out there. Overall good machines, more on the clunkier side, strange noises, funny valve sounds, probably have about the most electrical issues from what ive seen, several with messed up displays and unknown mileage due to that. Squeakier than most, more often on belt changes, cheaper plastics/dips (camo has severe issues from about 01-07 turning purple). Solid engines, IRS, newerish ones have done really well on 2up models.

Arctic cat: have 2 up models, good suspension, underpowered in equal CC to other brands. My issue was very tipsy, too high of center of gravity and much more likely to roll over. I believe the new tracker brand at bass pro is a rebranded arctic cat but research that if you are looking at those.

Canam outlander. This IMO is the Cadillac of ATVs. 2up models over multiple CC ranges. Super comfortable. Best security for theft prevention. Newer ones have tri mode dynamic power steering so your kids, wife and you can all drive it comfortably. They ride amazing. Usually marketed as highest HP in its class and I would personally agree. Tons of power but very controllable, even have different keys for reduced power modes. Excellent 4wd system with viscolock.

Suzuki kingquad: my very first atv in 1993. Didn?t change the oil from probably about 10 years. Still ran perfect. Newer models are excellent, lots of power, had a FI one in I think 07. Handled like the grizzly, lots of power very controllable. Not sure on 2up models currently but at that time they didn?t offer any so you are looking at foot pegs and rear seat on rack.


I will 2nd 3rd and 4th I?m staying away from Chinese. Price is right but they WILL break down. A lot. And at the wrong time. Or for your kids it will turn into a not fun thing to have if you get the cheaper taotao models. Have had a couple and a couple buddies have had them. Easy to work on but you are constantly working on them. Cheap parts but they can take months off ebay to get or cost a lot more to get quick.