First and only quad for old hunter, advice

[bearheart]

I am going to by my first and probably only quad for hunting, pulling a small trailer with firewood and maybe game quarters, and putting a plow on to clear my driveway (unpaved) From my studies I think a Honda TRX 420 TRX 420 PG CTE would fit the bill, I would consider a Yamaha also as my my reading suggests they are also very reliable. I will not be racing, going particularly gnarly places, only old logging roads , skid trails and that's it. I am told I'll need to budget $2000 for a decent trailer, so more expensive quads are out. I am a big fellow 300lbs by the way. Advice (beside loose some weight, I'm trying) would be appreciated. best dealers on lower mainland and the Island , recommendations/My son suggested Holeshot.... Thanks. (Recommendations re trailers and trailer dealers also of interest)

[monasheemountainman]

go used and look for a quad/trailer combo, you can find some great deals out there.

[dakoda62]

I bought a 2006 400 TRV Arctic Cat as my first and still only quad. Loaded up with all gear and game trailer probably an extra 150 lbs. still lots of power left, im just over 200 lbs. Home depot sells trailers for less than 2K. dont know how well they stand up though. I bought a used snow bear snow mobile trailer I redecked it and put new steel thru out for less than 1500. total.

[srupp]

hmmm stick with Hondas...I have the Honda Rubicon Canadian Trail edition in 500 cc Plenty of power for us bigger guys..this is my second Honda BOTH are still functioning perfectly..actually the first one I sold ...and I see by my SPOT messages Tim is out @ Quesnel lake at a bear spot..lol I plow with mine and often go solo on scouting trips so reliability is a must. I appreciate the solid drive shaft system not chains or belts and clutches..it is comfortable, reliable,powerful anddoes everything I ask, need and demand in a ATV.

I had a fabricator make me a solid steel atv trailer that tilts(dumps)with a wood tailgate..VERY sturdy with solid axle and big wide tires to help float a load accoss softer terrain..would be perfect for your application..and it is for sale..as I don't use it at all...

Anyhow I highly recommend the Honda and the savings on buying a quality used trailer would give a few extra $$ on a new 500..

HMM the trailer I was speaking of is to pull behind your quad..and if interested send me a pm..

cheers
Steven

[Gun Dog]

$2K for a trailer is a very nice trailer. Most quads are around 4' x 7' so your basic 4' x 8' trailer doesn't leave a lot of room for gear. A 5' x 8' with sides or a 6' x 10' flatdeck is the minimum if you buying new. I say 6' x 10' because I never quad alone and you can side load two quads on the trailer.

Most quad/motorcycle dealers are vendor specific so if you want a Honda then you need a Honda dealer. Sometimes there's old stock available too so you might find a 2011 model at a discount. It might even be exactly the same as a 2013.

All the name brand quads are pretty good these days so don't get hung up on one brand. One thing about Honda is they use a 5-speed automatic instead of a CVT. Quieter and better fuel economy.

[mikeboehm]

Honda. Longest lasting and most reliable hands down. Then yamaha. Artic cat and polaris at the bottom

[r106]

1 - Can-Am
2 - Yamaha
3 - Suzuki or Honda


^^ Are my top 4 for quad choices I have a Suzuki king quad and it has been very reliable so far.

As far as dealers, I bought mine from holeshot and they are good to deal with. International had the best prices as they import them from the US. So I used there prices to barter with holeshot and got a good deal

[Ambush]

If you are plowing and doing mostly low speed maneuvers, then you should seriously consider power steering. Don't worry too much about power, as they are all geared to what's available. Independent rear axles add to ride comfort.

Yamaha or Honda for best reliability and resale. And that's just from consumer stats.

[drivintrucks_shootinbucks]

Dad and i both have 2007 yamaha 450's. we ride them hard and have never had issues. My mom and sister have 2 and 3 year old polaris 500's that they baby and they have nothing but problems. I know a guy who also has a 450 yamaha that put half a moose on the front rack and half on the back. He stood on one sidecwhile his partner stood on the other side and they rode out. I have aldo found the yamaha 450's have a smaller body taking up less room in your pickup box and making it easier to snake your way around obstacles. Just my 2 cents though, in the end every brand will have people bringing up pro's and cons

[mikeboehm]

I grew up using honda. I had 2 3 wheelers. 2 honda 350's a 1996 honda foreman 400 and a 1999 honda foreman 450.never had one fail. I still have my 1996 foreman and it runs great. I still take it up to stave and barry it in deep mud never let me down.

[cdnshooter13]

2001 foreman 450s would be the way to go. Lots in alberta used. Shaft driven so no belts to burn and manual shift so none of that electronic shift bs to screw up. Ive swam out of rivers with mine in one hand and drained the water out and drove away(full service when i got home of course). Small and light enough to go anywhere and easy for one guy to manhandle if need be.

[Jagermeister]

Can you say Honda? Say Honda.
I am still running my 1998 Foreman 400. I just did it's first carb overhaul. Turn key on, hit starter button and it starts immediately, just like when it was spanking new.
And were I to replace it, it would be a Honda.

[jhausner]

Hondas are great. Have used a buddies a lot over the years and it got us out of some rough areas. Rubicon 400 I think. It is a 1 person but he bolted a step off rear side seat as we drive pretty slow while hunting on it. So 1 person but at times it was 2 of us @ 200 lbs each and a nice mule buck strapped on. I like the gears especially for descending inclines.


I have ridden many others too Yamaha, can am, ac, and were nice too but my buddies Honda just feels and acts like a tank and that's what you need in the bush to feel comfortable. I have seen belts break in the bush on other models with less than 1000 km on me.

[hunter1947]

go used and look for a quad/trailer combo, you can find some great deals out there.

X2 I agree this is the best way to go..

[Drillbit]

I have used a 420 quite a bit. It's the independent rear suspension model with power steering and efi.
Great bike, nice to ride, lots of power good on fuel. Made/designed with trail riding in mind.

Only thing I don't like about the 420 is in auto mode when climbing hills it downshifts at an unexpected time. So, for climbing or rough terrain I run it in thumb-shift mode.

Also have a 400fa, 500 rubicon PSteering, and 650 rincon and 680 rincon.

I would recommend the 500 rubicon with power-steering and efi for the best all around work bike. Smoother hydrostatic tranny, same power (drag racing as the 420) better torque pulling loads. And more confortable seat height&width. High & low range, excellent holdback on hills.

I always go to Gateway in edson and talk to Darren, but have bought one from International and they had good prices too.

[2tins]

Stick with the Honda quad and get a Honda snow blower. I find plowing to be a pain in the ass. A snow blower can get the snow farther and higher plus you get a bit of exercise............not that you need it.

[Shooter]

I have 2 quads. A Honda TRX 420 and a CAN-AM Outlander 500. Although they are both very similar in cc's the Outlander is miles ahead in every aspect, especially would be true for you being a larger guy. Don't get me wrong, the Honda is a great quad and I have no plans of getting rid of it but its not in the same world as the Can-Am. When you sit on the 2 it is comparable to driving a Cadillac and driving a Sunfire, The Can-Am feels much larger and more stable/comfortable than the Honda and has a much smoother power to it. I personally would not put a plow on the Honda that I own. If I were to be getting a plow it would be on the Can-Am and better yet likely an 800cc quad of some sort. I do agree that if I were looking at a new quad now I would be looking harder at the power steering models. Our Honda has power steering and that is a nice feature. Nicer than I thought it would actually be. Not nice enough to make me sell my Can-Am and spend more on a new quad but if I was in the market I would consider it as a factor.

[Shooter]

Honestly if you are stuck to Honda I would strongly consider the previous advice and look into the Rubicon over the TRX. The TRX is more of a trail quad than a workhorse. I have also been a Yamaha guy most of my life and I wouldn't hesitate to jump into a Yamaha quad for the right price.

[srupp]

AGREE with the above post that the Rubicon is the way to go..and I have used a Honda to plow my drive and 4 neighbors drives for 20 years far faster than any snow blower..Honda does exceptionally well in this category, my Canadaian trails edition back suspension is adjustable for us errr ...bigger riders...lots of power and you can change from auto to gears and use the thumb control to change gears..mine is old enough that it does not have power steering nor efi but cant upgrade every year when they last forever.I would ask does the machine I am buying have a clutch belt to tear or is it a solid shaft drive...hmmm bought 2 lawn mowers21 years ago still running, bought 1 generator 18 years ago and 2 ATVs over the past 20 some years..all are Honda and all are still running fine thank you..thats reliability and in an ATV that's what gets you out of the back woods every time..bullet tough and reliable...add comfortable, powerful and ya Id buy another one tomorrow but I wont need to..good luck in your choice..Steven

[Singleshotneeded]

Nothing wrong with Hondas, they're reliable but a lot still have solid rear axles, no power steering, and no front differential lock
in case you get into something sticky. They're also not very spirited until you get to the 680cc Rincon but that wasn't a priority
of yours. I'd take a hard look at the excellent Yamaha Grizzly 550 EPS. It's got a strong and very reliable engine, the rest of the
quad is also very reliable and has a track record, that identical model, going back to 2007. You've got independent rear suspension,
power steering, fuel injection for fuel efficiency and strong performance at any altitude, front diff lock for slippery situations, and good
clearance as well as stability. There's a reason Grizzlies are unchanged since 2007...outside of the engines being outpowered by the
newer big bore V-twins by Canam, Polaris, and Arctic Cat, the rest of the machine is as capable or more capable than it's competition,
and more reliable than most. I was going to buy one in Bellingham in 2007, but it was the hot selling star at the time, and the dealer
wouldn't budge off full msrp...but the Suzuki dealer gave me an awesome price on a King Quad, $3,000 less than Canada and that
was including full aluminum skidplates and heated grips and thumb! No brainer! It's been solid and perfect to this day...and another
quad you can check out...the King Quad 500 EPS. Now for the trailer...I got a Snowbear trailer from Cdn Tire on sale in 2007 for $900.
It's the 4.5' X 8', with the gate at the back that folds down to make a loading ramp. Critical mods to make it a decent trailer were cheap,
I bought some flat iron and bolted it to the sides of the trailer all down and even a bit behind the wheels, with big stainless bolts and
washers. Then I had a welder weld the flat iron to the frame at the bottom edge. Solid sides now! I took four hefty L brackets of
steel and bolted the front panel's sides to the now solid side panels of the trailer...solid on three sides now. I used a cobalt bit and
drilled through the steel tire covers and the mounting bracket they were mounted to with one tack weld, and used a solid stainless
bolt and washers to secure them on each side. I sprayed rubberized undercoating on the lower panels, underneath the trailer, and
the back...no rust allowed. Then I used cans of tremclad gloss black to give the trailer two more coats of pain over the thin chinese
coat it had from over there. To keep the tailgate from rattling I use one of the short thick rubber bungies on each rear corner, and
attach it to a mounting point I bolted onto the rail back there on the side. I also bolted a mounting point on the front part of the side
rails, and to these mounting points I attach the ratchet straps that secure my quad. A bit of work, a few bits of hardware, and a few
cans of paint, and you have a solid little trailer for about half of what you were told. If you want a pic or two I can take a couple of
pics showing the mods with my iPhone and email them to you, if you pm me your email address. Cheers and enjoy!

[adamgarbett]

Can am 100%. Get the outlander and don't look back👍

[Ambush]

No sense looking back, everybody on a Yamaha is way ahead of you!! :mrgreen:

[Rocky7]

Forget the quad. Buy a 700 Rhino.

It is comfy. It will push snow almost like truck. Put a 1/2 windshield on it and your nose won't run and your hands won't freeze. Your feet will never freeze. Put a roof on it and you won't be looking to hide under a tree when a squall comes along. I took a bull elk out by myself last year. Easy, peasy (sorta, the friggin' thing was still heavy). Lots and lots of good accessories. If the Rhino doesn't have enough room for you, I think Kubota makes a biggish UTV. Bobcat makes them now and that's a solid name in machinery. John Deere maybe, too.

I've owned them all since the early '80's. I sold my 3rd Grizzly last year and won't own another quad. My wife has a Kodiak.

[snakeplain]

buy the honda rubi with power steering, no belts, no problems, if you have the money to buy the rhino, go with a jeep, tracker, suzuki, cheaper and better heaters, a/c, etc. call venon sports in kelowna/winfield, dave, he has new and used hondas at the best price, go with agility and a gas saver, good luck.

[Frango]

I have a Honda 420 AT I use for hunting and some acreage work..It's everything you will want or need.

[Hillbros_96]

Go with the Honda, and you will not regret it. Is there really a bad quad out there? But the Honda will holds valuable and keep ticking. I am still running a 96 400 foreman with 7000 km and has been upside down several times, but it keeps ticking.

[f350ps]

Yammy Kodiak 450 is all you need, I wouldn't own a quad without front diff lock and a winch! Good luck with what ever choice you make. K

[Singleshotneeded]

Go with the Honda, and you will not regret it. Is there really a bad quad out there? But the Honda will holds valuable and keep ticking. I am still running a 96 400 foreman with 7000 km and has been upside down several times, but it keeps ticking.

Yup, the Chinese quads right up to now had mild steel bolts that broke when you went over bumps, and if they were holding
the tires and suspension together, it could be nasty! Welds breaking, etc...avoid Chinese! Polaris are starting to improve, but
they still have way more issues than Honda/Suzuki/Yamaha, and a guy I know in Penticton had a top of the line Arctic Cat quad,
and something broke on it or it would have engine issues on pretty much every ride!! Canam isn't quite up to the reliability
standards of the Japanese, but not too far back, ahead of Polaris, way ahead of Arctic Cat, and miles ahead of the Chinese.

[hunter1947]

Stick with the Honda quad and get a Honda snow blower. I find plowing to be a pain in the ass. A snow blower can get the snow farther and higher plus you get a bit of exercise............not that you need it.


Well said I agree and if you live where the snow is wet at most times it makes it tough to plow..

[shallowH2O]

the best advice i can give is to look in the used section/for sale section of buy and sells, papers, kujiji etc. you will find lots of polaris, yamaha, can am, artic cats for sale, but very seldom do you find hondas for sale. got to be a reason??? once you buy a honda, theres never a reason to sell it!
now that being said, i own a forestry based company and i run trx500fm' s exculsivly. 6 of them to be precise. theres definetly bikes out there with a more comfortable ride and more bells and whistles, but theres nothing out there tougher. its not just me either, take a look around when your in the bush and see what most of the other forestry based companies are using, they are mostly hondas. we use these bikes to make a living, 200-300 days a year!!! choice seems simple

[Hillbros_96]

Yup, the Chinese quads right up to now had mild steel bolts that broke when you went over bumps, and if they were holding
the tires and suspension together, it could be nasty! Welds breaking, etc...avoid Chinese! Polaris are starting to improve, but
they still have way more issues than Honda/Suzuki/Yamaha, and a guy I know in Penticton had a top of the line Arctic Cat quad,
and something broke on it or it would have engine issues on pretty much every ride!! Canam isn't quite up to the reliability
standards of the Japanese, but not too far back, ahead of Polaris, way ahead of Arctic Cat, and miles ahead of the Chinese.


You are write on the Chinese stuff and I would not touch them with a ten foot pole. I should have mentioned main brand quads, but I was to lazy to fix it, LOL.

[longwalk]

One other point to consider when comparing shaft drive (Honda) to CVT belt drive (Yamaha and others) is that the shaft drive is quite a bit easier on fuel. A large consideration if you are past the middle of nowhere.

[aggiehunter]

I have a new 2001 Honda 450 ES Foreman...i adjusted the valves two years ago...THAT"S IT!

[knightcc]

hmmm stick with Hondas...I have the Honda Rubicon Canadian Trail edition in 500 cc Plenty of power for us bigger guys..this is my second Honda BOTH are still functioning perfectly..actually the first one I sold ...and I see by my SPOT messages Tim is out @ Quesnel lake at a bear spot..lol I plow with mine and often go solo on scouting trips so reliability is a must. I appreciate the solid drive shaft system not chains or belts and clutches..it is comfortable, reliable,powerful anddoes everything I ask, need and demand in a ATV.

I had a fabricator make me a solid steel atv trailer that tilts(dumps)with a wood tailgate..VERY sturdy with solid axle and big wide tires to help float a load accoss softer terrain..would be perfect for your application..and it is for sale..as I don't use it at all...

Anyhow I highly recommend the Honda and the savings on buying a quality used trailer would give a few extra $$ on a new 500..

HMM the trailer I was speaking of is to pull behind your quad..and if interested send me a pm..

cheers
Steven

I agree with the above. You can't beat Honda's for reliability. Maybe not all the bells and whistles but they start and run when you need them the most.

[ruger#1]

One thing I would get is a quad that has good ground Clearance but is low enough that you can lift your game onto the front or rear rack. One with independent suspension for the side hills and a good 2500LB winch. Differential lock for 4X4ing is also a good option. There are lots of brands of quads out there. The ones from China I wouldn't even look at. There is a reason they are cheap. I would also get one in the 400cc range for the fuel economy. Unless you like going fast. I'm still driving my 1995 Suzuki king quad. Had the top end rebuilt at 10000KMS. Not sure if I would buy another one.

[The Hermit]

Go with KOWA for sure! :twisted:

I've loved every one of the Honda products I've owned in the last 46 years including many motorcycles, cars, a Rubicon Canadian Trail 400cc quad, lawn mowers, and outboards. Any other manufacturer will have to make a significant leap ahead of Honda in innovation and/or value for money before I'm tempted to to shop elsewhere. This is not to say I haven't owned and used products from other manufacturers and found them as good or better for specific purposes or value for money.

In general the quality of most products put out by major manufacturers, in just about any specialization or industry, is pretty good these days. Although warranties are relatively comparable reliability and timely customer service factor into that consideration for me.

But really, how many of us can differentiate the ethereal qualities that the audiophile might dream of embracing? How many eagle eyes can spot the difference, if they see it? I'm pouring another rum!


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