ATV's

[Seahawk]

I have never owned one but I think I am in the market.

We bought a Polaris Ranger 6x6 in 2014 and we use it more than any other piece of equipment on the farm...multiple times a day. It is actually parked inside our house garage



Which is frankly part of the reason why I am in the market for an ATV. The Ranger has really become my wife's go to for everything: We have a small trailer it tows that she rigged for tools, equipment, sprayers, etc. It is really a nice set-up with a ramp for wheel barrows when she weeds and prunes. The Range also has a generous tool box and a dump bed.

We go our separate ways for farm work and I really need/want to be able to get around the farm without starting a truck. I want my 2015 Tundra to be the last 1/2 ton I own and that means keeping the silly miles off it. We also need to drag the ring, spray, and I have a second trailer for other needs like fence repair and the other hundreds of tasks.

So. I am looking at Honda Ranchers in 4x4, new and used, but I want to expand my search. Any suggestions, experience?

[gregpark]

I've got two Ranchers. Great little work horses with good 4x4 pulling power. I installed fore and aft racks for chain saws, fuel, etc. and usually have an itty bitty trailer hooked up behind one. I really only need one but when a grandson comes up to the cabin with a friend we need two. They turn into fun toys.

[cabmandone]

Rancher would be my recommendation. If you could find a good older 450 Foreman I'd strongly consider one of those. They're pretty much a bulletproof quad.

Something you might consider is a smaller UTV. Something like a Ranger 500 or a Honda Pioneer 500.

[dlockhart]

CFMOTOs are getting a good foothold in the west central wisconsin woods.
My brother and I got this 800 for our mom. She was getting too crazy in the sand whoops and falling off her quad, this might be a little safer.
I had it up to 65mph indicated on the gravel road going to get the mail. It falls nicely between a sport SXS and the ute models.

[Seahawk]

^^^ Great picture.

There is a CFMOTO dealer near my place in Virginia. I had never heard of the brand...I'll stop by. The prices on their website are great.

Cab, I think the ATV is best but I need to wait until after the next hip surgery at the end of August before I commit!

[cabmandone]

Just spit ballin... but I'd think the hip surgery would make the smaller side by side the logical choice. No tossing the leg over the seat to ride. You could always do what my dad does and ride the thing side saddle!

Only concern with CFMOTO, Massimo, Hisun (all Chinese brands) is wiring. I haven't owned a Chinese made ATV or UTV that didn't have electrical issues. Loose connections were the biggest issues but it can be frustrating when you're out and about and the thing decides not to start. First thing I'd do before considering the Chinese UTV's and ATV's is research common problems. For my Hisun (they make Cub Cadet UTV's) it was electrical and head gasket issues.

A plus for the Chinese brand UTV's is the cost of parts. Rather than buy my parts through a Cub Cadet dealer, I went online, found a parts breakdown for the Cub, then typed the part number in a search to come up with the corresponding Hisun part number and ordered that part.

[SCadaddle]

If you can find a nice one that someone is willing to turn loose of, an older Honda Fourtrax 300 in either 2 or 4 wheel drive is a very coveted machine in the world of ATV's. Something more tossible out of the mud would be a Kawasaki Bayou 220. I used both in my Land Surveying biz.

[Fast Freddy 944]

Actually, those aren't really ATV sport vehicles, those are utility vehicles, like the Kawasaki mules. I think of something else when I hear ATV...

[javadog]

My personal opinion, I’d skip the Chinese stuff because I hate China and the quality just isn’t there on their manufactured products. Did I mention I hate China?

I’d buy a Honda. I bought a 2 wheel drive Honda ATV years ago and put a zillion miles on it running geophysical exploration gear through endless miles of pastures and woods. Five days a week, all day long. A little routine maintenance, not much, nothing ever broke. After retiring from that life, it got to be used as a play toy for years. I rode it hard and every brother-in-law and nephew in my extended family had a go at it, including the crazy ones.

If you want to run it in snow, I suggest four-wheel-drive, as the 2WD versions don’t do great in snow and ice.

They are not hard to throw a leg over, you’ll be fine after your hip surgery. You’d be surprised how quickly you can jump on one and be underway.

[Rusty Heap]

It's hard to beat a Yamaha Grizzly 700 fuel injection and power steering.

[rusnak]

I have no idea what a Honda Rancher is. Buggy prices went stupid crazy high during the pandemic shut down, but have come down recently by about 25% from the highs of a year ago.

I can absolutely recommend a Kubota 1100C. I have a Kubota x900, and a Bobcat 3400. Diesel utv will absolutely be worth every penny, and a Kubota is built like a tank.

For high speed response, I have a Polaris Ranger 1000 Northstar Ulimate. Having a cab with electric windows, AC and heat, a *****in' stereo, sun visors, extra cargo space, winch, 4x4 drive etc etc is the next progression. This is the direction that I took after 10 years of rolling around in the dirt and freezing rain, heat, etc. I got tired of getting dirty and hot, or cold and wet. Worth every penny.

[Tobra]

What about a 4 WD kei truck?

Seems like an elderly gentleman farmer, sporting bionic joints, might want a heater as he tours his ranch, views his marsh and the myriad exotic birds that frequent the area as they head North and South every year.

Besides, the dog has more sense than to ride next to you in the rain if your are in one of those buggies.

[mdj930]

Originally Posted by Fast Freddy 944

Actually, those aren't really ATV sport vehicles, those are utility vehicles, like the Kawasaki mules. I think of something else when I hear ATV...

I had one back in the day. Wish I still had it. I was also thinking the same thing ATV vs UTV.
Mike

[Crowbob]

Originally Posted by Tobra

What about a 4 WD kei truck?

Seems like an elderly gentleman farmer, sporting bionic joints, might want a heater as he tours his ranch, views his marsh and the myriad exotic birds that frequent the area as they head North and South every year.

Besides, the dog has more sense than to ride next to you in the rain if your are in one of those buggies.

One of these might work if you can find one. Suzuki Samurai:

[LWJ]

I just used the brand new JD Gator on the family farm today. It’s waaay more than I wanted. But everyone seems pleased.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Tobra

What about a 4 WD kei truck?

That is probably the best option, frankly. The Polaris we already own is a beast.

I think, after reading the replies here and two PMs that had a lot of practical advice and poor experiences with ATVs, I'll shelve the ATV angle and look at other alternatives.

Awesome stuff, folks. Thanks!

[unclebilly]

We have a Honda Rancher which is used a lot. We also have my Baja Bug which my son buggered up the engine on (need to fix that), my Tundra, and the newly acquired Cayenne.

Amazingly, the Cayenne was the cheapest of the above.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

We have a Honda Rancher which is used a lot. We also have my Baja Bug which my son buggered up the engine on (need to fix that), my Tundra, and the newly acquired Cayenne.

The PMs I received were from folks around my age with the same broken and worn getaway sticks as I have

I looked at Kei Truck prices this morning. They are not giving them away

[porsche930dude]

everyone around here has polaris's i work on them all the time. they are pretty good. I use my willys jeep for farm tasks most of the time. But also have a kawasaki atc 250 for small jobs and a small dirtbike just for getting around and having fun

[fireant911]

Long-term Rancher owner here! I purchased my Honda Rancher 350 the first year of production - in 2000. It has served me faithfully for 22 years! The newer one's, as you know, have a higher displacement engine (mine is only 329cc), are now fuel-injected rather than utilizing a carburetor, and water-cooled instead of air-cooled. My machine always fires right up and runs, and runs, and runs! We also have a newer 420 Honda Rancher with independent rear suspension and all the other, more modern, bells and whistles (this is my wife's machine, of course!).

One additional purchase I made for my 2000 Rancher involved a trailer from Bass Pro Shops - Yutrax HC1500 ATV Trailer (https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/yutrax-hc1500-atv-trailer?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=BPS%7CShopping%7CSmart%7CAutoATV%7CGeneral%7C NAud%7CTopPerf%7CNMT&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1bjqz9OR-QIVmonICh2jHghVEAQYBCABEgKkUPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds). I purchased it on a good sale and use the heck out of that trailer. I did have to purchase a different neck (is that the name?) so that the trailer could attach to the ball on my Rancher. Northern Tool also carries some very capable trailers for these as well (the four-wheeled versions should be very rugged - if your budget permits).