Texas Hunting Forum

My first ATV for Hunting

Posted By: Kennedy Farms Hunter

My first ATV for Hunting - 01/31/13 04:02 PM

Can someone tell me what size I should go with is a 350CC ok. I have been looking at used ATV and they seem to be more in my price range, however I don't want to get one and not have enough power. My land is pretty flat, and I won't be hauling anything with it. I weigh about 240lbs....Can anyone recommend what I should be looking for and what brands to stay away from, My budget is around $2500 so obviously it will be a late 2000 model. Thanks
Posted By: 603Country

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 01/31/13 06:02 PM

350cc should be fine, but get an ATV with a big enough frame for you. My wife's Suzuki Ozark 250 has plenty of power for me, but it's a small frame ATV. I'd suggest a used Yamaha Big Bear or Grizzly or maybe a Honda Rancher or Rubicon. It's really hard to kill a Honda or Yamaha. As for 2WD or 4WD, that depends on where you are hunting. In muddy eastern Louisiana, I needed my 4WD Yamaha Big Bear. In not-so-muddy central Texas, a 2WD would be fine for most purposes.

And...maybe if you can find a used Arctic Cat in a large frame model, that might be priced right for you. I don't know if their resale value is as good as Honda or Yamaha, but I do know that my Dad could not kill his Arctic Cat. If Dad couldn't kill it, then it's good equipment.
Posted By: Kennedy Farms Hunter

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 01/31/13 07:19 PM

Thanks for the info
Posted By: Stevarino

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 01/31/13 10:24 PM

Honda or Kawasaki IMO.. and 4x4 always..ya never know. 350 would be minimum.
Posted By: Kennedy Farms Hunter

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/01/13 04:33 PM

so right now i am looking at 01 polaris 4x4 325 cc, for $2500 and a 2000 Honda Rancher 4X4 ES 350 for $2500....pros vs cons?
Posted By: Navasot

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/01/13 04:37 PM

Id take the Honda Rancher any day over a durn polaris....hondas are gona last much longer
Posted By: Stevarino

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/01/13 08:25 PM

Honda rancher x2..
My buddy has an early model and will go all season without touching it.. starts up everytime 1st shot.

No on the polaris.. i remember those early models having issues.
Posted By: twinbubba

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/02/13 02:02 PM

I had a Polaris 330 ATP and hated it. That was the hardest starting coldest natured engine of any kind I have ever owned. I will never buy another Polaris product.
Posted By: Leadsh2

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/04/13 05:04 AM

Can't go wrong with Honda Rancher 2wd, they are great! We have 4 of them, change the oil, plug and clean air cleaner and they keep running.Ours are 2007 models with ~1500miles on them mostly by teenage boys :-)
Posted By: 603Country

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/04/13 03:32 PM

My Yamaha Big Bear 400 is a 2000 model and has given me absolutely no trouble at all. The next-to-last time I had it tuned up, it got a bit cold weather tempermental, but recently I took it to Lost Prairie Cycles (east of Groesbeck on Hwy 164) and that old ATV now purrs like it was brand new. And they even washed it. Wow!

I still have the original tires on the Big Bear. Don't know what I would replace it with if it died, but probably Yamaha or Honda.
Posted By: Kennedy Farms Hunter

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/06/13 03:16 PM

So right now I am looking at 06 Kawasaki Prairie 4x4 360cc model thoughts?
Posted By: Navasot

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/06/13 03:21 PM

I had one they arnt the strongest and need a lil more pep in there step but they will last along time....just dont try to float it across a flooded bottom and let it die.....yeaaaahhh they dnt like that

If you got a chance to get a honda you wnt go wrong with it...yamaha makes good 4weelers to id stick with an older one if so... whatever you decide to get make sure you have a dealer close enough to you for parts and whatnot....would suck to buy one and figure out theres not a dealer for 100miles
Posted By: Kennedy Farms Hunter

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/06/13 04:01 PM

I agree with the Honda's problem is i can't find one in my price range. Thanks for the info on Prairie 360. going to go look at it today.
Posted By: sticksteer

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/06/13 04:33 PM

i have a 250 honda recon ,a 66o yamaha, a 750 brute forse and a king quad 700, when we go to arkansas up at mena in the mountains my 250 has gone everywhere the others have, up rocks and across streams, and the one time i laid my 700 over i had to have help to right it, could have done the 250 myself just have good agressive rubber and a winch added
Posted By: Navasot

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/06/13 04:36 PM

Susukie use to make great units a good while ago...i had a 250 2wd right when they started putting electric start on them...it last for over 10yrs with no problems until i sold it to get a grizzly 600....that sucker is a beast but anything over 400cc will start to get to heavy
Posted By: Navasot

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/06/13 04:37 PM

Originally Posted By: saginaw fatboy 817
I agree with the Honda's problem is i can't find one in my price range. Thanks for the info on Prairie 360. going to go look at it today.


Make sure and check for leaks and that they let you drive it....check the oil too...you would be amazed how little people service 4weelers
Posted By: Kennedy Farms Hunter

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/06/13 06:30 PM

nice
Posted By: Navasot

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/07/13 02:49 PM

And?
Posted By: Navasot

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/07/13 04:48 PM

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/u..._4x#Post4032476
Posted By: jerry hart

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/08/13 01:57 AM

Honda Rancher bought it in 2002 still runs brand new and has never had a problem besides battery and replacing a set of brakes, best made four wheelers there are
Posted By: Hogkellum

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/21/13 04:29 PM

04 Polaris 450 sportsman no problems and plenty of power.
Posted By: 603Country

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/21/13 09:45 PM

Regardless of what you buy, or what any of you presently own, if it needs fixing, I know where to go. I tried to get the big place in Waco to fix the carb leak on my Yamaha Big Bear. It quit leaking for a little while, but ran much worse than it did when I took it there. So..recently I took it to Lost Prairie Cycles, east of Groesbeck on Hwy 164. The carburator guy has been working on them for 35 years. He knows his stuff. My 2000 Yamaha runs as well today as it did when brand new. The guy is a magician. I can't say enough nice things about the repair job. I am SOOOOO happy.
Posted By: rmac10

Re: My first ATV for Hunting - 02/22/13 03:34 AM

Honda Rancher has proven to me to be a great 4 wheeler, but I have a Kaw 650 Brute Force and love the power!
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