Most reliable ATV?

[Silveroddo]

One more vote for the Honda's. Currently have an old Fourtrax and a Rancher 350. Beat the ever living snot out of an '89 Fourtrax as a kid and never did kill it. If you're looking at used machines and it's something older without an odometer, lug it in a mid to high gear and see if you get any clutch slippage. There is an adjustment, I've never had to adjust one that was adult driven, my '94 is kind of kid beat and its adjusted to the max and still going.

 

[tuffcity]

Big fan of the Can-Am 2up.

 

[alonsom10]

I've got a honda rincon that has just been a workhorse over the years. Never any issues with it. As long as you keep the maintenance on them they just start and go. There are other quads geared more towards performance but if you are looking for reliability I don't think you can go wrong with a honda. The rincon is the top model but their lower end ranchers are the same if not more reliable. Over here in the california orchards that is what everyone uses.

 

[TheGDog]

Polaris sportsman 570 4x4 but it has left me stranded when battery died this on the other hand runs like a top electric start and pull, if you use these correctly they are pretty nice to haveView attachment 207329

This particular Honda 200 motor has been around forever. In High School... I used to ride long....long Wheelies all over the place on an XL200S (DualSport). And used to jump the thing... A LOT!. After all that abuse... only bad thing that happened was that at some point 2nd gear started to chatter like maybe a tooth on a gear inside the trans probably got damaged. And I'm sure it was from all that multi-gear-change wheelie'ing.

 

[NEWAoutdoors]

Big fan of the Can-Am 2up.

Love this picture. Nice bucks too

 

[RogerSanchez]

Honda all day


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[gibbons025]

I’ve owned a Polaris since I bought my first Sportsman 330 when I was 15. I’ve had nothing but Polaris’s and they have never left me stranded. I believe if you treat it right and take care of it , it will do the same for you.

 

[xziang]

I am a fan of Hondas too. Used Honda 250 BigReds years ago and seeing them go in and out of the river only issue brakes wearing out but keep going was very impressive. Currently own a 2010 Honda 420 rancher which I like. Fuel injected and easy to ride. Not a monstrosity nor big on power but I can also pick up the back end by hand if stuck. It is electronic shift but for reliability might go manual foot shift. With that said did have one issue where it started to heat up because the fan wouldn't come on. Turned out the sensor on the left side of the engine went bad. HoWEVER if it happens again (in the field) just need to disconnect the sensor and fan will come on permanently.

 

[SCS_BG_Hunter]

Bought a Honda 300 in 2001, 4 sets of tires and 2 rear axles later and I wouldn't have anything but a honda. The first axle broke last year, the replacement went out less than a year later. Cheap metal I suspect, found on OEM axle on Ebay and put that in, I don't expect to have any issues. I've had 2 guys and an elk at the same time more than once, lots of deer, a moose, the thing will take you up hill you don't dare come back down and it just keeps on going.

 

[Mxracer532]

Well CHIT, my .2
For reliability and strictly workhorse the HONDA is the ONLY way to go. That being said when I purchased my quad I wanted one that could be the hunting quad that I could still play and play hard on with power that was still a reliable machine. I went straight to one of my best friends that has been a Motorcycle mechanic since he graduated MMI in 2001 ish. Now builds Supercross/mx bikes for a race team what I should buy. He without hesitation said to buy a Kawasaki Brute Force.
I found a barely used 08 camo brute force 750 with 26in Mudlite tires with 450 miles. Put a clutch spring kit in it for the FUN FACTOR and its been both fun (as a ex motorcross racer can have on an ATV) and reliable. Change oil and clean filter and ride.
My brother has a Grizzly 700 and its been reliable but the fun factor just isn't there compared to the Brute. It simply doesn't have the power the vtwin brute force has.

 

[Djw442]

I’ve found Honda to be the most reliable for me. I’ve owned Honda, Polaris, Kawasaki, and Yamaha. Honda and Yamaha were much more reliable than the others. Polaris had the most power, but always needed some little repair. None of the atv’s I’ve owned ever had a catastrophic failure or stranded me though.

 

[Rimrocks]

Used several older Honda fourtrax 2x4s for work, for over 22 years. As close to bomb proof as you can get.

 

[buzzyb]

Polaris ranger

 

[Huntindog45]

Polaris has been good to me. I had an old chain driven polaris i used for work for a long time and I beat the hell out of that thing. drove it hard and put it away wet. Then I would used it all winter for duck season. I really wish i still had that thing. That being said every farmer i know has a honda. There is something to be said for the no frills, get-er-done honda.

 

[Mule3006Elk]

Great thread. Honda based on reputation is hard to beat.

 

[KineKilla]

Our whole group use Yamaha Grizzlies. I own a 2014 700 and a 2009 550. Both are great machines and give me confidence that I won't find myself stranded anywhere.

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[Areba21]

I’ve found Honda to be the most reliable for me. I’ve owned Honda, Polaris, Kawasaki, and Yamaha. Honda and Yamaha were much more reliable than the others. Polaris had the most power, but always needed some little repair. None of the atv’s I’ve owned ever had a catastrophic failure or stranded me though.

Recons are excellent, accessible, and simple to maintain. Sadly, though, Honda does not have a 4x4 recon. But it does fit the part of your post's affordability

However, Honda has the 4x4 fourtrax with a 300cc engine they made in the 90's. Everyone I've ever met who owned a fourtrax has said nothing wrong with them. Depending on the state where I live, you can usually find these used on Craigslist for anywhere from $800-$2000.

 

[SneakyThunderCat]

If you keep oil and gas in a Honda, it'll run forever. I've got a rancher 420 and it has always gotten me wherever I need to go.

 

[G&R]

I have a 03 Polaris 700 twin never let me down, my son has a Honda 420 and he has a lot of electrical issues over the years

 

[Wib]

I have a 1999 Polaris Sportsman 500 quad and never have had a problem with it. Plow snow every winter too. Now going to buy a side by side UTV. I will look at the Honda because I like the idea of no belt but I have a hard time buying foreign. I don't care where they're built, you are still supporting Japan and their GNP when there are American products. Can Am isn't one, but I will look at them as well. I am very familiar with the Textron aviation and military products and they now own Cat. The Prowler has the quietest motor built from what I hear, 3 cylinder. I also like everything else about it, and finally Cat has money and a solid company base behind them. It will likely be the Cat or a Polaris General.