Yamaha or Honda ATV Recommendations

[tchance21]

Honda 100%!

 

[rileybassman]

Any reason why you chose the Kodiak over the Grizzly?

I went into the shop intending to buy the grizz, but left with the Kodiak.

Reasons I went with the Kodiak:

1) Feel - I just preferred the slightly narrower feel of the Kodiak. "feels smaller than it is" in a good way. The Grizz felt a bit wider, taller, and sporter. YMMV as I'd love to get a Grizz someday for trail fun.

2) Gearing - The Kodiak gearing is geared towards work/torque. I use it for hauling kids around, hauling wood, pulling a trailer, hauling dead critters out of the woods etc... I don't need sportier performance, it's been quite enough I can still hit mid 60s on a windy day.

3) Price - With EPS and front locking dif, the Kodiak was still ~$1500-$2000 cheaper.

There's a lot of carrier over between the two models. Motor and I think the tranny are same, just different weighted gears. Furniture is different and brakes are different.

I recommend go sitting on them and driving them around if you can. We love our Kodiak

FWIW, we have had absolutely 0 issues so far.

 

[Blockcaver]

The Kodiak is sized about like the pre-2015 Grizzly was. They are a bit lower, narrower and shorter length (if memory serves me right) than the larger 2015 and up Grizzly 700. And I really like my 2013 Grizzly 550 with power steering. Very comfortable ATV, same as the early Grizzly 700 except for engine displacement...550 has a smaller bore. Not real sure why Yamaha built them but they are fine for what I use an ATV including pulling a hunting trailer and plowing snow.

 

[Phaseolus]

I’ve got 2 Yamaha 2013 Grizzly 550’s and two Honda’s, a 2015 Rancher and a 2019 Rubicon. The fuel pump in my Wife’s Grizzly went out and it takes 4 hours to remove and then replace the skirt to put the ten minute job of a fuel pump back in. I’m guessing the use of fuel with alcohol in it might have something to do with that especially since it sits more than my Grizzly does. I’ve switched to alcohol free fuel for all my machines now. Both of the Honda’s have ESP and auto shift, both of those modules have gone bad and were replaced. The Honda’s are quieter and the electric power steering is ‘twitchier’. They both have independent suspension front and back but the Grizzly’s have a much softer ride. The Grizzly has better ground clearance. I like the Grizzly better but both are solid choices. We inherited the Honda’s. The quiet of the Honda’s operation compared to the Grizzly is noticeable. We ride many miles every season here in Western Colorado.

 

[jtill2424]

I've always had good luck with the Hondas, I've owned 3 with no issues

 

[blackpowder72]

I don't think you can go wrong with either one. The Japs know how to build bikes. Either one would be better than the Polaris junk I have now.

 

[Slickhill]

If I’m spending my money it’s going to say Honda on it. The no frills models are as close as possible to an indestructible machine as can be bought.
More than once I’ve hauled a quartered elk strapped to the racks of a 250 Recon, last year I hauled a huge muley buck out whole on the back rack. So much for the “do not exceed 66lb of cargo” sticker on the back rack.
My uncle and I hauled out a pair of cow elk on our 420 Ranchers one fall. Whole with the guts in them! We put mine on the back rack and it wasn’t bad. We loaded the one on his on the front rack and steering suffered LoL.

In probably a dozen machines we’ve run for decades we have never had any issues other than routine maintenance. They just keep going.

 

[doc holiday13]

If you burned it up, would it be too taxing to pull the motor and have a big bore kit on it?