# ATV Miles?



## Zelph (Dec 2, 2007)

Having been raised by someone who had severe motorcycle and tote-goat anger, I have arrived to adulthood knowing almost nothing about atv's. But having used one to extract a deer out of the woods this year, I have been converted. How many miles would be considered a lot for a used atv ? I know that it depends on the year. What would be an acceptable yearly average from a '99 or newer model? My brother says that Hondas are hard to beat. Thoughts?


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## 71fordbronco (Oct 8, 2008)

Ill have to agree with your brother on this one. I have an 2003 Honda Rubicon with about 2100 miles on it without a problem, but i dont think that would be considered high miles at all.


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## EvenOlderFudd (Jun 18, 2008)

Honda. Have a 1999 300 .. Change out all the oils and gear lube,, every year.. Gets my big old butt around,, So for me it would be .. Honda..


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

71fordbronco said:


> Ill have to agree with your brother on this one. I have an 2003 Honda Rubicon with about 2100 miles on it without a problem, but i dont think that would be considered high miles at all.


+2 Your brother is a smart man.


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## bow hunter (Sep 11, 2007)

i had a 2001 Honda Foreman with over 5000 miles with no problems at all I ever did was new tires.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

I have a 1999 Honda Foreman S, the bike has 21,000 miles(not a type error 21,000miles) on it and has never had any problems, the only thing I've ever had to do with that bike is change the oil. It doesn't get used as much anymore but still runs fine, it has began burning oil a little faster now but it has never stopped and every minute of its life has been work.


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## TAK (Sep 9, 2007)

Can't argue with the Honda stuff, they last for ever... But most times after I reach 5 grand on a bike I am looking to see what new stuff there is out there.... The last 3 have been Polaris, the best was the 01 500 Sportsman... Would still have it, but it jumped out of my truck last year or at the first of this year. Have a 700 now... Sweet mother of God! What ride, POWER... and the SMOOOOOOTHHHHH ride it has.... Does not sip the gas it DRINKS it fast!
Well my point is, the Polaris has a million time better ride than most all the others and if you are going to put limited miles on it, and do not like pissing blood... Get the Polaris!

Ohh ya never have had a problem with any of my Polaris's... And what is this talk about changing fluids? Hell my truck calls for Oil change at 6500... FIgure the wheeler can get that and more before!!! :wink:


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## ramrod (Apr 15, 2008)

me and my friends have had good luck with are Honda's and Polaris, look for one that hasn't been ridden hard. make sure you get a 4 stroke.


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## flyfitch (Sep 22, 2007)

HONDA, HONDA, HONDA. Don't worry about miles when looking to purchase. If you test ride it and it feels tight, does not slip when you give it the gas, it should be a good purchase.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Here are a few threads that touch on similar topics that may be of help:
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=5232&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=atv
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1622&p=27443&hilit=atv#p27443
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=254&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=atv

I have personally put it off based on how much time I would be able to use them vs the cost, not to mention employment issues


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

Number one, I'd go Honda.
Number two, a bike with 10,000 miles that has been well-maintained and cared for can be in better shape than a bike with 2,000 miles that has not.
Number three, this is your first bike purchase, consider going new and taking advantage of the cheap financing and current offers from the manufacturer. They're all hurting for business right now and you will always know what kind care the bike gets.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Renegade said:


> Number three, this is your first bike purchase, consider going new and taking advantage of the cheap financing and current offers from the manufacturer. They're all hurting for business right now and you will always know what kind care the bike gets.


Renegade, was that a plug for Renegade Sports? They were the best deals around (http://www.renegadesports.us/new_vehicl ... DispType=0), however the guys in Helper at Carbon Emery are known for beating anyone's prices, they just don't advertise much. As ridiculous as the used market was a year ago, I will guess that has changed to a small degree, but I arrived at a similar conclusion; it was fairly often that I would see someone selling a one or two-year old machine for more than what they can be purchased for new with the year end clearances going on.


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Honda's will last forever but they ride horrible go 100 miles on a honda and you will hate it, they are good farm/ranch vehicles and reliable. 

Polaris were trouble machines but it appears the quality is getting better they are very popular in Utah for some reason. 

Artic Cats sit way to high for me and are a little tippy, the new ones are like the grizzlies in ride height and seem more stable. 

We ride grizzly 700's and love them to death but we mainly trial ride and don't hunt so I can't tell you how the would do there. 


The main thing is rent a few machine take them out in the field for a ride and see what you prefer, you can always find someone who thinks they have a better machine. Since you are forking out the money your opinion is all that matters.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

I have a 1998 polaris sportsman 500 that I have had great luck with. That thing has been put through hell & back & it still works great. I have had to replace 2 belts (1 this weekend aaaggghhh) and a back a-arm(only after it endoed 6 times off a cliff with me on it :shock: ) I think it all comes down to how you maintain the machines. I have heard good things about Honda's but the few that I have ridden have been very stiff compared to my sportsman. I know alot of people that swear by Yamahas & they seem like nice machines. Just this last weekend my cousin broke his rear axle on his 07 grizzly 700 on a spot that every other machine made if over fine. Like whats been said on here before. It all comed down to preferance. Test drive a few & as long as you keep up your maintenance on them any of the bigger makers will work well. 

By the way. My sportsman HAD 6257 miles before the speedometer stopped working about 5 years ago. I would estimate over 10,000 total on it by now.


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> Renegade said:
> 
> 
> > Number three, this is your first bike purchase, consider going new and taking advantage of the cheap financing and current offers from the manufacturer. They're all hurting for business right now and you will always know what kind care the bike gets.
> ...


HA!
Nope. I live in Nebraska (Used to live in South Jordan).

Definately a plug for Hondas though. I love my Rincon.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

When my wife and I used to ride around with dkhntrdstn and his family, we all rode Honda Ranchers. I've also ridden some of the older Polaris ATV's and I personally thought the Hondas were a stiffer ride but I didn't spend all day on the Polaris either. I just have wanted an ATV ever since.... they are the shiz when it comes to sloppy clay roads and narrow spaces you can't get to with conventional transportation and honestly, neither of the two models I rode would be so far better than the other that it would lead me to believe one was a bad machine. I liked em both but when the wife and I wind up with one, it'll probably be a Honda Rancher.


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## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

I have two Polaris's. I love Polaris's, but I rode one of my uncles newer Honda's and they have come leaps and bounds as far as a comfortable ride. I was quite impressed, the last one I drove before that about jarred me to pieces.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> I have two Polaris's. I love Polaris's, but I rode one of my uncles newer Honda's and they have come leaps and bounds as far as a comfortable ride. I was quite impressed, the last one I drove before that about jarred me to pieces.


The newer Hondas really do ride much smoother than the older ones did. I just bought one last year and it's leaps and bounds better than my dad's 6 year old machine. When compared side by side with my cousin's Yamaha, all eight people on our recent camping trip rated the Honda as having the smoother ride.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

BirdDogger said:


> > I have two Polaris's. I love Polaris's, but I rode one of my uncles newer Honda's and they have come leaps and bounds as far as a comfortable ride. I was quite impressed, the last one I drove before that about jarred me to pieces.
> 
> 
> The newer Hondas really do ride much smoother than the older ones did. I just bought one last year and it's leaps and bounds better than my dad's 6 year old machine. When compared side by side with my cousin's Yamaha, all eight people on our recent camping trip rated the Honda as having the smoother ride.


Must be a rincon? My bro has two Rubicons, which are fine, but a solid rear axle can't ever compare with IRS IMHO.


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## BROWN BAGGER (Sep 13, 2007)

I would put up my can am outlander's ride and power against a polaris any day. espically the ride. the rear axles move totally different than any atv on the market. they move up and down with a rearward motion, not up and down tilting inwards. this gives you way more control in rocky trails. the v twin is tons better than a inline for smoothness. when they put power steering in like everyone else "look out". but power isn't everything, I am a ex honda owner(well still own one), but I would look at the king quad for price and options.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

BROWN BAGGER said:


> I would put up my can am outlander's ride and power against a polaris any day. espically the ride. the rear axles move totally different than any atv on the market. they move up and down with a rearward motion, not up and down tilting inwards. this gives you way more control in rocky trails. the v twin is tons better than a inline for smoothness. when they put power steering in like everyone else "look out". but power isn't everything, I am a ex honda owner(well still own one), but I would look at the king quad for price and options.


I don't think anyone will argue that one (I saw the all night infomercial a few times, pretty decent stuff IMHO), aren't they a totally different price range, though, you seem to insinuate that in mentioning the KQ??


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## BROWN BAGGER (Sep 13, 2007)

Yes they are about 2 to 3 G's more than honda's or suzuki's; but not polaris(same). I do have to call them a rich man's atv. even though can am's have a 3 year warrenty, the maintence to have the dealership work on them is outragous. with the computers they have in them, the machine tells you when to maintance, and the only way to reset it, is to have the dealer hook up to your machine and reset it. (total BS). so you do it yourself and egnore the scrolling measage. OH.....one more thing to anyone buying a ATV.....fuel injection is a must!!!!! espically if you ride in high elevation's. once you have had rode a bike with it, you will never go back. so that is one thing to consider when buying a older model.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> Must be a rincon? My bro has two Rubicons, which are fine, but a solid rear axle can't ever compare with IRS IMHO.


Yeah, I didn't even realize that the smaller Hondas have a solid rear axle. I just kept reading about or hearing people talk about the hard ride of the Hondas, but mine is one smooth rider. It makes sense now.


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## kk11 (Sep 17, 2007)

I have a 2005 Honda Rubicon. It rides pretty good and is a very good ATV. I have 9,500 miles on it and most of the miles are pulling my 6 hounds in a trailer. We also have a 04 Honda Rancher AT that has 8000 miles on it.


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