> Good reply! I mostly would be doing some fast trail-riding, limited
> mudding,
> no doubt a lot of varmint hunting, and the occasional poker/dice run. I
> have
> been caught on very steep/muddy hills on some poker runs and was telling
> the
> dealer about that and asked if the Brute would be too "tipsy" when power
> was
> applied. He said it's fine a long as you don't whack it too hard but then
> he
> went on about how the machine can pull wheels just blasting on flat
> ground.
> I do like power, like most people, and have ridden several Polaris 500s
> which were pretty decent on take off. The Polaris did have a really
> comfortable ride too. The only other 4x4 I have ridden was a Honda Foreman
> but that thing pounded the piss outta me within a few miles so I gave it
> back to the owner and got back on my EX. This was several years ago so I
> wonder if Honda has improved the ride a little on their newer models. I
> like
> their sport machines a lot so that's why I was leaning more towards a
> Rincon
> 680 but if what you say about the Honda 4x4 is true then I will probably
> not
> bother going that route as some of those poker runs have some pretty rough
> stuff to get through, but it's nothing a winch couldn't handle I guess,
> should one be needed. Oh well, it's gonna be awhile before I figure out
> what
> I'm gonna get, but the deal I got offered on the Brute was pretty good so
> maybe I'll have to test drive one before I dive into another new quad
> payment again. Maybe I will look into a Polaris, they're numbers always
> dominate on every poker run I've ever been on so they must be doing
> something right. Maybe I'll hit the lotto and just by everything out
> there,
> problem solved!
>
> "zerowick" adelphia.net> wrote in message
> news:45abdc9d$0$18842$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...

>> I am full of pointers! and other things according to some...
>>
>> very, very rarely does a machine come out of the box with too much power.
>> IMO, there is no such thing as too much power. the dealer made that

> comment

>> in an attemp to sell the machine on its strong engine. he wasn't
>> thinking
>> about steep ascending rocky trails and the potential for disaster all
>> that
>> power can create on those types of trails. as said over and over,

> different

>> strokes for different folks. if you are more of a "Honda type" don't

> forget

>> that NO HONDA ATV COMES WITH 4WD, so if you are into hairy terrain where
>> momentum cannot be generated, such as rock crawling, you don't want to be
>> the "Honda type". to date, Honda "4WD" ATV's come with a

> "torque-sensitive"

>> front differential. this means you CANNOT lock in all four wheels for
>> CONSTANT power at all four corners, what you do get is the POTENTIAL for
>> power at all four, otherwise you get 3WD. in slow going rough terrain it

> is

>> not uncommon to see a Honda with one front tire with footing and the
>> other
>> in the air, guess which one is spinning... this is not a Honda bashing,
>> I
>> can only speculate, but Honda is probably still feeling the sting of its
>> many legal battles associated with the early 3 Wheelers and may be
>> worried
>> about more of the same by offering a 4 Wheeler with a locking front diff,

> a

>> locking front diff does create steering difficulties. I ride a Polaris
>> SP600 and the hardcore "crawlers" don't like them either because the AWD
>> cannot be locked in. the rear tires of an AWD Polaris machine must slip

> 1/5

>> of a turn for the fronts to engage, but the fronts ALWAYS spin together
>> once engaged. myself, I have never noticed the fraction of a second it
>> takes to have AWD, but I can see where the ability to lock in all four
>> wheels yourself would be desirable. I don't want this to turn into a 4WD
>> debate, that topic has been beat to death.
>>
>> moving on, you need to determine the type of terrain you will be riding
>> on
>> and what you will mostly be using the machine for, play, work, etc.

> figure

>> out how much power you want then buy something with even more power!
>> look
>> at the features of the machine, instrumentation, different brake
>> configurations, transmission types, suspension travel, clearance. you
>> can
>> get all the specs online so once you prioritise your riding style and
>> requirements you can usually narrow it down to a few machines. back in

> '04

>> when I was facing your dilemna I widdled it down to the SP600 and the
>> Prairie 700. I knew I wasn't gonna be tearing up any difficult trails,

> just

>> playing around the yard, ranch, and blasting through fields. the Kawi
>> seemed the better choice, faster and sportier, but the Polaris had much

> more

>> suspension and clearance, way more comfortable too. maintenance wise,
>> the
>> Kawi had two carbs to worry about and the transmission had more
>> components
>> including electronic intervention for engine braking which went in the

> cons

>> list for me. then I got the chance to sit on them side by side, done

> deal.

>> the Polaris was an F-250 and the Prairie an S-10 or Ranger, so to speak.

> I

>> liked the heft of the Polaris, the simple transmission and single brake
>> lever.
>>
>> IMO, the Kawasaki trans with the servo motor for engine braking is the
>> weakest of the Auto transmissions, the Suzuki set up with the "wet
>> clutch"
>> is a very durable design and the belt is always tight, the Yamaha set up

> is

>> similar and also praised. the Polaris design is basically a snowmobile
>> trans with mechanical clutching to maintain belt tension for engine

> braking,

>> I have never had any trouble with mine and have put many hours on the
>> machine towing very heavy loads of well over 1000 lbs. have only smelled
>> the belt a few times when trying to pull something that wouldn't budge
>> and
>> trying not to slip the tires. the Honda torque converter trans is a
>> great
>> idea, I have only heard complaints about the lack of crawling gearing,

> maybe

>> a reduction system would help in the future. liquid or air cooled?

> that's

>> easy, liquid. carb or EFI? not so easy, don't know if the bugs are out
>> yet, if they are then it's EFI! suspension? tough one. SRA has few

> moving

>> parts but also much less ground clearance and articulation for rough
>> terrain. brakes? discs all around for sure, the Japanese use the

> motocycle

>> configuration I think and Cat and Polaris have the one lever on the right
>> that controls all four. appearance, seat of the pants feel, handlebar
>> relation to seat, chassis size for transport purposes in a truck bed or
>> trailer, stock tires, underbelly protection, lighting set up and quality,
>> storage compartments, load/towing capacity, just so much to think about.
>>
>> lots to think about and consider, plenty of opinions and pointers to weed
>> through also. whatever you do, DON'T LISTEN TO ANYTHING THE DEALER HAS
>> TO
>> SAY! sure, you have to put up with them in order to go check the
>> machines
>> out in person, just don't take any of their advise. you are best off to

> do

>> your homework and go in smarter than they are, it's not hard, believe me,
>> then you can ask them questions that they can't answer and it doesn't
>> take
>> too many for them to leave you alone.
>>
>> good luck!
>>
>>

>
>