Best quad bike

[mattydraw]

Looking to change my Honda trx 420,do I go Honda again or Suzuki king quad 400 or Yamaha Kodiak 450.needs to be strong enough to pull a snacker in the winter.

 

[Tony1989]

Go for a Honda or Suzuki, and the Suzuki would be better built than the Honda

 

[vantage]

Looking to change my Honda trx 420,do I go Honda again or Suzuki king quad 400 or Yamaha Kodiak 450.needs to be strong enough to pull a snacker in the winter.

I’ve a Kodiak, it’s a very good bike, ultramatic transmission, with a low range and electric assisted steering. You may need to go to a heavier bike really for a snacker, but if your Honda copes the Yamaha will.

 

[Pistonbroke]

I haven't had anything other than Honda but neighbours have been round most of the makes and they all seem to be going red again. One has just changed a Yamaha 450 for Honda 420 and says it's using 2/3 the fuel

 

[Finn farmer]

I'd go for Yamaha. Best ride and ergonomy, also best transmission.

 

[Greythundercloudys]

I got an auto kingquad 2015reg I. February, great bike 400cc.

 

[335d]

I mentioned this before, but a 420 Honda is more comparable to a 350 Yamaha. Going by frame size, towing weights etc. The yam 450 is a lot heavier bike than a 420 Honda, which unfortunately means more fuel.

 

[neilo]

I'd go for Yamaha. Best ride and ergonomy, also best transmission.

Didn’t you buy a CanAm, or am I mistaken?

 

[Finn farmer]

Didn’t you buy a CanAm, or am I mistaken?

We got a Can-am for the farm and i got a Polaris for private/personal/other business use. In a perfect world without a budget, my pick would be Yamaha. Our first quad was a Grizzly 450 which was great. No problems whatsoever in 7 years. Quality was also day and night compared to these bit plasticky 'muricans.

Polaris has improved in terms of engine cooling and the problems we had on our past Sportsman seem to be gone. Can-am has much more "oomph", it just rips and goes (also more stable on 60km/h on tarmac). I'd have gone for another Can-am for "off farm" use, but the deal on Polaris was too good to pass (and it looks awesome imo). Basically a grand cheaper, legally a two seater on road (Can-am would've been 1,5k€ more for two seater, so in total Polaris was 2,5k€ cheaper spec for spec). And also the "Hunter Edition" got the front and rear tube bumpers for free.

 

[neilo]

We got a Can-am for the farm and i got a Polaris for private/personal/other business use. In a perfect world without a budget, my pick would be Yamaha. Our first quad was a Grizzly 450 which was great. No problems whatsoever in 7 years. Quality was also day and night compared to these bit plasticky 'muricans.

Polaris has improved in terms of engine cooling and the problems we had on our past Sportsman seem to be gone. Can-am has much more "oomph", it just rips and goes (also more stable on 60km/h on tarmac). I'd have gone for another Can-am for "off farm" use, but the deal on Polaris was too good to pass (and it looks awesome imo). Basically a grand cheaper, legally a two seater on road (Can-am would've been 1,5k€ more for two seater, so in total Polaris was 2,5k€ cheaper spec for spec). And also the "Hunter Edition" got the front and rear tube bumpers for free.

But does the Polaris pull that horsebox with 2 dobbins in on snow, like the CanAm clearly is?

 

[Finn farmer]

But does the Polaris pull that horsebox with 2 dobbins in on snow, like the CanAm clearly is?

In snow like that and with the horses we have yes, even a 450 Grizzly managed to pull it with one horse in. We only use the quad(s) to move the trailer at the farm to and from places we don't feel comfortable going in with a fwd or rwd van. But the Can-am will certainly outpull Polaris.

 

[manfromhill]

I mentioned this before, but a 420 Honda is more comparable to a 350 Yamaha. Going by frame size, towing weights etc. The yam 450 is a lot heavier bike than a 420 Honda, which unfortunately means more fuel.

A new Basic 420 is bigger in all dimensions than a yamaha and a wee bit lighter but fully specced with irs it’s bigger again and heavier in fact the 420 is about the same size as the 500

 

[Pistonbroke]

A new Basic 420 is bigger in all dimensions than a yamaha and a wee bit lighter but fully specced with irs it’s bigger again and heavier in fact the 420 is about the same size as the 500

We've had a new 420 to replace an old shape 500 and it's about the same size. Very nippy in comparison. New shape ones have stronger back axles and steering than older shape apparently

 

[Al R]

I mentioned this before, but a 420 Honda is more comparable to a 350 Yamaha. Going by frame size, towing weights etc. The yam 450 is a lot heavier bike than a 420 Honda, which unfortunately means more fuel.

Which model 420?
My black wheeled 420 is heavier than my Yam kodiak 450. The 420 couldn’t pull the snacker empty through some mud a few years ago when in 4wd. The Yam was going through with a full snacker in 2wd. Both on new tyres.
the Honda is rarely used by me now as others drive it as I have the Yam. The yam is smooth, better on fuel, much much comfier and pulls like hell. My old 2013 silver wheeled 2wd 420 would outpull the 2015 black wheeled 420 4wd even when the 2wd had double the amount of sheep in the trailer behind.

As it stands I won’t buy another Honda after having 10-13 good bikes the last 1 ruined it so Yam is the only choice for me on the ATV side.

 

[335d]

Which model 420?
My black wheeled 420 is heavier than my Yam kodiak 450. The 420 couldn’t pull the snacker empty through some mud a few years ago when in 4wd. The Yam was going through with a full snacker in 2wd. Both on new tyres.
the Honda is rarely used by me now as others drive it as I have the Yam. The yam is smooth, better on fuel, much much comfier and pulls like hell. My old 2013 silver wheeled 2wd 420 would outpull the 2015 black wheeled 420 4wd even when the 2wd had double the amount of sheep in the trailer behind.

As it stands I won’t buy another Honda after having 10-13 good bikes the last 1 ruined it so Yam is the only choice for me on the ATV side.

sorry, just thinking it’s probably bikes 10 years old I’m talking about. This would have been first 420’s with no IRS. Put me off Honda and haven’t looked at one since.


new Honda 420 quotes 385kg towing, yamaha 450 quotes 600kg.
60kg and 80kg respectively on the rear rack as well.

Honda Fourtrax 420 Specifications

Discover the ATV fourtrax 420, Fourtrax DCT IRS PS 2/4wd - 5 fwd/1rev automatic and electric shift. Find out more about its engine, dimension and tyres.

www.honda.co.uk

Yamaha Grizzly 450 EPS - Features and Technical Specifications

Key features and technical specifications for the Yamaha Grizzly 450 EPS.

www.yamaha-motor.eu

 

[Al R]

sorry, just thinking it’s probably bikes 10 years old I’m talking about. This would have been first 420’s with no IRS. Put me off Honda and haven’t looked at one since.

And they were the good ones!!!! A lot lighter than today’s Yam yes. The black wheeled (2015-2020) Honda 420’s will be in The same size and weight class As the old Foreman 500’s, that’s why I said the newer Yam is lighter.

 

[Al R]

sorry, just thinking it’s probably bikes 10 years old I’m talking about. This would have been first 420’s with no IRS. Put me off Honda and haven’t looked at one since.


new Honda 420 quotes 385kg towing, yamaha 450 quotes 600kg.
60kg and 80kg respectively on the rear rack as well.

Honda Fourtrax 420 Specifications

Discover the ATV fourtrax 420, Fourtrax DCT IRS PS 2/4wd - 5 fwd/1rev automatic and electric shift. Find out more about its engine, dimension and tyres.

www.honda.co.uk

Yamaha Grizzly 450 EPS - Features and Technical Specifications

Key features and technical specifications for the Yamaha Grizzly 450 EPS.

www.yamaha-motor.eu

After having a search around I’ve discovered the silver wheeled honda 420’s were 266kg.
The Honda foreman 500 is 267kg. - not to sure on this figure though - just found 285kg with fuel so 267 may well be right.
Black wheeled (2015-present) Honda 420’s are 311kg.

yamaha kodiak 450 288kg

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Yamaha!! We’ve had 4 or 5 of them, last two with the belt Ultramatic transmission, bought new and lovely to drive. They were lasting around ten years intill the frames just gave up due to us Farming on the Coast right down to the beach, only other issues we were having were rear axle drive shaft UJs. Dad’s gone for a Honda 420 this time with the jerky gearbox, I don’t like it at all!!

 

[Al R]

Yamaha!! We’ve had 4 or 5 of them, last two with the belt Ultramatic transmission, bought new and lovely to drive. They were lasting around ten years intill the frames just gave up due to us Farming on the Coast right down to the beach, only other issues we were having were rear axle drive shaft UJs. Dad’s gone for a Honda 420 this time with the jerky gearbox, I don’t like it at all!!

the DCT gearbox? I hope yours is more reliable than mine!

only issue I’ve had with my yam is i’ve gone through a set of brakes at 18 months old. It is coming up 9500 mile though ?‍

 

[Mur Huwcun]

the DCT gearbox? I hope yours is more reliable than mine!

only issue I’ve had with my yam is i’ve gone through a set of brakes at 18 months old. It is coming up 9500 mile though ?‍

DCT on the Honda, yes I think. Not a fan of dual clutches!! No low range either!! Surprised you’re using the brakes that much on the Yam but the pads are quite thin when new!!!