Can Am vs Honda

[Pistonbroke]

Friend has been kawasaki,then yamaha for years but had two bad yams in a row,a550 then a 700. While the 700 was having a new engine under warranty they loaned him a can am 570 and he hated it. Just bought his first honda 520 and so far says it's the best quad he's ever had but early days yet

 

[Stw88]

Dealer probably trying to sell you that model because it’s all he can get. Lad said local dealer had 22 canams on order with no date on delivery, he asked about a traxter and said it wouldn’t be this year!

 

[Fendt516profi]

Your old fashioned then yeah those old ones couldn’t half drink! I’m not sure what the 700’s are like but the 2018+ 450’s are really good and seriously comfortable! I’m already half way up the field before the titanic (Honda) has turned around, tight spaces or turning on lanes is impossible, where the silver wheeled hondas would turn on a sixpense (at a moderate speed I could turn it on itself in a 11ft lane) the yam is a 2 tack effort but the black wheeled Honda you’ve got to go and find a gateway somewhere to turn around or just jump off and run

I've some spare silver wheels I'll take the black one in part ex

 

[andybk]

I

Grizzly 550 auto. Seemed too devour Jerry cans like I do Jaffa Cakes. Call me old fashioned but I do still prefer manual quads...

Where it all went wrong for Honda , auto boxes , power steering etc , reserve bike here is old 4wd trx300 , basic bike you cant kill , bald tyres never gets stuck , prefer it over the newer one tbh , A quad is a quad , if you want comfort get better tyres on the pickup .

 

[Pistonbroke]

A bloke told me he had split a cv boot on his can am, without noticing and it dried out and knackered the joint. £900 because they only supply the whole shaft apparently

 

[Hilly]

I’ve had three can ams and nothing but good things to say , had universal joint went once and some brake pads that’s it , I have had about six Hondas 3 went away with snapped frames like totaly snapped in half bike , one with ruined gear box one with smashed diff and one had three wheels it was fantastic in the era that Honda were actually outstandingly better now in my experience they are outstandingly worse than most others but they don’t make three wheelers any more so can am for me .

 

[Bluetree]

For fun Can am but not for work. 1st one we had was brilliant 500cc. Next 2 were 570cc, good to ride but kept breaking down. Drive shafts, ball joints and diff oil seals. Also brake pads don't seem to last long. Parts hard to get and expensive. Gone for a Suzuki 500, 16 mths old no probs yet. Slighly better on fuel but not as fast, miss the parking brake though.

 

[Pistonbroke]

I've only ever had honda but can am would be first choice for a replacement. Why would a 450 be so flat? They claim 38hp and a 520 honda is only 30. A 450 looks like it should be plenty for most people but doesn't sound popular on here

 

[exmoor dave]

Where it all went wrong for Honda , auto boxes , power steering etc , reserve bike here is old 4wd trx300 , basic bike you cant kill , bald tyres never gets stuck , prefer it over the newer one tbh , A quad is a quad , if you want comfort get better tyres on the pickup .

To be fair, power steering on a quad is a revelation,
Our back up is a Honda 250, so as lighter non powered steering as you can get, yet it's not a patch on my 500 with power steering for easy driving

 

[neilo]

To be fair, power steering on a quad is a revelation,
Our back up is a Honda 250, so as lighter non powered steering as you can get, yet it's not a patch on my 500 with power steering for easy driving

^this. I traded my first CanAm in for a 500 in 2014, just for the power steering. It makes a massive difference at slow speeds, like when you're trying to creep round a ewe/hogg when lambing outside and certainly saved a lot of pain in my shoulders.
It would be on my basic necessity list now, regardless of brand.

 

[Two Tone]

Our Quads have a really hard life chasing Deer here.
Honda were good when built in Japan. When they switched to the USA, they fell to bits with any hard work.
Yamaha (always build in USA) were good, but the most recent latest ones now all fall to bits too.
Can Am, so far so good after 3 years. Absolutely brilliant Rotax engines!

 

[hagar]

I've only ever had honda but can am would be first choice for a replacement. Why would a 450 be so flat? They claim 38hp and a 520 honda is only 30. A 450 looks like it should be plenty for most people but doesn't sound popular on here

The 450 isn't a bad bike, but the 570 is just so much nicer,smoother and comfier.
Had a 570 few years back, it was a lemon and went on fire at 6 months old!!!
Got a 450 to keep me going from dealer but just wasn't the same. Seemed noisy and rattly.
Bought a Suzuki 500 after insurance eventually paid out and dealer phoned me couple o months later because he was missing the sound o ma voice . Was phoning him every 10-14 days with the 570.
Would've had another can am if they'd been more helpful but no interested in a wee bit more discount.
The 570 would've pulled the end out a hoose, traction and grip were unbelievable.
Now got 700 grizzly and she's a good bike but would'nt say I'd never have another can am

 

[shearerlad]

Where it all went wrong for Honda , auto boxes , power steering etc , reserve bike here is old 4wd trx300 , basic bike you cant kill , bald tyres never gets stuck , prefer it over the newer one tbh , A quad is a quad , if you want comfort get better tyres on the pickup .

That’s fine if you are on flat, free draining dry ground. Half my ground is that wet just now I wouldn’t get 20 yards down the field, other half is that steep, I’m in 4wd with new tyres on the bike, pickup wouldn’t have a hope.

As for the OP, if you are happy with Honda, why change?
Good all round bike, high residual value, large dealership network and spares are relatively cheap

 

[Anymulewilldo]

That’s fine if you are on flat, free draining dry ground. Half my ground is that wet just now I wouldn’t get 20 yards down the field, other half is that steep, I’m in 4wd with new tyres on the bike, pickup wouldn’t have a hope.

As for the OP, if you are happy with Honda, why change?
Good all round bike, high residual value, large dealership network and spares are relatively cheap

It’s only that the CanAm is cheaper initially. That’s the only reason. But I didn’t want too save myself £1500 only too regret it 12 months later

 

[Jerry]

Raa 450 can am for 3 years and had zero issues with it.

Traded up to a 570 in September last year. Again zero issues.

570 us a step up with power and us also quieter. Power steering is a must. So much nice to drive.

Comments re the throttle , new can ans are fly by wire so throttle response is much sharper. Can’t say it was an issue going from old to new.

 

[Pistonbroke]

It’s only that the CanAm is cheaper initially. That’s the only reason. But I didn’t want too save myself £1500 only too regret it 12 months later

What sort of prices are people being quoted for straight deals on quads? I know trade ins confuse the issue and all I know is a honda420 manual is about £5500.

 

[Downton_shep]

Dealer probably trying to sell you that model because it’s all he can get. Lad said local dealer had 22 canams on order with no date on delivery, he asked about a traxter and said it wouldn’t be this year!

You need a better dealer!

 

[hally]

I've only ever had honda but can am would be first choice for a replacement. Why would a 450 be so flat? They claim 38hp and a 520 honda is only 30. A 450 looks like it should be plenty for most people but doesn't sound popular on here

We never found it flat just noisy, bad to shepherd sheep when they are pi**ing off in the other direction

 

[hally]

^this. I traded my first CanAm in for a 500 in 2014, just for the power steering. It makes a massive difference at slow speeds, like when you're trying to creep round a ewe/hogg when lambing outside and certainly saved a lot of pain in my shoulders.
It would be on my basic necessity list now, regardless of brand.

especially with weight in the front rack and bald tyres

 

[Pistonbroke]

We never found it flat just noisy, bad to shepherd sheep when they are pi**ing off in the other direction

Christ how noisy are they? Biggest problem we have is the sheep chasing after the quad,.....maybe we're not feeding enough