RE: Updated wood hauler

[firefighterjake]

Brought my venerable (a nice way of saying very, very old) 2002 Honda Foreman into the shop a few weeks ago to have what I thought would be a simple wheel bearing change . . . and received a call that several wheel bearings and other assorted parts needed to be changed. Some items were optional, some not so much.

To be honest I've been thinking about updating my ATV for a while now and the total to fix everything on the list helped push me in the direction of buying a new ATV.

Sold my Honda to a nice guy through Craigslist. Told him straight up everything that I knew needed to be fixed and gave him a break on the price as he was the only person who didn't ask me if I would take $500 less than the asking price before even looking at the ATV in person . . . and traveled over 2 hours to first look over the ATV before talking price. In the end he seemed happy with the deal and I was happy with the price . . . not as much as I could have got, but I figure as long as both the buyer and seller leave pleased then it is a good deal.

Traveled to Caribou a few days later (3 1/2 hours) to buy a 2017 Yamaha Kodiak 700 EPS. So far I'm really liking the upgrade . . . in power (700 cc vs. 435 cc), power steering (where have you been all of my life?), independent rear suspension (much, much nicer for trail riding) and the CVT which has taken me a bit to get use to -- both in terms of I still find myself trying to shift up or down a gear with my foot like I did with the Honda and with the noisier chatter of the belt in the CVT.

 

[Sean McGillicuddy]

 

[jetsam]

I'm currently scrounging craigslist for either an ATV or an old 4x4 pickup to do wood hauling, but I don't know anything about ATVs. How much can you really haul on a little 400cc machine? Just looking at them, I'd worry about more than a couple hundred pounds of tongue weight... maybe ATV trailers are 4 wheeled to keep the weight off thr tongue?

 

[redktmrider]

I had a Yamaha Big Bear 400 for years, pulled a old single axle motorcycle trailer with a mesh floor behind it loaded with a couple hundred pounds of rounds all the time. From what I've read, atvs can pull a lot of weight but stopping is where it becomes sketchy. I recently upgraded to a Can-am 450 with power steering, it makes backing the trailer much easier.

 

[kennyp2339]

Brought my venerable (a nice way of saying very, very old) 2002 Honda Foreman into the shop a few weeks ago to have what I thought would be a simple wheel bearing change . . . and received a call that several wheel bearings and other assorted parts needed to be changed. Some items were optional, some not so much.

To be honest I've been thinking about updating my ATV for a while now and the total to fix everything on the list helped push me in the direction of buying a new ATV.

Sold my Honda to a nice guy through Craigslist. Told him straight up everything that I knew needed to be fixed and gave him a break on the price as he was the only person who didn't ask me if I would take $500 less than the asking price before even looking at the ATV in person . . . and traveled over 2 hours to first look over the ATV before talking price. In the end he seemed happy with the deal and I was happy with the price . . . not as much as I could have got, but I figure as long as both the buyer and seller leave pleased then it is a good deal.

Traveled to Caribou a few days later (3 1/2 hours) to buy a 2017 Yamaha Kodiak 700 EPS. So far I'm really liking the upgrade . . . in power (700 cc vs. 435 cc), power steering (where have you been all of my life?), independent rear suspension (much, much nicer for trail riding) and the CVT which has taken me a bit to get use to -- both in terms of I still find myself trying to shift up or down a gear with my foot like I did with the Honda and with the noisier chatter of the belt in the CVT.

Wait until it gets cold out and you start her up with efi, your life will feel completed.

 

[firefighterjake]

I'm currently scrounging craigslist for either an ATV or an old 4x4 pickup to do wood hauling, but I don't know anything about ATVs. How much can you really haul on a little 400cc machine? Just looking at them, I'd worry about more than a couple hundred pounds of tongue weight... maybe ATV trailers are 4 wheeled to keep the weight off thr tongue?

Depends on the make and model as to how much weight it can safely pull. One of the draws for me in going with this make and model ATV was the weight it can haul. I think my Foreman -- around 400 cc -- was rated to haul around 750 or 800 pounds.

 

[firefighterjake]

Wait until it gets cold out and you start her up with efi, your life will feel completed.

I'm already pretty happy with not having to adjust the choke and just getting on, turning the key and hitting the starter and have it fire up without a prolonged RRRRRRRRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRRRRR-RRRRRRRRR . . . brum brum.

 

[SCOTT S.]

Funny I have a Honda rancher and was thinking of doing the exact same thing the kodiak was also going to be my machine of choice. As far as towing capacity my rancher was only a 350cc and I used a 15 cubic foot trailer mounted with oak, never had an issue I'm sure I was way over capacity. I also wasn't flying down fire lanes at 50 mph with the load.
My only reservation about going to the kodiak was I bought the rancher new in 2000 and beat the snot out of it and I never spent 1 penny fixing the thing,that's awful hard to beat. I have decided my next purchase will be a tractor. But the Kodiak still is calling my name.

 

[jwfirebird]

had a prairie, the sra is nice for work. but then I got the rhino which is way nicer for work and something for trails but can work too, outlanders are nice, less than the Kodiak with more features like locking diff. plus my 570 is way faster than a grizz or Kodiak. the dealer here wanted 2k more for either and l max dps 570 is a much better machine

 

[Jazzberry]

My Polaris Ranger 500 pulls a 6 x 8 trailer with at least a 1000 pounds in it occasionally in low range. Tongue weight is more important than weight of the load.

 

[jetsam]

My Polaris Ranger 500 pulls a 6 x 8 trailer with at least a 1000 pounds in it occasionally in low range. Tongue weight is more important than weight of the load.

...to the suspension, not the brakes. Look out for hills with trees and creeks at the bottom.

I wound up buying a used beat to hell 4x4 pickup truck for less than used quads are going for in my area. It's not as good at getting into tight areas, but it does have an 8000# winch that makes up for some of that.

 

[Jazzberry]

Very true jetsam. Wasn't trying to make imply it works as a tow vehicle.

 

[jetsam]

And either one can pull a canoe!

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

And either one can pull a canoe!

View attachment 201498

I see some nice firewood out in the middle of that pond. Were you getting ready to put your chainsaw in your canoe and score some wood?