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Posted by: TEXMud
Parts wise Hondas are cheaper than Yamahas. Something to consider for future service.
Posted by: hogmaster
Great Canadian,
I am sorry but when some guys talk about them pulling other quads out of holes or blowing away someone on a bigger CC machine or any story of this( I am better than him) syndrome, let me tell you it ALL depends on the rider and their inabilty or lack of experience of properly operating an A.T.V.! So let me give you a hand and lead you to a post entitled " Big Bear or Rancher". It is in the Mud hole section under the forums. The website is Highlifter.com. I do not remember what subtitle it is under but its before you get to the brands( honda, suzuki,ect.)Go find this and read it. It is full of a lot of great info on both models. Better yet all of the posts are mainly non biased. Look for mine aka. hennyhog.
Good luck
Posted by: hogmaster
Crassydog,
I did not mean to come across to you with any disrespect. I sometimes get a little sarcastic when someone posts something I know a lot about. NOW, I am not saying I am a Quad Guru but certain ones I have been around for a while. You made a great choice in the B.B.. I am extremly partial to Honda's and Yamaha's but cant even think about ripping on another brand. However I might joke here and there but never slaming another persons quad. Take care. Also Canadian, glad I could help.
Ryan
Posted by: KNOWSALOT
You defintly picked the best two brands of the bunch to choose from.
I sell 6 different brand of quads and can say that Yamaha and Honda are the best overall when it comes to service and reliability.
Honda has always had a reputation for dependable machines, but Yamaha has caught up with Honda in the last 5 or 6 years and right now, I wouldn't say one was better than the other overall as far as the reliability issue is concerned.
Both the BigBear400 and the Rancher have a good track record, but like Texmud said, the Honda parts are MUCH cheaper than the Yamaha. This comes from most of the parts on the Honda utility machines [and 400EX] being made in the USA instead of Japan. The majority of Yamaha's parts are made and assembled from vendors overseas.
No matter how dependable a machine might be,...one day something WILL break. Other than that, both are good machines and will serve you well. Just pick the one that is right for you and you wont have anything to regret later.
KNOWSALOT
Posted by: RubiconMan500
I would say to go with the Kodiak you wont regret it.
Posted by: RubiconMan500
Kodiak 4x4
Posted by: AtomicAustin
I have a 2002 Kodiak and love it! It has more power than my friends Rubicon. This is probably because of his hydro transmission though. If Is a Kodiak out of the question? Between the two I would go with the rancher, unless you want pure power. I have heard that Big Bears go about 43 mph, and Ranchers are in the lower 50's.
Posted by: AtomicAustin
I would take a Rancher over the Big Bear, but a Kodiak over a Rancher.
Posted by: GreatCanadian
I've posted this once before but had no replies, so i'll give it one more shot. I recently sold my honda 300, and will be buying a new machine very soon. I am pretty sure it will be the new Honda 350, but i am also considering the yamaha big bear 400. Any preferences or advice out thre?
Posted by: GreatCanadian
You say that you have a buddy with a 4x4 Rancher and others with other honda models. If you don't mind, tell me what you can regarding a comparison of your big bear and your buddy's rancher. You say that you have pulled out 4x4s with your 2WD. Would you say that you can go places on your 4x2 that they cannot go on their 4x4? (especially the rancher). That would indicate that the big bear 4x4 would be one hell of a machine. And what do you know about the longterm reliability of the yamaha machines. I'm confident in the reliability of Honda, but have never owned a Yamaha.
Posted by: GreatCanadian
Hogmaster,
Thanks for the help. And you were right...postings were quite helpful until the bragging started!!...i've heard all that s**t before...just looking for advice...i'm no rookie to quads by any means....just wanted to hear other peoples preferences, not their bragging...thanks.
Posted by: GreatCanadian
ok...you seem to like both the yamaha and the honda...i spend my time on very rough trails, wet bogs, and very seldom have the opportunity to open it up...ground clearance is important to me and both the rancher and the big bear are good in that regard...i need to be able to crawl through s**t quite often, and a good suspension would be nice for the missus!!..let's assume that both bikes are equal in reliability...would you buy the rancher or the big bear, based on the kind of riding i do?
thanks
Posted by: crasydog
I recently bought a 2001 big bear 400 4x2 at my yamaha dealer for $3599.00
(end of year clearance) and added a Warn 2000# winch for $69.00. To say that I have been impressed would be an understatement. I have a buddy with a Rancher 4x4, and other friends with several different models of 4x4 hondas. While I like their quads, I must say that I have gone everywhere they have been able to go and have ended up actually pulling a few of them out of holes.
I think the bigger tires, added power, and ground clearance gives the Big Bear a major advantage. I cant imagine what a 4x4 would do.
Posted by: crasydog
My buddies rancher is very nice. It has more bells and whistles than my big bear, Digital speedometer, esp.........I like the esp but I have the habit of down shifting instead of up shifting when I am going fast and not paying attention. (instant whiplash) His rancher is full time 4x4 and does not have locking diff. The Big Bear has push button 4x4 and I believe the 2002 model has locking diff. Locking differential would be a big deal to me if I had a 4x4. I watched a Kawasaki 650 with it go through a mud hole I would have bet my whole paycheck he would never get through. He was actually plowing about a foot of mud when he came out of it. As far as reliability, this is the first four wheeler I have ever owned. I have had two yamaha motorcycles that were perfect and my buddy sold his 86 yamaha warrior to get his rancher. He had the warrior for ten years with no engine work. I believe the reason The Big Bear 2x4 gets the traction it does is because of the ground clearance, rear tire size and massive tread pattern, and overall weight. Don't let the weight fool you though, it will fish-tail and do dounts on command. The thing handels like a dream. My buddy with the rancher also has a wolverine. The only thing I did not like about it was the way it took hills. It seemed to bounce around way to much, probably because it is one of the lightest 4x4s out there. As far as my take on my other quads my friends, here is a list of what they have; 2001 fourman 4x4, 2001 warrior, 2000 lakota, 2001 rancher 4x4, 2001 rancher 4x2, 200? fourtrax. I have pulled every one of the 4x2s out of mud holes that they were trying to follow me through and have also pulled the 4trax out of a few. The kawasaki 650 pulled me out of one, but the rancher has yet to be able to do it. He has tried twice to pull be out and has sat there spinning. I also have had mine in really deep water and it floats.
Posted by: crasydog
First of all I will tell you, I have no horn to toot. If anyone can be branded as inexperienced, it would be me. I have owned my quad for three months now and it is my first one. I did do alot of research before I bought, but my final decision was based purely on price. Everyone I ride with has years more experience than I do. I really do not feel that reliability is a problem with either of these quads if you take care of them. The reason I ended up pulling the other quads out of jams is because I am the only one with the winch. I was just very impressed that my bike made it through. Every time I have ridden with someone new they think that I have a 4x4 because of the performance. They are very surprised when I tell them it is 4x2. Every one has their "Brand preferences", but to me it all comes down to features for money. I will buy whoever offers more features for less money.
Posted by: REDBEAR4x4
I just got an 02 Bigbear 4x4.. Personally I love it. Can't say I know anything about the honda other then the reliability factor. But then I've yet to have a problem with any of my Yamahas or Kawasaki's..Ride them both and then decide...
Posted by: richmond4x4
rancher-it has more gc and its lighter so it will float better. higher air intake and better stock tires
Posted by: msWolverine
I am not a expert but I do understand atvs. Our family rides mostly yamaha's, we have big bears on our place and they seem to do everything we ask of them from plowing snow to pulling 1200 hay bales to feed. I've even pulled hubby out of the snow few times when he's gotten stuck hehehe. The guys ride em in the black hills but for me they ride like a tank, I ride a wolverine and love it!! alittle more sporty but it handles alot better. I am one of those mothers that love the mud and any thing to climb i will conquer it! We do have some ranchers in our group and they ride like my wolverine at a slow pace but they just don't handle the ruts like mine does with some speed. Sister and her family rides kodiaks and they seem to really like em. they r great if u have problems with shifting gears. And remembering what gear u r in.
our place has 3 big bears
recon 250
wolverines 350
quad sport
Posted by: 01honda450s
rancher! nuff said
hey KNOWSALOT ur right about honda being the best but i think suzuki is better than the yamaha. honda and suzuki r the 2 best!
