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Post by musher on Jun 20, 2007 13:06:05 GMT -6
Polaris doesn't have a good name around here. Too many electronic breakages. It could be due to weather. It isn't unusual for weather to change 30 degrees C. in 24 hours.
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Post by romans117 on Jun 20, 2007 13:30:07 GMT -6
I don`t trap on any john morgans, so that`s not me. My mistake.
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Post by 308rifle on Jun 20, 2007 16:40:35 GMT -6
Ive got a 1998 polaris 335 sportsman, biggest piece of crap Ive ever owned, bought it new, the only thing I use it for is gopher trapping and hunting, and I got about $1700 in repairs in it. It will be a Honda for me for sure next time.
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Post by briankroberts on Jun 20, 2007 18:38:13 GMT -6
Jeff check out the honda 250 recon, plenty of power, run about 50 mph, 2 wheel drive, in deep snow they suck, but I don't trap in deep snow, in mud there great, ran mine through the plowed muddy fields here in IL loaded with gear, never got stuck. Now if I was gonna plow snow or run through drifts, I'd go with the 4 wd. Out there where your at you really don't need 4 wd.
Very dependable machines, honda motors are second to none.....B.....
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Post by dabrock on Jun 20, 2007 19:15:18 GMT -6
I like my Honda Forman 450 a real work horse.
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Post by motrapperjohn on Jun 20, 2007 19:35:05 GMT -6
i have had 2 artic cats one 400 and a 500 the biggest problem i have is with the wheel bearings. i have to replace the every year but i put about 3000 miles per year. also also the same problem with the 650 griz. But stick with 4 wheel drive and smaller bikes get way better fuel milage.
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Post by bobwendt on Jun 20, 2007 20:01:27 GMT -6
I run a honda into the ground trapping and farming and nothing ever goes wrong. dump them every 5 years or so and get new ones just because, but I imagine they would run till you wore the tires off.
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Post by coyotewhisperer on Jun 20, 2007 20:18:25 GMT -6
Right now im looking at a brand new honda four trax recon 250 size in olive. Probably what I'm going to get, four wheel drive is still in the air.
Jeff
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Post by romans117 on Jun 20, 2007 20:20:42 GMT -6
Olive is nice.
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Post by bobwendt on Jun 20, 2007 20:34:48 GMT -6
jeff, what are they pricing it at for you? I`m ready to trade, as I fell a tree on mine and bent it up good. that is what I was going to replace it with, same one, but 2 wheel. oh, you don`t want to hear the tree story. I climbed the tree, sawed 1/2 thru and pulling it down with the honda. lol, it camedown, about bent me up too. wife thought I had been climbing coon den trees and falling out again when she saw me all beat up. I have to quite doing that too. I climb barefoot and skinned my foot all up the last time I fell, and ripped my big toenail off too. took about a year to grow back in all funky.
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Post by coyotewhisperer on Jun 20, 2007 20:38:25 GMT -6
3,650$ is what honda quoted me at. Hopefully get off work early enough saturday to go to the dealer in Dodge and if he doesn't have the one I want then get it ordered.
Jeff
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Post by robertw on Jun 20, 2007 21:04:07 GMT -6
I'm no four wheeler expert. I'm still driving the first one that I ever owned.
I do think though a 2 wheel drive four wheeler for a trapper is a mistake and as pointed out above, resale value on two wheeel drive machines is very poor.
I drive a Suzuki 500 quad runner, 99 model, full time four wheel drive. The machine is very heavy compared to other four wheelers (850 lbs with out the added basket) and being full time four wheel drive is no "pleasure" ATV. The nice thing about this machine is that it is TOUGH, VERY TOUGH. I abuse the dickens out of it and it just asks for more. I have pictures of this machine with 12 beaver, 3-4 otter and 3-4 coon all piled on it plus myself, not just once or twice either but day after day for a couple of weeks.
Rolling one of these machines up side down in a river (literally!!) and taking an hour to fish it out is never a "positive" thing for a four wheeler but...I had it running again the next day and am still using a year and half later.
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Post by musher on Jun 21, 2007 4:40:24 GMT -6
Bob: You can buy new tires!!You pulled the tree towards you? You didn't make your cord go around another tree so you could pull at an angle?
If you don't want 4WD get chains. Since a bike has a locked differential, chains make a huge difference in snow. With weight in the front (steering) and a little weight in the back you'll be impressed. I ran a 2wd in the snow quite a bit. However, since I've had 4wd's I'd never go back.
With 4wd you never use chains in snow. However, you still might use them climbing steep slopes .
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Post by bobwendt on Jun 21, 2007 5:28:51 GMT -6
jeff, there is a site that for $25 you can get the dealer cost on any honda. I spent the $25 and typed in a 350, not 250, but 350. you better go up a size. 250 is awful small. it came back 3600 dealer cost. so I`ll go in with 4 g and tell him 38 and bet the local guy here grabs it. the 350 weighs 550 lbs or something like that. musher, it was a miscalculation , long rope and top branches just whupped heck out of me. luckily no bigger limbs hit me.
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Post by bobwendt on Jun 21, 2007 5:30:56 GMT -6
ps, the dealer gets a kick back incentive program at the end of the year from honda too, the more he sells the more kick back off his 3600, so they will deal. his cost can get considerably lower pending how many units he sells. I didn`t type in the 250, but you don`t need to pay 3650 for sure.
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Post by mostinterestingmanintheworld on Jun 21, 2007 11:20:22 GMT -6
Take 2wd out of your vocabulary. What's it going to cost you a month if you finance a 4wd? $25 or so?
Joel
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Post by bussro on Jun 21, 2007 11:30:29 GMT -6
As mentioned a windshield is a good investment. Get one that extends out to shield your hands. I made front and rear boxes out of 3/8" plywood. To beef them up, I ripped 1"x4" lumber and framed the peremiter of the tops and bottoms, and framed each corner, top to bottom. Everything is glued and screwed and have been hanging tough for 20 years now. The rear box has a hinged lid, the front box has an open top. Boxes are fastened to racks with u-bolts. It took me years to break down and buy a windshield, now wish I'd done it on day one. Same with a winch. Goggles are needed. I use military surplus. My 1986 250 Suzuki struggles some when water trapping, but does a pretty descent job land trapping. It's 4-wd.
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Post by ToddMiller on Jun 21, 2007 12:08:26 GMT -6
Does anyone have any feed back on Artic Cat ATV's?? Good? Bad? I'm just curious.
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Post by coyotewhisperer on Jun 21, 2007 13:10:12 GMT -6
Bob looks like im gonna get it for 3300$ The dealer recommended manual shift over electric with the mud and stuff I'll be going through. You guys agree? He said less electric sensors and such to go bad. I've been Pmed to get direct drive and not chain and it is direct drive. The 350 size would probably be a bit better but it was like pulling teeth to have the Mrs's approval on the 250.
Jeff
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Post by robertw on Jun 21, 2007 13:15:21 GMT -6
I agree on the manual transmission and direct drive, only way to go.
In regards to the Artic Cats, I have a friend that has a couple of them and he is always doing brakes, wheel bearings and ect. They may be a good machine but I personally would hesitate against comparing them to a Suzuki or Honda.
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