ATV's

[geoffjy]

Hi guys and gals, i think this is the thread i should post in for this topic.

I am looking at getting a 4 wheeler at the start of next year and am looking at the Yamaha Grizzly 350 Auto 4x4, Yamaha Grizzly 400 Auto 4x4, Yamaha Grizzly 450 Auto 4x4 and the Yamaha Big Bear 400 Semi Automatic 4x4.

Has anyone had any problems with any of these types of ATV before?

I would love to hear also what types other people use too as well as their pro's and con's.

I will be using this ATV a lot towing a small punt on a trailer into billabongs, along beaches and also carrying it in my boat. The boat is not a hassle as their is plenty of room available and am able to get up on the plane with over a tonne of gear in it.

[geoffjy]

Gee, everyone is full of advice about this topic. Lol

[dave]

I think you will find the yamaha atvs are pretty good ,and you should not have any dramers, the hondas are good as well .thay should have a diff lock button if your in soft sand towing a boat could help, and low range split shift

keeping the rust out is the bigest prob with atvs on the beach and sand and dairy farmers cow shit rust them out quick as well ,the surf clubs get a few years out of them .by then the front subframe is eaten out with rust .theirs alot of tubing under them with drane holes which collect salt and sand. the factory powder coating dose not last it cracks off and or the rust gets under it, mostly thay rust the chassie and subframe from the inside out. so you dont see it happning. till its to late. to make them beach proof would intail hot gal coating alot of the parts ,

cheers!~

[geoffjy]

I think you will find the yamaha atvs are pretty good ,and you should not have any dramers, the hondas are good as well .thay should have a diff lock button if your in soft sand towing a boat could help, and low range split shift

keeping the rust out is the bigest prob with atvs on the beach and sand and dairy farmers cow shit rust them out quick as well ,the surf clubs get a few years out of them .by then the front subframe is eaten out with rust .theirs alot of tubing under them with drane holes which collect salt and sand. the factory powder coating dose not last it cracks off and or the rust gets under it, mostly thay rust the chassie and subframe from the inside out. so you dont see it happning. till its to late. to make them beach proof would intail hot gal coating alot of the parts ,

cheers!~

This is what i would like. To hot dip galvanise it but have to take the dollars into consideration. I was also told there could be the possibility of the the main framework warping. Another thing i was thinking about was spraying Tectrol (spelling?) on it.

[yetti]

howdy,

geoff, i'm still running my 2002 suzuki 500 quadrunner. is a beauty, and has led an extremely hard life (you know where i live). best thing about it is the fact everything is manual with no push buttons. for up here mate that is a beautiful thing as you would appreciate.

also, this may have changed, but when i last looked, with the automatics, most run on an air cooled belt drive system. this can cause dramas in the wet with slipping.
just a consideration.

now for rust. as dave said, cow shit is rust causing and an old dairy farmer told me this trick which has served me well.

where the drain holes dave mentioned are, replace with a grease nipple. Then pump whole frame and swiny arms etc full of grease. it works a treat and uses far less grease than you think.

no gal warping, and a cost of about 3 hrs labour and maybe $40.

is a beauty. hope this helps.

cheers.

[dave]

spot on yetty ! great ider ! i would never i thought of that !

[plucker]

How about sacricial anodes or zinc blocks would they work??

[geoffjy]

howdy,

geoff, i'm still running my 2002 suzuki 500 quadrunner. is a beauty, and has led an extremely hard life (you know where i live). best thing about it is the fact everything is manual with no push buttons. for up here mate that is a beautiful thing as you would appreciate.

also, this may have changed, but when i last looked, with the automatics, most run on an air cooled belt drive system. this can cause dramas in the wet with slipping.
just a consideration.

now for rust. as dave said, cow shit is rust causing and an old dairy farmer told me this trick which has served me well.

where the drain holes dave mentioned are, replace with a grease nipple. Then pump whole frame and swiny arms etc full of grease. it works a treat and uses far less grease than you think.

no gal warping, and a cost of about 3 hrs labour and maybe $40.

is a beauty. hope this helps.

cheers.

The only thing i didnt like with the modern ones was all the push buttons. As for the belt drives, i have allready enquired about this as Tommy has the same problems with his Polaris. The ones today are fully sealed against water. Also there is an arm on the new models that the old didnt have that applies constant tension on th belt stopping slippage.


The grease nipple idea sounds great mate. I will do that in the future.

[bingham]

am looking at the polaris 800 or 850 twin !!!!!

chasing a some big herbs......... all good reports so far...

[bingham]

bought an 08 polaris 800 with 30hrs on it........ hammers, comfy bit thirsty but to be expected... if only it was feasible to bring on the cape run!!!

[geoffjy]

You can get them registered up here. The have to have all the blinker and such on them of course.

[bingham]

i can only imagine the fun to be had up there on a quad...... though the creeks over car bonnet height could be fun... might need a snorkel attached to my helmet! then get the winch running!!

The old polaris got another 2 big runs over the wknd and amazed by how well it goes. Halnd thw mud jumps and big hills with ease..

Good times:)

[geoffjy]

i can only imagine the fun to be had up there on a quad...... though the creeks over car bonnet height could be fun... might need a snorkel attached to my helmet! then get the winch running!!


Aren't the tyres enough to keep it afloat? I know a few people that just float theirs across.

[bingham]

not sure mate but dont think mine at 400kg would float... but you never now.. if i was not concerned about drowning the big girl id happily bust the myth!

[geoffjy]

A guy up here i know who will remain nameless was drunk one night and was speeding along the tarmac at the airport up here. Got to the end and forgot about the little waterhole there. Anyway, him and the bike wound up in it and i think he said it floated but the water was around the motor area.

Might be ok in fresh water as long as the engine is off. Would never dream of doing it in salt though.