View Poll Results: Honnda or Yamaha
Honda Rancher 350 4x4
25
86.21%
Yamaha Bruin 350 4x4
4
13.79%
Voters: 29. You may not vote on this poll
Which 4 wheeler
Thread Starter
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,507
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From: Magrath
Which 4 wheeler
A friend is looking at a couple 4 wheelers, He is trying to decide between the Honda rancher, and the Yamaha Bruin. Both are 350 4x4's. The honda has the automatic clutch and the bruin is a belt driven automatic. The biggest diffence between them, as far as my friend is concerned, is one is a honda and one is a Yamaha. Both are the same price.
Which would you chose?
Which would you chose?
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 363
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From: Woodbridge
I have done quite a bit of reading on ATVs. I prefer Hondas, but by personal preference only. All machines made today are quite reliable and capable. My money is going to a Rancher AT. I would recommend the AT version because of the the switchable 2/4 wheel drive and the fully automatic transmission. The 350 Rancher is a bit lacking in power for someone of my size (6 foot, 240lbs.) while the extra grunt the AT's 400 offers does the job nicely. The ATV I currently borrow is a Honda Rubicon, and I prefer the AT over the Rube, mainly for the slightly smaller size and the switchable 2/4 drive. The Rancher AT is a bit more money, but in my opinion, well worth saving lunch money for!
Admom
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 9,414
Likes: 201
From: Silver Springs
The nice thing about the Honda being "shaft" driven rather than belt driven is it doesn't slip when going through deep water. The belt driven ATV's in deep water tend to slip, which means you get to push. Then to boot, the guys/gals driving the Honda's get to hang out and laugh while you wait for the fan to dry the belt so you can continue.
Also, if you're going with a 4x4, put a winch on it - you won't be sorry. The 4x4's are much heavier than the 2x4's so by the off chance that you get stuck when you're out there in the middle of a good mud slick or stuck on a stump you'll have a much easier time getting it out with a winch.
Also, if you're going with a 4x4, put a winch on it - you won't be sorry. The 4x4's are much heavier than the 2x4's so by the off chance that you get stuck when you're out there in the middle of a good mud slick or stuck on a stump you'll have a much easier time getting it out with a winch.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,854
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From: Des Moines, Iowa
i have always had better luck with hondas holding up longer in the long run. not to say yamaha is bad either.. i have two of their waverunners that hold up great. but i would still go with the honda. they seem to be simpler more reliable machines. not always the fastest, but built right.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,123
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From: Fort Smith
I just purchased a 2002 Honda Rancher ES. I looked at a lot of them, and this is the one that seems to be the better one...
Guess that tells you how I voted...
Guess that tells you how I voted...
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Brett Foote
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 382
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From: WI
I personaly would not buy either of them. With no low range on the bruin (you really need it with the belt drives) it is a poor excuse for a 4x4 and in my opinion not fit to wear the Yamaha name.
The rancher is a good quad, however like most other hondas they are overpriced and under featured when compared to their competiors.
Personaly I have an 01 Big Bear 400 4x4. I paid just under 5 grand out the door for it and have beat the heck out of it almost every day arround the farm and on trails and in the mud. Only problem I had with it was the starter brushes wore out after 8 months of owning it. Instaled new brushes and no problem since. Keep in mind that I run large mud tires on this quad, just like our trucks it causes a lot of added stress on the drive train and still no problems.
I would sugest to your friend that he visit some of the atv forums on the net. My personal favorite it www.atvfrontier.com but others like www.atvquadsquad.com and www.atvnation.com also have lots of good info.
The rancher is a good quad, however like most other hondas they are overpriced and under featured when compared to their competiors.
Personaly I have an 01 Big Bear 400 4x4. I paid just under 5 grand out the door for it and have beat the heck out of it almost every day arround the farm and on trails and in the mud. Only problem I had with it was the starter brushes wore out after 8 months of owning it. Instaled new brushes and no problem since. Keep in mind that I run large mud tires on this quad, just like our trucks it causes a lot of added stress on the drive train and still no problems.
I would sugest to your friend that he visit some of the atv forums on the net. My personal favorite it www.atvfrontier.com but others like www.atvquadsquad.com and www.atvnation.com also have lots of good info.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,259
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From: Florida Hill Country
If you go with anything other than Honda . . . go with Polaris. Canadian made and they build the only TRUE 4X4 quads. The Polaris Twin 700 is the hoss of the quad world.
All off them are over priced unless you dicker over them. I use my rigs professionally. Honda is the only company that can challenge Polaris in that regard or at least try.
All off them are over priced unless you dicker over them. I use my rigs professionally. Honda is the only company that can challenge Polaris in that regard or at least try.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Fairbanks Alaska
I work for an airline that transports cargo into the bush communities. We ship a lot of 4 wheelers. For every 3 Hondas we ship we ship one of the other brands. And the Suzukis and Polaris's come back in more often to be fixed. The natives beat the tar out of the machines and never do upkeep on them as they need it.
I've personally seen Hondas come in with 5,000 miles plus beat to death and still running. Mind you oil isn't changed when it should (probably not even given the correct oil sometimes), air cleaners are nasty, dirt in the fuel tank, and they never saw a soap and brush.
The Polaris machines are the heaviest of the bunch in any catagory. And give the most fits when starting in a cool climate.
We don't ship many Yamaha's, but thew few we do ship seem like good machines.
All the Suzukis are trash. Cheap parts, cruddy welds and a few other things.
I own a Rancher and love it to death. True Honda's are pricey but Honda has a reputation of quality that is matched by none. You want it to get you in and get back home. Honda's run forever.
I've personally seen Hondas come in with 5,000 miles plus beat to death and still running. Mind you oil isn't changed when it should (probably not even given the correct oil sometimes), air cleaners are nasty, dirt in the fuel tank, and they never saw a soap and brush.
The Polaris machines are the heaviest of the bunch in any catagory. And give the most fits when starting in a cool climate.
We don't ship many Yamaha's, but thew few we do ship seem like good machines.
All the Suzukis are trash. Cheap parts, cruddy welds and a few other things.
I own a Rancher and love it to death. True Honda's are pricey but Honda has a reputation of quality that is matched by none. You want it to get you in and get back home. Honda's run forever.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,353
Likes: 4,388
From: SW VA
Originally posted by Carlene
The nice thing about the Honda being "shaft" driven rather than belt driven is it doesn't slip when going through deep water.
The nice thing about the Honda being "shaft" driven rather than belt driven is it doesn't slip when going through deep water.
Personally, I would save up the extra pennies and get the Rancher 400AT GPScape. The only manufacturer to offer a built-in GPS unit so you will never get lost. The 400AT also has a fully auto transmission but its not belt driven. Its driven by hydrallic fluids so there is virtually nothing to wear out...and its sealed inside the engine cases so there is no way water is getting in there. You can also choose between 5 gears with the push of a button on the handlebar's if you want a more sportier ride.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 55
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what? honda?
yamaha is the best (in my mine)
tell you the truth i would rather buy a 660 grizzly than anything
but thats what i think
did your friend take them for a test drive?
if not tell him that he should go for one and ride the crap out of them and see witch on he likes better
yamaha is the best (in my mine)
tell you the truth i would rather buy a 660 grizzly than anything
but thats what i think
did your friend take them for a test drive?
if not tell him that he should go for one and ride the crap out of them and see witch on he likes better