What atv you run

[Longknife]

The main reason I was thinking polaris or arctic cat is the independent suspension. It is harder to hang up over logs or very rough ground. I have an uncle that has a polaris and a friend that I hunt with that got an arctic cat last year and they are both nice. My dad has a honda 4x4 for several years now and I have seen a few problems with the rigid rear supsension that I don't like. Although I have hung my ole 3 wheeler over a log or 2 that I had to get off and drag in off of. Hey Wahnie, I respectfully decline your challange as my girl ain't that fast but she will out manuver any 4 wheeler that I have see in the woods and she doesn't have reverse. Good thing it isn't to heavy or I couldn't drag it around in the right direction or push it back when I misjudge where I'm going. My old gal has did a great job for me over the years but she can't work as hard or as safe as a heavier 4 wheeler when it comes to hauling a deer out of the woods. I have flipped it over backwards more than once with all that weight on the back rack while going up hills. I learned from the school of hard knocks as to how steep of a grade that I could just ride up and when I have to just tie the horns low on the back of that 3 wheeler and drag the deer up until it is safe to load him. And even on level ground, she steers like a pig with all that weight over the rear wheels. Anyone that has rode a 3 wheeler knows what I am talking about. It does take experience to drive one that way with shifting your weight to steer it as the front wheel is just about useless. I know, why would anyone put up with all this crap with an outdated vehical when you can get a new one that doesn't have all those problems? Well, to me it is just part of the experience and I can remember pre 3 wheeler and having to drag the deer to camp or the truck and I don't miss those days at all. I am just getting lazyer in my old age so I will bend to the will of God and my body and get me one of those fancy 4 wheelers next year. I'm not going to retire the old girl or sell her. Just give it a well deserved rest and I can always bring her back out it if the need arises. Enough rambling and enough said. Longknife

[Grateful]

It's great to see that some people realize the benefit of a 3-wheeler. I have had several 4-wheelers including my current Honda 4x4, but I still also keep my old honda 185 3-wheeler in the back of my shop for novelty I guess. The fact is that there are places a 3-wheeler can go that a four wheeler can't, and vice versa. 3-wheelers are great on rutted roads... you just put the front wheel in a rut, and the back wheels will stay on either side of the rut, so they will keep going when your big bad 4x4 has slipped in the rut and bottomed out. As for brands/models, look out for the new honda rincon 650 4x4. It has put Honda back on top. It will out run any utility bike including the polaris 700 (due to honda design supremacy in trannies). It has independent rear suspension (about time). I was afraid I was going to have to abandon Honda until now. I have owned every major brand sold in the U.S. due to shifts in engineering advances, but as time and money went by, I learned that a simpler Honda is always better than any other brand regardless of displacement or design advances. As a word of advice, and I don't mean to offend anyone, artic cats are junk. They use suzuki motors, which aren't great to begin with, with a chassis even worse than suzuki. Also beware, suzuki king quad frames break like pretzels. I only weigh 180 lbs., and I broke a brand new one, and the new replacement that the dealer gave me. I also know 2 other people that have broken theirs in the same place. Hopefully the new models dont do this. Anyway, back to 3-wheelers, I can show you four wheeler guys some places your locked diff 4x4s with a lift and tires cant go that my little honda will keep on trucking. I must say though that if im actually hunting, Im probably gonna be on the 4x4. Happy hunting!

[Timwoii]

still using the old 300 fourtrax honda. No problems since I bought it. Tim

[slghtr12]

driving a 98 600 grizzley equipped with 2500 warn winch and 27" super swamper vampires for hunting whitetails and a max 4 ,16hp 6 wheeler also winch equipped when hunting our lease for sika deer on marylands eastern shore

[AK NIMROD]

I RECENTLY BOUGHT AN OLD '86 (I THINK) HONDA 200CC 2 WHEEL DRIVE 4 WHEELER IT DOES PRETTY DARN GOOD AND IS ALOT LIGHTER...REMINDS ME OF MY OLD BIG RED 3 WHEELER JUST AN EXTRA WHEEL. ALSO I HAVE A YAMAHA BIG WHEEL( ALSO AN '86, I THINK), 2 WHEELER WITH FAT TIRES. I POSTED A PICTURE OF MY ALASKA SIZE 4 WHEELER IN THE "WHAT DO YOU DRIVE " THREAD,, BUT I HAVE NOT USED THAT IN QUITE A FEW YEARS. MOSTLY BOATING TO PLACES NOW. BUT I MAY HAUL ONE OF THE SMALLER ATV'S ON MY BOAT WITH ME IF I MOOSE AND CARIBOU HUNT THIS YEAR.

[bobd]

a 2003 polaris sportsman 400 no problems to date

[Squealy]

'88 Honda Four-Trax 300 4x4. It's a billy-goat. it will go any where.

[luvhuntin]

Anyone here own or ever use one of the Rokon 2 wheel drive trail bikes. From the pics on the web site and write-ups in some mags, those things look awsome! They can climb a 60% grade, go over 30" logs, and when you come to a stream, just lay it on its side and float it across. The wheels are hollow for carrying extra fuel or water. When empty they make the thing float, since it only weighs 208 lbs. Seems it would be easier to ride on sidehills and not get tipsy like a 4 wheeler. If anyone has one or has used one give me your thoughts on it. I am thinking of getting one, but they only sell them on order, no distributors so you can try them out.

[AK NIMROD]

A FRIEND OF MINE HAS ONE AND HE SWEARS BY IT. IF THE HILL GETS TOO STEEP HE SAYS HE HAS SAT ON THE FRONT RACK AND RODE IT UP THE HILL TO KEEP FROM TIPPING OVER BACKWARDS. I'VE NEVER DRIVEN HIS....PART OF IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU WANT IT FOR 4 WHEELERS WILL CARRY MORE GEAR AND BE MORE STABLE IN NORMAL SITUATIONS. IF YOU LIVE WHERE YOU HAVE SNOW, 4 WHEELERS CAN PLOW SNOW. I THINK 4 WHEELERS ARE MORE VERSITAL(SP) BUT ROKON MIGHT GET YOU INTO DIFFERENT AREAS.

[AK NIMROD]

well how things change. i still have the honda but i have aquired the rokon (1966) i mentioned earlier and have a new rokon on order. another hunting partner has 3 old rokons with a new one on order and he has a spot where he gets in way further than 4 wheelers can get for dall sheep. plus this is light enough i can carry it in my 13 foot jet boat to get it to other hunting areas.

[foster]

Well!
What a delight to see some 3-wheel fans on here.
I always wanted a bike, but being a poor boy, could never afford one.
Then one day i ran into an old guy who had a 185s ('83) in mint shape. He was its only owner, and used it only from Jan. to March each year, and only to drive the couple of miles to his ice fishing shack which you can see from his living room window. The rest of the time it sat in his garage -- never even seen mud, dust or pavement. You could tell he takes good care of his stuff because you could eat off the floor of his garage. He took my $750 and thought he was over-charging me.
I think he undersold himself.
Heck, he only put about 15 tanks worth of gas through the thing in 20 years! Everything on it is stock, still the original tires at about 95% tread.
Bought it in September and I've probably increased the mileage on the thing by 1,000% since then. I ride it almost every weekend and I'm still learning but having a freakin' blast.

I haven't flipped it backwards -- yet -- nor run over my feet with the rear tires yet, lol, but I'm sure it will happen. Tipped it over a few times, though.
I've put it through some very deep water, no problem. And if the water gets really deep, well, IT FLOATS!
The big fat front tire has a problem in the soft snow. It's hard to push that fat, knobby sucker through soft snow. Turns on a dime, though, so I can go right through the woods -- no trails necessary, although where I live we are blessed with unlimited ATVing trails.
I used to borrow my brother's Honda Foreman often for hunting, so I do know that there will be places I won't be able to follow my 4-wheeled hunting/fishing pals.
But it hasn't happened yet.
And I've already left them behind several times as I take to the deep woods, weaving between the trees.
Cheers

[foster]

Off for a week in the bush.

[AK NIMROD]

WELL I FINALLY GOT MY ROKON. IT IS GOING TO WORK SO GOOD FOR PUTTING IN THE JET BOAT.

[blacktail]

Cool!!

nice bike

[AK NIMROD]

WHEELS ARE TANKS THEY HOLD 2.5 GALLONS EACH.
CLIMBS 60 DEGREES. CARRIES 1000LBS AND WILL TOW 3000 SO THEY SAY.
TOP SPEED 35-40 MPH BUT THE ARE REAL WORKHORSES.
I HAVE A SIDECAR ON ORDER.