Anyone have a Yamaha ATV - looking at a 2016 Kodiak 700?

[skip]

We are looking at buying a slightly used yamaha atv. Just wondering if anyone has one and if they like it.
Been watching youtube videos like the one posted.
Thanks for your feedback.

[pourfarmer]

No experience with the Yamaha, but I'd recommend a Honda any day. For ATV's you can't beat their reliability.

[hobbyfrmr]

No experience with the Yamaha, but I'd recommend a Honda any day. For ATV's you can't beat their reliability.

I think they are all good. It really depends on how you drive them. We have a 2008 Bombardier 400cc and a 2011 suzuki 400cc. They start and run as expected.
I have friends with Bombardier 800cc and Polaris 1000cc. They tear out axles, and fry electrical stuff at least once a year. I have seen 15 year old quads do daily winter cattle chores pail chop and pull calf sleds.

[cowsense]

Have a 2016 700 Kodiak....one tough reliable machine. Have just under 4000 miles already with most being pasture miles. Have only needed regular maintenance to date. Best quad I have owned to date & far superior to prior Arctic Craps. Power steering takes a lot of the shock out of rough ground & the machine is relatively smooth riding for an ATV.

[MBgrower]

Japanese made = good. Polaris, artic cat, not so much. I hear canam is good.

[seldomseen]

I started with a 1996 350 Big Bear and ran it for years with no trouble. Virtually ran the wheels off it. Up graded to a 550 grizzly a couple of years ago and it has been trouble free so far. Still run the Big Bear and kind of like the standard transmission because you can shift up into 5th gear and cruise down the road with the engine barely turning over. The grizzly will ride nicer but the engine is always revving higher.

[tweaker101]

We have a 1999 Honda foreman 450s best quad ever made in my eyes...it always starts and has never left me stranded. We also have a 2012 Polaris ranger 800... its not the same quality as the Honda, we love the ranger for all it can do but when I replace the ranger it will be with a Honda product. just my 2 cents

[farmaholic]

We've only ever had two quads ...both Arctic Cats(craps-lol)...the two rider versions (one-ups not side by sides). They have a longer wheel base than a standard quad and have a nicer ride. They don't see alot of "work" here....the hardest thing it has to do is pull a trailer full of hand picked rocks off the fields in spring. Can't say we've had alot of trouble with them...one major "self inflicted" problem I don't want to talk about. The older one, 08, we had I believe had a Suzuki engine....now Arctic Cat uses their own engine.

Nice to have around though.

[GDR]

Not sure on the newer ones but sure liked the yamaha i had. If its a workhorse and not a toy the basic foot shift manual everything units are hard to beat for reliability.

700 is big and heavy too unless you need the power for something. A 350 or 420 are a lot easier to maneuver and can move them around by hand if you need to.


First quad I bought was a 98 Yamaha big bear, wore it out with heavy almost daily use over 13 yrs, replaced it with a 11 honda. Both good machines. Honda starts better at minus 30, but runs hotter and revs higher. The Yamaha was way better chasing cows, like the transmission better, same size quad but the Hondas got more torque.

[skip]

Wow...thanks for the feedback.
I am going to see what kind of deal we can get on the one I am looking at.
Thanks for the advice.

[GALAXIE500]

Good day. We have a 2007 Yamaha 450 kodiak and have had good luck with it. Apart from replacing a rear axle seal or two ( most likely from chasing cows , etc!@#$%) the machine has never left me stranded. Put the gas in and go. My next quad will be a Honda Foreman/rancher model. Nothing against the Yamaha .