I like the 500 Polaris my uncle uses...

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Of the Troops & For the Troops

I have been riding a borrowed Prairie 360 while researching what I really want. I am leaning toward a Honda Foreman or Rancher. They do not have a belt type transmission. The larger ATVs are very heavy.
Just my thoughts

Brien

I have been very happy with it for everything from working food plots, hunting, pasture burning and maintaining fence. Still for working cattle, nothing beats a good horse.

In terms of reliability and longevity, nothing beats a Honda.

make sure you get fuel injection. Carbs, even nowadays, are a big PITA on ATV's.

trouble free. I also have a polaris, a good machine, but still needs lots more maintainence than the honda. currently have the honda rubicon, with power steering, no less! comfortable, powerful, user friendly.

I just bought two Hondas, a 4x4 Foreman and a 4x2 Rancher. Great machines, keep in mind the Polaris is not fuel injected, I considered buying the Polaris, but to be honest, from a quality stanpoint, it could not hols a candle to the Hondas.

. . . to something much larger like the John Deere "Gator" lineup?

I can see these being a little large for backwoods hunting use, but for actual farm stuff they are pretty nice. My bro-in-law has had a couple of them, and they were exceedingly useful . . . if kinda pricey.