# Honda Rancher 420 vs Kodiak 450



## Legeance

I want to buy my first ATV and was stuck between 2. 
1. Yamaha Kodiak 450$(6k)
Auto trans, shift on the fly 4wd, independent rear, full bottom skidplate, 4x4. All for $6k.

2. Honda Rancher 420($6k 4x4 Base Model)
Manual trans with footshift, 4x4, Solid rear, Manual 4wd activation(not shift on the fly, must come to complete stop)

The Kodiak is not only more powerful but its also a better ride but the Honda is a Honda so idk which one I would get. If you guys own either one of these let me know what you think. Also, the Kodiak is brand new as of the 2018 model year and I've seen a lot of companies have problems with the new stuff which is another reason I'm skeptical. Any advice is welcome and appreciated.


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## oops1

I'm pretty partial to Honda myself.


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## 1gr8bldr

The Rancher420 will be solid and dependable but lacking everywhere compared to the Kodiak. I'd go with the Kodiak hands down ....unless you hear of problems


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## walkinboss01

I'd buy a good used one. I've had two Honda's and never had an issue other than they're sometimes a little cold natured.


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## mattech

I'm happy with my Honda


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## Hooked On Quack

PM sent . .


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## poohbear

I have a 1986 Honda TRX 350 that I bought new and it's still going strong now I only use it mainly during hunting season and I've never abused it but that's 31 years old, but have to admit that some of the newer ones ride a whole lot better but the prices keep me hanging on to this one.


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## PappyHoel

I've only had experience with Artic Cat and Honda. I wouldn't give the artic cat to my worst enemy.  It was the worst of the worst from day 1, I bet it's Chinese made it's that bad.  I bought it brand new and it was a piece of it since day one.  I gave it away .

My honda rancher 420 is rock solid and starts every single time.  Nothing but good things to say about Honda.


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## Buford_Dawg

*Honda...*

Just buy it, you will be satisfied as long as you have it.


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## Legeance

1gr8bldr said:


> The Rancher420 will be solid and dependable but lacking everywhere compared to the Kodiak. I'd go with the Kodiak hands down ....unless you hear of problems



When I said it was new as of 2018 I didn't realize that it was actually based on the Grizzly so really its not new and from what I've heard its a great machine.


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## Heathern

walkinboss01 said:


> I'd buy a good used one. I've had two Honda's and never had an issue other than they're sometimes a little cold natured.



Honda is known for that.  It's because of their carburetor jetting.  Easily fixed after a little research on the proper jet for where you will ride (altitude and air temperature).  Easy, if you can do research and are handy.  Not so easy if you are not.

I've owned one Yamaha, one KTM, two Suzukis, and three Hondas (mixture of ATVs and motorcycles on those counts).  All were good, but the Hondas were hands down the highest quality and most reliable.  Same with cars.  Hondas have utterly beat the pants off of my Toyotas, in terms of reliability.  Honda defines the word "reliable".  I would take reliability over features, any day.  However, I know nothing about the reliability of modern Yamahas.  They might be really good.


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## Legeance

Heathern said:


> Honda is known for that.  It's because of their carburetor jetting.  Easily fixed after a little research on the proper jet for where you will ride (altitude and air temperature).  Easy, if you can do research and are handy.  Not so easy if you are not.
> 
> I've owned one Yamaha, one KTM, two Suzukis, and three Hondas (mixture of ATVs and motorcycles on those counts).  All were good, but the Hondas were hands down the highest quality and most reliable.  Same with cars.  Hondas have utterly beat the pants off of my Toyotas, in terms of reliability.  Honda defines the word "reliable".  I would take reliability over features, any day.  However, I know nothing about the reliability of modern Yamahas.  They might be really good.



I know Hondas are great the only thing thats holding me up is the features. Another feature that I really like that the Honda doesn't have is the H/L range. I went to a Honda dealer who sold both and the guy said he would hands down get the Kodiak so I'm really stuck on this.


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## cr00241

Legeance said:


> I want to buy my first ATV and was stuck between 2.
> 1. Yamaha Kodiak 450$(6k)
> Auto trans, shift on the fly 4wd, independent rear, full bottom skidplate, 4x4. All for $6k.
> 
> 2. Honda Rancher 420($6k 4x4 Base Model)
> Manual trans with footshift, 4x4, Solid rear, Manual 4wd activation(not shift on the fly, must come to complete stop)
> 
> The Kodiak is not only more powerful but its also a better ride but the Honda is a Honda so idk which one I would get. If you guys own either one of these let me know what you think. Also, the Kodiak is brand new as of the 2018 model year and I've seen a lot of companies have problems with the new stuff which is another reason I'm skeptical. Any advice is welcome and appreciated.



Here is Southern Honda's price. Might be worth the drive and saving some money might make the choice easier. 
I had a buddy with the ES and glad you don't want to go that route. It would mess up sometimes. 

https://www.southernhonda.com/defau...model=fourtrax® rancher® 4x4&fr=xAllInventory


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## Da Possum

Love my Honda.


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## Robert28

I'm not a fan of the new Ranchers simply because they are no smaller than the Foreman (physically). They took all the maneuverability away! The new Kodiak's are a lot of bang for the buck, especially the 700's.


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## NCHillbilly

When I used to ride dirt bikes, Hondas were about 10x the dependable machine that the Yamahas were.


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## PappyHoel

cr00241 said:


> Here is Southern Honda's price. Might be worth the drive and saving some money might make the choice easier.
> I had a buddy with the ES and glad you don't want to go that route. It would mess up sometimes.
> 
> https://www.southernhonda.com/defau...model=fourtrax® rancher® 4x4&fr=xAllInventory



I have the Honda 420 ES 4x4.  The ES does stick on occasion but only in 1st.  You stop and shift then it works, but it's rare when it sticks.  With that said, I hope it doesn't break one day. It's been running since 2008 like new, you just have to keep care of it.  I never let it sit either, no longer than a couple weeks.  Letting them sit kills them.


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## meatseeker

I can’t speak for the newer ones but if you can find an older Honda they are bulletproof. My 96 has over 11,000 miles on it. That’s like atlanta to los Ángels and back twice and then some. Put several batteries and tires. One starter. It’s drove 5 days a week. It don’t have all the bells and whistles of the new ones but it’s been rode hard through the mountains and has never left me stranded.


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## oops1

PappyHoel said:


> I have the Honda 420 ES 4x4.  The ES does stick on occasion but only in 1st.  You stop and shift then it works, but it's rare when it sticks.  With that said, I hope it doesn't break one day. It's been running since 2008 like new, you just have to keep care of it.  I never let it sit either, no longer than a couple weeks.  Letting them sit kills them.



The sensor is readily available and a five minute fix. My son's went out on his Recon but it was no big deal. Edit to say.. It's a 2nd owner  04 with many many miles on it and I replaced the sensor last year.


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## rospaw

Owned Honda's (250x, 300ex, 2 foremans) all great machines! And Polaris all 4x4 (450, sportsman 500 and scrambler 550s) MUCH better ride and power. If your just slow trail riding go honda. If you want to play go Polaris.


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## kingdawg

Don't know anything about the new yammies but I can vouch for the reliability of a 2000 Kodiak 400....Its been and still is a good one. I would definitely buy another Yamaha.


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## triple play

I had a 400 kodiak for years and a rhino for years-never a second of trouble. My next will also be a yamaha.


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## transfixer

I've owned Hondas and Yamahas,  my Dad always had a Honda, I currently own a 99 Yamaha Big bear,  never fails to start, still runs like a top,  its a manual though,   I've owned one Yamaha that was an Automatic,  couldn't stand it,  with the automatics you always sound like you're going faster than you are, especially starting off.  As the years go by you will have trouble out of the belt,  its just a matter of when. 

  Personally I'd go with the Honda, especially if its a manual,  it might not have all the bells and whistles,  but I believe in the long run it will be more dependable.


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## jbird1

2014 Yamaha Grizzly 450 EPS here....fits in the truck w the tailgate up, threads the needle pulling deer out of thick timber, zero trouble.  2014 was last year of the Grizzly 450 and was similarly priced/qaulity as the big bore machines, just a smaller machine.  The 2018 Kodiak is a similar machine to the old Grizz, but not quite the same quality/specs... imo.  The '18 Kodiak was designed to compete with the economy mid-size machines like the Polaris 570.


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## notnksnemor

My '06 Honda Foreman 500 ES 4X4 is worth as much now as what I paid for it new, if not more.
ES also comes with a manual shift lever that can be put on in a bind. It's in the on-board tool kit.
Check value retention. it will tell you a lot about the machine.


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## Patriot44

Honda all day long.  I have a 2000 Forman and I have not taken care of it. I have literally sunk it in a lake, buried it in swamps and kaolin, mines flipped it backwards down a hillx50 and much, much more.  It has dragged many a tree out for sawing on and splitting and have hauled more deer on it than I can remember and plowed many, many, many small food plots.  I have done little more than change the oil.

17 years old and going strong.


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## JohnK

I shift my honda 420 to 4wd on the fly all the time...10 years old and still runs good.


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## The mtn man

I have a 2011 rancher 420 4x4 with manual shift, and power steering. The power steering is the stuff. Another thing to consider is resale value, honda is going to hold value more than other brands.


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