[farukhcasy2]

For the last 4 years I've been eyeing up a wheeler and it's always been a Honda. Everybody I go hunting with owns a Honda, no problem ever. I was even adamant on getting a manual shifter. color copy by 55 printing
Then I went to buy it...and I saw the Yamaha Kodiak in fall beige with camo. Guy won't make any deal on the Honda so I go home and research the 2018 Kodiak 450.
**** it's brand new.
Only like 2 reviews of it online. Both super positive.
Go to exclusive Yamaha dealer in podunk town. 300 under msrp in the color I wanted.
Sold.
So guys did I make a mistake? I'm not a Yamaha guy but I think I may be now. I've been researching the hondas for years, and I wanted their reliability. But the Yamaha offered the rear independent suspension for like a grand less than Honda, and the last time they had a 450 it was beating hondas in the reviews.

 

[KodiakAfishyo]

Welcome to the forum and the Yamaha family. You made a great choice. I have the Kodiak 700 and a Honda Forman Rubicon. I like both but if I had to choose to sell one the choice would be easy, by by Honda. I am also on 2 Yamaha forums and 2 Honda forums, and I read a lot more major problems with the Honda’s, especially with the complicated expensive Honda transmission. I like my Rubicon but love the Kodiak. I have been considering trading the Honda in for the 450 Kodiak. Enjoy your new Kodiak and send us some pictures.

 

[Jjack88]

You made the right choice. I like Honda but their ATV department is slaking. Yamaha isnt up to par either with can am or polaris in power wise but the ride is there where honda is still in the 90s with suspension

 

[Jssrvlz]

Youve made a great choice. I ride a 700 but the 450 looks sporty and nimble.

 

[JimP]

If Yamaha had offered the 450 when I purchased my 700 I would of purchased it. I don't need the power that the 700 has and the 450 would of fit right in with the type of riding that I do. I had a 2000 400 Kodiak that did everything that I needed to do.

 

[GreenTech]

I think you are going to find that the reliability of Yamaha is right up there with Honda.

Performance is way ahead of Honda.

It's funny that people go into a Honda willing to sacrifice performance for reliability. It's not a Polaris.

You definitely made a great choice.

 

[Hondroid]

I think you are going to find that the reliability of Yamaha is right up there with Honda.

Performance is way ahead of Honda.

It's funny that people go into a Honda willing to sacrifice performance for reliability. It's not a Polaris.

You definitely made a great choice.

Ouch. "It's not a Polaris". True. Polaris is popular because they advertise like crazy. Fancy ads and commercials but they are inherently unreliable and use low quality parts. Yamaha is way ahead of Honda as far as performance is concerned. Good choice!

 

[JimP]

I have a friend who purchased a Polaris around 20 years ago for the sole reason that it was made in America. He has had to do a number of repairs to it but then he treats it real rough. It has been rolled more times than I like to think but it is still ticking, so to speak. That is if he can get it started.

I have had 3 Yamaha's. The first one was a 89 Big Bear 350 that went strong until I sold it. Then the new owner's kids decided that it needed to be torn apart and that was the end of it after 12 years. The next one was a 2000 Kodiak 400. I sold it because of a engine problem. It either had a cracked ring, bad piston,or needed a top end job. I didn't want to deal with it so I sold it. I have no idea of how many miles that were on it but I had gone through 4 sets of tires and was on the fifth set.

I didn't even look at any other makes, I just found my 700 and bought it and never looked back.

You'll love your 450

 

[KodiakAfishyo]

I had a 99 Polaris 500 magnum that I sold with less than 700 miles on it because I got tired of working on it and nothing was easy to get at and it weighed a ton. I had a Yamaha 06 - 350 Bruin that never had any issues About the same time. The Bruin was much simpler design reminded me of my motocross bikes when I Raced YZ’s.