i am looking for an entry level atv for my son and other kids as they grow older

i am strongly considering the recon 250…..

competitors are the Can am DS250, Kawasaki brute force 300

I have not test driven any of them…only going by reviews and reputation…ive decided the Honda will most likely be the one

Locally there is a dealer offering $3,476 on the base model (including shipping and setup)…im not sure if this is a good deal? ive sent emails out and had one offer to match it (but he didnt have one in stock)…i have yet to really get much response from dealers…….

i just bought a Polaris Sportsman Touring 570 and got $1,000 off sticker (including freight and setup)…..so i am not sure if $-573 on the honda…its a higher %…so it most likely is

also manual vs the handle shifting model? they want $300 more for the hand shift model (even though list is only $250 more)

or should i force the kids to learn how to shift? or take it easy on them for $250-300 more….is one more reliable

thanks for all advice