Nice dilema...

[widetrack]

Wow... found out this weekend that my wife won a Polaris Wheeler. Awesome!

Now I need some advise. It is a Polaris trail boss 330 4 stroke 2x4.

I've never owned a wheeler before, so don't know that much about them. I ice fish often, and have always used my widetrak for that.

What to do, what to do...? Keep it and use it, or try and scrape up some cash and trade up to a 4x4. (Christmas was tough on the cash supply).

Please don't take this like I'm complaining, cause I'm thrilled...

Just need some advise.

[hunt4food]

Congratulations! If you plan to use it for ice fishing, I would strongly recommend selling that one and getting a 4 wheel drive model. If you decide to use it, invest in a set of tire chains or ice studs for the tires. If money is tight, I suppose you could sell it and use that money down for a small loan on a different one.

[MN Mike]

Nice indeed..... Heck, if I was you I would just license it, buy a set of chains and give it a run and see what you think. If you don't like it, sell it, what do you have to loose? If you have it out on the lake and the snow gets too deep, you probably shouldn't be out there with a 4x4 anyway and you already have the sled part covered. Only thing would be the summer and if you wanted to go mudding or something where 4x4 would be nice but either way your not going to loose a heck of a lot on the 4 wheeler if you use it.

Have you been to Buffalo yet widetrack? I heard a Toyota pickup went thru on a breaker right off the Birch Point access, about 4 feet of water or so, sounded like they got alot of rain up there on Sunday.

Mike

------------------
Frozen Bait

[Mark Christianson]

If you want to use it in the winter, sell it.
Period. Chains are not going to get you through any snow depths at all. Chains will help in minimal snow or on ice; thats it.
My dad bought a 2 wheel drive a few years back. I told him over and over that my friends dad made the same mistake to buy a 2x4, and soon after realized the 4x4 was the way to go.
Well, my dad used the 2x4 for a very short time(literally months), and sold it, only to buy a 4x4 Yamaha Kodiak, and he has been smiling ever since. Now he admits a 2x4 ATV is pretty much useless unless you go down a heavily used trail or actual road surface.

You lucky dog!!! Winning anything is always great! Congrats.

[widetrack]

Thanks for the advise guys...

I'm thinking about shopping around to see what a trade up to a Magnum will cost me.

Mike, I haven't fished up in the bay yet, I've been out several times, and have been doing pretty good out at 16, so I have been staying there. It rained like crazy on Saturday, so much it was coming through the house. That was pretty strange weather.

Thanks guys.

[This message has been edited by widetrack (edited 12-30-2003).]

[RiverKarhu]

If you are thinking of trading up to a Magnum 330 4x4, I would reconsider. I am a diehard Polaris fan(I'm on Polaris #5), but I would be the first one to tell you the 330 4x4 would disappoint you. It's a dog. I'd rather see you with a Kodiak or a Foreman (Kodiak is better it has a true 4wd button). Or move up to the best, buy American, and go to a 500 Sportsman HO. The HO is a bit heavy but it's 5x the machine the 330 is.
I wish they still made the Magnum 500 - I would buy one tomorrow, especially if they put the HO engine in it. Not as heavy as the Sportsman, but all the power and all shaft drive. IRS is overrated in my book.

later

River

[widetrack]

River:

Thanks for the heads up... The 330 mag was what I was considering...

[sledhead]

330 trailboss, not so much a good machine, they are very cold blooded, trade it of and get a 4x4. I'm partical to Yamaha but Polaris 500 HO is a go machine to.

ride safe, wear a helmut, stupid hurts

If you get it serviced, wash'em first.

[Fishbitten]

Find out who supplied the machine before!! you ride it and ask the dealer about up grading before you put any time on the machine and go from there.

[JohnD]

Actually, I think the magnum is a pretty good machine, my wife and I bought a 2000 magnum 325 4x4 for my father in law, and it's been a great machine. Of course it won't have the torque of a 500, but he uses it on his farm and he hasn't run into a situation where it didn't have enough power, and believe me, he puts it through a lot more than we do ice fishing. I have an Arctic Cat 400 and love it, I've plowed a lot of snow, pulled some very heavy trailers, and really loaded it down, and it has always performed. Personally, I don't see much practical need for a machine over 400cc's, unless you want something that really hauls the mail, and as far as different brands go, I think they all make pretty good machines, it just depends how much you want to spend, and what features you want.

[Dave]

JohnD has really hit on something most ATV oweners overlook. A 300/400 size machine is more than 'most' owners would ever need. Now, a 2WD versus a 4WD is what should really be thought out.

[Mark Christianson]

A key point brought up in the last couple posts.
I plow a 150 ft driveway with my Kodiak 400, and I have NEVER been short on power.
I was able to launch my 16.5 Crestliner with a 50hp outboard at my parents cabin with my Dads Kodiak with minimal problems(only problem was spinning tires so the power was still there).

I really don't know what I could run into where I would need more power than a 400 has to offer. Not sure what anyone would need the extra power for except to go faster on top end. Like I say, its not a shortage of power in most cases, its the traction that breaks before the tires just won't spin.

Now if I had a 2x4 versus the 4x4; THEN I would be having some problems.

[JohnD]

A couple things I forgot to mention, if you look into an Arctic Cat, I wouldn't consider anything older than a 2002, and as dumb as it sounds, the only reason is looks. They redesigned them in 2002, and they look good, before that, they looked like a 1980's model Suzuki. Also, if you use it for ice fishing, check out a bucket rack, I bought one at the St Paul Ice Fishing show, I couldn't live without it now. I don't work for these guys, or even know them, but it's the most useful ice fishing tool I have on my ATV, and believe me, I have a lot of them. They have a HSOforum, but I'm not sure if I can post it.

[RiverKarhu]

Whoa now fellers...the 330 ain't in the same class as the 400 Cat and Kodiak. It's a heavy machine with a small engine. I wouldn't say no one should buy a 330, I'm just saying, ride it first. I know of lots of people have bought them and were disappointed when they tried out a 500 later.
The 400 Cat / Kodiak machines have a lot better power to weight ratio than the 330.
Go for a ride - try a 330 and a 500, then decide.

River