Size of ATV to purchase

[Nathansdad]

I'm looking to purchase a used ATV. Having trouble figuring out how big I should go. Polaris Sportsman is the route I want to go. I'm not a trail rider, will use it for ice fishing, deer hunting, plowing snow, utility work around the yard. Is a 500 adequate or should I go bigger? Maybe an 800?

Thanks for the help.

[Macgyver55]

A 500 will easily fit the bill for those activities!

[fishing tech]

500 will do. I have a 500 and an 800. I wish I would have bought 2 500's

[Nathansdad]

What are the advantages of a 500 over an 800? My biggest concern is snowplowing. I have a fairly large driveway and want to make sure I have the power I need. I do like the prices better on the 500's.

[Early Riser]

Price is certainly a consideration.

An 800 would be my choice if I was just plowing.

For the best application among all the uses you have identified, the 500 would likely be the best choice. The power and gearing should be ample for everything you like to do. I have a 450 Yamaha (which is actually a 427) and had no trouble pulling the trailer I haul it on, three guys and all their gear for a day of spearing through over 8" of drifted lake snow up in the Brainerd area a few weeks ago…..Albeit slow, in 4-lock, at top speeds, even on the packed snowmobile trails of 15mph.

For the woods it is often nice to have a smaller machine that is more maneuverable between the trees and in the brush.

In the garage, or out when you get into a bad spot the smaller machine is easy to lift, shift, push around.

Consider a machine with full locking differentials so that all four wheels have power in 4-low as that makes a huge difference in deep snow, and likely for plowing.

[aczr2k]

I'd look into a 550 XP with power steering, it will do all you need to do and the power steering is nice for plowing snow. The newer generation XP's are all around better than the old style 500.

[magnum mike]

If you plan to use it for winter fishing, I strongly recommend EFI over normally carburated.

[harvey lee]

I have a 400 Cat and I deer hunt with it, pull my portable and can also pull my wheelhouse as long as there is not too much snow on the lake. I have the back tires chained up and studs on the front so now issues with snow and just riding.

I have not plowed with it but I have to believe I could do that also.

I like the fact that the size of the wheeler is smaller as I can pretty much go alot of places that some with the larger machines cannot go through the wood's.

[Larson15]

Bigger is better especially with Polaris because they are so heavy.....If you are plowing you will want the 800......My neighbor down the road has a newer sportsman 500 and 60" plow and wishes he would have gotten something bigger. I have a brute force 750 and let him plow with mine and I plowed with his and it felt underpowered pushing wet snow. It will still do the job but the higher cc machines will do it a little better.

[rundrave]

I have a Polaris 500 and it gets the job done. I run out of traction well before I run out of power when I plow snow.

Consider a machine with full locking differentials so that all four wheels have power in 4-low as that makes a huge difference in deep snow, and likely for plowing.

Thats the thing I love about Polaris is their 4wd works and actually spins all 4 wheels unlike the 3 wheel wonders the other brands have. No locker or extra levers and buttons to hold down, no slowing down to engage just flip the switch on the handlebar regardless of how fast you are going and your set. It also drives in 2wd until the rear tires slip so you don't have to fight locked front end when you don't need it.

[bonehead99]

I've had a 500 for years. This year I bought a new 850HO and am very happy I did. Yes the 500 has enough power but... the 850 is fuel injected, no carbs no choke and it is a twin cylinder so it is very smooth. The engine is also rotated 90 degrees from my older 500 so that make the engine/ seat muck narrower and comforable. The running boards then get wider also. So I would look at all the features rather than just the engine size.

[BoxMN]

I don't have it, but after trying it, I REALLY like the power steering on some of the newer models. I have a 450 and it does everything I need it to, but I don't plow and have no experience plowing. But I have towed some pretty large and heavy things with it, and it works. I agree that traction will more important than engine size when towing most things, at least on ice.

[BobT]

What are the advantages of a 500 over an 800? My biggest concern is snowplowing. I have a fairly large driveway and want to make sure I have the power I need. I do like the prices better on the 500's.

I owned a Kawasaki Prairie 300 for almost 10 years. Never have I had a lack of power and I used it to pull 300bu. gravity boxes (empty of course), a trailer loaded with rocks, a small manure spreader, and climbed iron ore dumps in northern MN, without problems. I highly doubt a plow would present an issue either.

[Down2Earth]

EFI alone is worth going to which ever model you need instead of the 500.

[eyehunter]

They make 500 models with EFI so that is not really a factor when deciding what size to get. I plow with a 500 Sportsman and it does just fine. I live in the country and have about 2 acres with a driveway that is about 125' long and have no issues with the 500. Put some chains on it and you'll be fine unless you are plowing a mile and a half of township road or something then I would look at a bigger model.

[96trigger]

I had a 650vtwin arctic cat that I plowed a 250 ft driveway with. Sold it to buy a polaris ranger so I now have to use my 500 honda rubicon. The cat seriously out plowed and out horses the Honda. The honda is a great little machine, but it is nothing compared to the cat, especially when it comes to busting through snow drifts. I would always rather have too much power than too little. The 500 is more than adequate, but isn't the work horse the cat was.

[swampman]

Get what you want I would get the 500 my buddy has a 700 and a 500 and likes the 500 better. I have a 330 magnum 4x4 with a 5 ft plow that I have plowed my 150ft driveway with it for 10 yrs with no problems.

With the low range your not going to have a power problem no matter what you get.

[knoppers]

for any winter activities, three things come to mind for a wheeler. EFI is my number one, power steering if you are plowing, and a winch for the plow.

other things would be tires, you need traction and able to go through snow out fishing. size of motor may not matter, but once you add on the weight of a plow, better tires, winch you may want to go bigger.

[minky]

Lots of great info on here!

[Down2Earth]

They make 500 models with EFI so that is not really a factor when deciding what size to get. I plow with a 500 Sportsman and it does just fine. I live in the country and have about 2 acres with a driveway that is about 125' long and have no issues with the 500. Put some chains on it and you'll be fine unless you are plowing a mile and a half of township road or something then I would look at a bigger model.

Not in a Polaris. I think you have to get the 550

[rundrave]

Not in a Polaris. I think you have to get the 550

You could get a 500 with EFI starting back in 2006, that was the first year they put it in Fuji 500 HO motor. I think you can even get a Ranger 500 with EFI also.

[PurpleFloyd]

I owned a Kawasaki Prairie 300 for almost 10 years. Never have I had a lack of power and I used it to pull 300bu. gravity boxes (empty of course), a trailer loaded with rocks, a small manure spreader, and climbed iron ore dumps in northern MN, without problems. I highly doubt a plow would present an issue either.

Agreed. My first ATV with a plow was a Yamaha Wolverine 350 that didn't even have low range and it pushes all the snow I needed to with stock tires and no chains. That was replaced by a Sportsman 500 and while it had more power and low range, the fuel consumption was considerably higher. After that came a RZR 800 and the fuel consumption was much higher than it was with the 500. The power is nice to have but the increase in fuel consumption these days is something you have to weigh.

[eyehunter]

Not in a Polaris. I think you have to get the 550

[titelines]

I have a 500 Sportsman X2 and it's been plenty machine for me. I plow a few long driveways as well as a 1.2 mile stretch of road with it..never been a problem. The only problem is, when you get a lot of snow during the season, at some point you're not going to be able to throw it over the snow banks and you'll lose width on your driveway..but you will have that problem whether you have a 500, 800 or anything else.

I also use it fishing, work around the property etc., never once felt like it was underpowered.

IMHO - I'd get the 500 and use the money you save from buying the 800 and outfit it for your needs. From what you listed I'd get a gun scabbord, plow, winch, plow mount plate, windshield, bumpers etc. You could have a really sweet ride!

Have fun.

[Down2Earth]

Guess you can get a 500 with efi, thanks for the info.

However if someone was going to really give this guy some good advice it would be to get a Honda or a can-am.